Coffee Alert

TIRES TYRES..

2011-07-29T21:39:00.004-04:00

However you spell them, they are great. Now to install them. Lucky me I know someone with a tire machine. Neener neener neener.. OK that's just a leeeeetle bit childish. But anyways, tomorrow they will be installed & I will be happppppeeeeee.

Two of the yokos that these are replacing are good. They will become full sized spare tires. Is there any other kind worth bothering with? No. Two tires are not OK. Consensus is someone drove with the e-brake on. E-brake is busted. Tires have flat spots. The quest for truth on this mystery is solved. OK Summer Yokohamas--I don't totally hate you anymore. But still. Tires to be fixed tomorrow. E-brake will be looked at & then we will plan replacement for the E-brake shoes as well. Also being looked at is the window regulator--going to see if that is an easy adjustment type fix or if it's a replacement type fix--better to know going in if I need to order parts or if I can order shoes for me instead. ;) Also the driver's seatbelt was throwing a fault or code, if you will. (WHAAAASAT? A code for a seatbelt??? Spose that is why the lights light up saying, HELLO Driver, please put on yer seatbelt? And it must also send a message to the dash so it knows it works A OK??? My 850's still works correctly!!! HMPH!) I received my package today for the buckle. So hopefully that will be fixed over the weekend or sometime BEFORE and this is key, before the code pops up again. Seriously love my friends at the dealership--still don't want to spend excessive time there tho. Who does? The car is never ready when I am. Five whole minutes after arrival. I can't sit still, what can I say?

Ok so.. seatbelt buckle, tires, window regulator--or maybe the window is just off the tracking or something. Then the e-brake replaced. I'm also looking at the brake pads & rotors when we're there too. Def need to make sure those are good to go, before winter comes. DAMN MIGHTY FRIGID in the garage!! I will not be working on the volvo come winter. I will not be working on ANY of our cars come winter. Garage heater or not.

--Heather :)

Quick Update: Magnus is going to live!

2011-07-20T15:25:00.004-04:00

SO HAPPY! SO FREAKING HAPPY! One of my hubby's pals is going to take Magnus, get him a new (used) Volvo engine & fix him & pass him along to his father who needs a car right now. I AM ECSTATIC! Yes time to take the Craig's list ad down. I'm giving the car away & I'm so happy for that. *Anything to recycle, anything to keep good old stuff going, longer!

Now back to the fun (drudgery) times of picking out new tyres for the V70 XC (which without an update, I've found out, they are notorious for spitting out trannies. Glorious. I'm fairly certain this upgrade was done, but now at least I know to mention it to the 'stealer' next visit. Right after I go {RUN!} drain & refill the tranny fluids.

--Heather :)

What's Blue and AWESOME?

2011-07-19T21:37:00.003-04:00

This car is.

That is all.

--Heather :)

The Brickade in my Driveway today.

2011-07-18T14:53:00.006-04:00

Volvos at the end of the driveway to make it 'safer' for the kids to ride their bikes. Also tends to make folks slow their roll down the street. "Geez it's 30 end to end, people." "You'll get there, {eventually} what is the hurry?"

Over the weekend I picked up a test kit for the 850's engine. Wouldn't be fair to just sell and or junk the car without knowing 10000000000% sure that the engine is completely, fully, and all the way dead. If it's the head gasket, he says he will be fixing it. I'm OK with selling it too. I'm OK with it going to someone else who needs a car. Everyone should have a Volvo wagon! They are AWESOME vehicles!

Our hypothetical idea is to get the Minima (Nissan Maxima) blinged out & sold to someone in the city. It's a city car, not a town car. ;) It's a vehicle we don't have any huge attachment too & I never wanna pay that much for an exhaust again--unless the car is worthy of such an exhaust, that is. We also wanna fix the 855T, if we can, or strip & sell it piece by piece. I'm not as OK with that, as I don't wanna see it in pieces. But I'll pull on the big girl shoes & deal. At the end of this excursion (Heh, TY DOG I don't own a FJORD!) we wanna have three cars in total. One for hubby's commute--9-5 wagon. One for my kiddog driving--Volvo Wagon. One for fun days or when we need to work on the SAAB or the VOLVO. So I'm hoping that this 3rd car becomes a convertible. Either a classic or a NG900 or a 9-3 or something. I'm partial to all of them, since they all are pretty. It's going to be even harder to decide which to get than this last trek was with the 9-5 & the V70.

*But I'm looking forward to the test driving.. :)

--Heather :)

Sigbjørn

2011-07-17T21:27:00.006-04:00

Has been brought back to life. Had to stuff him in the garage overnight, till I could figure out what I did to the sunroof. PLEASE DEAR MERCIFUL CAR DOG, make it not some weird, expensive dealer part only that I have to have replaced by them and them alone.

Must have done the prayer just in time. Apparently it's a 123 thing. Again. In this particular model, and make of the Volvo XC V70's you lock & unlock the car three times & POOF, magically the sunroof is all better & it closes.

Who in the? What in the? WHY? Who thought of that quirky idea? Huh? No idea. I'm not gonna ask neither. You can't make me. We're just going to pretend that I never did this. I didn't listen to Gwen Stefani so long, that my car battery died. Altho it was well worth it.

Anyways, even tho both of the Swedes need radiators, rad lines, air bag fixed etc. etc. I decided today was car detailing day. Wax on. Wax come off. Had to move the cars several time to run from the sun in order to do that. The one time I don't want the sun, it's right there bothering me.

--Heather :)

The Grandfather SAAB...

2011-07-15T20:06:00.004-04:00

Is getting on up there in years.. just might be in need of an engine. Trying to figure out if we're keeping it, junking it, stripping parts from it & saving them for another one. Hard to decide. All of my being wants to say, OH HELL NO. That's my baby car. But he is old now. Time to ruminate.

--Heather

321.. Moron Alert!

2011-07-15T17:52:00.003-04:00

Nothing like jumping in feet first. Just bought the car yesterday, was it? Now today, listening to music in the car & let the battery drain right out. I have a brandy new battery, could swap them out easy peasy. NO. NO. NO you can't. Needs to be a special battery with some hose thingabob that drains out some horrible toxic fluid. Super.

Could jump start it--but since I've already screwed up & killed the battery--let me do some reading first, eh? Make sure we don't kill it all the way, mostly dead is OK. ALL the way dead--not OK at all.

Oh but one handy dandy thing they did do--they put the battery into the hatch area down in the wheel well with the spare tyre, so if your battery dies--the tow truck can roll right up behind ya & jump it from behind-really nice if it dies on the highway, but let's just hope that never happens, ever to anyone. Cause that would mean not having paid attention to my years & years and years of alternator experience. PAY ATTENTION @ Self!

Anyways, the music was good. Thanks Gwennie Gwen Gwen.

Oh and this is the V70, not the 9-5 that I killed. The 9-5's battery is in the engine bay, afaik--what better time to go get acquainted with it? Yeah now would be good, while I wait for the cavalry to get here.

--Heather :)

ecopower

2011-07-15T12:50:00.006-04:00

No idea about these cars.. not much anyways. Looks like more research for me to do. Sad thing is, I actually LIKE reading. Adore it actually. I was tested freshman year in high school. I think they called it the Geek test. ;) JK! They tested me for my reading skills & I was reading on the same level then that a College Senior was reading or some such..

Yup. I am a Geek. I love reading.. researching things. Learning new stuff. Finding different ways of getting jobs done.. welp I've got the work cut out for me, that's fer sure. Must pull myself outta flickr & hit the books.

--Heather

Does it mean I have a dual personality? Having 2 SAABS & 2 Volvos?

All my problems are....

2011-07-14T14:09:00.000-04:00

Probably not over. Probably not even close to being over. As last reported here I had a 1995 850 turbo & it died. Probably from the overheating, due to coolant hose failure & then my dumass driving it for a few miles here & there, when the kiddo was going to Kindergarten & hating the bus, hating the long ride, hating the extra long day away from his mama & lil bro. OK so the car died, but it was due to a good cause. I mean an hour bus ride after a full day of kindergarten--no one should have to endure that. Sorry so very dearly sorry, Magnus (Volvo's name) I'm so sorry you had to take the fall for that & that I was that stupid of a person, and in that desperate of a situation. Guess we can chalk it up to being overtired too & blame that. My kid really hated kindergarten. He loves homeschooling & now that we've solved that issue, we have also finally solved the mode of transportation issue as well.

Please enter Hans & Franz. No, that's not what I'm going to name the two orphaned Swedish Brothers, that I adopted today. But it is catchy, let's just hope it doesn't stick. ;)

Hmm names.. maybe Sigbjörn & Ström. Or Marten & Olaf. Or maybe one is a girl.

Hmm I do like the name, Valda....

Matter of fact, I like a lot of the Swedish names. Anyways, back to the point, eh?

We have been looking for geesh, a year? For the right car to replace, Magnus. He's not easily replaced. Not at all. I toyed with the idea of replacing his engine, since I know his tranny is good. Not sure if that isn't going to happen--he's a very very good car. Handy car. Kind of like a Swiss Army knife in terms of handy. That's how I describe these Swedish vehicles, Swiss Army knives. Everyone should have at least one. I was going to get an XC90. I couldn't find one local to me. IE: I don't like driving my poor (very active, very excitable boys) kids on long car rides. Getting to Worcester three times today--was far enough, thank you very much! OY VEY!

I kept finding XC90's in Revere, Boston, Dorchester, Natick etc.. and each one was different. "Almost perfect, but not quite." comes to mind. PLUS as many folks know these cars can be pricey to fix. Since I've already killed one lovely Swede due to coolant hoses going, I wasn't about to go & do that to a very very expensive XC90. I decided on a whim, when we found these two wagons that I'd buy them both. (they were cheap, ever heard of buy one, get one free?) and I'd do the necessary I have a million miles maintenance, before driving them anywhere. In addition to head gasket replacements, they also will get radiators, radiator lines, coolant resevoirs, and a bunch of other stuff. In the case of the Navy Volvo, it will get AC compressor, AC charging, oh and the light is on for the airbag, so that will be fixed as well. I sure don't want it smacking me in the face, now do I?

I do wish that Magnus' brand new radiator would fit into the V70's engine bay, but alas I've already looked, not gonna happen. While we might fix Magnus & sell him or give him to someone in need of a car, I also might just scrap him for parts--hard to do that to a friend tho. Especially one that is so damn useful. You can get a lot of people & stuff into these wagons. I am for one very happy fact--very happy to be out of that Nissan Maxima. Granted it's a dead useful car. It's a known to us car--we are related to the first owner & it was babied all it's life prior to us having it. We've babied it too, it's getting a stainless steel exhaust tonight, so it's not lacking in the love department, either. It did get us out of a tight place & I love it for that. But I am so happy to be in a wagon again. No other car is as wonderful as a wagon. None come even close. Well XC90's come close.. but I am very glad we didn't spend that much on a vehicle. They are a pricey endeavor--cars are a money pit--not an investment. Get that straight, folks. MONEY PIT! Since I'm going to be sinking money into the car, mine as well get a lower priced one & go with it. Plus--I'm a big geek when it comes to saving, rescuing, recycling, adopting, rescuing, a car and or friend in need. These two babies need some serious love & I am so damn happy to be able to do that for them.

Plus if I hadn't saved them.. I'd be feeling really guilty & sad right now. Instead, I'm happy! I also would like to KISS the previous owner of the 9-5 wagon right on the mouth. OMG if it was something that needed being done, it was done & ON TIME too! Incredible guy, I know his name, of course, but I'll be mum about it, obviously. TY Dear Previous Owner wherever you are you are the first previous owner (non-family) that I've come across that was this incredible.. altho your kids COULD have eaten a little bit neater in the backseat--I'm gonna let it go.

I LOVE SAABS & Volvos--4ever!

--Heather :)

P.S: I spose I should be honest.. the 9-5 wagon isn't mine, not really. Even tho I'm detailing it & all that today, it's for the hubby. He's going to be driving it, not me. Waah. It's a really really nice example of a 9-5 wagon too. Lucky him! Oh and the Maxima--well it's getting the exhaust & will be the car we take when the Swedes are not feeling well. *If you DIY your own cars--having the 3rd one is priceless.

RIP Dear Magnus....

2011-07-13T23:12:00.007-04:00

I am sorry that your engine is dead, Magnus. If you have been following my flickr photos, you might have read a little bit about this before. My Volvo wagon, Magnus had the engine (coolant lines dry rotted, due to age & coolant went bye bye) 'overheat' not that the engine really overheated, but I insisted on driving it afterwards to pick up my poor sweety who hated Kindergarten & the hour long bus ride home in the wagon & now that we've replaced ALL the cooling parts & components in the car & it belched the oil from the engine into the radiator fluid's resevoir--this means curtains for this car's engine plant. :( Oh woe is me! I am & will always be really SAD about this. :( I will always miss this car. It was dead useful & handy. It's taken me a lot of miles in a Nissan Maxima & sharing that vehicle to find the replacement vehicle for Magnus. He really is irreplaceable. Has it really been a whole year? Well it sure as heck feels that long. I've missed having a running Swedey. I have a 88 900T SAAB, but I don't drive that with the kids, often, and I also don't wanna drive it for silly, stupid daily driving stuff, as the car is creeping on up there in years & I'm SCARED!

Seriously, FORD EXPEDITIONS & their friends are scary HUGE! I don't want my wee little 88' murdered by one of them. Ever. My friends in law enforcement won't let me have one of their keep back 500 FT signs--so driving the 88' on the street daily was a non-issue.

Come on back now. I've got a new vehicle now & more whining and bad descriptions on car fixes to come.

