I Can't Stop!

A week and a half ago, I had to bring my car to the shop.  While driving to work, I noticed my brakes getting worse and worse.  By the time I got to work, the brake lights were on and I could hardly stop!  I popped the hood, checked the brake fluid and found that the reservoir was completely empty!  I filled it and drove home, but by the time I got home, I had no brakes again.

I noticed brake fluid leaking from under my back tire, so (slowly and carefully) I took it to the shop.  The mechanic asked me if I had hit some debris in the road?  I told him that was likely with all the hurricane debris everywhere.  He replaced both the brake lines in the back that had been torn up.  Good to go!

This morning early I got in my car.  A few miles down the road, I thought I was experiencing deja vu all over again like Yogi Berra said.  No brakes.  I drove very carefully on to work.  It was a strain.  I stayed purposefully well behind other motorists.  I felt as if I might have to pull a "Fred Flintstone" at any moment and use my feet to stop the car.

When it turned daylight, I popped the hood.  No brake fluid!  I climbed under the car to inspect and found that the brand-spanking-new brake line had holes in it and was leaking brake fluid on the pavement.  Well, I did what any redneck would do.  I found a roll of duct tape and taped up the holes read good and re-filled the reservoir with... Automatic Transmission Fluid.  I didn't have any brake fluid at work and didn't want to risk driving around town to get it.  I googled and found that ATF can be used as a replacement for brake fluid.

At quitting time I drove home.  Painstakingly.  Carefully.  About 10 miles down the road on my journey, the fluid leaked out and I had no brakes.  I called Tricia and asked her to meet me at the mechanic's shop as it needed repairs... again!

During the day, I began to think about it.  Something was just not right.  Too coincidental.  And I didn't remember hitting any debris in the road.  Then it hit me.  I recently learned that Belle (our Great Pyrenees livestock guardian dog who enjoys eating our chickens more than guard them), has chewed all the valve stem caps off of my car tires.  Even though she is huge, she enjoys laying under my car.  I always have to check before backing out.  What is she doing under my car?  I couldn't wait to get home to confirm my suspicions!

And there it is.  It was too dark this morning to see it, but there is a big puddle of brake fluid where my car was parked.  Overnight Belle plotted my demise, probably sharpened her teeth with a file and cut through my brake line, intending me great physical harm.  Belle proudly sits beside her handiwork.  Argh!  Belle doesn't know it yet, but she's moving out to the pasture.  This weekend we are going to put her in a spot fenced off from the chickens where she can roam without eating chickens or brake lines.  What else are you gonna do when your dog is trying to kill you?