This, That and the Other Thing

Last weekend I learned how to replace the radiator in my car. It has had a small leak for a few months now that I stoppered with ground pepper in the radiator (yes this actually works for small holes). Of course the pepper is supposed to be a temporary fix but it is one that had to last a lot longer.
My friend got me a brand new radiator at a good price and had someone to install it for me cheaply. But then the installer got arrested and put in jail (nothing car repair related). I never met the guy and I don't know how good or bad of a person he is, that was just really bad timing.
So my new radiator rode around in my friends car for a month. Then it sat in my shed for another month.
Why? Well, the garage wanted over $150 to install it plus the cost of antifreeze (they charge $12/bottle) and my roommate swore she knew how to do it. All we needed was some decent weather.
The first decent weather, actually it was fantastic weather, was this past weekend. I won't say that I would ever replace a radiator by myself but at least I have an idea of how it is done. I also got to remove my fan and place it on the new radiator correctly.
We learned an important lesson. The sticker on the bolt holes that said, "If you strip the threads, the warranty is void." is referring to using a torq wrench, not tightening by hand. When everything was installed, while the hood was still up, I turned on the car and watched oil geyser out! A little more tightening and we were down to a steady stream. The third attempt, a drip. And finally the part was tightened correctly. Turns out it is almost impossible to strip those threads by hand....Live and learn.
Oh, In all the repairs, the hood latch cable snapped...
This didn't make me happy. Now my hood won't properly shut and latch and the cable is apparently a real pain to replace. It was beyond the roommates abilities so she called her coworker, Zach.
Zach comes by, no shirt, tattoos shinning in the sun, cowboy hat on, and takes a look. "You need a new cable," he says. "I can do that but not today. I'll replace it next Sunday."
I ask how I'm going to drive to work and back all week. He replies with a grin, "I'm gonna redneck engineer it for you!"
And so he did. My hood is wired shut but thankfully, he hid the wire. And Zack will be back in a few days to fix the cable. While the redneck engineering is great (and I'm very familiar with the process being a country girl myself), it is a little inconvenient to open the hood so it needs fixed before I can get the oil changed or need new windshield washing fluid.
For the week, the wire has worked great. And the radiator works fine.

Dental damage

I've never been one to be overly nervous or anxiety ridden when it comes to going to the dentist. I had extensive work done as a kid (baby teeth getting pulled, permanent teeth getting pulled, braces and wisdom teeth removed + a few minor fillings) but despite all that I was never overly worried. I just chose instead to not go for 12 years. Part of that time I didn't have dental insurance and the rest, well, it just never made it to the top of the list. A few months ago I notice my upper right back molar had a cavity on it's side. My guess is the damage from the metal band they glued to that tooth for the braces years ago was catching up to me. So I went to the dentist and got an okay bill of health. Only four small cavities that could be fixed in one sitting. I had my teeth cleaned and made the appointment for my fillings.
So on Monday morning I went in to get the fillings done. Mistake #1 don't get fillings and try to work the rest of the day.
When I got to the dentist they were running behind so I sat in the waiting room for 30 minutes before getting called back. That's when the sweet but not very bright assistant tells me they are only going to fill 2 teeth. I said, "No, I scheduled to have 4 done." We'll see she replied and went to get the dentist.
Now I'm going to All Care and they have 4 dentists. I met Dr. Goldman and he informs me that they didn't schedule enough time to do fillings and one of the assistants called off so they are short handed. He then decides to do the upper right molar and a lower left molar (great now my whole mouth will be numb). Then he starts injecting the Novocaine. Never in my life and all my dental experiences have I experienced pain like that. He was distracted and rushed and shoved that over sized needle into the left jaw hinge. Before the Novocaine took effect my jaw was in a lot of pain. I couldn't close my mouth. Once the Novocaine took effect the whole side of my head (left ear, temple scalp, cheek, lip, left side of my tongue) went numb. All that for a small surface filling. The fillings themselves weren't bad and went quickly. I left the dentist and went to work and could speak surprisingly well for the numb half a tongue.
Two hours later the Novocaine started to wear off. Three hours later I was home in bed consuming mass quantities of Advil gelcaps. It wasn't the fillings, it was the hinge of my jaw on the left side. My left side of my face was slightly swollen, I couldn't chew anything without pain, yawning was excruciating and when not in motion my jaw just continually throbbed to the point of giving me a migraine. And despite being in bed, I barely slept at all.
Today is Wednesday and the throbbing has finally subsided though yawning or chewing hard objects is still not high on my list.
He was rushed and bruised the bejeezus out of the muscles and nerves around my jaw hinge and put me in more pain than I was when I've had teeth pulled.
The worst part? I have to go back to get the other two fillings.
Now I'm one of those anxiety ridden people about dentists.
I did call and tell the scheduling person that I NEVER wanted to see that dentist again and made an appointment with one of the other dentists.
But still, I know I have two fillings on the right side lower jaw which means this dentist is going to put Novocaine into the right hinge of my jaw.
Please, please don't let it be like the last time.

this and that

It's been a busy few weeks with a major project at work, drama at home and of course the kittens. They will be seven weeks old tomorrow and can now climb on the couch and lazy boy very well. They're fearless too, often ganging up to attack the tail of one of the adult cats. They discovered the climbing cubes and hammocks as well and now delight in running pel mel throught the living room, kitchen and hallways playing hard. They all go to their new home next week and I can honestly say I'll miss them. On the plus side, I can get my cat to the vet for her cortizone shot and then get her fixed!
This is the last litter ( a good and bad thing at the same time)

5 weeks and counting...

There are kittens everywhere in the house now. They climb quite well (up your leg, on the couch, through your hair). And their older half brother George has been teaching them to pounce by pouncing on them. Now all five of the 1 lb fuzzballs pounce on everything (shadows, fuzz, feet, legs, fingers, noses).
It is quite a case of pandemonium in the house now and will probably continue until they all go to their new homes on the 28th of April. Will I miss them? Of course! But I'll also enjoy being able to sit down without looking to see if there is a puffball in my way.
The lazy boy hasn't been used in a week because the kittens like to crawl under it and get up in the springs. If you make the mistake of sitting there, you are trapped, not able to move, until someone else does a head count and calls the all clear.
Atlas and Artemis were nice to have around this weekend. I was sick. I fell asleep on the couch and woke up to find one of them at two different times, curled up asleep under my chin.

Kittens turn 4 weeks old

As of this very moment all five kittens now have a home to go to. Atlas and Artemis are traveling as a pair to a nice family with a young daughter and 1 cat. Spirit goes to a family with 1 dog and 1 old cat named Moxy. Vision goes to a coworker's roomate who keeps e-mailing, "Is she old enough to come home yet?" and little miss Spitfire goes to our close friends who have two cats currently that they love and adore.
Here are the updated photos.