--Heather :)

CrApple

2011-02-07T08:59:00.008-05:00

Shipping Companies are vile entities. It had better be here today! When it does, will I be ever so grateful, because it's finally here after four days, not including the weekend, delay? I mean WHO do you yell at? Not the company that shipped it's fault. It's the shipping company & you can't yell at them, cause the package is finally here you're so happy & euphoric, you forget to give them shnark. Must take my shnark elsewhere, I guess. Times like these I wish I went to Comic College. Then I'd have a willing outlet for it.

Frustrating since this is package number two we're waiting on. Gee that conjures up a vision of chim chim cookies. heh. Eh well.

I have zero patience for folks who cannot drive in the snow. Zero. Learn how. I'll even give you free classes. Basically, I'm beyond frustrated with Brown. Brown you can do better. I've got to read this Union's contract. My husband is Union & drives in the snow, Monday through Friday and sometimes at dark thirty on Sunday. WTF? I want my computer. Thank you. NOW would be nice. So I can stop listening to prince baby pants whine about his crApple & it's amazing ability for finding the suckage on the faux net. NeverMacAgain. Trust me.

How very Zen of me. Whining about a computer being lost,late and or delayed in transit. Spose it's probably leftover shnark from hitting a snowbank on a water/ice covered roadway over the weekend in the non-swede, can it be called a vehicle? NEVER and I mean NEVER would this have happened, if the Swedish vehicles had been present and accounted for. I'm dead serious, I'm thinking of replaying this scene at a very soon date, with the SAAB and or VOLVO playing the lead. It never would have happened, as it wasn't that icy. It just wasn't, it was mostly wet & cold. *If a car with some actual weight to it had been driving, this event never would have taken place.* You can quote me on this. This stupida car is even terrifyingly horrid in the snow, even WITH brand new tyres. I'm seriously considering giving it a YOU SUCK award.

There. I do feel better.

It's VILE. It's repulsive. It's rotten to the core. It just won't die. Not that I'm interested in it's complete demise. I just never want to drive it again. Ever.

Now deliver, Brown. It's not a shipping emergency if the SUN is shining. It's a DELAY, cause we're backed up like sewage.

--Heather :)

2011-01-19T14:42:00.003-05:00

Parts ordered. Yippedeee skipeedee.

2 bottles coolant, volvo branded. Fancy shmancy. ;)
Couple of O-ring thingys & such like for the oil sump pump or at least I think that's what it is called. Not too sure. Don't really care. I do, I do.. JK.

The sump which is on the pass side is leaking onto the garage floor, so yeah, I care.

Once this is done & these parts are installed, minus the Volvo coolant, we already have some in there, I will be good to go. Well, not really. We still have to get the car up to temp at that time, since the radiator etc.. was all just installed. THEN I will be good to go. Frustration! Cabin Fever! "ARRRRRRGHH!" -- ala Garfield.

Anyways, this is where we're at with the cah. I'm hoping that by the time it's roadhappy again, the snow will cease to fall. Then I can skip having to use my snow tyres, buy spring tyres & save the snows for next winter. Because that will be my luck.

---Heather :)

Waiting for Volvo parts is like....

2011-01-18T21:06:00.008-05:00

.......waiting for vegan cupcakes to cool, so I can frost them? Eh, maybe. Cupcakes don't do much for me these days. Hit me up with a raw vegan smoothie with hemp, now we're talking. Hopefully someday, I again will like vegan cupcakes, cause it's sad not to. Or maybe I should stop reading about the badness of sugar. Nah, I'm the information supastar, mine as well stick with that title, better than others I could be stuck with. ;)

This above shown image is from my engine bay of my 1995 850 Turbo Volvo. Nineteen ninety five, it was a good year. The car has somewhere in the neighborhood of 165K give or take 20K as I don't care to go into the garage & check, so if an earlier post mentions a much lower or higher number.. go with that. I'm being lazy right now.

Needed ALL lines, all cooling mechanisms & so forth changed. Radiator, lines, brackets, doohickeys, ALL seals & tranny coolant, rad coolant, oil coolant lines NEW, do not save old ones or old rusty brackets--toss that XXXX out, coolant expansion tank, temp sender sensor, thermostat, if it's not been done in awhile or if the car has overheated recently, like my charming pal, Magnus here. We have yet to do the part that wets the carpet, IE: the heater core. It shall be done, soon... he's all lets wait & see. I'm all.. let's NOT & say we did. I usually win, just give me some time, I saw vegan shoes from Sweden the other day. Shoes or drive shaft? SHOES win! Also needs it's pass side (Driver's was done, just prior to this fix)drive shaft replaced, and the seals from the oil sump pump. By golly it's a parts pig, right now. Parts PIG. Had to say it twice, as I like the wording. NO, not trying to make ya like me. (nope, sorry no rats asses about my person) I do this writing thing for me. Selfish bitch that I am. ;0 {Light bulb} Anyhoooooo, car is old, needs parts. It's got over 100K on it & it's Swedish, what can ya do? If I give up on it now.. it'll just be another car, another Swede and another day... but hey, same place to get parts at least. BONUS.

Enter a photo of me with an I <3 Eeuroparts.com shirt here. Nope still don't have em for sale there. That's OK I got a bright yellow mug with my pal's mechanic's shop on it. That'll hold me over.

So now.. just wait for the parts. SFD! I should probably go order them.. yeah good idea. Or.. maybe go get the shoes. Nah, they don't have my size anyways.

Reminder note to self: Oh yeah, we changed the coolant as well. I purchased the Volvo coolant this time. We got 15? years out of this radiator, so lifespan wise.. that's AWESOME! I have read that if you get 10 years out of a modern radiator, you're cooking with gas & call it good. So ripping this entire shebang out is to be expected & timely. Maybe the Volvo branded coolant is a wee bit better, who knows. I just feel that after all this work, I'm going to spoil my car a little bit & pay for the branding. Helps get the free shipping. So whatever. Happy my car is ready to go.

The parts I'm waiting on are the seals for the oil sump pump. It sprung a leak while in the garage. Timing, as they say, is everything.

--Heather :)

The Rebirth..

2011-01-18T01:16:00.003-05:00

Is upon us. Almost complete. Just about there.

Just. About. Done.

FINALLY!

I miss my brick. Some days tho, I could let it drop like a stone in my lake. But that wouldn't be nice to the lake. Eh, well. At least when it's finally done, it will be like brand new.

Nothing like all the birds & all the stones at once, eh?

--Heather :)
'chomping at the bit'
I want my car back!

Getting there..

2011-01-17T14:06:00.002-05:00

Think this is the 10th time we've attempted this build. *IF it ever gets done, MAN I am so gonna glue it & or hide it when they are done playing with it & I'm not able to watch them like a hawk, when they are doing so.

What a major pain.

Oy. Think I'm going to put a limit on the number of LEGO's are in a box, before we buy them. At least, till they are 10 or so. YIKES!

--Heather :)

Build it. Its not hard. You can.

2011-01-02T19:51:00.004-05:00

This is Yoda standing on what will hopefully be the AT-AT Walker at some point & I'm hoping for really soon! Blurred in the backround is Leia as a Keychain, The WAMPA, Harry Potter & Dobby. I'm struggling to build the AT-AT Walker, and it's not cause I can't do it, it's cause SOMEONE BORROWED SOME PIECES. Oy vey! Most of the hard work is finding the pieces, and of course it's not the HUGE, easy to see pieces I need, it's the weee tiny ones that get lost in the shuffle or someone thinks are wicked kewl, and need to be added to their masterpiece. Awwww little brothers. I never had them & I always wanted them. Having two sons has shown me what I missed out on! <3 them!

Going back to DIG for more LEGOs now. {{{SIGH}}}

--Heather ;)

I Want Candy!

2010-12-27T14:53:00.004-05:00

"I know a SAAB who's tough but sweet
He's so fine, he can't be beat
He's got everything that I desire
Sets the summer sun on fire."
--Bow Wow Wow...

Just a little bit in love with this SAAB, only after 20 some odd years. It's all about the SAAB, baby and nothing, but the SAAB.

--Heather :)

The Gaping Hole

2010-12-17T18:17:00.004-05:00

Do ya like sarcasm? Do ya? Yes you do. I know you do. Hit the pig, kids. I mean click the photo, and jump to my flickr account.

Why is this job still going on? Ask the local hardware store why they were out of clamps last night? Is everyone in town having radiator leak issues or what? They were out of pretty much all, but the store brand of radiator fluid too. Bugger and damn.

--Heather :)

Men are Big Whiny Babies..

2010-12-16T21:36:00.010-05:00

..Who need heaters in their garage. WTF? Are we getting old or what, hubby?

Geesh! This is the man, that when he was younger would have NEVER worn a winter coat, and NEVER worn anything more than a light jacket or sweatshirt when working in a garage.

Now he's got a heater, and gloves, and Carhartt jackets and Carhartt overalls that have thick liners in them. All so he can keep warm, while working on my Volvo. Something that I would be helping him with, except it's taken him so dang long to get with it & coordinate with me, that now it's personal. He can do it alone. All alone. I just want the dang car running & I will not help him, at all. Phooey on him! I'm just kidding.

But you're still a big, whiny baby, hubby! ;p Nanner nanner boo boo.

--Heather :P

Still waiting for the Disco..

2010-12-14T17:20:00.003-05:00

So we took a spin in the SAAB. Well, actually *what did you think Darth Vader would drive, when on planet Earth, a Mini Cooper? ;) Actually, that could be fun too!

--Heather :)

Who me? I'm not gloating..

2010-12-13T20:06:00.016-05:00

I was reading the 'how to' last night, over on the Matthews Volvo site, what little of it I could actually find that was titled: "850 radiator replacement, refittment." Ahem. ;) Who am I to nitpick, I'm not perfect, not in the least. But still. Anyways, as I said, I was reading the how to & noticed someone had mentioned they pulled their radiator out the top of the 850 engine bay, after undoing some wires, ac lines & clips and sensors and other things I loosely call: gobbedelygook. Hubby said, not possible. Our friend who is a mechanic, also stated not possible & he'd just repaired one & had to drive the car up the ramps & pull it from below. Well, the person on the BB said they pulled it out the top, because the plastic mud or dirt guard on their car was busted. "Tin roof rusted?" No that's another car & a song too. I said busted, as in the plastic was broken or cracked. Hubby said, well there, that solves it. He pulled it from the top, cause the plastic shield was busted. So I said, yeah you're right, I'm wrong.. it's not possible. The directions we've read also said, remove from the bottom. So that means lying on the cold, dark, did I say COLD yet?, floor.

Well the temp went up in the garage recently, due to a wacky global warming weather pattern. (I watch TED talks for fun, so don't try to sway me. It's real. So deal with it.) I also allowed someone to open the purse strings a little bit, so it's quite balmy in there now as once the purse was loosened a bright yellow contractor heater with a blower has made it's home with us. So the garage isn't quite so cold anymore & whiny babies (JK) can now use the creeper, without seeing their breath in the garage. Wah!

Anyways, as shown below is my engine bay sans the gobbedelygook & LOOKEY there folks he has found out, quite possibly that it does indeed come out the top, if you remove enough stuff, that is. Our fan shield (right where the butterfly is) doesn't appear to be that wide, to restrict it from coming out the top. WHO knows? Possibly a year model difference, or perhaps a turbo vs naturally aspirated difference? Whatever the case, if it can come out the top, it does make it far easier of a job, since we have also found out going up the ramps, with the airdam/cladding my Volvo has, ain't gonna verk. Our mechanic friend, stated he was able to get the 95' Volvo he worked on up the ramps, no problem. Then later recalled, uh, oh.. the other Volvo had that part missing from the car. {SIGH}

Another vantage point in the below photo, also shows the green liquid of death coming out, into a cat box. Liquid is on the right hand side of the photo, if you squint.

YAY the new Radiator! FFFING FINALLY!

"I meant to say, thanks honey, so glad you finally had the time & energy to fix it for me, I missed my Volvo so much!!"

This is view of the airdam, which is why we cannot drive it up the ramps we have.
This fact almost/could have resulted in a purchase of another jack stand. OH NO!

These are the shiny bolts for the radiator.

Now to hook it all back together & see if it works, or we break stuff & I need to blog again.

--Heather :)

P.S: Pardon the pink flower on my airdam photo. I put it there to cover the wee little crack, and NO I won't do that in reality, it looks stupid!

Darth Vader in Winter..

2010-11-29T20:26:00.009-05:00

1. Come on, Clone.. these fricken lights aren't gonna hang themselves!

2. While surveying things on planet Hoth, Darth takes in a little ice skating action. Not too pleased with the whole affair, as it makes Lord Vader feel quite undignified.

Darth and I wanted to post a photo of him dancing at the Disco, with of course, some ABBA playing. Alas, we have no disco ball. Off to remedy that. Then we shall boogie woogie with the boys of companyB.

In the meantime, his flickr album is here.

--Heather :)

Little Red Riding Hood's Wagon..

2010-11-08T16:52:00.004-05:00

This is a Volvo wagon we spotted at Heberts & Swedish Car day in the same year.
It gets a lot of hits over on my flickr account. You can see more of my Volvo photos & more photos it there. Just click here.

Enjoy, Heather :)

Ej till salu !

2010-11-01T09:52:00.008-04:00

Just was woken up this morning by what looks to be a scrap scavenger. It was a big 18 wheeler flat bed in red parked on the road out in front of my house. The person apologized for waking me up, yep that's me in the hot pink jammies & mouse slippers, what of it? Why yes, I always look this good waking up. I say, as I squint out from just waking up: "How can I help you?"

The person apologizes for waking me up again, and then asks if the SAAB is something we wanna get rid of, as they casually look at it with a gleam in their scrap collecting eyes.

Oh the SAAB? NO, it's not for sale, or trade. Not sure if I mumbled sorry & goodbye when they left, I'm half asleep here, so forgive me. Plus on top of waking me up you're asking me to give away something I LOVE? Does this sort of thing happen to you? Or am I special?

