Getting our Hands Dirty

DIAGNOSTICIANS: This morning I told the kids were were going to play detective. They got excited until I told them that meant we were going to try to figure out what was wrong with my car. ;)

Last night as Annabelle and I pulled up to the curb in front of our house following a library run, white vapor with that distinctive anti-freeze-y smell started billowing out from under my hood. Not good, not good at all ...

It was dark out then and I didn't even bother to take a look at the trouble, saving the "fun" for today.

We trudged up to the car, and before I even popped the hood, I asked the kids, "Do you see any clues around or under my car that might help us? At that, they noticed a couple of dark spots on the ground under my car. I agreed those might be clues, but pointed out that they could be a coincidence - maybe those spots have been there a long time. "How could we try to figure out if they're fresh or not?" I asked. Annabelle suggested touching them to see if they were wet. So, we did, and they were. One clue.

Next, I popped the hood and had the kids come stand on the front bumper and look down into the engine compartment. I pointed out the radiator, and told them it holds water and when your car is running, that water circulates through the engine to keep the engine cool, and if water somehow escapes that system (via a leaky hose or bum radiator, for instance), the hot water could wind up on the ground (like our wet spots) and/or stinky vapor floats up from the car (like the cloud last night). I asked the kids to look around the engine compartment for signs of leaks of radiator fluid. We spotted a few wet spots, including one up nearly as high as the top of the radiator. Hmmm. Clue two.

There weren't any obvious, glaring problems like hoses hanging off or otherwise compromised up high in the engine compartment, so I told the kids the next thing we'd take a look at is the radiator cap. I popped it off, flipped it over and asked the kids if they thought anything looked funny. (I had zeroed in on a rubber gasket right away.) Sure 'nuff, the kids noticed part of the gasket was flat, but part of it was sticking up. By our eyes, it appeared to be very warped and not properly seated in its housing any more. Clue three - and perhaps the culprit!

We reported our findings to Christian, who picked up another cap on his lunch break. And we're happy to report that $10 later, the Honda (220,000 miles and counting) is back on the road again! GROW YOUR OWN: Like the 3,000 other people at Lowe's this weekend, the weekend sunshine propelled us to the gardening department. There, we let the kids pick some seeds out. We hope/dream to have an at least semi-significant garden this year.

This afternoon, we got down and dirty, potting peas and beans. I showed the kids the multi-step process (fill pot with dirt, pour in some water, stir, poke you finger down in the soil, drop some seeds in, cover with dirt, tamp down gently, pour some more water on) and then let them go at it. I didn't hover over them the entire time, so it will be interesting to see what sprouts. :)

PRETZEL PEOPLE: Late this afternoon we made the 40 minute drive down to Columbia City for yoga. Annabelle would like to say "Namaste" to you. :)