tranny trouble

ahh..not exactly what you might be thinking.. but read on if you dare!
last monday after we had gotten back from our trip, I left for the hour long ride to go and pick up our pup from doggie club med..
as I pulled onto the street where she was residing, it happened... my clutch froze.. I couldn't get my beloved ford ranger into gear.. I coasted into the parking lot.. and then started freakin.. I had to be at work in two hours, and I was an hour from home, not dressed for work, and really freaking hot..
fortunately, butter's dad was wonderful enough to let me borrow his extra vehicle and I called to have my ranger towed to a nearby shop.. This situation happened once before, last year, although that time I was stuck on peachtree street in buckhead in the middle of friday afternoon traffic.. it was NOT fun.. but I had the truck towed to the shop, and lo and behold, it started and ran fine.. they couldn't duplicate the problem, so they couldn't fix it..
two days into the new shop having my truck, the same problem.. they couldn't get it to do whatever it was doing.. I explained that both times it happened it had been after driving it for a long period of time.. so they tried that to no avail.
This morning, we headed out to go and pick up the old gal.. we met with butter's dad and had lunch and then headed home..
everything was going along swimmingly, until we were about a mile from home.. and BOOM.. there it went... the clutch froze again.. I was able to get onto a side street and coast into a driveway.. and then it was dead.. it wouldn't start. it wouldn't do anything.. and again.. it was HOT about 95 degrees, and feeling hotter by the moment..
and by complete luck... a tow truck drove by.. and it didn't have a car in tow.. so we flagged him down and asked him to tow us to the house.. which he did..
our adventure was finally over for the day, and about an hour later, I went outside and she started just fine..
So, In talking to butter's dad, and feeling what its doing, I think there must be a piece of a gear or some kind of chip that is floating around in the system that cogs it up after its been running a while..
Not really sure what to do about it, though we have been talking about getting a newer vehicle for me that is automatic, so that If I am having problems with my hip, I won't have to shift gears, but it's not going to happen any time in the near future.. so keep your fingers crossed that it can make it back and forth to work for a while longer.. I may call a tranmission shop to see if it's something they have dealt with before.. maybe they can just flush it out and see how it goes..
but with my luck, they are going to have to tear it apart.... oh what fun..
I made dinner tonight for a friend whose GF is out of town tending to a sick mother.. the truck drama put me back a ways.. but we ended up having a lovely evening.. stuffed pork tenderloin, roasted broccoli and red peppers, potatoes, marinated mushrooms, and for dessert, chocolate molten cake with raspberries..
a lil wine, and some good conversation..
a fine evening.. and now time for bed..
but that's what's been going on all week..
and for the good news..
My boss came to me and told me that she is moving me to a day shift.. WOOOOHOOO!!
something I have been waiting for for a very long time.. it will be nice to join the human race after 15 or so years in the biz....
I can't wait!!!
target date.. 2 weeks..
It's going to take some getting used to, but I am totally psyched!
off to bed.. hope everyone is having a great weekend!
~b