When we lived closer to the city, my husband was constantly bothered by these two men trying to buy it. They wanted to send it overseas to Africa, for a easy to fix car that would run for ages. If they can get parts & keep it going for ages, I should also be able to. At least their "rudeness" was warranted. They were going to keep it running, as I am. They were doing it for the love of the car, and that love comes from the simplicity to run/ fix angle and having something last.. so I let it go. Scrap dealer on the other hand.. WTH it doesn't look that BAD! Jeesh!

Anyways The SAAB was rolled (sans battery right now, so go ahead, try & steal it) out of the garage midst fixing, so the Volvo could be driven in and have it's radiator replaced, since he needs a lot of room for Volvo. It's a huge garage, I don't know what he's thinking. But whatever funny story for Monday AM. Good morning!!

Now to go find some vegan breakfast & some tea! I'm HUNGRY!!!

--Heather :)

(The title is in Swedish, to the best of my translating, it means: NOT FOR SALE! Oh and NEVER wake me up early! I don't care if it's 9 AM, 9 AM is 5 AM for me!)

Dodge is Casting it's Shadow Across America!

2010-10-29T18:53:00.006-04:00

Found this ad in an olde 1986 copy of National Geographic magazine. I picked the magazine up at a Consignment shop. Funny thing is, I also had this copy while growing up. My Grandparents sent me it as a kiddo, the magazine. I think this is where/how I got to know there was more than just me, and America on the planet & care about things going on in countries. I'm still unlikely, as an adult, to ever see.

Thought the ad was interesting, even if it does put Dodge into a weird/strange/odd light. I've still seen these cars driving around, so good for Dodge & yay for longevity on that shadow thing.

--Heather :)

HAPPY FALL !!

2010-10-28T22:58:00.002-04:00

--Heather :)

Life is pain..

2010-10-19T07:14:00.018-04:00

So, I'll give you the after, before...

"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something."

--The Man in Black, Princess Bride 1987.

My sister's SAAB, before some person pulled a hit & run on her. This beautiful 9000 was destroyed late last night, early (Monday) morning by a SUV, of course. Thanks to Ole Blue, for keeping my baby sister & her girls safe for so long.

XOXO Heather :(

PS: Anything is possible tho, so fingers crossed!!!!

Edited: Wanna know the most irritating thing about this, ya know barring the not having this awesome car on the streets any longer, we can't touch ANYTHING on this car, since it's in the middle of a let's call it a legal snafu. Crime scene tape.. yep, that's what's missing from this pic. Anyways... if I could.. I'd rip off ALL of the old (well new parts really.. she just replaced a shit ton of stuff on this car. I'm talking rad, rad lines, tranny was done, alternator, brakes, tires... etc etc etc. If I could.. I'd pull all these off & go find another one in need of love. YES I'd take the engine & tranny too.. seeing how it's a known good one & its autosmackya flavour too.

Bunofastitch. What a pissah. I'm gonna miss this car.

"Get better, or Die."

2010-10-06T09:25:00.007-04:00

Title is a quote, from the 2000 movie The Beach, with Leonardo DiCaprio.

I keep hearing the line in my head, in regards to my Volvo. Over and over, like the broken record, that it is. "Get better or die.", "Get better or die.", "Get better or die!"

Once again, ASE mechanics need not apply here. I can DIY! I was right. THEY were wrong. All of them. MEN, hahah who invented them? And WHY? ;)

Jokes kid. These are the jokes.

I was right tho, it's the radiator. I saw it leaking myself, as I lay on the ground & looked up. He(spose there is a reason for him after all :) put 10-18 pounds of pressure on it & the rad started dribbling fluid. In a very polite manner too. I've lots to say for manners. Nothing wrong with having them is there?

OK.. my manners notwithstanding, it's the radiator. Nanananana erp. No, sorry. Not going to do that. I'm just excited! YIPPEE! The mystery is solved! My SAAB & my Volvo both need radiators. The Saab is a 88' 900T with 265K on it. The Volvo is a 1995 855T with only a mere 165K on it. (see previous postings about the mysterious coolant leak, if you wanna catch up.) So I'd say we got the monies worth it on both accounts, but the SAAB def went longer. 100K longer just about.

Hubby said this about blindly putting money into cars, without prior knowledge of the issue: "We're not the Military or VZ, we don't blindly shell out money, without knowing if that will fix it." Smart man. Maybe we can get him to run for office someday. Bah, I'll run tho. :)

XOXO Heather & Magnus in lurve again!

{Keep Your Fingers Crossed}

2010-10-06T07:28:00.009-04:00

If in a remote, tiny space inside your brain, you have a unique fondness for Swedish Vehicles. If Swedish vehicles, particularly Volvo's make your heart beat extra hard. Or if you hate them, despise me and wanna have me suffer a uniquely ugly car for a lot lot longer, then please cross your fingers & your toes.

He hath purchased a pressure thingy. To see if we can give the radiator & it's accompanying bits & parts a ZOOM & see where it's leaking from. The theory is thus: We will give it pressure & the weak area will leak out some fluid. My guess is the radiator, heater lines, or the heater core. I don't like to even think about the possibility of it being the turbo. Mainly cause I love my turbo so much, it's a nifty feature of any car. I have been very very careful & guarded when using this turbo. It's also possibly leaking into the injectors, and I happen to like them & don't wanna think about those implications either. It would just hurt me. Physically. Most definitely mentally. I might also lose a brain cell or two, if that is it, even tho we've already looked & nada has popped up & said: "See here, see that dried white stuff, this is where it's leaking." Or: "See here, see this extra shiny area, this is where the drain is." I have been repeating myself and suggesting heater core, with the liquid going down the AC lines, over and over. Really this is what I hope it is. I'm far over the whole: "I can't wait till I can say: I told you so." I just want it done. Finite. Completed. Over. I want to know whether it's Viking Funeral time or if we can possibly hide the car under a rock for a bit & have a rebirth. Even tho I'm not of the Christian bent, I did like the Bible stories, and I'm leaning towards rebirth.

Since the car has been hiding and defying us the opportunity to figure out what is going on. Perhaps it's got a Herbie Goes Bananas complex and is just toying with us & hiding all the extra radiator fluid deep inside in some invisible well.... OK that logic doesn't fly with me anymore, not since like age 7. But.. sometimes when cars drive you bonkers... you begin imagining, what if? What if, they were alive? Would they be easier to fix? Or would they be even more difficult?

Probably harder..

Knowing my luck, if it had a mind of it's own. It would make things all the more trying, if only, just to mess with me.

{BIG PUT UPON SIGH}

--Heather :)

I Heart Matthew...

2010-10-02T15:46:00.003-04:00

Or not, depending on how you look at things..

See answer #8 on the Matthews BB. NOW I have a whole WORLD of things that I can go dig around & fiddle with on my car & see if we can finally fix the darn thing, for once and for all!

Ugly work clothes--check
Warm Socks--check
Hideous shoes--check.
Hair still too short for a pony tail-- What a shame. Grow hair, grow!
List of things to check-check
Swedish Swears Printed out just in case--check. ;)

Tools.. and such.. yeah yeah.. got them too & a mechanically inclined dude to make sure I don't flock more up than I should.

--Heather
(trying not to think of better, funner things I could be doing.

Bubble, bubble toil and trouble..

2010-09-29T22:19:00.003-04:00

The Brick, Magnus is still bubbling inside the rad expansion tank resevoir. Which also means, he's still a leaker.

Still has some air in the lines?

Perhaps, considering it's been full of air for some time now.

Fans are turning on now, tho. Super duper.

No. I haven't changed the radiator yet, why are you pestering me on this? Is it because there could be a tiny crack in the radiator that is allowing air to get in?

YES I KNOW THIS ALREADY, THANK YOU!

I should be ordering the radiator right now, but what if that isn't the issue? WHAT if I go and waste $200 and this isn't it? That will really irritate me. Cause I will have wasted $400. Why $400? Cause I got new shoes for the Volvo today. Yeah yeah yeah. Shut up. I can use that word. Cause I said so & I make the rules here.

He looked at the turbo already. He looked at the rad already. I'm going to cross my fingers & hope the car is fine in the AM.

Why isn't there a Volvo bleeder valve for the air?

Meh. --Heather :/

DID YOU SAY I could BUY NEW SHOES???

2010-09-29T01:11:00.008-04:00

OHHHHH I LOVE SHOES!!! I cannot wait to get new shoes! Oh man, shoes are better than chocolate!

Maybe I'll get a new pair of these..

Or these.. oh I LOVE these!!

WHAT did you say? Tyres? WHAT? Tyres?? I don't want &&^%%$$ tyres!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want shoes! {SIGH} are you serious, I need them? I cannot keep these much longer or they will WHAT???? POP? Go flat? I only have a little donut in the hatch, not a full sized spare! This means if I get a flat, I can only go 40 MPH. So I'd have to drive ALL around Robinhood's barn & take Bob's road home, instead of the all too convenient & FASTER highway. {stamps feet!} HMPH!

I wanted freaking shoes. For me, you turd. Not the damn car. Don't ever ever ever call tyres shoes, ever again you, you clown! I mean it.

What a JA.

Oh.. when did you get here? Did you hear that? Oh. I'm sorry for that. :/

He says I need new shoes, but for the car, not me. Sniffle.

OK, well there is good news with this situation too. I already have two of the new, needed tyres purchased. So I just need to get two more. Now since you obviously have nothing better to do.. be a dear? Go get me two new tyres, mounted & balanced onto my rims & bring them back here, jack the car up & put them on? Please??!!

Maybe someday I'll find that wooden round tuit. I need more time! Or a stop time watch!

Hmmmm wonder if I can guilt hubby into doing it. Or if I take it to Sears. I could go look at shoes in the mall while the car is fixed. Ooh good plan. Thanks. Glad we had this talk.

--Heather :)

Asking questions is the best way to find things out....

2010-09-28T22:57:00.009-04:00

Course.. it does help to ask the right person. Buuuuuuuuut...eh..... shit happens, that's fer sure.

Long, boring story shorter.. it's the temp, sensor sender. STOP here, unless you are really really bored.///// Then, by all means...read on and become even more bored.

My car is a 1995 Volvo Turbo 850 with the automatic transmission. OK? It was leaking a tiny amount of fluid from the top of the rad expansion tank. We couldn't stop it or figure out why.. and this is slightly stupid tale that sorta explains that. If I missed something, a step here or there, I'm sorry. Maybe you should go ASK a forum or a mechanic for help. I am not that person. This is a BLOG, a Diary, a journal.. if you wanna read it, I can't stop ya.

So our friend is an ASE mech. So we asked him what is going on?? He, hubby and I went back and forth on issues/questions things, that were happening under the hood, and we changed parts that needed to be changed. Or in the case of the Cheap Chinese Fluid Expansion Tank, we changed them needlessly. That's the price you pay. $40 poppers. But hey, I don't drive it every day, or in the right conditions, for Magnus to accurately show me why he's sick. Plus there's the whole woman telling a man what is wrong, man telling another man what is wrong with car language barrier thing going on. NO, not English to Espanol, but man to woman, that language barrier. So we have an extra part or two. OK fine you dragged it out of me, I have quite the metal storage closet going now, one labeled SAAB. One labeled VOLVO. I've purchased & re-purchased parts for the Volvo, so I could get the free shipping from eEuro, of course I did!! Nothing like ordering parts on a Sunday evening & having it show up on Monday. I did order some parts of FCP Groton too. Gotta spread the wealth, ya know? They're some good doobies, as well.

Ok now that I'm fashionably rambling. Let's move on, shall we?

SO when the car initially overheated, it did not ruin the head gasket. We stopped it as soon, as we could. Turned the heat on full blast, just in case it helped some, hey it's the little things that show you LOVE your car. It however shorted out the Temperature Sensor Sender. This is an electrical gizmo (doo-hickey is getting old, even for me.) it's the dude who tells the fans to turn on & cool & cycle things around in the cooling system. I'm sure, I'm talking like a chick & messing things up. But for very, basic info.. that's what he does. Walk it through with me, once more: electrical gizmo that sends a message to the fans to turn on & cool things down. OK, you're not an idiot, you get it, I can see it in your eyes. For such a small part.. he's pricey. IMO going on size alone, he should cost $5. But hey, I don't have tiny fingers & DIY these, so it's not my call. In all reality, it was in the $40 price range. (keep in mind, I didn't spend a penny on labor.)

So my gizmo, after the car overheated was FRIED SENSELESS.. AKA Dead as a Doornail. DONE. Cooked. A Crispy Tofu Bacon Burrito. YOUCH!

SO the fans weren't turning on. How didn't I know this? I wasn't driving the car far enough to get it to do this, elsewhere. When I returned home and stopped the car I was coming out in the cooler afternoons & using the car short distances or taking another mumble, grumble, mumble cough cough...vehicle. I was rightfully nervous to drive the car after the first overheating incident & since he wasn't hearing me whine about the rad needing to be changed & the weird empty rad fluid expansion tank being empty sometimes, not other times, and bubbling & gurgling here & there. I was not taking it out of town, ever again. Well that was the plan.

On the days I was driving it further afield.. which was ONE time, mind you. It drained ALL of it's fluid out. Either while I was driving, or when I parked & left it with the hood closed. I came back and the light was on needing fluid, before leaving the parking lot. I poured some H20 in it, since it was hot out & all I had. Actually it was the H20 from my canteens we had taken with us hiking. Went over to Wally World & fetched some more H20 & amazingly enough enhanced my calm the entire time. (I don't talk like this, nor do I act all flaky when freaked out of my mind. I'm much too sedate for that.) I thought the rad expansion tank was full when I left home, he had filled it up the night before. So.. I'd love to know who got a straw & drank it all?? Or where it went. It doesn't appear to be in the driveway. But, it's an old driveway, perhaps it was thirsty. *OH, right.. there's the whole if the cooling system isn't working right thing.. it has air pockets in it. So.. we could have filled it, but more than likely we didn't. {giggle} So I put some more (H20) fluids in & drove 10 miles home. When I was driving the car didn't overheat.. I thought the fans turned on even. So perhaps they did once, or twice. So that temp sensor dude, maybe had some life left in him after all. Doubt it tho, maybe it was the bass on the stereo. ;0

HOW we figured out the temp sensor sender.. our ASE dude, asked his Volvo friend who happens to be his Uncle, & his brother IIRC.. and he/they told him to HELLO MORON, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THAT after ANY overheating experience, EVER! Probably not in all caps, mind you. But I'm sure some profanities were used.

