a deflating experience

After we dug ourselves out of the driveway after the big snow storm, I decided to clean out the garage so I could park the van in there.  I guess I'm finally tired of cleaning it off, scraping the windows each morning, and shoveling around it.

One of the big things in the garage, left over from summer was the inner tubes.  There were three of these things taking up all kinds of space.  I floated over a HUGE sharp pointy rock and so one tube was already deflated, I discarded it.  I began to deflate them by pushing in the little pin on the valve stem, but it was taking FOREVER!  I somehow recalled a conversation at work, something about taking out the valve stem to deflate a tire faster. . . 

Having absolutely no clue about such a gadget I set out to find out exactly what it was.

 

So off I went to the local Auto Zone and asked the nice clerk if he knew what a valve stem removal tool was.  He excitedly, he marched over to the applicable aisle and showed me this little gadget.   It was just under $6.00, he also noted that I might loose one of the stems and pointed out that you can buy a package of 4 for about $2.00.  Yes, I'm wearing little gloves, it was cold in the garage!

After giving me a few useful "tid-bits" of information on how to use my new little tool, and how to easily accomplish my task, I was quickly on my way. 

Have you ever had those moments when you get as excited as a child on the first day of school over a seemingly simple thing?  well, this was one of those for me. . . this was super cool!

Here is a picture of the valve stem, securely in it's place.

Put the little tool over the stem and turn, just like a screwdriver.  Within seconds you have removed the little guys that keep the air in your inner tubes. . .

The valve stems look like this

A tube without a valve stem looks like this, just a hole, letting all that stinky, rubber air out.

And within minutes the tubes go from full grown size, to

a reduced shrunken size, like these

to a completely deflated state like this

sort of like a melting snowman

just waiting until summer when we blow them up again.

So there you have it, a valve stem removal tool, a handy little gadget to have around

And after an entire day of cleaning, organizing, juggling, relocating, rearranging, liquidating, and discarding "stuff" from out of the garage
THE VAN STILL WON'T FIT :-{
also a very deflating experience. . . new reality: I need a bigger garage!

I have some cabinets along the wall and it's not quite wide enough.  I got the van inside, but I couldn't get out of the van to check it out!  So I get to decide, liquidate the cabinets, or park in the driveway.  

. . . .  I've decided to just park in the driveway.