when I started this blog five years ago, I was a pet sitter and the name animal-crackers made sense. now I'm a stay-at-home-dad and freelance writer, but rather than confuse everyone by getting a different blog, it's just easier to keep posting things here.

Part of this story was already on Andrea's blog, so here's the rest.

I was at the computer when I heard Josh behind me talking to the dog.

"You see, I'm a doctor, so you have to listen to me," he told Bessie. "Shhh, it's ok. You have to trust me. You're going to be ok. Take this."

I looked over my shoulder and saw Josh holding a rubber band above the dog's head.

"Oh, is that her medicine?" I asked.

"No. I'm putting it over her mouth so she can't lick me."

***

After getting the transmission cables fixed on Monday, I took my Saturn to another mechanic to fix the cooling fan. It was supposed to be $140, quick in an out, no more than an hour he said.

When I got there, the guy didn't have the part -- he wanted $20 so he could go buy the part -- and he said I'd have to leave the car there for at least three hours.

Fuck that. What kind of mechanic asks for money to go buy the part?

So I got the part myself. Turns out it's $40 -- which means the mechanic was charging $100 for an hour of labor.

Now I'm not a mechanical kinda guy. The thought of fixing the fan myself made me nervous, but I really didn't want to deal with another tard-ass.

So armed with instructions from my dad the Master of All Things Mechanical, I gave it a shot. I lifted out the fan assembly, took out the old motor and inserted the new one. And it works!!! Yay!

Now I feel I'm ready to rebuilt an engine.