Anyways, car is fixed. Well, that issue is fixed.

I still say: Radiator needs to go. After all of that extra heat & 15 years of service time put in. I'd (In my very best Dealership Salesman Voice) strongly suggest getting a new one put into the car at your earliest convenience. Less for some reason the PITA PO changed it out at some point, and it's obviously NOT a Volvo stamped straight from the factory in Gothenburg radiator. Time to dust off the pickax and paintbrush. (Archeologist humour) But since at year 11' the car still had it's original factory stamped battery____ I'm gonna say, we've gotten our monies worth from that radiator and then some. "It is time." -Rafiki, Lion King.

Lotta strange things can happen in fifteen years under a hood', don't you think?

Snort, snicker, laugh, giggle guffaw.. do what ya gotta do. Go right ahead, laugh at me with all your friends.

Me, I'm gonna put my feet up.

YES on the freaking dash, shut the heck up! I'm freaking tired.

--Heather :)

WHEW..

2010-09-22T11:36:00.004-04:00

I think a HUZZAH is in order. But that's just me.

I have been searching on the net' since dawn.. and lo' and behold. I found this nifty, new to me forum or some such. Looks like it could be a tiny, itty bitty leak coming off the temp, sensor sender.. and also the rad could be leaking. Hubby is insisting on pressure testing the system. ME I'd just go buy the damn part, and be done with it. SO I've ordered the temp sensor sender & Volvo fluids, seeing how we're out..... Completely out of rad fluids. There's a shocker, right?

Next will be the leaking rad. I'm pretty damn certain it is leaking, even though it's a Swedish rad & doesn't leave a huge pile of liquid (couple drops is all I've seen) in the driveway, since it's much too polite to do that, unlike a silly reeeediculous American minivan I had very very briefly. I gave it away with the leaking rad & the guy was ecstatic to get it for $100. Minivan people. I don't understand them, nor they me. We're cool tho. Kept me from having to bother to drive it to the junkyard.

Anyway point here: Temp sensor sender is on it's way. Going to check that & look around for radiator prices. Frugal. To. A. Fault.

--Heather :)
(Loves Magnus & Magnus alone, sorry Sean. ;)

Just when I think I've narrowed it down.....

2010-09-21T16:26:00.005-04:00

I know that the drips in my driveway are your tears, dearest Volvo, since we will likely part ways soon. Please get better I don't want an SUV! I don't even want a pretty red convertible, like he keeps suggesting. I just flocking want you to run right, stay running right and last me a really long time. I like the 850 models. I love the way they look. My mechanic friend would like me to rid myself of it. Less headaches for him to patch up, if we cannot deal with it. He says they're wretched cars. I don't care. I have decided to follow the Swedish Vehicle path, I will stay on it against all odds. I really really just want you to stop losing coolant for no reason, and to stop leaking into my driveway tiny little leaks that have gone unnoticed, since there are other stains in the driveway. Gee, I'd like you to behave car, as I have many, many places to go. Some of those places, I'd love to hold hands with you and go along our merry way together. I love you dear, Volvo you are so handy to have around. Like a truck without that all too annoying, ugly factor.

I did some research, thought perhaps that since there were "no leaks" that is was possible a hairline crack in the turbo, that was allowing the fluid to leak, and burn off. I've noticed a fluid being cooked smell, perhaps I've finally figured it out. Nope, turbo looks happy. Thought it was the radiator, no leaks there. Flushed it & checked it all out. NAda. Every once in a while, dear Volvo you befuddle me and make the coolant appear to "boil" and then seemingly drive fine. I only drive short distances so this has been going on for some time. When I finally change a part, like the water pump.. we think.. YAY! We did it, it's fixed, it's happy. Happy days are here again. Drive for a few days & again I'm down in the dumps. It's like having a immature boyfriend or an on again, off again situation. It's very frustrating, and this is normally when I take the walk. I've put up with so much. Stuffed so much denero into you, dearest Volvo.. I'd like to get some miles in return, if I could. Please!

He just looked at the spark plugs.. and into the piston rings. All looks SMASHMOUTH Happy there. WHAT dear Volvo is effing wrong with you? Where is the coolant going? Is there a coolant annex somewheres? A special something, something bearing somewhere we are missing that is cooking the coolant off? OH WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?

{SIGH} Time for me to take a breather.. this car is driving me batty.

I love my dear Volvo. As in really really adore it. Yes, I have love for a pile of metal, steel and rubber parts. YES I want to keep it around always. Well, at least much longer than 168K. That's just not enough for a Volvo. I wanted 300K with you, that was my plan. PLEASE don't make me have to regress and go find a Diesel 245.

--Heather :)

(Heather Loves Magnus, the Volvo. Oh and Sean.. *IF* He fixes my Volvo. ;)

Just when I think I

2010-09-21T16:25:00.000-04:00

I know that the drips in my driveway are your tears, dear Volvo.. since we will likely soon part ways. Please get better I don't want an SUV.

When will she just bugger off ?

2010-08-02T20:08:00.002-04:00

Or is she gonna be a like a Lindsey Lohan train wreck that just never stops spewing? UGH.

One reason why she needs to go: Sarah hates wolves. If you try to eradicate a species, like the wolf, it's the same thing as trying to eradicate a race. Its the same damn thing. *ANY person, animal or whatnot born on this planet, has the right to be here. Learn it, love it, deal with it.

--Heather

Not my photo. I borrowed it. From these nifty folks.

More Laugh Out Loud Photos..

2010-08-02T17:15:00.005-04:00

Headed this way. And soon!

This is a pin I bought over on Etsy.com From beanforest. I love it. Since I'm a nice person, I only wear it on my wallet that is mostly hidden inside my purse. I will also say sarcastic things inside my head, now that I've learned or grown up a bit. But man this button screamed buy me, when I saw it.

You see in my town, I have actually seen Tea Party gatherings. Even a guy dressed up in 1747 gear complete with a Modern day Marine Semper Fi flag. NOW if that's not attention to period detail, I don't know what is. ;) Tea party, BAH! I'll have Earl Grey, please.

--Heather ;)

I love them..

2010-07-19T10:30:00.006-04:00

I think they look good on the car. Hubby says: he thinks they look stupid being on this vehicle, spose thats cause he's used to them being on race cars? Who knows. I'm just happy to have them, and that my car is happy to stop. I think they make the car look more serious. Like a 850 wagon in gold isn't stuffy enough? Eh, I don't care. I want my car to be conservative & stuffy looking for a reason. Four reasons actually. My two human kids & my two furkids.

Pissy car this Volvo 850 has been of late, just nice to see it finally getting better, back to happyville. Like normal brick fashion.. we replaced rotors, and pads.. and the E-brake shoe fell off and left the building. So I've got yet another order into Eeuro. Gimme pahts! ;) Cars cars cars.. love replacing parts on them, cause that means I don't own a way overpriced new fangled modern cah that I cannot fix myself. Or pronounce what is wrong with it. (I could tell ya what's wrong with new, modern cars: too many damn modern conveniences. Back in my day.....)

Random brain bubble: Volvo is Swedish for Pickup truck. Considering getting this made up as a sticker for the window. Maybe, just maybe the pickup trucks in the hood' will take me more seriously. Doubt it tho. Really doubt it.

--Heather :)

Radiator Design Rant..

2010-06-30T21:55:00.003-04:00

Why would you design a radiator to have the transmission oil & the engine oil & the rad coolant all flow inside it? WHY? I'm no expert on cars, rads, engines or anything. Far from it. But I ponder these questions when I find things out, so pay me no mind if what I ask is perceived as rude. Not trying to be rude. I'm trying to cram my head with knowledge. Lots of it. Not really sure why. My Mom finds me boggling when I tell her lemons help, not hurt digestive enzyme upset. It's due to their not being enough digesive enzymes to digest the food you've eaten.. in case you wanted to know. {Please Alex Trebek, I'm just waiting..}

Oh and no. There's nothing wrong with my radiator at the current time. Or is there? I mean seriously? All three oils are cooled by the same cooler thingymabob? WHY again?

Seems to me these three separate, enclosed systems with different needs, variables, pressures and thicknessessssss should have their own cooling systems, but I'm just a girl in the world.. so what the heck do I know anyways?

--Heather :)

I want it on record..

2010-06-30T01:11:00.003-04:00

Somewhere else, that I joined ALL of these Facebook pages..

