DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn. She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”
As the children got older, schedules were more difficult to manage for family dinners, so it has essentially dwindled down to just once-a-month with Bill, DiVoran, Fred and me. We take turns where to meet: one month Fred and I go to Titusville, and the next month Bill and DiVoran come to Orlando. We usually meet about 10:00 a.m. at the house for some time to just visit and chat – catch up on our lives. About 11:30 we head to a restaurant for a lunch meal together.
Bill and DiVoran’s house
Our house
In Titusville, that usually means Dixie Crossroads. YAY! Love that place and the Rock Shrimp they serve!
Credit photo Google Search and Dixie Crossroads website; Steve Hunsader
There used to be a restaurant in Titusville called Portofino’s that we enjoyed, but they aren’t in business any more. Another was Pumpernickle’s, which served authentic German food. Fred and I really loved that restaurant, since we lived in Germany for six years. But, unfortunately, they aren’t in business any more, either. Shucks! There is still a good Mexican/Cuban restaurant where we go occasionally called El Leoncito which is excellent.
Photo credit Google Search, El Leoncito website; Herve Andrieu
When Bill and DiVoran come to Orlando, we have quite a wide variety of restaurants to pick from. Recently we went to Cracker Barrel, since they have such a wide variety on their menu.
Photo credit Google Search and Cracker Barrel Website
We described the salmon at Longhorn Steakhouse, and DiVoran decided the next time they come here she would like to try that!
Another time they came over to Orlando, we all met at Columbia House in Celebration. It is a “traditional Spanish” restaurant, and the food is excellent.
Photo credit Google Search and Columbia House website
For those who don’t know, Celebration is a housing development built by Disney, located not too far from Disney World.
This is the symbol of Celebration
Photo credit Google Search and Celebration website
It is essentially a self-contained community which includes shopping, schools (reported to be state-of-the-art), and a hospital (also reported to be state-of-the-art). I’ve been a patient in that hospital, and it is quite good.
We’ve eaten at Azteca Mexican Restaurant, Cheddar’s Home Kitchen. We’ve taken them to 4 Rivers BBQ, and The Catfish Place in St. Cloud. We’ve eaten at IHOP as well as Red Lobser and Olive Garden. So we really have our choice of eateries here. That keeps it interesting.
~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~
Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.
I tried, really tried not to get nauseous at Angie’s story.
“I was taught that you eat anything you kill,” she said.
Angie is one of hubby’s family members whom we recently visited. They live in a double-wide trailer surrounded by vegetable gardens, horses, and gorgeous trees at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Each family member is refreshingly warm, down-to-earth, simple, transparent and genuinely kind—traits seldom seen these days.
I relished in their ways of life and in their unique stories like the one Angie related about the day she killed a crow.
“I brought it home,” she said matter-of-factly. “Prepared it, carved out a piece of the breast, breaded it, added salt and pepper and fried it.”
I gave a fake smile to hide my disbelief but had to ask, “How did it taste?”
“Awful. I spit it out.”
In these times of turmoil, we also need to spit out the distasteful and destructive lies from the enemy of our soul.
His craftiness is peppered with deceit and destruction. Caution: he works best to destroy us by first bringing in doubt, then aims to rob our security hoping we bite into these lies:
Seek first to solve your problem
Change will come if you try harder
Another person will ease your loneliness
Your provision comes from your paycheck
Angie spit out the disgusting crow’s meat and we should also do the same with those lies. On the other hand, victory comes when we delight our soul with the delicious truth in God’s Word:
God’s ready to give us what we need. Are you busy seeking answers, solutions, changes or breakthroughs on your own? If so, you might be stuck in the mud of discouragement, exhausted by the seeking frenzy. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). While you choose to seek God first, expect and count on the promises that will come in ways you may not expect and in the timing that might surprise you.
Resist the lie that says you prayed incorrectly, your prayers are too brief, too long, with the wrong words. God has the prayer pattern defined in Matthew 6:9-15 and He adds, “And most of all, …when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:7). Before you ask Him? That’s deliciously wonderful! No wonder confidence increases in knowing He’s aware of your needs, desires and longings.
Another lie we need to spit out is the one that sparks these questions: Am I worthy? Do I deserve what God offers? Am I clean enough to receive? Am I too weak to pray boldly? His reassurance comes when you whisper to Him: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).
Through Jesus, our heart can be clean and, more open to hearing His voice, knowing His lead and savoring His promises.
