More craziness - YOU MIGHT BE A REDNECK......

Well, another day in the saga of our rescue adventures.  As some of you know, my beautiful white truck has not been "operating" for several years, due to the fact it needs injectors.  This is the truck I would be using to haul Honey Bandit, Suri, etc. and pick up the foals that we bring to our rescue.   Instead, we have been using an older suburban that is definitely not good for pulling.  But PTL it has been working for now.  So we are purchasing a 1989 ford f250 diesel that will be safer and better for towing, and of course costs way less than fixing my truck :(.   Of course it needed a "few things" done to it.  Thus our story begins.  Susan and I were heading up to Roseburg as this pickup will belong to the Sanctuary.  Matt and his friend Damon were trying to start it.   Now to start it, you had to hit the starter cylanoid with  a hammer.  Matt had been out there for about an hour or so and came in, not in the greatest of moods, to tell me that "there was a change of plans", and we would probably not be going.  I said "let me try", and went out to the truck.  I talked "nice" to her, tapped her a couple of times and she started right up.  Matt and Damon just shook their heads and walked away, muttering under their breath.  Matt later admitted to saying "bad things about me".  haha  So off we went, Susan with her beautiful sanctuary trailer and I in our new "dog".  

We got as far as Shingletown, a whopping 7 miles, and as Reeds has much more space, we pulled in to get fuel.   Now mind you, I cannot turn this truck off.  So I put it in neutral, put on the e-break, and realized I am truly a redneck.  I could not leave my vehicle as there WAS NO E-BRAKE, and the PORTABLE BRAKES that my wonderful husband had put in the back of the truck for emergencies, were out of reach.  So I sat there and waited until Susan was able to pull out my brakes (pieces of fire wood), and chalk my tires.  I think that qualifies as a redneck.  "You might be a redneck when you have to carry your brakes in the back of your pickup."    So I managed to fuel up while Susan "babysat" the truck and made sure it didn't run away.  I then proceeded to move forward so she could gas up.  I flipped the tank to the front one, and the truck died.   We then tried to start her for about half an hour.  Then I went and bought some starter fluid.  (Should have done that in the first place - oops)    By that time the battery started to die.  So we ended up eventually getting it jumped, and started down the road, again.....  Now, as only one tank actually has a fuel gauge that works, I would prefer to use the tank without a gas gauge first, and then be able to tell when I was going to run out of fuel, so once again, I switched tanks.  And once again, the truck died.  Wow, we had made it approximately 8 miles from out house and it had only taken a couple hours (or so it seemed).  I was at a point where we were starting to go down hill, so I tried popping the clutch.  No such luck.  So I called Matt once again, and he came down to help me get her started once more.  By then, many people would have given up or gotten frustrated, but I just knew that one way or another, this truck was getting to Roseburg, even if she had to be towed.  Matt lined up the suburban and started pushing.  Again, no such luck.  But finally after about 3 or 4 attempts, she decided to start and then we actually got to leave Shingletown.  Wooohooo, only several hundred more miles to go.  At the rate we started out, we would get there by Christmas.

We met a lady in Redding to pick up a Belgian Malinois to transport up to its connection in Roseburg.   So we left the truck running, chalked her up with blocks, and once again we managed to drive away.  PTL!

Now the happy ending to this story a mechanic replaced the starter and cylanoid, fixed the E-break,  (whoohoo, no more redneck brakes), is fixing the power steering and a few other quite necessary parts, and is doing it for a more than generously discounted price.  And the best news of all, besides the fact that I now have a safe, (although very slow and steady) vehicle to pick up the foals in, I might even be able to get my white truck fixed down the line.  So that is amazing.....  As we are on standby for the upcoming BLM roundup in Oregon, and have been told by the local liason to "have our trailer's ready", it is a huge blessing to have a truck that should be not only reliable, but safe.  Once again, God has blessed us with all of you and your ongoing support, and the means to continue to do His work with these babies.  I wouldn't mind having a normal, boring adventure once though.  :)

So we are standing by for the call to come and get foals, and praying for continued support.  Without your help we would never have even made it to Oregon to get this truck "foal ready".  Now we just need to stock up on the medical supplies needed and fill the tanks so we are ready to go.  Ya'll are angels too, and please know that we treasure each and every one of you who are part of this.

God Bless, stay safe and keep up the good work!
Palomino & the Gang