Changing the Oil

  Yesterday I showed Benjamin how to change the oil in a car. I've been chaning the oil in my trucks for 12 years and feel that I have a better understanding of my vehicles because of it. Not to mention I'm able to do it at my convenience.

  I know some of you out there are think, "But I just take it to Jiffy Lube and it's done in 15-30 minutes." Sure but what about the time it takes to get ready (If you have a baby you know I'm talking about.), drive down to the Lube, wait until they can get your in and then drive home. Shoot by then I've already changed the oil and filter, checked my fluids and air filter, and taken a shower. Not to mention saved about $15.

  So now it was time for Benjamin to watch me change the oil. He'd seen me change the spark plugs earlier this summer and knows that it's a bitch to try and change the ignition wires on a Rover. (Damn Brits had to put the coil pack behind the motor tightly against the firewall!)

  At first Benjamin just wanted to play with the toys I put in his pack-n-play with him. He occasionally would look up to see what I was doing under the truck. By the time I got to pouring the new oil in the engine he was getting bored and hot in the garage. "I'm so over this dad," was what it sounded like to me. 

  As he grows up I want to show him how to do things for himself in order to give him a better understanding of how things work. Being able to wire my own houses for multimedia as well as doing some finish carpentry along with vehicle maintenance has been a source of pride for me. I think it also has made me a more rounded individual and able to carry on conversations in different situations as an adult. And these are traits I want to pass on to Benjamin.

  "Mino can you hand daddy the 5/8" socket wrench for the drain plug?"