Let’s Pray
Father, in these times of difficult challenges and pending requests, I vow to discard the lies from the enemy of my soul. I will instead taste the goodness You offer, the path You show me and the peace You infuse in me. In Jesus’ name.
What lies are creating a bitter taste in your heart?
Janet
Celebrate with me! My new release, Now I See: How God’s Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy won the 2023 Memoir of the Year Golden Scroll Award.
BONUS article on recognizing and defeating our enemy’s lies.
You and I are only a click away. You can use this CONTACT FORM to leave your prayer request, make a comment, ask a question, or invite me to speak to your group. Or simply reply to this email.
I also invite you to visit my WEBSITE. You’ll find more inspirational blogs along with my story, books, and videos. You’ll also learn the passion and mission of JC Empowerment ministries.
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.
Day 7 – July 21: This morning after an early breakfast, I headed north in my rented pickup truck, for 6 miles to meet Glenn at the Chrysler Dealership in Wausau, WI. I wanted to see what kind of used vans he had available. Glenn met me at the door and already had a red 2013 Chrysler Town & Country van out front for me to inspect. We took it for a test drive, and I was satisfied that this van would suit my needs. We settled in his office to do the necessary paperwork and he told me they had just recently received the van in a trade and had processed it thru their service shop with everything for resale, except it had not yet been detailed. Since that would usually take about two days (for the carpets to dry) he would take $600 off the price for that not being done. I was okay with that!
I told Glenn that Clayton (the mechanic) had told me he might be interested in buying my 2006 Dodge van if I decided to sell it. I told him I wanted to add that money as a down payment on the 2013 van. I called Clayton and we struck a deal for him to buy my van. Then I said, “Okay Clayton, now you have my van, and you have the money for my van, how do I get the money to Glenn for my down payment? “ He said, “Let me talk to Glenn.” He told Glenn, “I’m out hunting this weekend, but you know I’m good for it (friends for 25 years), I’ll bring the money to your office Monday morning.” Well, Glenn was okay with that (I was amazed!) and he said, “Well that settles that, you are good to go. All we need to do now is run this by the financial office.”
That done, Glenn said, “The final paperwork will take a while to put together, so why don’t you return your rental truck and then we’ll drive this van up to Clayton’s shop and I’ll help you transfer everything from your 2006 van to this 2013 van so you will be ready to continue your road trip as soon as possible.” That worked for me. He followed me the 8 miles to the Mosinee Airport, where I returned the pickup truck to the National Car Rental office. When the agent handed me the receipt, he said, “I don’t understand this, but you only owe $2.53 for your rental.” I was shocked! And I said, “How can that be?” He said, “I don’t know, but that is what it says here on your receipt.” I told him I wanted a paper receipt showing the balance of the $750 I had paid for the week’s truck rental had been credited back to my credit card account. He did that, and I was happy with that. All I could say was, “Thank you Lord, for the miracles you work in our lives every day!”
We drove the van over to Clayton’s Auto Repair shop there in Mosinee, and the transfer of my things, that would have taken me 2-3 hours, only took about 30 minutes with Glenn’s help. That was a huge thing for him to do for me! That done, I left my key and vehicle registration to the 2006 van in Clayton’s drop box with a note promising to send the van title to him as soon as I returned to Florida. Another example of small-town trust on Clayton’s part. By the time we got back to the dealership in Wausau, all the paperwork was ready for my signature. That didn’t take long. I thanked everyone for helping me through one of the most intense 24-hours I could remember. I said my goodbyes and was on my way north on I-39 in new wheels by 1:00 pm.
In order to arrive at this evening’s destination without losing my room reservation, I had to pass up the Chippewa Falls Museum, the Thorp Telephone Museum, the Wisconsin Logging Museum, and the Wisconsin Canoe Museum. I’ll just have to visit them on another one of my road trips. It was late by the time I arrived in Superior, WI and all the museums were closed. I drove across the John A. Blatnik Bridge into Duluth, MN and Greta (my Garmin) took me to the motel there. After I checked into the motel, I asked the desk clerk for a good place to eat, and he said he liked the Buffalo House Restaurant not far from the motel. I found it and had their Seafood Enchiladas plate (Never had that dish before) and they were wonderful. After that delicious meal, it was back to the motel, and right to bed for me. As you might imagine, I was a tired puppy and the bed felt great.
