Everyone who comes to live on this island brings a different skill set to share at the table. When we came here, E was pretty good at wiring and dealing with basic home renovations like installing the new airtight stove.  He enjoyed the challenge of learning to install gas propane systems and install solar panels. He has always hated working on cars and leaves the maintenance of the family truck to our very capable brother-in-law. If E doesn’t like doing something … chances are it will always be at the bottom of the to do list, until it is urgent.

Yesterday it was urgent. The 1990 Toyota pick up truck we acquired with our property has seen better days and those days were in the last century. Its current issue is the clutch.. For the last month we have been driving around the island in four-wheel low drive at 5 kph. It was like we were sitting in the PNE roller coaster on a slow steady upward climb but we never reached the top…. We avoided discussing the solution. As we live at the farthest end of the island from the boat docks (and I am incredibly lazy) we were going to need a new truck for the winter. The trouble with buying a truck and barging it over here was complicated further by our lack of funds for such an upgrade.

A wonderful couple moved full time to the island in April after vacationing here for years. They came to the island table well equipped with a variety of valuable skill sets. One such skill, BD likes to work on cars. Every time he saw us chugging up the driveway hill to their house he would shake his head. He couldn’t stand to watch the truck sputter around the island any further and promised E that they could take out the whole transmission and replace the clutch in six hours. After much convincing, E ordered a new clutch at Canadian Tire for $120.00.

E took the truck to BD’s house for the operation yesterday morning. His wife texted at 3 in the afternoon that even JN was helping and had contributed valuable tools from his workshop. The three of them had been slaving under the sorry-looking truck but it wasn’t going well….

        This is the beautiful convertible mustang we used to drive in the city .

But it never looked as pretty as our old truck when E drove it back down our driveway at 7:30 last night, purring with its shiny new clutch.                          

We are so fortunate to live on an island with neighbours like BD and his wife and JN, who have our backs. Be reassured indeed, if you should need help one day and BD says to you “I’ve been thinking

about your problem”