Top Transition

This weekend marked one of autumn's great turning points: the transition from the soft top to the hard top on the jeep. It always makes me a bit sad to change out the soft top. No more riding with the wind in my hair and the sun on my arms. (Though wind in my hair turned out to be quite a challenge this year.  After chopping all my hair off, I could no longer just pull it back in a braid. I ended up looking like a troll doll whenever I got to my destination!)

It's been a few weeks since I could take the top off, anyway. And it's been getting cold. So it was definitely time!

Changing out the top always turns out to be a many houred ordeal. I always take advantage of the window of no top at all to totally clean the jeep inside and out! Vacuum, clean the upholstery, wash the windows, clean the dashboard. Nothing makes my dad happier than cleaning the car (except maybe yard work) so it turns out to be a day to hang out with dad, too.

After taking the soft top off and hosing it off, I went to get the vacuum. The extension cord looked like something from one of those safety filmstrips they used to show us in elementary school. Remember those? With Jimminy Cricket?  

 Well, apparently, I didn't pay much attention to ol' Jimminy Cricket! Because I picked up a frayed extension cord with exposed wired and said "Is this thing safe to use?" My dad said "Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?" I said, "Well, it looks like it's seen better days" He replied: "I just used it last week and it was fine." So I wait "Okay" and plugged the unsafe Jimminy Cricket extension cord into the wall.

No sooner did I take my hand off the cord than I heard POOF! and sparks came flying out of the socket. The extension cord was ON FIRE with blue flames and sparks flying out.

"Oh, jeez!" I yelled and yanked it out of the wall. Luckily, it immediately stopped burning. (Though there was a giant black stain on the wall from the socket)

My dad and I looked at the melted extension cord and I said "Well, I guess we should throw that away!" He said "Yeah, it would seem so."

Then I said, "Hey Dad, aren't you an electrician?"

He replied: "Well, I thought I was, but apparently I'm losing my touch!"

The good news is, the hard top is securely on, the jeep is clean, and everyone is alive and well.

I think I'm gonna go review the safety videos on YouTube.