Photo Credit: Bill Lites
—–To Be Continued—–
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.
Will come into his presence and gaze upon his face.
Psalm 11:3-7
Photo Credit:Pixabay
DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn. She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”
As I think back to the meals Fred and I have had with Bill and DiVoran (brother and sister-in-law), I am reminded of some great times.
The first meal we shared together after Fred and I moved to Florida was on the north side of Orlando, in a fun little restaurant called the Bombay Bicycle Club. Interesting name and place. I honestly don’t remember what either of us ate there. The main thing I remember is that a horrific storm blew through while we were eating, and the power went out. The credit card machines and cash registers were not working (all electric), and we had to pay with cash. This is a picture I gleaned from the Bombay Bicycle Club website that is in San Antonio, Texas. The one in Orlando is no more.
Photo credit Google Search and Jane C.
I can’t remember just where we met Bill and DiVoran the next time, but it was storming, as well – that I do remember! I was afraid it was to be the hallmark of our meetings! Fortunately, that has not been the case.
For a few years after we moved here, we would all gather together in any month where someone in the family had a birthday – and celebrate all together. For instance, in Bill’s family there were three family members who had January birthdays – so we all gathered together one Saturday evening for a dinner along with cake and ice cream. February was similar, so a repeat. March held Bill’s birthday, then there was a dry spell until July, which held my birthday. And so on. It was a lot of fun, and we were able to see both of Bill and DiVoran’s children and their spouses and children.
As a side note – Bill said that he was glad we had moved here, since when our girls and their families came for a visit – Bill and DiVoran and their families got to visit with them, as well. Kept up the connection with cousins. I remember once when we all gathered together at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill near DeLeon Springs for breakfast, because Karen, Brian, Forrest and Katie (along with Forrest’s girlfriend at the time) were in town. It was summer, and hot, and that griddle in the middle of the table was REALLY hot, but it was still fun.
Photo credit Google Search and Patty Gibson
In the year 2001, while my hair was still growing back from my time with chemo, Bill and DiVoran’s grandchildren were still quite young, and we all gathered one evening at a resort near SeaWorld, where Bill’s daughter and her husband were “on vacation.” I mention that because I was wearing a hair wig, but had taken a different one with me (don’t remember why). During the course of the afternoon/evening I took off the wig to show the kids.
Jacob tried to pull his hair off like I had just done – but we told him it wouldn’t work. His sister, Lacey asked if I had cancer. She was a sharp little girl. The kids were not upset or disturbed by my lack of hair. Amazing.
Judy is living in Central Florida with her retired U.S. Air Force husband of 50+ years. Born in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in the Southwestern United States.She met her husband at their church, where he was attending the university in her town. After college and seminary, he entered the Air Force, and their adventures began.They lived in eight of our United States, and spent six years in Europe, where their oldest daughter was born. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years .
Judy has always been involved with music, both playing the piano and singing. Always interested in exercise, she was an aerobic dancing instructor, as well as a piano teacher for many years, and continues to faithfully exercise at home.
After moving to Central Florida, she served as a church secretary for nearly nine years.Her main hobby at this point in time is scanning pictures and 35mm slides into the computer. She also enjoys scrapbooking.She and her husband have two married daughters and four grandchildren, including grandtwins as well as a great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. She and her husband enjoy the Disney parks as often as possible.
Here I was almost 1500 miles from home, with a disabled vehicle, only 6-days into a 20-day Road Trip with few options. I asked Clayton, the mechanic at the auto repair shop, about rental cars and he told me he could have his helper run me over to the local airport where I could rent a car. He also told me that he had a good friend (of 25 years) who worked at the Chrysler Dealership in the next town who might be able to help me with a car if I was interested. I told him yes, and to give his friend a call and see if he had any vans available. He called his friend, Glen, and he said he had a couple of vans, and I made an appointment to see him the next morning (Friday) at 8:00 am.
