If’n t’weren’t fer bad luck

I’d think I have no luck at all. 

And I am starting to think some of those ‘your thoughts are what you attract’ meme’s have a little bit of validity to them,,,,  Ugly thoughts attract bad things, good thoughts attract good things,,,,

Been giving a fellow Emp at work, a hand up, picking him up for work every mornin’.   Guy seems to be a shit magnet though.  Been a couple of times where he would get in the truck and things started acting up.   Not saying HE is the reason, but his negativity can be overwhelming at times.   Dude makes me look like downright sedate in negativity,,,

Tonight, had to do a wally-world run, simple shit, but stuff that local doesn’t carry: Kitteh Crunchies that Mama will eat, some other stuff since I had to go there,,,,

Came out and Trucks deader than a doornail.  Plenty of juice at the battery, but no love from the starter.   NOTHING,,, used my Powerprobe II to check if the selenoid would kick if I ‘bumped it’,,, Popped the breaker on my probe,, DEAD IN WATER.   Ok,  Da arrives, go to local parts place and get a new Starter ($170,,, OUCH!!!) and do the swap right there in the parking lot of Wally’s,,, 

Did I mention that when I got there, I was smelling axle grease?

No? 

Well I was,,,   and saw some smoke from the rear drivers side tire as well.   Wasn’t hearing any noise and figured I could get her home and check things over,,,,

Starter in, fires up just fine, start the drive home and ‘heard something’,,,,

At first I was thinking I hadn’t tightened the lugs enough (I had pulled the passenger front tire for access to the starter area), so I stopped, jacked the front end back up, loosened and retightened the lugs,,,, back on road.

Same noise,,, not constant, just an occasional bllerrrt,,   Stop one more time at a different store and I am ready to blow a top right now,,,,

Smoke pouring out that back wheel well.  Shine a light down there and see HOT grease pouring out the axle,,  forming a puddle.   

Just get me home Buffalo, just get me home.  

As I was pulling up my hill, I heard the pinion gear whining.  Granted, fluid levels are low and running up hill, that fluid would have moved away from the pinion.   As soon as I was back on flat, she went silent again.

I’m trying like hell to not have negative thoughts at Buffalo right now,,, Two diffs in less than 8 months?   Come on, give me a break, please!!!   And I don’t really know what the problem is (other than a blown seal, but WHAT caused it to blow?   Plugged vent lines are the usual suspect,,,   and there is seepage from the pinion seal as well that I can see (not dripping, but wet,,,)  Passengers side is dry.

I guess you know what Dio’s weekend looks like.   And its supposed to snow all weekend,,, Lovely,,,

nice thoughts, happy thoughts, kick the bad thoughts aside,,, happy thoughts, nice thoughts,,, no bad no bad no bad,,,,

oh, and I still have two days of getting to and from work to deal with,,,,   Thinking the shit magnet is gonna get a call that he needs to find alternate transport the next couple of days.

Post script update,,, To be fair, the dude I have been giving rides to, IS trying to turn his life around. And of course, I offer some advice or at least kind words in his world where he doesn’t seem to get any.

But, as we used to say in the Corps,,, “no good deed will go unpunished” And here I am,,, Wallet is taking a beating on this, my mindset as well. AND I WILL SURVIVE IT. Just need to keep an open mind, baby the crap out of Buff in the meantime and make sure that diff doesnt fall into the danger zone. I caught this one before it locked up on me as the last one did, so there IS THAT positive note.

And I need to keep thinking these positive thoughts,,,, I will get through this,,,,