Piercebody.com, Sweet On Veg, Loving Hut USA, CREDO Mobile, Boycott ALL Oil. Say YES to Clean Energy, Studio827 KC, Boycott bp/ARCO, Upper Playground, Before You Take That Pill, Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary, Kay Jacobs Style, Free Stuff 4 Kids, Canada's Viva Granola Vegan Store, Rivenrock Gardens Cactus Company, Holistic Moms Network, Alysia Cotter Photography, 350.org, Rusty Tin Roof Country~Primitive Online Magazine, Orglamix Cosmetics, Ste Martaen, Gulf Oil Spill Crisis- Let's take action America!!!, New Hope Horse Shelter (DoubleHP), Catherine Greenall, Chicago Soydairy, Animal Friendly Shopping, Vegan Essentials, NYCrochet, The Energy Watch, George Rodrigue, Food Fight! Grocery, We want Happy Herbivore on TV, Modern Art By Misty Lemons, Dangerously Dolly, Susiebee Studios, i would rather be hated for who i am, then loved for who i am not, I Made It! Market, Kate & Oli, Rocio Romero, Reasonable Press, Starfirewire, amberdark alchemy, Jumping Junipers! Jewellery Design, The Plastiki Expedition, palafoxstudio23, Pet Rescue by Judy, Princess Angelina, NPR Music, WebEcoist, IGraphics, The Annoying Orange, Diem Designs, Hippy Chick Candles & Forrest Concepts, Help the Gulf Coast Etsy Shop, Naomi Wolf, it, Alex Jones, Environment Oregon, M-ixes Jewelry, www.EarthAngelsToys.com, Epic Tails Dog & Horse Rescue, Vegalicious, Green Scare, nolanstern PHOTOGRAPHY, The Nature Conservancy, Vegan Recipes , Wheat, gluten and refined Sugar Free Recipe Exchange, Boutique Pigalle Bijoux & Accessori Esclusivi, The Weather Channel and weather.com, Car Talk, Carl Hiaasen, American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), American Vegan Kitchen, lemon drop studio | fresh-squeezed gifts, Social Media Today, Blushie Bath & Body, Spill Baby Spill - BOYCOTT BP, CraftyChick101, To whom it may concern: PLEASE SAVE THE GULF!!!, TG Daily, CraziBeautiful, YouTube Remixed, The Sisterhood of the Truly Twisted!, Not Thanking Deities for the Actions of Humans, Top Etsy Shops, I Don't Condone The Violence Towards Animals, Veganizing Everything., Indie Smiles, Smiling!, www.topAutoShows.com, Steel Town Etsy, Regretsy, Clay Creations by ArzuMusa, Rich's Folk Art, Aguavino, Saab History, Adored Before, ArtSavvy.com, Veganosaurus, FatFreeVegan.com, Sarcasm Society, SilentLotus Creations, Elizabeth M designs, Getty Images, HuffPost Green, Dickipedia, Art by Susmitha, The Huffington Post, NetworkedBlogs, Motivating Other Moms, Love is Liberation ♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥, heathrock designs, RELIGION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE STATE, 3 Am Art Productions, Inciting HATE and VIOLENCE isn't FREE SPEECH, Pilots N Paws, Pack Mentality Blog, Peace Advocacy Network, Terry Hope Romero, Vegan Nerdista Cookbookista, Let Constance Take Her Girlfriend to Prom!, Wildflowerdesigns, Emma-Jayne Saanen, Clean Air Act, The Freecycle Network, Dont talk sh*t behind my back, grow some balls and say it to my face!, Kittens, Vegan Bloom, VulvaLoveLovely, Peace O' Pie, Raven K Starre, Vicki Diane Designs, Vegan Green, Pinups for Pitbulls, Inc., Whole Foods Market NYC, The Disloyal Subjects of the Mad Hatter, Mark Morford, Gay Marriage, Mercy For Animals, auclairdelalune, BPR Designs, Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter, Eduardo Cervantes, HomeLife Academy, Ashton Kutcher, panda with cookie, Love Luca, Brackett Fine Art & Jewelry, Animal Friends, This Is It! Creations, Krug's Eco-Logic, JaK Random Art, Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), DirtySanchez, VeganSaurus, Poets & Writers, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Elizabeth 'Tina' Fey, Quentin Tarantino, Fly by Night, World Wildlife Fund, Steve Buscemi, 'A' Week, Cinderella-Moments, EFA/ Etsy for Animals: Artists Helping Animals, Mary's Collectibles, I love rap <3, I walk into a room. I forget why I went there. I walk out. I remember., Piercebody.com, CJS Sales Ltd: Crafts, Jewelry, Supplies (Specializing In Vintage), RobotsAreAwesome.etsy.com, Dreamy Vintage, Two Hawks Dancing, Kittycrossbones, gypysjanes, Cards and Jewelry by Michele 10% goes to animal charities, MySassyGlass, purplecatscorner, Starrlight Jewelry -&- Designs, LazyTcrochet, ICanHasCheezburger?, She's Batty Designs, FactCheck.org, Louann Fakoory Photography, I'm not rude, I'm just from Massachusetts, Hunting Accidents, starbabyonline offices, HJM Art Gallery, Sorry, I'm allergic to bullshiit., Willa Tammisto, MissMuffcake's Lost and Found, trash.rags, Vampire Dairies, Hide a Heart Fan Page, I Bet I Can Get 1,000,000 Vegetarians/Vegans to Join!!!, www.Creativestores.co.uk, Me and My 1000 Girlfriends, That's Who!, TATTOO acceptence in the workplace, We can find 1,000,000 people who DO believe in Evolution before June, Move Your Money Project, Hearts & Hands United, ShitMyDadSays, Batty's Bath, LizEdgar, Turtle Mountain Gifts, LB Wheaton Camera Shop, Sweet V Confections, Stil Novo Design, Sparkle Studio, Anderson Soap Company, Dianne Wenz Health Counseling, SOS eMarketing, BoutiqueJulie, Daiya Vegan Cheese, Nothingbutstring, Chicken Scratch, craftloverz, "Save Our Shelter Animals" MuttShack Animal Rescue, Jewels for Hope, E-ShipShop, The Cupcake Mint, Karramandi, Vegan Craft Samples, The Divine Cupcake, Sew Jennie, Kelle's Kitchen, m knits, Mpix.com, wabisabi brooklyn, Poppytalk Handmade, VegGuide.Org, Persephone Moons Jewelry Fan Page, adgcornershop, The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur by Kelly Peloza, Caveman Foods, ECLETTICA The Atêlier, Crickets Creations Fashion Accessory Scarves and Fringie Yarn Photo Props, NorthEast Rod & Custom Car Show, The Movement for Compassionate Living, The PurpleShmurple Shoppe, Intelligent, classy, well-educated women who say "F*ck" a lot, Susan Nichole Handbags, Saab Spyker Automobiles NV, No, I do NOT have too many books!, Saabs@Carlisle, DON'T SMOKE! DON'T SMOKE! DON'T SMOKE! IT WILL DESTROY YOUR LIFE...., Saab Automobile AB, I dont care about your farm, or your fish, or your park, or your mafia!!!, Silver Cup Coffee Company, ONE MILLION WHO SUPPORT CREATIVE PUBLIC KNOCKING, KnittingGuru, CBS News, A.C. Moore, Saab Cars Official, Ethical Reporters Against Faux News, Le Chou Chou, ConservingNow.com, North American International Auto Show, VegNews Magazine, Choco-A-Go-Go, Vegan Comfort Food, ByHand, Ecotarium, Happy Herbivore, Holistically Heather, HOT CARS TV, Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Saab 97 Sonett, GoShopUs.com, Boston Red Sox, dang argyle, Turtle Mountain, Daisy Wares Vegan Jewelry and Bath & Body Products, The Twilight Saga, TOMS Shoes, Veganism, Jalopnik, Koenigsegg, Care2, we SUPPORT paul watson and the sea shepherd crew!, Repeating what you hear on Fox News does not qualify as political knowledge., Larz Anderson Auto Museum, 1 Acre of hemp can create 500 GALLONS of bio-diesel fuel., PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), Boston Celtics, The Vegan Society, whimsicalnquirky.blogspot.com, SuperVegan, Im A Vegitarian - Meat Is Murder !!!!! more vegies less meat, Bindi Irwin...PLEASE do a Documentary on Worldwide Animal Cruelty, We want Happy Herbivore on the Ellen DeGeneres Show!, United Against Animal Abuse!, Homosexuality is NOT a choice, but homophobia is., Cafe Handmade Virtual Craft Show, Artfire.com, Artisan Studio by 3amartproductions on ArtFire.com, ArtFire.com, Boycott BP, Theresa Childs Photography, Amnesty International USA, ASPCA, Bohemian Rose Bath & Soap, Matter of Trust, Help me get on TV with the animals! ( from AWBAR), Intergem, Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program, The Pet Postcard Project, I'm Not Cranky, You're Annoying., Against SB 1070, Hapari, Twillypop, Earth Cafe Living Foods, foodspring, Jerry Seinfeld, SHARK (SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness), Bacon-loving Hipsters Can Kiss My Vegan Ass, Liz Lovely, Democrats, please stop animal cruelty, Union of Concerned Scientists, Stop the English badger cull, It's Better Handmade, hope for india, beachcat's bargains, 20DIECI Milano, detroitGT, Vegan Backpacker, Bijoux Hergante créateur www.bijouxhergante.com, Bramble Berry, Healthy Bitch Daily, Cabbing Rough, F.A.I.R. MEDIA - (For Accurate Indigenous Representation), Berkeley East Bay Humane Society Fire Fund, Dr. Salim Ismail's Super Heroes Page, Vin Diesel, Cosmopolitan Photography, Intuitive IT, LLC., Hands for Health Massage Therapy, The PocketPeople, Kilozoom, Crochetedby Diana, Sweet & Sara, DailySEOblog.com, Boycott BP!! and its brands & affiliates on May 29, 30, 31 (Memorial Day Weekend), SFGate.com, kittyanydots, 'Let's eat Grandma!' or, 'Let's eat, Grandma!' Punctuation saves lives., VEVO, Beats By Dre, HappyMadeTweets, starbaby's treasures, The Streets I Know, EarthSave, Change.org, DCR Creations, NOFA/Mass.org, Eva Maria Keiser Designs, LoveGivesMeHope - Stories That Make You Go "AWWW!", monkeyandsquirrel, PASTA DOMENICA, If the American Flag offends you, I'll be happy to help you pack!, Vegancraftastic, Bits n' Beads by Gilliauna, AllFacebook.com, MyPublisher PhotoBooks, Artisan Studio by MDavisDesigns on ArtFire.com, Carl Cimini, Lulu Bug Jewelry, Laughing Squid, elephantjournal.com, NaturalNews.com, Urban Wildlife Rescue Inc, Zibbet, LIV GRN, Jessies Little Angels, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, the chronicles of learning photography, Truthout, High Kill Shelter Watch, Human Rights Campaign, Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe, Merry Blues Art, Red Bike Bakeshop, oh, danger!, Pigeon Creek Handcrafted Soaps, aspen rose art, Fille de Fleur, It's A Vegan Dog's Life, Atheism, Etsy, PinkFlamingo61, MaruMaru.etsy.com, Soapwalla, Allergy-Free Desserts: Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy and Nut-Free Delights, Gothic Beauty Magazine, Heartshapedcreations, http://lunaessence.etsy.com, I'm not easily distr.... OMG SHINY, TrickyBoo, VegWorcester, Mimi Kirk, Talenti gelato e sorbetto, INDIGEOUS RED NATIONS DO EXIST! We support you Aloysius Dreaming Bear!, Vegan Team Etsy, Beads Around the World, ArtOcrat, Lean Dog ~ Ceramic and Glass Jewelry, Uli Mana, KNN Photography, neskat.etsy.com, Tom's Of Maine, WAAF, The Urban Housewife, Vegan Earthling, Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, Love Peace and Dye, Greenpeace International, Greenpeace USA, peta2.com, Environmental Defense Fund, jens nappy cakes, Allie's Antiqued Adornments (aka Allie's Adornments), Tolduso Shop on Etsy, "They're", "Their", and "There" have 3 distinct meanings. Learn Them., Megachurches Shouldn't Be Tax Exempt, TasiFashion, Stop Chinese Fur Farms – No More Skinning Animals Alive, Pangea Vegan Products (veganstore.com), ProPublica, Rory Freedman, Love, twig & leaf botanicals, Crooked Metal Jewelry, MOKUME GANE, The Universe, 88Links, No Voice Unheard, EtsyVeg, Vegan Outreach, OooohShiny, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE BREAST CANCER VIRUS?, Vegan Routes, The Biscuit Foundation, Furry Babies Rescue, Earthjustice, 1,000,000 Strong Against Offshore Drilling, I Am Vegan, Fabrics Galore, Junkables Antiques and Collectibles, Out Of The Blue Seaglass Jewelry, DeShawn Marie Handmade Soap, Gency's Exit, Cat's Cause: Speak For Those Who Can't Speak For Themselves, Gardenia's Garb, Strong Beautiful Capable Women of Substance, THERI Artisan Jewelry, Peace To All Creatures, The Zine, AGAINST CROPPING DOGS EARS AND TAIL DOCKING, give obama a break, it takes a long time to clean up 8 years of crap, sassandperil, 19 Moons, Evolution is not a belief, it is something you accept, Isabella's VEGAN page , Modified Cars, Vegan Around the World, fight for animal rights, EcoEtsy, Raising a Vaccine Free Child, Boobquake, NanjoDogz, Petite Bookstore, The Ganoksin Project, Yea, I Voted for Obama, and Guess What.... I am Going to Do it Again..., Jewelry By Sherry, Compassion Over Killing, Yvonne Hands Holistic Therapist, Pledge for Better Health, Pibbles & More Animal Rescue, Soy Candles ~ Bliss Soybean Candles and Gifts, Vegan Salt, Having The Good Taste NOT To Pray For President Obama's Death, Cherry Blossoms Handmade Hair Accessories, Deborah Julian Cards and Prints, ThriftyVault, Marjorie's Cracked Plate Jewelry, Enchanticals, Sad? I Think You Need More Goats In Your Life., *starbaby* readings, starbaby gems, Newman's Own Organics, Newman's Own, checking snopes.com before forwarding dumb e-mails., Vegan Dad, Art Glitter, Eco-Vegan Gal, Coconut Bliss, You can be good without God, Weeza Wear, cooljewelrydesign and cooljewelryJR, C-My Designs, Yoostar, PBS, The Whole Bead Show, STUFF, Grin And Craft It, Radiant Health, Inner Wealth, Gilannie Goddess Emporium.

Made it through all that? Or didja skim? I joined most of these pages cause I wanted to, or was asked to for Etsy, Vegan folks. Some of the pages.. are obvious why I joined, like the Pro-Dem pages. I don't have the time to read up & keep up with all of these pages, but I have seen quite a few of them & like them all. BUT dayam, that's a lotta FB reading time I've logged!

--Heather :)

Hey wait, I got a real complaint..

2010-06-30T00:27:00.003-04:00

Heart shaped box, Nirvana.

But no, no complaints here. Just another random thought. Shoulda named this blog random thoughts, or Heather's diary blogspot. Too late for that tho. Basically, cuz I'm too damn lazy to begin the begin (REM song) and start up a whole nother blog & rename it. I mean what would I name it? All the good names are taken. Lake of fire.. that would be a kickn' name for a blog. Taken tho. Kurt Cobain, Lake of Fire. Awesome song.

Where do bad blogposts go to die? Right here. I get down. Can't get there from here.. taken. REM song. Can't get there from here. Not sure why I like that song.. or that record for that matter. But I do.

I just like the name.. the image that it conjures up. I don't even drink coffee. Can't stand the stuff. --Heather :)

Racism has no place in the 21st century

2010-06-30T00:03:00.003-04:00

On all forms I need to sign for Doctors and other places, I put the following;

Race = E. ALL OF THE ABOVE. Since I'm a mutt, for all I know.. it's completely true. Could be, I've got a little bit of each race inside me. Seeing how the human animal evolved at the equator... it's very possible. We are all connected. We are all important. We are all people. All people are worth the same too!

Racism has no place in the 21st century. Everyone born on this planet, anywhere on the planet, has the RIGHT to be here. I don't understand racism, or being nasty to or chatting about folks who don't speak the language. The language being English here in the states, which I find laughable sometimes, considering how many more people speak Mandarin. We in our comfort have forgotten all of our ancestors came here speaking different languages, hence Swedish, French, German, and Italian street names in the cities, these were areas where these folks congregated together.. for comfort in a new strange land. For the most part they have melted somewhat now. Jewish folks live in Swedish sections and so forth. Frustrates me on some level.. I always wanna go to bat for folks who are treated wrongly. It's just who I am. Comes from being picked on as a kid, I spose. Things sometimes just stay with you. Good lessens often do.

Go away, racism. You and sexism & specieism.. can all just beat tracks.

--Heather

A Happier Day Driving..

2010-06-22T23:19:00.003-04:00

YAY, so very happy! I had a better driving day, seeing how it was the last day of school. Yippee! So now, I'm off to play & have some fun. I'll update the blog on the car stuff, really soon! Lots of car stuff to write about!

--Heather :)

Driving used to be fun....

2010-06-20T23:01:00.010-04:00

Then I had kids. Kids go to school. Driving them to school is not fun. Well.... it's fun, but I sort of wish I had done some autoxing a time or two, before driving the kids to school. It's often like that movie Clueless, only I'm a good driver and I'm pelted with Clueless type people, trying to kill me the whole way to and from the school.

First off, we have a detour going on for more than half the school year. Two, the school is on the end of a rougher area of town. Three, there are short little roads intersecting the main drag I drive in on. Four, it's damn early. (by rougher, I mean the roads suck.)

Apparently, stupid never sleeps.

Stupid isn't the person going 29 MPH in a 40 MPH zone in front of me till the center of town. Oh NO, stupid is mostly the person who pulls out of the short road into my path & doesn't stop for the STOP SIGN. It's red & says STOP on it, maybe you've seen one a time or two?

Stupid is also the person who just doesn't SEE me, and decides they have the right of way, after barely stopping for the STOP sign. There it is again, big and red with white letters all over.

Stupid is also the person who veers into my lane out of their side of the road, to go around a parked car. OK, I know it's very early buddy, but if you veer into my lane, you're automatically at fault, if you HIT me. Hey, my car is paid for. So have at it kid. Happy to have you buy me a new one. I'll take a baby blue Jaguar, thanks much.

Then we have what I call "Killer Stupid." A person or even better persons who just walk into the road, without even glancing to see if a Volvo is headed their way. Do you know how much my Volvo weighs? It's wagon just to give you a small idea. Really frickin heavy, OK? "Look before you leap." Hello? Ok? Please!