Then Clayton had his helper take me to the local airport to rent a car. He dropped me off at the rental car office and I was surprised to see only two agents in the office. With both showed big smiles, the first one asked me if he could help me. I said, “Yes, I would like to rent a car.” He said, “I’m sorry, but we don’t have any cars.” I said, “No cars?” And he said, “Not until late tomorrow at the earliest.” I looked at the other agent and said, “How about you?” And she said, “We don’t have any cars either.” I said, “What is going on here?” He told me something about a big annual reunion or something like that and all their cars had been rented for the week. So, I asked him, ”What DO you have that I can rent?” He said, “We have pickup trucks.” So, I asked him about the estimated cost of renting a pickup truck from him and dropping it off in Florida (I was considering renting a pickup truck and a car dolly to take my van back home). He said it would run somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000-$1200 for that scenario. It never dawned on me that National Car Rental didn’t put trailer hitches on their pickup trucks or cars because they don’t allow people to pull a trailer or trailered car with their vehicles. Duh! I really wasn’t thinking straight by this time in the evening.
When I added that to the cost of repairing the engine ($1500 estimate from Clayton the mechanic), I was looking at as much as $2500-$3000 to get my 17-year-old van running again. And then there was the problem of having to cancel the rest of my Road Trip. Bummer! So, I decided to wait and check out the vans at the Chrysler Dealership in the morning before committing to anything right now. I rented one of National’s pickup trucks for a week (cheaper than by the day) and headed for my motel, which luckily, was just 8 miles north on I-39 in Rothschild, WI.
On the way to my motel, I saw a Denny’s Restaurant and decided to stop for one of their 3-egg breakfast plates with hashbrowns, link sausage, and a biscuit. I love a breakfast meal any time of the day, especially when I can get a hot cup of Earl Gray tea to go along with it. After that delicious meal, Greata (my Garmin) took me to my motel for the night. After I got checked in, and got my things in my room (not much tonight as everything was still in my van in Mosinee), I didn’t even look for anything to watch on TV, but just recorded as many of the details of today’s events as I could remember, and went to bed. I was tired and had no trouble going to sleep tonight.
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.
Who looks deep into every heart to examine thoughts and motives.
God, your wrap-around presence
It is my protection and my defense.
You bring victory to all who reach out for you.
Righteousness is revealed every time you judge.
Psalms 7:9
TPT
Photo Credit: Pixabay
DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn. She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”
A few weeks back, hubby and I got busy preparing our trip from Orlando to Lexington. “Honey,” he said, “I’m concerned we won’t make it to our connecting flight. We only have 30 minutes and the gates are in opposite sides of Charlotte’s airport.”
I gave him a silly grin. “No worries, God’s got this.”
We boarded the plane, but the flight was late in departing. That meant we only had 20 minutes to meet our next flight.
The minute we landed, we jumped to our feet, squeezed among the passengers, and once the path was clear, we took off. Yes, we began to run, oh no, not a light jog, but a sprint. Hubby held one suitcase in the air with one hand, pulled the other suitcase with the other and I gripped his arm as we took off. We dashed, zig zagging between people in the crowded airport.
After 15 minutes of non-stop running, our hearts were beating furiously. But no time to worry about that. We could not miss the flight!
Finally, huffing and puffing, we arrived at the gate. But the gate was empty. The plane left us.
That meant only one thing—I also had something to leave behind and that was any and all traces of stress, sadness, or worry. These three invaders would have drained my joy. That wasn’t happening!
You’ve been disappointed like that, haven’t you?
Maybe not because you missed a flight, but because after you worked and worked, no results appear. You tried and tried to overcome, but the pain was still there. You ran and ran to meet your goal, but never reached it.
Your passion has vanished. You have been tempted to give up, and stress, sadness and worry are about to join you at the dinner table. But before you let them, consider this:
Wash away doubt because victory will arrive.
Sometimes disappointment is the driver of the vehicle of discouragement. We ride in it asking question after question: where was God while I tried so hard? Do I have what it takes? Do I even want to keep trying?
This psalmist might have ridden in that same vehicle and prompted him to ask similar questions.
Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion? (Psalm 77:7-9)
The answer wasn’t so much in what he thought or how he felt. But the answer was in what he remembered:
I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds. (Psalm 77:11-12)
Passion comes back when we consider this:
God sent Jesus to set us free (John 3:16), gave us power not fear (2 Timothy 1:7), God fights our battles (Exodus 14:14), and Gpd promises His protection (Psalm 91:1-2).
No stress, sadness or worry can ever overtake us when we remember God is cheering us on as we run under the banner of His grace. He holds up the flag of victory every time.
Without stress, sadness or worry, we can think clearer, we can walk in confidence and call upon the Lord’s power at work.
Happy to report that for hubby and me, His power was indeed at work. After we missed our flight, we dragged our feet to the customer service counter. Though exhausted, we still smiled. To our joy, the friendly agent put us in first class on the next flight. She even added dinner vouchers to use as we waited.
