Bogs are (of necessity)...

... LOW TECH places. But to get along outside the bog, compromises with reality are necessary. The big compromise is Kermit's roadster. It is a black 1985 (?) Chevy Monte Carlo. It has a V6 engine and is reasonably fuel efficient for it's 'every-so-many hundred thousand mile age'. It is also at that stage in it's life where weird things happen.

On the way home from Wally World last Friday, the turn signals came on but did not flash. "This is no problem!", said Kermit, being the chief engineer for the bog. "I will simply get a new flasher and then drag out my trusty repair manual for the installation." Problem #1 is that where the new flasher goes is not connected by electrical wire to the rest of the car. And the new flasher didn't seem to fit that socket anyway. No problem!!! Check the trusty manual. This is where I learned just how much trouble I was in.

"The flasher module is mounted in the fuse block," is written in the manual. Please note that this statement is not followed by a period. The statement is followed by a comma and continues as follows... "block, or in the wiring harness." Please note that the sentence actually ends (period) after the words "wiring harness".

Both Kermit and the Silly Goose nearly blacked out Saturday from working head and shoulders under the dashboard and feet and butt up the seat back. We found the flashers (2 of the little buggers - not one) and finally managed to get them out. The guys at the various parts stores just said, "Hey man, I've never seen any flashers like that." However, when I find the flashers, I'm ready. I've got the instrument panel and a big chunk of dashboard sitting in the passenger seat. But I / we still have to get upside down in the seat to work up where the flashers will be installed when I find them.

So today, I'm driving around in the rain with the window down so I can make turn signals the old-fashioned way with my arm out the window. After the rain quit, on the way back to the bog from work, I got pulled over about the turn signals. The officer listened to my problems and then said something about keeping up the good work with the manual turn signals and that he "used to have a Monte Carlo". What bothers me is that I heard him laughing as he got back into his patrol car.

It's just that sort of thing that makes me want to stay in the bog!

Your technologically challenged buddy,

Kermit