I don't recall having this many issues, when I had a red car & dropped kids off to school. My car now is Champagne coloured. Not like it blends in with the road or something. But geez, maybe I need a beacon or something painted on the hood or a flag. I have the below photo (it's an oil pan, painted with a faked Swedish Flag) under my car. Perhaps, I need to paint one on the hood.

I've been thinking of paint, of late. I really wanna do something to LIVEN up the DULL car. Mostly, so folks will actually SEE it. I always wanted to paint one of my Saab 900's pink. Just to be annoying really. But Mary Kay ruined that idea for me. Bless her little lipstick encrusted heart. I was thinking about baby blue, or tiffany blue. Girly, yet.. not. Then turn the car into a sleeper. I need it. We've been late 15 times this past year.

That and a louder horn. A really annoying one!

Ok rant off, I feel mildy better. Till tomorrow.

--Heather :)

Praying at the Church of SAAB

2010-06-12T12:23:00.003-04:00

Praying at the Church of SAAB. I'm a very simple person. I don't need very much. I just want my 1988 900 turbo to run forever. I don't think that is very much to ask for. I really don't. I'm not interested in learning a new car, or learning it's quirks. I don't want to have to fabricate a fuel pump tool, for a newer 900 to have it's fuel pump replaced. I really just want this car to run and drive forever. I love it so. hho-09

Copyrighted 3Am Art Productions & Heather Henry-O'Connor 2009& Beyond.

Cars and More Cars.. Wherever I Go..

2010-05-24T15:53:00.001-04:00

We LOVE cars way too much.. ;) We like to ride in them. We like to name them as they drive on by. We love matchboxes. We love to help Daddy & Mommy wash the cars, clean the cars, and fix the cars. When we go out, we are always bringing a matchbox along with us. We are always always looking for cars. We wanna drive cars. We wanna race cars. Oh and we know where the transmission is in relation to the engine, and that they are seperate units to make the car GO! Beep beep, if you will excuse us.. we've gotta go.. ;0

--Heather :)

Reminder..

2010-05-04T10:22:00.003-04:00

Note to self: Another odd thing happened in the brick today, well yesterday. Went to use the rear wiper and it wouldn't wipe. Liquid pours from the wiper spray thingy tho. I'm wondering if one of us unplugged some wires or something in this car, when we were working on it.

Making a note to tell hubbily this.. so I can get this bee's nest sorted.

--Heather :)

Proof that it rolls..

2010-05-02T20:51:00.017-04:00

Not the best photo of the brick, certainly not the best side either. Forgive me? Naturally, I shot the dented side, that hubbily owes me a fix on. Working on it. Pretty soon I will be driving around with a Yellow fender and a Black door on a Champagne coloured Volvo. ME in normal (I get excited just to see the car in the mornings, when I awake.) fashion cannot wait. I'm not certain of the door colour or the fender colour yet, but I have put in my requests. Any other colour, than the colour, we have on the car MUST be added to the vehicle and then and only then will the car be perfect. ;) It will see a paint gun afterwards, of course. Not before I roll around a lot in it and get a whole lotta photos tho.

WHY DOG WHY? Because, I can. Basically. And why not? If you have to fix the car, and replace parts, WHY NOT make it fun? I can't live life, without fun, fun things, funny jokes, and having silly happen often. You only live ONCE!

Same place that the Volvo was unphotogenically photographed at had this fun little thing. And of course the second I had hubby spin me around on it.. A song began playing in my head. You know the one.

Sing it! I really love this song, and I also love to make fun of it too. I mean seriously, who did your hair? It's to die for. Looks like a Flock of Seagulls landed in it. Ahhhh 1984 I miss you, so much!

But in all seriousness, the car is running fine. *Someone* who will not be named or pointed at, or laughed at threaded the antifreeze cap on the Volvo the other day & it appeared to be boiling over. Which has now happened to me twice to no horrible avail, so I'ma gonna let it go. I'ma good like that. Anyway, car is spinning like a top again. ;) It of course still needs work. Stuff that will be attended to very soon. I have a list going around here somewheres. I also have a bunch of parts stored.. just waiting... maybe this weekend coming up in between the fun things we have planned. We'll see.

Thanks for rolling (spinning? ;) by. See ya on the road, Heather :)

Why YOU Gotta Steer Me Wrong?

2010-04-30T21:50:00.007-04:00

As previously mentioned my power steer assist has been acting funny, since we started the olde boy up again. (The olde boy, is a 1995 850 turbo wagon) It felt funny like hard to steer, had to use the muscles to get it to steer the other day, couple times. Admittedly, I'm a short stint driver for the most part these days. It was hard turning the car. Felt all old and achy, and ready for the retirement facility or Vahalla. Anyways, this morning was different. I drove it and it was acting fine. WHYYOUDODATCAH? WHY? Probably faking me out. Saying it's not giving up the ghost, just yet, but tomorrow, I imagine it will be right back to the point of no return and acting annoying again. Perhaps, I need to see if we have sprung a leak. I was just under the hood the other day, so I do doubt any leaks. Perhaps the fluid is old. *HE* said he changed it recently. I wasn't under the impression that he was allowed to *TOUCH* my car without my express written permission & three forms of ID. Maybe he did tho. Maybe I need to do some more detective work, before blogging. But there it is. WHINING.IS.NOW.OFF.MY.CHEST.

QUICK run away.. don't let her get going on the weirdness going on with the window switches & the day that the door dinger dinged for 3 hours straight. You could even hear the dinging when the radio was on FULL VOLUME! Gee fun, right? NOW it's back to normal & no more dinging. Just strange. However, I do think 15 years is long enough with this wiring harness. Which means DIYing a wiring harness. Far be it from me to make it easy, or spend $2000 (guessing on price) when the wiring is much cheaper.. and easily spliced. By easy, read: I ain't doing it. HE will be. Maybe I'll pull that timeless line out. "I'm washing my hair when that happens."

Window switches.. back window didn't wanna roll up after being rolled down. It does roll up with the rear window switch tho. Tis good thing I have a stash of switches to try out. *wipes sweat from brow* Cause dude, I need NEW shoes! Well no, not really. I'm not called Princess Imelda for nuttin'. I WANT new shoes & a dress too.

Oh and Magnus (the Volvo) want's a freaking BATH! I mean WHO parks under a pine tree anyway?

--Heather :)

Update: Dinging stopped. Steering has vastly improved. MAGIC? Or Gremlins? Maybe it was acting like this due to sitting for so long. Door locks sometimes lock on their own, just after unlocking. Alarm goes off for no reason. Just ODD Thomas like things happening. Needless to say, I will not be taking it very far. (No worries, not my only car.) Till we get this rat's nest sorted out anyways. Maybe the Volvo has a naughty ghostie haunting it. READ: wiring harness or a major buncha fuses need replacing. My vote is on the wiring harness right now. I could change my vote at anytime and it will still count.

Check Engine Light Finally Diagnosed!

2010-04-29T17:27:00.008-04:00

Looks like it's the EGR Valve. (See my original posting on this issue here.) Either, it's stuck open or it's gooed up completely. We had two different computers on the brick this week, and one was showing it was running fine & cooking the gas perfectly. The other one was a bit more snooty, I guess and picked up the tiny little issue, that keeps turning the glowing orange light back on.

I do have 164K on the car, so I'm not opposed to ripping that sucker out and replacing it immediately. Eeuro only wants about $200 for the part. There is more information here on this BB about the issue, and since I haven't gotten dark black junk under my manicure yet. I'd suggest hitting them up & knocking a few nickels into Matthew's paypal account.

--Heather :)

P.S: Oh and SAAB is way better at making a power steering rack, than Volvo. Guess, what I get to do next? I don't even need to diagnose this & look it up. It's acting funny when I try to steer. Like an 80's POS Cavalier with no power steering. "IT IS TIME." --no clue who said that, at the moment.

The Volvo Definition According to Google..

2010-04-29T14:06:00.003-04:00

"Means it rolls." And it rolls once again. It did sit idle for a bit longer than I expected, but then it always does, doesn't it? Mostly, it's cause we have three cars in the stables, but sometimes the 3rd one is down for the count, and I have to take a horse into the town in those times. ;) (I live in horse country, so it could happen, not!)

NEW TYRES! YAY! FINALLY. OK I'm a bit happer, than expected, but nevertheless.. TYRES. Now I can finally, once again.. roll in the VOLVO and maybe out of this one hick, er horse town!

--Heather :)

Quick Blog..

2010-04-29T13:43:00.004-04:00

I just had a brain blasting..

A great idea for a blog. Or a blog posting. Possibly, even a Reality TV Show. Ick, how I despise reality TV shows, but anyways...

"Facebook Postings of the Turdy and Insensitive." is my idea. Would make a killer TV show, someone posts a FB posting & then the insanity, the hilarity and the moronic JACKASS type events that happen afterwards. SURE there is something just like this already out there. Just in case, I'm copyrighting the idea right. the. heck. now.

I'm sure I've been turdy at times, but, this one posting was really over the top. I mean making fun of a homeless person sleeping on the road . Just so mean. COME ON, have some humility folks. OR not, I could get fabulously turdier and selfish making money off your stupid. Whatever floats your boat.

Folks wanna take the idea from me, feel free to slap me some denero. SO, I can move to Mexico and sleep on the streets. Seriously, anywhere is better than here especially come round Febrrrrrrary.

OK.. back to your lives citizens. --Heather :)

BBWE

2010-04-18T16:45:00.004-04:00

Sorry for the delay with my car blogging. But, I've been busy blogging & writing elsewhere. Blogging at the links below. Writing several books for publication in book form. I've got one of short stories almost finished, and one novel in the works.

Worcester's Vegan Eats.

3 Am Art Productions.

The cars are running happily, eventually, when I get a "round tuit" I'll finish blogging on their fixes. The round tuit my Grandfather owned was the only thing I wanted when he passed away. Sadly, my Grandmother wouldn't let me have it. ;)

--Heather :)

Stray Saab Griffin..

2010-04-07T16:06:00.006-04:00

I found this Saab parked at a Ice cream stand near my old house. Upon further inspection it turns out it's a SAAB Griffin. One of the only 400 some odd that were made. I called and called the stand.. no one returned my calls & I finally left a note on the car & one with the ice cream attendent. Nada for my efforts. :/

See the Youtube video below for more information. I've probably posted this before, and I've watched the video numerous times. Probably could recite this narrative off the top of my head by now.

AFAIK it's the TCS the traction system that makes this car a PITA. This is what has been told to me time and time again. I'm sure the Automatic transmission is also problematic, if not cared for in the right way.

IE: Transmission fluid is an oil. It should be changed out, yearly, possibly even sooner. However, BMW also had years of troubles with the ZF (yes I'm calling you out, again) Transmissions and Wonder of wonders.. BMW fixed the Problems SANS any moula being shelled out by the owners of the vehicles. Isn't that nice of them? GM did not do this for SAAB owners. This SAAB GM Marriage thing has been going on since around 1990 officially, even before then they were courting/dating or some such. Hence my 1988 900T. Well, that and I like the old cars. Easy to fix.. less electrical components to break, altho I am learning now that electrical isn't that difficult.

No, I'm not bitter that my beautiful red 1993 9000 CS had 3 transmissions put into it, and that the 3rd and final one was the CHARM. I'm very thankful that my sister (who I gave the car to) got so many miles and years out of the car. Thankful also that my nieces were driven in safety for so many miles, she now has a navy blue one which is going strong. After, you guessed it.. a lot of money shelled out to get it straightened out. (head gasket, tranny, etc.. all things needed to be done. As Nike says.. Just do it. But, do expect me to complain, it's what I do. ;)

Awesome, comfortable and safety orientated cars, though. Well worth the expense paid. I'd do it all over again.. with only some minor changes. I think I would have kept the 9000 and had it fixed. Or something.

Now, though I'm looking at 9-5 wagons. Because I'm a glutton for punishment.

Bring it! --Heather :)

Quote of the day!

2010-04-07T07:55:00.002-04:00

All parts should go together without forcing. You must remember that the parts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if you can't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, do not use a hammer.-- IBM maintenance manual, 1925.

Gotta get this printed as a sign for my garage. Totally. Or maybe post it on my blog, seeing how I'M the idiot who played with the HTML. Yeah.

--Heather :)

2010-03-30T17:00:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday!

2010-03-24T18:36:00.000-04:00

---Heather :)

Classic..

2010-03-12T21:56:00.003-05:00

A classic song. Perfect for driving in the classic 900T! Does his voice remind you, a little of Perry Farrel of Jane's Addiction? Does to me a little bit. But maybe it's been awhile since Jane & I hung out.

--Heather :)

One More Thing..

2010-03-08T23:54:00.004-05:00

Automagic means doing something in an effortless manner, that it looks like magic.

Read the definition. I'm dead serious.

I make being a geek look like magic? I sure don't have to try all that hard.

--Heather :)

Time Off For Good Behaviour?

2010-03-08T23:25:00.008-05:00

I'm taking some time to "hone" my writing craft. LOL, I know heeelarious thoughts, right? I'm taking a writing course, and it's going to be keeping me quite busy. I doubt I'll be by to blog for a month or even two. Plus, I really need to get my &**&%%%$#, er I mean Volvo together too. Heh, lots of stuff {even a potential 850 Turbo headgasket} to keep myself busy.Jump for joy with me, kids! Since it's seemingly thawing early around here in Mudseason land, I'm going to be putting the Snaab back on the road, and taking the Volvo off the road & working on it for a bit. I laugh in the face of the dealership, NO I don't want any help doing my headgasket/engine overhaul. I'll be just fine. As a matter of factoidishness, I'm going to make the old man watch me do most of the job. He has done it many times before, I dare say he's not stealing ALL the fun this time out. (YES go ahead and roll thee eyes when I say FUN. He does it too.) But for some reason this stuff is fun for me, and interesting and coooool. I know, I'm a complete dork. I get that. I don't even care. Hate me or love me for my dorkyness. I'm going to be one either way. ;)

Yes, I told him something was acting funny in the car. Yes sir I did. Just happy we figured it out so it's not a complete mess. {Fingers crossed} {tosses salt over shoulders} {rubs a black cat for luck} Should be pretty simple, right? Couple parts out, new head gasket in, couple parts back inside the car. Sure. It will be a piece of cake. And one of these days, I'll finally get that other Volvo blog post finished and show you how to remove & replace the bottom end. I think the top end needs love first tho................pictures (evidence?) to follow. Because I photograph ALL kinds of embarassing things I do.. and then I blog about it. SO the world can see the Moron, that I am. Probably keep this blog going for a 100 years.. and never complete it. LOL!