Let’s Pray
Father, I praise You for the way You clear the way, removing sadness, stress or worry. No matter what goal I’m after, I vow that negative emotions will be replaced by the reassurance You have the outcome prepared. In Jesus’ name.
What fills your heart as you run to meet your goals these days?
Celebrate with me! My new release, Now I See: How God’s Amazing Grace Transforms the Deepest Pain to Shining Joy won the 2023 Memoir of the Year Golden Scroll Award.
You and I are only a click away. You can use this CONTACT FORM to leave your prayer request, make a comment, ask a question, or invite me to speak to your group. Or simply reply to this email.
I also invite you to visit my WEBSITE. You’ll find more inspirational blogs along with my story, books, and videos. You’ll also learn the passion and mission of JC Empowerment ministries.
Some say she should be the last person to be dancing. Her life is summarized in this 3-minute video: http://bit.ly/1a8wGJR
Janet Perez Eckles’ story of triumph is marked by her work as an international speaker, #1 best-selling author, radio host, personal success coach and master interpreter. Although blind since 31, her passion is to help you see the best of life.
Day 6 – July 20 Continued: As I mentioned last week, I was heading north on I-39 just north of Knowlton, WI when I heard “ding-ding-ding” and I glanced at my dashboard, to see my water temperature gage pegged on “HOT.” I started to slow down and pull over, but before I could get to the shoulder of the road, the temperature gage went back to “NORMAL.” “What was that all about?” I wondered. I went back on the highway and proceeded on my way for another few minutes. Then the “ding-ding-ding” sounded again, and the temperature gage was once again pegged on “HOT.” This time I quickly made it to the shoulder and slowed down before the temperature gage went back to “Normal.”
I stopped and called my friend Ray (auto mechanic) to get his advice on the problem. He said it sounded like a faulty temperature sensor, and to have a mechanic check it out the first chance I had. So, I thanked him and continued on my way for another few minutes before I heard the “ding-ding-ding” again. This time I stopped under an overpass, opened the hood, and was greeted with steam from the radiator. “Oh Boy!” I thought, “I have a really bad situation here. What am I going to do now?”
First, I needed to call my Roadside Emergency people for a tow to the nearest auto repair shop, but I hadn’t noticed any mileage markers before I stopped. Then I checked both sides of the overpass for a road I.D. but there were none. Then I remembered the gallon of water I had brought for just such an occasion. After the engine had cooled enough to remove the radiator cap, I added the gallon of water and prayed it would be enough to get me to the next exit so I would be able to tell the Roadside Emergency people where to come pick me up.
I found the next exit and pulled off to call for a tow. While I was sitting there looking up the number this “Angle” on a motorcycle pulled up beside me and said, “Do you need help?” I told him my problem and he said, “Well, my name is Steve, and I own a small trucking company near here and know a little bit about engines, can I take a look?” I said, “Sure” and popped the hood.
Photo Credit: CanStockPhoto.Com
He looked it over and said, “It looks like you may have a radiator leak. Do you have any water?” I showed him the case of bottled water I had brought along for my trip, and he didn’t say a word, just emptied the whole case of bottled water into the radiator. Then he said, “That should be enough to get you to the small ‘Stop-N-Go’ store just up the road a short distance. Follow me and we’ll see what they have to get you on your way.”
At the Stop-N-Go store, Steve refilled my Emergency Water jug and found a couple of different kinds of ‘Stop Leak’ while I was in the restroom. We added the Stop Leak, topped off the radiator with water and he told me about an excellent auto repair mechanic in the town at the next exit up I-39 to see about my problem. I thanked him and told him how much I appreciated his help and headed for Mosinee, WI. I found the repair shop and told Clyton, the mechanic, my problem. He removed the radiator cap and asked me to start the engine. He immediately told me to shut it off and said, “You have a blown head gasket.” I said, “Great. What does that mean to me?” he said, “I’m booked up with work and wouldn’t be able to get to your engine for at least a month. I can call other auto shops in town, but I doubt any of them could repair your engine in less than a week.” So, “Now what was I going to do?” I wondered.
Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing. He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville. Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.
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I tried, really tried not to get nauseous at Angie’s story.
In these times of turmoil, we also need to spit out the distasteful and destructive lies from the enemy of our soul.
Old Things R New 