We got the car back! It was ready yesterday (Saturday) and we were able to get to the shop after TMBWitW finished work and before the shop closed. The owner had already taken off for the day, but Scarlet jumped in and I followed her home. Started following her home.

About ten miles down the outer loop, on the way to our abode, that noise happened again. Not as bad as on the trip to Kingman, according to TMBWitW, but still. She pulled over, I pulled over, we swapped cars, and I nursed the J30 to the house in direct drive while placing a few phone calls. It goes back to the shop Monday.

*sigh*

Along with re-typing The Wisconsin Cartters as I had originally planned, I will be posting scans of the pages. While trying to duplicate Grandfather’s efforts, I realized that I would have to scan quite a bit in anyway, with the pictures that he included of family members.

Now for the fun part:

If you are a member of the Cartter family tree, and you see your name on one of the pages (or, if you can provide names and information to fill out a branch here or there) please e-mail me at the address in the sidebar with whatever information you may have to update. Pictures are encouraged. I will include what you submit in the on-line update of this genealogical record.

Keep an eye out for the first postings – in the next few days.

An innocuous question, one that would not be out of place almost anywhere except where I was standing.

The lady, who appeared to have been bereft of the pleasure of sleeping under a roof for a while, had a cigarette dangling from her lips at the time. There was no way she could tell her odds of getting a light from me were way down for several reasons – I myself hadn’t smoked in well over ten years, therefore I no longer carried a lighter or matches with me; I am no longer in the habit of helping others in their bid for a long drawn out suicide attempt; and I didn’t think she needed another one, since her voice was already about a half-octave lower than mine. Oh, yeah – I was also standing at the rear of my vehicle with a gasoline nozzle in my hand. In a gas station. At night.

(OK, the “at night” bit wasn’t needed, but I like it when there is an odd number of rifts to finish a paragraph. Especially in sarcasm.)

She seemed genuinely insulted when I said “No, and even if I did, I wouldn’t give you a light standing on top of 50,000 gallons of gasoline.”

“Well, I wouldn’t light it up right here.” Great. She’s a heavy thinker.

“Oh, so I would just give you my lighter, you would stand off the property by a step or two, light up, and then walk back over here with a lit cigarette in your hand to return my lighter? I would have to pass on that opportunity also.”

(Please note that I used to drive a fuel truck. 10,000 gallons of gasoline right behind you gives you an alarmingly clear view of some of the stupid stunts that are pulled by less attentive Darwin nominees. I also know that a lit cigarette is slightly less likely to cause a gasoline explosion than an open flame, but why mess with the odds?)

Those of you who feel for the makers of Darwinistic attempts will be happy to know that she did, finally, get a light – from a fellow fool who pulled into the gas station with a lit cigarette in his hand hanging out his window. Wouldn’t want to smell up the inside of the car now, would we?

I sent a letter to Rural Life Press asking about the copyright on Grandpa’s book, “The Wisconsin Cartters” that they printed in 1973.

Yesterday, it came back to me, wearing a forlorn yellow sticker with the words “Return To Sender,” “No Such Number,” and “Unable To Forward.”

Anyone out there with information on Rural Life Press, formally located at 208 Campus Street, Lake Mills, Wisconsin?

Until I hear from them, I think I will continue with the project. Watch for Chapter One soon.

DISCLAIMER: THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE WRITTEN FOR USE IN NORTH AMERICA AND OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AUTOMOBILE.

Let’s start with something nice and easy.

Turn signals.

There is a small lever to the left of your steering wheel. This is called the turn signal lever.

Scenario 1: You are driving along, you come to the place you are going to turn – reach out with the fingers of your left hand and flip the turn signal lever in the direction you are going to turn. Up for right, down for left. You will notice a corresponding flashing light on the dashboard of your vehicle, called the turn signal indicator. After completing the turn, or during the turn, your turn signal should automatically cancel itself. If it doesn’t, as indicated by the continued flashing of the turn signal indicator, please use the fingers of your left hand to return the turn signal lever to the neutral position.

Scenario 2: You are driving along, and decide that you need to be in a lane other than the one you are in. First, check your mirrors to make sure that no one else is currently in the space you plan to occupy. Then, reach out with the fingers of your left hand and place a slight pressure on the turn signal lever in the direction you are going to merge. Up for right, down for left. You will notice a corresponding flashing light on the dashboard of your vehicle, called the turn signal indicator. Please use only a light pressure, just enough to activate the turn signal indicator on the dashboard of your vehicle, so that when you complete the lane change and you release the pressure on the turn signal lever, the lever will return to the neutral position.

Please note: Merging onto a street or highway from another street or highway is considered a turn or lane change, depending on the angle of incidence. These are ideal – nay, perfect! – times to use your turn signals. Most sane people consider any directional change a time to use their turn signals.

Please note: If you are retired, or are driving a large motor home, or both, do not be surprised if you are accosted at your next stop for (a) blocking traffic for forty seven miles, and (b) having your left turn signal on all that time.