When the ostrich technique doesn't work...

Coping techniques. All the self help gurus and 'life coaches' lecture you about how to cope. Cope with stress, cope with loss, cope with love issues....just cope. For some they stress "talk it out and walk it out". Others take a much more militaristic approach and that is more of the "suck it up buttercup" genre. My personal philosophy has developed into more of a " Do no harm, treat others like you want to be treated, be a help not a hindrance (a interpretation of the old: Lead,Follow or get the hell out of the way philosophy). And for the problems that are not catastrophic but I have no idea of how to solve the problem I employ the ol' Sinclair Ostrich technique. I simply stick my head into the proverbial sand and ignore the problem.
 Now some would gussy the explanation of this problem solving method up and say that it is simply a "put away the problem and come back to it with new eyes" or a "Things will look better in the morning". Personally I look at it  like a good pork shoulder roast, just put it away under low heat and just let it simmer away. Soon enough despite yourself the problem breaks down, gets soft and tender and is way easier to chew up and swallow...most of the time.

Earlier this year, I was driving Fillmore and after a short coffee break I hopped in and took off, not 200 meters later he died. Thankfully I was in a place where I was safely tucked away and all was well. I shamefully thought I was out of fuel. Randy came to my rescue with diesel. After a quick stop at a gas bar things seemed fine. Until I was many miles down the road and he quit again, then again, then again. I limped home and put him to bed. Months later it was time to address the problem. I changed the fuel filter, bled the fuel lines and injectors. Still he would drive for a while and then die. So I did what I do best and like an ostrich I stuck my head into something else and hoped for the best.

I tried a variety of things, and thought that Randy and I had flushed the problem away.With Ann's grade 8 Farewell looming around the corner I took him out for a spin. We got 10Kms down the road and boom. Died again!

Thankfully I had upgraded my AMA membership to an RV membership, so a quick call and Big Hill towing came to the rescue.

It makes you wonder why this stuff always happens close enough to home so that the whole neighborhood can see, but far enough away that you still need serious help.

So the saga continues......off to the mechanic, hopefully for some answers.