Till I blog *mess up my car* again, Heather XOXO :)

Photo of a genuine volvo oil pan plug that has been severely stripped & ruined. Had to buy a tool to get it out of the oil pan. YES I still have it. Does this enlighten you at how "nuts" I am about my car? No, 'bolts' about it. HAH!

I'm Here For The SAABIES!

2010-02-27T08:03:00.006-05:00

I mean WHY else do I live in MASSACHUSETTS? Sure ain't here for the Beach weather, that's for certain. I do love SNOW. I really do. I get all giddy each and every single blasted winter. I also adored the book: Smilla's Sense of Snow, and I do love snow. But, I'm defenitely in Mass for the SAABs. A Volvo every now and again, doesn't hurt either. But the SAABs keep me from leaving.

--Heather :)

My Helper..

2010-02-27T07:53:00.003-05:00

Just a photo of my BFF, and my helper .. electrical guru.. I couldn't fix my cars without him. Spose he needs a bit of credit, now and then. Course, he also says, he cannot do it without me as his car fixin' didn't begin with foreign vehicles. He learned on the Big block v-8s/v-6's. He's learning tho. ;) I mean it's only been 15 some odd years with Saabs & Volvos and Japanese cars living with and or with our friends. SO he's getting there. Every now and then I have to set him straight. ;)

Actually I could do a lot of it alone. It's more fun working together, tho. Plus, he is better at the heavy lifting and such.

Love ya hunny. No one else will do. --Heather :)

Back to the Car Stuff..

2010-02-26T14:54:00.004-05:00

Just like the Huey Lewis & The News song says: I need a new drug. I on the other hand need a new door, for my Volvo. It is completely, all the way and fully dead now. Not mostly dead. It's ALL dead. Not certain what has happened. It's not locking or unlocking. It's not doing much of anything except with the biggest & strongest of tugs, will it open. Barely. Got so I'm going to have to drive the 9000 and leave the brick & the dogs home. Oh well, the dogs adore the couch.

It's the driver's side door. So I lock the car with the pass locks. It really takes a HE-man to open the door. I think it's time for a new door. I know the reason the door is so hard to open is that little doo hicky inside the latch. Uh, Heather wouldn't that be the latch mechanism? Yes, if you do wanna be all technical about it. I like making up names for it tho. Doo hicky. Say it with me. DOO HICKY. Anyways.. I'm off to the junkyard. I need new door. Sometimes.. just not worth the effort in saving things. Altho I think the wiring in it is what is shot. I could rewire it.. (with electrical genious boys help, of course. Cause, I'm a moron in that respect.)

Nahh, junkyard time. --Heather :)

The Best Version..

2010-02-26T14:38:00.004-05:00

Finding the best version of this song on youtube is getting to be a PITA. Posting it here, so I don't lose it. One of my fav songs. Be a really good name for a blog too. I like coffee alert tho, even if I do prefer making my own chai from scratch. But you could easily sub in 'You're so vane, you probably think this blog is about you.' rather easily. Nahh, just my blog, my thoughts.. and some fun tidbits from here and there.

--Heather :)

Quote Of The Day !

2010-02-26T14:37:00.002-05:00

"We learn from experience that men never learn anything from experience.”

---George Bernard Shaw

--Heather :)

Let the HATE Mail Filter In

2010-02-23T22:59:00.010-05:00

Oh Tiger, I'm so so so so sorry. Horribly wretched for you, I'm sure. You might wanna skip to the end. It gets better dear, I swear.

This is an amazing piece. By the one, the only: Mark Morford. It explains pretty much how I see the "Tiger" situation. I'm sorry if you don't agree with reason, er Mark. If you don't, you might wanna head out now. Cheerio, Dahlings.

{door slam}

Well, now that they're gone. Let's get down to business, shall we?

I of course wish Tiger could have come up with something "different" to do in that "arena" Or cripes man, choose something else to do!! Spose drugs is highly overdone too. What's left? Rock and Roll? Guitar hero? Some folks do actually like mall shopping. I also have a theory on the cheating, and why it's so prevalent in our society, and not in others. Have you got a few weeks free?

Long & short of it: Popping out two. point. five. kids, isn't the end of the LOVING portion of the relationship. Loving is an ACTION word. Actions speak louder than words, cards, kids, dogs, (well maybe not MY dogs) and ChristmasHannukahBirthdayKwanzaa gifts. ACTION they like to get it. Even though you are now the wife, with the money, the bennies, the Cadillacs, you still have to be the girlfriend, for your man. *If you don't they will find one. They will. They will do it with flair too. Better to hide it & get caught and beg for forgiveness later? It's THAT important to them. Are we seeing that yet?? HELLOOOOO is anyone listening? *Course Tiger is a special case. Which is likely partially befitting of his athletic ability, just my 2 farthings & a hay penny. Impressive man. Proud of ya.

Oh & ladies, seriously, heed my advice. I know a thing or seven about men. I have made it my life's work to figure them out, and KIBOSH any attempts at having to dispose of a girlfriend. I feel badly for her or the potential of her. She's got a lot to live up 2. THIS now ends the portion of TMI on the Heather scale. I promise, no more of that. Blech.

Consider this folks, I've been happily married for 15 years give or take a few years dating/living together. Time which I still consider married time. Since we were. We just didn't have the pretty little paper & a bow to "prove it to the world" yet. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have bothered with the dress, fancy Swedish cake, and matching wedding party. The Hello look at my daughter she's a Princess crap. "Can it, sister." I LIKE CARS as much as the next guy, if not more. I go so far as to name all of mine, even the ugly ones. WHAT do we spend our $$ On? Car parts, that's what. I know I'm sposed to like all the girly, silly, frilly hideous matching purses & things. I must have been dropped on my head as a baby. Because that sort of thing just don't do it for me. CARS. Speak to me in CARS people! Or better yet, caches of SAAB or hordes Volvo parts. Yessireeeee Bob I'm stockpiling them too.

Anyway skipping merrily to my point: Our society is cracked and our people are pushed to the brink. Most of the time it's working, away from home. We have a 50% divorce rate, is that stat, right? Really? How sad. Well I don't think our Government or The Divorce Lawyers really care. Nope. It makes them money, don't it? And money as you know, not wind, makes the world go round. So if you even remotely like your significant other, you might wanna attempt loving them a little more, and not forgetting where you two found each other. Give it up from time, to time & make some effort to remember they like beans & rice, not meat on a stick.

Be a little late to work once in a while. Take a mental health day. Call in dead. DO whatever *enter really personal sexual reference here* it takes.

Be like Tiger. Just do it. --Heather :)

P.S: Does it show? I do so <3 Mark Moford. He's totally like, OMFG! He's my hero! This ends the Valley girl reference, and for that I apologize.

Leave the General Behind..

2010-02-18T22:42:00.005-05:00

I was playing around in picnik.com the other day. I encountered this new editing feature. If you look closely at this photo, you will see a red streak in front of the two red 9000s. The streak was a GM truck also red. Poof GONE!

This is the original photo here:

The feature is in the sandbox section of picnik & is called circle splash by Jerry Lin. Thank you Jerry. Righteous!

The Leave the General behind title comes from this song here:

Enjoy & have a nice picnik.

--Heather :)

P.S: Minor note here: The red one in the photo. Was a Wedding gift from Hubby to me.
Read: Bribery to get me to Marry him the regular official like death do us part way.

Drooling..

2010-02-15T15:54:00.002-05:00

Don't expect too much from this posting. Just stand and stare at this pretty car with me. I cannot think my heart is beating too fast. Lurve this vehicle. Yes it's 4WD. Sorry for that. It's too perty not to like it. I especially love the rear end's look. Gonna go stare at it for a few more hours..

What is my name again? ;)

Wish You Were Mine!

2010-02-10T11:23:00.002-05:00

I really really like cars. I'm particular about which I drive, especially with the kids in tow. However, I like all cars when out photographing & the more the merrier.

--Heather :)

Wordless Wednesday: The Saturn of Tools

2010-02-03T18:38:00.001-05:00

--Heather :)

Got Prius?

2010-02-03T08:35:00.003-05:00

Japan has ordered all Prius vehicles to have their brakes tested. Figure I'll post it just in case any of my readers happen to have one.

Please read the article for more information.

Best of luck, Heather :)

I Have One Too..

2010-01-28T16:11:00.003-05:00

--Heather :)

Griffin Wheel Image Edited For Peace.

2010-01-28T14:52:00.003-05:00

XOXO Heather :)

RIP Howard Zinn

2010-01-28T14:07:00.001-05:00

"We need to decide that we will not go to war, whatever reason is conjured up by the politicians or the media, because war in our time is always indiscriminate, a war against innocents, a war against children."

Howard Zinn

You'll be missed too. I'll never forget your wisdom.

XOXO --Heather

RIP J.D. Salinger

2010-01-28T14:03:00.004-05:00

"Take most people, they're crazy about cars. They worry if they get a little scratch on them, and they're always talking about how many miles they get to a gallon, and if they get a brand-new car already they start thinking about trading it in for one that's even newer. I don't even like old cars. I mean they don't even interest me. I'd rather have a goddam horse. A horse is at least human, for God's sake."
- J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Ch. 17

Another good one gone. You'll be missed greatly.
Altho I do disagree on the cars..

XOXO --Heather :)

Hang Up And Drive?

2010-01-17T22:31:00.002-05:00

Alternate title: Shut Up And Drive.

Second alternate title: How about a large cup of STFU? ;) JK.

Upon occasion, I see a non-Volvo or a non-SAABY car that is wicked cool. (Say that with a Bahstun accent.) This is that car. Very cool. It was just my luck, that the light hit the car in such a way that grabbed my whole, undivided attention.

I'm particularly taken with the colour. The round headlights. The chrome grill. It just looks mean, fast and cute all at the same time. Like it doesn't take much BS but, when no one is around.. it's not a bad pal to hang around with. The kind of friend everyone would love to have. Someone who can take a beating, is a little rough around the edges. But very loyal. Now who couldn't enjoy a friend like that?

Thanks for looking! --Heather :)

Is it Alive or Dead?

2010-01-12T20:27:00.004-05:00

Saab that is. Because I don't know. Do you know? I'm getting mighty tired of the go-round. I have a huge post about this & the up and down this road has taken us..

I just don't even wanna post it.. cause it's so depressing. I'd rather focus on something happier. More positive. I love SAAB. That is enough for now.

XOXO Heather :)
P.S: I don't know who owns that copyright to the photo.
If you know, or own it & want it down. let me know.
Thanks.

2010-01-01T15:34:00.002-05:00

┌─▒█▀█─▒█▀█─▄█─▒█▀█───Happy────────────
├──▄█▀─▒█─█─▒█─▒█─█──────2010─────────
└─▒███─▒███─▒█─▒███────Everyone Happy♪♫• New♪♫• Year♪♫

SAAB is struggling to find it's own road..

2009-12-21T09:09:00.002-05:00

Come on GM. Please have a heart.. save our SAAB!

--Heather :)

The 11th hour for the 9 Car...

2009-12-20T10:58:00.002-05:00

Tick tick tick tick.. we've got till Monday @ 5PM now.. to know if SAAB is going to make it. What a nailbiter for us all. I certainly want it to survive! I would miss it so much if it doesn't. It's one of the most ingenious car companies ever.. with all kinds of things invented soley by the company.. you'd think with that kind of thinking someone, anyone would want to save it.

My fingers are crossed! Toes too. Going to rub the black turbo 900 for luck!

See here for the full story.

--Heather :)

RIP SAAB 1947 - 2009

2009-12-18T12:43:00.005-05:00

"Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.” --Voltaire

Now More Than Ever Before!

2009-12-04T13:35:00.001-05:00

"SAAB. It's what a car should be."

--Heather "aktie9" :)

Happy Sales?

2009-12-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

Te he he --Heather :)

New Sticker For The Eighty Eight!

2009-12-02T18:16:00.008-05:00

I'm working on a new bumper sticker for my Saab 900 Turbo!

"This vehicle is one of the last of it's kind. Keep back 900 feet!"

Because I don't want it to end up here:

Thank you!

XOXO Heather

copyrighted 2009 3am art productions/HHO09

A Quacking Mystery

2009-12-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

HAH! --Heather :)

Looking For a Used Car?

2009-12-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

Guess you will need to look elsewhere.

--Heather :)

From The Files of: Say what?

2009-11-30T23:22:00.002-05:00

Wow. I have no words. --Heather :)

It runs. It drives. It rocks, it rolls. It cruises steadily down the highway...

2009-11-28T10:21:00.002-05:00

Magnus, my Volvo now has a brandy new alternator in his engine bay, and is happy once again. What a blissful day! I won't go into the technical details of the removal and the refittment is the reverse of the removal thing. (want the directions go here.) The removal is a PITA. Serpentine belt, power steering pump and some others need to be removed/put out of the way to get at it. And saying it's not exactly fun is putting it mildly. Let's move on, shall we?

