So, I was awoken at 3:30 AM by the dogs barking. Went out to shush them... left the door open to allow the cooler air of the morning in... then hit the sack again.

Awoke at 8 PM... did the usual morning routine then set out for the coffeeshop. Most of the usual gang had already left to beat the heat. It was already hitting the 90's at 9 ish in the AM. After the usual ice-coffee called SSM and swung over to pick him up.

We headed to Big Lots! We were on the hunt for a VGA cable. Did we find it? Nope, but we got caught up in the frenzy of some other items on sale. This is one of our favorite things to do. Truth be told, we both shop like women... seriously, we can't pass a bargain up. Doesn't matter if we needed it or not... if it's on sale, chances are it's going to end up in our shopping cart. Each of us got away with about $50 worth of stuff... then walked to Circuit City for the VGA cable.

On the way home, I stopped to get a bucket of KFC as I had decided while driving that this was to be a non-cooking day. Dropped SSM at his batcave and was heading home when... the temp meter on the truck just pinged to "hotter than hell".

I was only 2 blocks away from home... but the truck obviously decided that it was time to shut down. I skillfully maneuvered it into the 7-11 parking lot but was thwarted into actually rolling into a parking bay by a heated driver in a hurry. So, now the truck is in the middle of the parking lot being a total hindrance to any traffic flow.

Luckily some friends came by and helped push it into a parking bay. Popped the hood and of course the radiator was steaming over. Figured I'd wait for it to cool... add some coolant and I would be able to head back home. All this done and half an hour later... it still wouldn't start. The temp meter indicated it was cool... so, what's the problem?

I begin to check the fuses. Ahhh... the ignition fuse is blown. I call SSM who kindly comes over to help. We head to the auto-shop, get the fuses, 40 amps... pop it in... it starts up then dies. I had bought 2... and it blew both! Damn! Head back to the auto-shop. They are out of 40 amp fuses... I get their last two 60 amp fuses. Pop one in. Start it up... it blows. Double Damn! Pop in the second fuse... decide to make sure that everything, radio, cooler, etc is turned off.

Mind you all of this took place over a span of 2 hours on an asphalt parking lot in 109 degree temperature. They are expecting it to hit 113 today!

Turn the key... and it starts up. I head off home like a bat out of hell. SSM follows behind just in case the truck has plans of it's own.

I get home, walk into the the shower stand under it for 10 minutes... which is why I look like a wet dog in the picture. I think I'll be doing a lot of this today. Thank you SSM for the rescue! Who cares if people suspect that we are a gay couple? Haven't they heard of friendship? You're indeed a friend in need... and a damn fine person to hang with!

Here is another heat related post from last year... which may be just a tad more entertaining than this one.

Stay cool!