re: Biba's Alfetta driveshaft (long)

[Tessie McMillan <tessmc@domain.elided>]

To Beebs et al: It's just that you expect me to pay attention to the parts 
that are not totally clear to me, and then you go and call on me. I'm 
still trying to figure out if there's something wrong with my *Spider's* 
driveshaft. I replaced everything *except* the donut on back, in, I think 
'95. I get a rumbling under my seat starting out from 1st gear but only 
going up hills. Center bearing?

Anyway, to answer your question, the past two weeks were not very much fun 
at all. I learned though that I have many more friends than I ever 
imagined. Folks from the Alfa digest sent me good karma and nice letters. 
They were there the day before the surgery when I freaked out after 
learning the surgeon was going to have to do more than he anticipated 
-- and I would be wired shut for six weeks because of the resulting 
instability. Alfisti were with me at the hospital; Alfisti offered me 
their blender. Even a fellow (who shall go nameless, he knows who he is!) who 
has had the same surgery wrote to advise me to avoid DQ afterwards. (Not 
a problem -- and I think I'm allergic to raspberries anyway.) Alfisti 
have come over to visit me and bring slurpy food, they've gone out to get 
me Thai green curry (which I then blended and strained so I could eat -- 
although the resulting pain is not to be taken lightly), they've taken me 
to appointments, sent me cards, helped me around the house, given me lots 
of hugs, and just generally made sure I'm on the mend. Henrik and Scott 
have been the best! Henrik has sent me on average 5 outrageous jokes a 
day, and Scott sent a 21-and-older (read: alcoholic content) care package 
all the way from Portland. The U.S.P.S. really has me worried now.

I've been driving Olive around, enjoying the smoothly running water pump, 
having a hard time grinning from ear to ear, because, you know.... But 
honestly I have to say I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop! I have a 
little bit of a hard start problem, and I constantly kill the engine 
whenever I'm in reverse. When the engine is cold, she runs like sh*t, too 
(unevenly). If I gun her, it clears out the unevenness. I didn't think you 
could do that in a FI car. Russ, if you're out there, comments 
appreciated. 

In short, you guys have been the best. &:-) Thanks to all of you! Now back 
to your regularly scheduled b*tching about dues. <soapbox>You're also nuts 
if you're gonna b*tch about dues. Here we live in th emost prosperous 
century ever. Service makes the world go around. So does Volunteerism! 
Don't be crying about a few freaking pennies when there are things in the 
larger picture that are so much more important, and when we have so many 
blessings to count!</soapbox>

Whew. time for someone's pain medication.

Tess

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