We watched the movie “Broken Circle Breakdown” the other night. It’s a very good movie, filmed in the Netherlands, with fantastic blue grass music. The movie is sad and melodramatic, but we were drawn in by the characters as the story went back and forth between past and present. Herman recommended the movie on his Hands On Bowie blog.

A sink I ordered for my up-and-coming darkroom came in on Friday, earlier than I expected. After my run to the dump in the morning, Laurie and I headed down to the office in the truck to pick up  the sink which was in a very large 7 foot by 36 inch by 12 inch box. Then we were going to drop by Tristan’s house and pick up some stuff she wants to get rid of. The truck was running rough like it normally does, but as we got near the office it started acting like it was vapor locking — almost dying and then it would start running again. I left the truck idling, ran in and got the box, threw it in the bed of the truck, and then we decided to just try and get back home. We made it to 4th Street and Griegos, where a car that was two cars in front of us at the light died. A couple of kids got out and pushed the car out of the street into the bank parking lot on the corner. Then our truck died in the same spot the other car had died, and the kids helped us push the truck into the bank parking lot next to their mom’s car.

We called Laurie’s mom and she drove their van down to pick us up. We transferred the sink to the van, and got it home. After we got the sink unloaded, I grabbed some tools, and Laurie and I drove back in her car where I performed some basic troubling-shooting on the truck. I discovered the fuel pump I had replaced a year ago had quit working. I called for a tow truck, and he took our truck to a shop where I asked the mechanics to figure out all the things that are wrong with it besides the fuel pump.

Even with all the frustration of getting stranded, three good things came out of our adventure: 1) I got my new darkroom sink home. 2) After we got home, Laurie sent her mom home with cake and cookies that she served to their house guest. 3) We didn’t total the truck* and maybe we’ll finally get it in decent running condition so we can sell it.

*Last August we had a car adventure that left us stranded in the middle of nowhere. Luckily we had cell phone coverage and got the car towed to the dealer for repair — but then my insurance company ruled the car a total loss.