A junkyard run was also made at the behest of this vehicle. So we can stop calling it the "Rolling Turd." Of the RV Movie fame. We found a few things needed to make it a nicer vehicle. The rear hatch is not hatchalicious as of yet. But, the replacement items were found in a 1996 version of the Volvo 850 wagon for that. Also procured was the cupholder & accompanying cover. Also found was the driver's door mechanism. Here's hoping it's the cure all for the Driver's door doesn't open for sh*t. One thing we forgot.. the passenger side headlight has a crack in it. It's getting worse. I can actually feel the edges of the glass now. It feels loose, like a tooth ready to fall out. So we will be headed back to get the lenses off the donor vehicle asap. Like tomorrow.

We are very very fortunate to have a friend in the junkyard business. No I won't give out any props. As I'm territorial and such like of the place. Maybe after the rest of the parts are stripped & stored in acid free tissue in my garage. Still not very likely. My Sweet 1988 900T also needs some parts too. Find your own damn junkyard owner & make friends. ;)

We've been doing a lot of work on this vehicle of late. It all began with the radiator expansion tank & lines, previously blogged. We have learned that when that begins showing the telltale signs. That is around the same time for replacing the entire system & also the alternator. It's possible *and yes you can giggle at me* that the check engine light was also.. a sign of the alternator needing replacement. Which if you go back on my blog.. I have been whining about this several different times. I've mentioned it several different times that it was probably the alternator. It got so I was a broken record, and quite possibly even ignored a little since I was saying the same thing over and over again in a female's voice. I know, men do tend to ignore us when we complain. But, I've BTDT with several other Swedish cars in my day. NOW he will finally listen to me when I speaketh the car speaketh. Yeah. We will see. It has been something well past 10 years now.

This is one of the reasons I made him learn me some easy stuff and turned myself into the technical guru and diagnostics queen on the Swedish car stuff in the first place. I don't like not understanding these cars & being at the mercy of the mechanically inclined. You wouldn't believe the BS I've heard & had folks try on me before to make a few extra bucks rooking me.

Never again. I do have some more Volvo 850 reading to do still. But, all in all.. I think we need another one. If I didn't need the parts or if the donor mobile wasn't trashed hardcore. I'd have grabbed it. I like the 850's. I really do. V70s too.. so maybe we will get a newer one. He keeps making the we need a simpler to fix car noises. Per the usual.

BAH. I just let him rant. He usually runs out of steam soon enough. Then we are back on the road in the safest vehicle in the world. That is why I will put up with these cars & even the rolling turds that come along for the ride from time to time. Sees ya on the road!

Heather 'tongue in cheek' O'Connor :)

Dearest Volvo Engineers, It's me Heather..

2009-11-08T16:35:00.008-05:00

Dearest Volvo Engineers,
You are clearly one of the best Car Manufacturers out there. Hands down. No question. Even now aligned with the blue oval of boredom. You still have the goal of safety in mind, and I applaud you for that. One of my main goals when driving is still safety. I still love you, and likely always will, Volvo. However, I have but one complaint. It has everything to do with timing. *As you might be aware timing is everything.* Everything..

Timing helps get the girl. Timing helps when walking the dog. You don't want to gun the engine too fast at a red light, waiting for green, as you could hit the crosstown bus, or even a train! TIMING IS KEY. Timing is everything. When looking for the timing marked spots on the 850 engines. Could it have been a bit more vague? Perhaps, the newer vehicles have the spots painted in hot pink or something, like my 850 does NOW. But, really would it have been all that hard to make it a little easier??????????

Bending like Gumby is fun an all.. but, PLEASE think of the DIYer when creating vehicles. We're still out here in numbers.. We'd really appreciate things being a little easier. Perhaps I can get a crate from LEGO drop shipped to you. Freight shouldn't be too pricey, since Lego is only over in Denmark. Practice with the Legos awhile.. it will be fun! ;) (that's just a American Humour, not trying to be an upstart, or rude.)

Love you Volvo Engineers. This was great fun. I really enjoyed the faces, and seeing my husband's foot in the air, with his head on valve cover. Plus all the new swears my husband came up with. "Oh jump for joy with me." Thankfully we have a Swedish Swear Page saved in the archives. I've erased the negative energies he unwittingly sent out, so no worries there.

"Volvo for life." Oh and my new fav: "Volvo Park Safely."

See ya on the road, Heather :)

People Need Love! People Need Hope!

2009-11-04T14:03:00.003-05:00

BOO on Maine! So glad I'm a resident of "Everybody's Welcome to MASSACHUSETTS!"

Time for MAINE to grow up & learn what LOVE is all about.

XOXO Heather :)

Bullet is home SAFE & sound!!

2009-11-03T15:39:00.004-05:00

Just received an update in my email. Bullet is safe & with his very happy family.

Thank you to all who got the message out!! XOXO Heather :)

Blue Foundation, Eyes on Fire..

2009-10-18T23:41:00.009-04:00

Since youtube is way lame and won't allow me to put the original video here. I've borrowed the lyrics. You will have to download the song all on your own & give it a listen. Incredible. It's my fav song right now. Tempting to use it for signature quotes. ;) Spose I could embedd the song, or add one of those little music apps. Meh, go_download_it. Totally worth every single musical note.

- Blue Foundation Lyrics

Big thanks to the Twilight Movie. I have found an incredible song. New music for my ipood. Loving the band in particular. Something about music from that part of the world. Much better than the junk in the trunk music they play here on the hip stations.
Love it. This song makes me wish I could speak music better. But, I have enough hobbies, I think.

Enjoy, Heather :)

SUGAR SCD 2009 RUSH!

2009-10-18T23:01:00.004-04:00

And for a sweet ending to a great SCD 2009. I give to unto thee. Swedish Fish cuppycakes. XOXO Heather :)

Happy Swedish Car Day 2009

2009-10-18T22:03:00.003-04:00

Woke to rain and snow, then snow, and then rain.

Hmmph! Bummer. I would have loved to see some Swedish Cars today. But, I've got a better idea than sitting around being all sodden and bored. Take the Swedes for a ride. What better way to celebrate Swedish Car Day, than to take the cars for a ride in the unpleasant weather? Well no weather is really unpleasant with these wonderful cars. But, I've got better things to do than to make my kids suffer sitting in a car, or wandering around on a wet lawn. Jeeesh, I need them to go school, not get pneumonia. Besides, there is always next year, and other Swedish Car shows to attend in the future. I love these cars. Hands down. Absolutely love these cars. Even the models I don't like. I'd drive one of those first, than anything less. I've tried driving other cars. There are forks I'd rather stab my eye with, than ever drive anything else. I'd never stray from them. Not now, not ever. Nothing (ha, and I think I have proven this a few 9 or so times.) will ever ever get me to leave the Swedish Car scene. Unless someone wants to buy me a Bentley, or a Mercedes. Nahhh, not gonna happen.

Both of those cars suck, in comparison to any junked Swede.

XOXO Heather :)

Like you don't gasp when you SEE a Silver Volvo!

2009-10-11T17:17:00.008-04:00

It's a spoof on Edward of the Twilight Series. Or at least I think it is. If it isn't, I'm officially making it one now. Edward drove a Silver Volvo in the first movie & rescued Bella. I happen to have a silver Volvo.

I <3 my Silver Volvo, is there any other colour for them?

XOXO Heather :)

<3 Paramore!

2009-09-28T12:37:00.001-04:00

Paramore Lyrics

Ding, Dong or Ode to my aging Volvo..

2009-09-01T13:55:00.004-04:00

OK so this week in old volvo things to do.. the door chime is outta whack. I mean really.. is it necessary to ding, ding, ding, ding, ding as I drive down the road with the door closed and locked??? So something in the wiring for the door chime is going. 11 year old car. 11 year old wiring. Copper wiring has a life span of 10 years. Thank you Sweden, I think it's time for some wiring to be snipped.. or a fuse to get lost.. not sure yet. Working on the research end of things. Next post.. I will have to ah.. show you my BIG old Gardening shears.. maybe they will be big enough to do the DEED.

Note this: even with the radio volume up boom chicka HIGH. I can still hear the dinging. Good to know. My teenage concert going years didn't completely nullify my hearing.

Ding dong---Heather :)

The Automagic Fairy..

2009-07-08T19:48:00.007-04:00

This shirt is a joke on automatic cars. NOW, hang on a tic. There is nothing wrong with automatic cars. WELL, there is nothing wrong with the idea of automatic cars. I think when they were created they were very excited about the invention. Proud even. It certainly made cars more accessible for folks. I've seen a very old Dodge vehicle sporting badging that stated Automagic on it. I think this was original to the car. Can't be sure. But, pretty sure.

But some cars.. have transmission issues. Woes, problems, issues.. So it's just a joke. I happen to have a car with an automatic. Two of them in fact. One of the cars has an automatic, and it's incredible to me that it still is going on 220+K miles with the same original tranny. SO i figured let's celebrate it. Plus, I needed a t-shirt in blue and yellow. Oh OK I wanted one.. ;)

--Heather ;)

Take care of the shell..

2009-07-06T22:09:00.003-04:00

I used a word in the last posting. The word is : Shell. Some folks might not know what shell means. It means basically the hull, or the car sans the engine and interior bits. "Take care of the shell." if you love the car, take care of it. This doesn't mean taking it to a good mechanic. Altho, I suggest doing that too, if you don't want to DIY. If DIY is not for you, then find a good indie, or dealership to take the car to and let them take care of it: m e c h a n i c a l l y.

However, doing so doesn't let you off the hook as far as ownership goes. There are still things YOU as the OWNER need to do. This is an opinion piece, and not going to happen in every single situation. I'd like it to of course. But, then I'd like to buy a brand new car for $5. Not gonna happen. Hence the NEW ENGLAND term: The WINTAH Beatah. Yeah, that and jyard. The place where old cars go to die & I go to snap up parts for a fraction of the price. Seriously.

Number one: Oil changes. Read your manual on what TYPE of oil to use. Dino oil which is the kind that comes out of the ground, from basically dead dinosaurs etc. OR Synthetic. *SOME CARS USE ONLY SYNTHETIC OIL* Yes, I'm shouting at you. You KNOW WHO YOU ARE. Saab owners. Especially those with TURBO engines. FULL SYNTHETIC ENGINE OIL ONLY. I also use this for my TURBO'd Volvo. Mine has 160K miles on him. (yes him, his name is Magnus) I use Mobil 1, Full sunthetic oil for HIGH mileage vehicles.
I do my own oil changes, to cut down on the $$. $25 bucks a pop on a bottle of oil enough for one oil change, which lasts 5-6000 miles. Well worth every penny.

Number two: Another thing to do for your car to keep it longer: Wash it early and often. Under carriage wash or use a hose.. to get the grime out of the wheel wells. AH, folks who live in the rust belt. HELLOOOOOOOO, this means washing it in the winter time too. Especially, if they use SALT on the roads. Twice a season is possibly enough, but maybe not. It all depends on the driving you do. The more miles driven, the more washes you should do. Try to do it on a semi-warmish day. (HAH when does that happen?) So the doors won't freeze. Or spend an extra 2-3 minutes letting it dry under the heater, blower fan at the end of the auto tunnel. If at all possible, don't use the kind of washing bay that uses those big huge hairy creatures to wash the car. If you have added accessories like Thule rack, or antennas.. they can get knocked off by those hairy washing thingies. Try to use the self wash bay, or the automatic *touchless* washing bay. Those hairy creatures aren't good for the paint, either. They tend to collect sand, dirt and grime from the last guy.. and are never cleaned. So they will scratch the paint. I don't know about brand new cars, but, those that have been painted with new colours, shouldn't be washed for 30 days give or take. Some paint guys suggest cold water, no soap for three months. Helps cure the paint really well. I'd suggest waiting a month or so after buying a new car. Especially if you know it's brand new off the line at the time of purchase. The longer the better the paint cures.

Number three: READ THE MANUAL. It's a tiny little booklet comes with the vehicle at the time of purchase. Quite often it fits inside the glove box and resides there. READ IT! Learn from it. Not just, how to turn the hazard lights on. I suggest reading it from cover to cover. Knowing the ways in and out of the vehicle and all the features it has. It should be required reading for all car owners. But, that will never happen. Just like World Peace will never happen. Hey, if your at the dealer and BORED .. bring it in. Give it a going over. You just might come across something else they can fix. ;)

There are other things you should do as an owner of a vehicle, that you love. Like maintaining the vehicle. Follow the maintainence schedule to the letter in the manual. Like at say: 140K miles do a BIG TUNEUP. This big tuneup usually consists of changing a item called the Serpentine belt. If you don't and it lets go.. the serpentine belt can break, break the pulley it's on.. smashing into different engine pieces and making a real mess. Plus, it will likely ruin your day. Considering the serpentine belt is needed for the car to run. So it will make an awful noise, crack, shred and die. Leaving you & yours stranded on some godforsaken highway somewhere.
Maintaining the vehicle is a SAFETY issue as well. Just because the car is a VOLVO, doesn't make it safe if it's not taken care of. Ask me how I know this. Oh, right it was the 1993 9000 CS that had the Serpentine belt let go. Sadly it had just been in (that day) to see the mechanics and was sposed to have been checked for this fix. Since they didn't check it off the list, they ate the fees associated with fixing it the right way. Shit happens. I was lucky. I was able to get back to my bosses house & let the car die in her driveway. I was L_U_C_K_Y. Damn lucky. I was on my way to the Massachusetts Turnpike. {SHUDDER}

Anyway, just a couple things to think about involving car ownership, and taking care of it. I could go on all day long and tell you WHAT kind of leather cleaner NOT to use, and what kind to use & where to get it from. (http://www.eeuroparts.com) I could get really anal on you and tell you "WE DON"T EAT IN OUR CARS." Well, now I'd be lying about that. I used to have this as a rule. However, reality hath struck = I have kids now. We eat in the car sometimes. Hence my ownership of a vacuum, a carpet shampooer, and their associated MANUALS. <----

Take care of the shell. Enjoy the ride. --Heather :)