August 5, 2011 It was rough on me today; worse on my parents. To begin, after taking dad to his doc appointment, followed by fueling up the Mitsubishi, Mom hand he went to Riley's Diner in Ruckersville. I checked in with them via cellie as they made their way to the diner. Mom requested of me to put a gallon of gas in the red canister for the lawn tractor. I took a bag full of used cans with me also to dispose of them in a nearby dumpster behind Food Lion (there is no recycling facility or disposal area for cans around here yet). I was going to take my car, but it would not start. So I called and informed mom about that, and that I would take the recently checked van instead. She also asked me to drive by Goodwill to swap the van for the Mitsu. I would have taken either the Honda or BMW, but I still lack manual transmission knowledge. The van started. After getting onto the road, I noticed the "check engine" being lit; at the moment I disregarded it. But after dropping off the cans in the dumpster, I started to press on, but after moving forward slightly, it stalled on me. And I could not restart it. I called mom to come to me then. Beforehand, she had a bought with the bitchy server/owner of Riley's, Riley herself. Mom had a quarter of a chicken sandwich from McD; she brought it in with her. She had also got her tea at Riley's before this bout. Mom pulls out the quarter sandwich; Riley is all, "you can't eat food from another place here". There's no sign stating that anywhere there. So, mom ignored her and ate the q-sand in front of her. Riley asked her to leave. Mom wanted her tea too, and she had a big reusable plastic cup in the Mitsu. So she takes the cup of tea out to the car and fills Her cup with the tea. She then returned the restaurant's cup to the table dad was still sitting at. Riley bitched some more at mom about taking their cheap plastic glass outside. So, to come back for dad later, she leaves for the nearby Goodwill. Here is where I came in with the last call, as well as the following where I requested help stranded by the dumpster. So mom comes with the Mitsu to the van; the jumper cables were in the back of my car, the escort, at home. So, she stayed at the van while I A) picked up dad at Riley's, B) stop to get lunch for me at the nearby Taco Bell/KFC; M.Deal 1: chick burrito, med drink and chips, C) return dad home and pick up the jumpers and D) return to mom and the van. The van was still fighting with the mucky, old gasoline; mom and dad got earlier today a bottle of gas cleaner. So after returning to her, she poured in the cleaner, attached the jumpers, and got the van started. After putting away the jumpers, I followed her in the van with me in the Mitsu up to the nearby Sheetz. After her parking the van by pump 7, I parked the Mitsu in a nearby space. I checked in with her, then went into Sheetz to wash my hands to allow me to eat the chick burrito. I sat in the van after she fueled it halfway, and fueled the canister; she had to poo bad. After she returned, I had finished the burrito; she got in and tried to start the van; no turnover. So I pulled the Mitsu up to the van to try rejumping; no good. Mom called dad; he suggested punchin' the pedal while starting up; no good. I stayed by her side during thebwait and restart trials, keeping her company and talkin'; it helped her feel better. Eventually, she reluctantly called for a tow, which arrived about 10 to 20 min. later, to tow the van to Chuck's, just less than half a mile north of Sheetz. The jumpers and can of gas were placed in the Mitsu. We followed the truck and van, left a pair of van keys with Chuck. He'll have another go at it soon. Then tired, mom and I finally came back home about quarter after 7. Killed my day. I was planning on getting the songwork completed, but after what happened... I am sorry, but I will have to complete them tomorrow and upload them on Saturday. Life happens. *sigh* I know very well it's happening to both you and I. I still think of you lovingly and dearly. :) I'll e-mail you again tomorrow. Stay Safe and Sweet. LOLove, <3<3<3<3<3<3<3 Kaka Apple Chrissy.