I'm gonna shoot that squirrel!!

We think it was a squirrel. Or some other infectious rodent of small variety. But most likely it was a squirrel. Because we have them around here. In Barrie. In our back yard. But it's winter now.

And our car has been acting up.

Or, I should say... Our Cars have been acting up.

Or, I should really say... Our Cars are pieces of ...

Okay...

So it goes like this...

A long time ago (about a month or less) our oldsmobile needed a new wheel bearing, and a new MAP sensor. After discovering that the oldsmobile needed this to be done (because of a cluster of lights that had brightly lit up our dashboard in time for Christmas), and upon leaving the auto repair shop (we had it diagnosed but not repaired yet), the car was given a nice chunk of metal right up the ribs of the front right tire. We had to replace the tires (all four, because the back tires were old and worn) and couldn't afford to have the auto repair shop repair the other problems anymore.

So we (my father-in-law and I) put on our working gloves, our working boots, and our working minds to the task of repairing the Oldsmobile.

We repaired the oldsmobile in time to get a few weeks of delightful driving out of the Oldsmobile before and during the Christmas break.

In the same time frame, we also replaced the tires on the Mazda 323 because those tires needed to be replaced almost a year ago.

Now. Enter the squirrel - unheeded by anyone.

During Christmas break, and my Father Geertsema will attest to this... Our beloved Oldsmobile (although I don't know why I love it when it treats me so cruel) began to act up again.

The key, when turned, would do nothing. Then, when turned a second time, would start the car.

The car, when driven, would sputter (as though stepping on the gas repeatedly in 3 seconds to make the car 'jump') despite the fact that one would have done nothing to the gas pedal besides push it down to make the car go.

At the same moment as above sputtering occurred, the SAME cluster of lights (as previous Christmas dashboard display) would appear to indicate that the beloved/hated Oldsmobile had lost all "Traction Control", "ABS", and that we should "Service Engine Soon".

The windshield washer fluid, also, at this most opportune time, decided that spraying the window was really not a good idea - seeing as it was soo cold outside.

So what does one do when a cluster of lights comes on? The same cluster of lights that had previously been treated with a new wheel bearing?

We figured that the car needed another wheel bearing - this time on the other, front side of the car. But until we could replace it (and because we have heard horror stories of cars in need of a new wheel bearing sheering off the entire wheel and thus doing more damage to the car than a simple wheel bearing would have caused) we decided we should park the car for a week.



Now it seems the Mazda was feeling neglected... after all... was it not the Oldsmobile that had been taken on such lovely trips as to go to Woodstock, and Brockville, and even Ottawa over the span of two weeks? And was the Mazda not also squealing like a pig from the frightful cold of Barrie in the months prior to Christmas?

Well, after deciding to park the Oldsmobile, so it could be repaired at weeks end.... The Mazda said, "Screw you, I'm quitting too!" and promptly snapped an alternator belt.

So, we couldn't drive the Mazda, and we dared not drive the Oldsmobile, but lest I make this entry too long, I will skip to today. When we discovered the squirrel.



Well... today we replaced the wheel bearing on the other side of the oldsmobile. Which, to be honest, appeared to have needed replacing.

We also thought that this would clear the dashboard of all Christmas lights (Christmas is over, after all...)

But the oldsmobile did not think so.

At the same time - I should say - we spent time on the Mazda -it needed attention too, after all - and replaced the alternator belt with a nice new one.

Oh.... AND we replaced the garage door spring which had snapped in half earlier this winter. (oy)

So the oldsmobile... Despite replacing a wheel bearing, the cluster of lights have stayed on in the oldsmobile. So what now?
Well, we gave up. sortof. We kinda drove the car. Realized we had no clue what to do. Popped the hood. pulled off a plastic engine cover.
And then we discovered the squirrel.
Well. What was left of the squirrel.
No. Not the actual squirrel. but a lot of fluff (scraped from the bottom of the engine cover) and a nut or two.
It was the nest of the squirrel.
There were also frayed electrical wires... Maybe the squirrel chewed on them? Or maybe the heat of the engine caused the fluff to ignite(?possible?) and melt the wires?
Who knows. But the wires are frayed and the oldsmobile says it isn't fixed yet.
The problem seemed to have been a rodent seeking shelter from the cold in a warm, protective location...