What Does Unregulated Really Mean?

Auto glass is unregulated.  What does this mean to you?  It means that LITERALLY anyone can CUT into your car.  Your car or truck is most likely the 2nd largest investment you make in life.  Would you take your automobile to just ANY mechanic?  NOOOOOO you wouldn’t.  So why would you have just ANYONE cut into your car or truck?  You wouldn’t! 

If you are in an accident and the adhesive bond fails on the glass, it can substantially compromise the structural integrity of the roof.  If a roll over occurs, your windshield helps keep the roof off of YOU.  It’s important. 

When you call a company, make sure you know their quality of workmanship.  Attention to detail is important. Watch out for scams and false promises…the old addage, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is…….

A Dog’s Day Part Four

Whew – if you read the last installment, you know we had quite the decision to make.  If you skipped it, to catch you up – the dogs killed one of our cats and now we have to determine – what to do with Eli the rez dog.

So many things go through your mind.  No shelter could help us.  Taking him back to the rez to die was out of the question.  Kill him?  Oooofaaaa…………I’m sure you can imagine the heated discussions that occurred during this time.  We felt very isolated and alone.  Friends said, KILL HIM.  Shelters said, sorry you are on your own.  Family couldn’t believe we brought ANOTHER dog home.

The biggest issue was with our daughter.  How did she REALLY feel about this dog?  About what happened to her cat?  What was really going through HER mind?  We had many talks.  She didn’t want to keep the dog but she didn’t want to kill him either.  I  understood.  I felt the same way.

Somewhere in between his first walk and Ivy’s death, I fell in love with that dog.  He had such a gentle spirit.  His eyes were deep and his way of being is THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE of what had happened.  I could not wrap my mind around it.  How can you kill this dog who lived for 2 years alone, as a wild animal over killing a cat WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN to protect?  How can you just “make it all go away.”  Life lesson for all of us.  You  can’t.  It doesn’t go away.  It literally is starring you in the face.  With beautiful sad brown eyes.  I swear some days he was apologizing for what he was…..a hunter….a killer.  But it’s instinctual.  And, he had help; it wasn’t as if he was the only dog standing over the body.  He wasn’t.  Three out of four did it.  We weren’t there.  We didn’t see it happen.  So we wait.  Because when there is a life at stake, you want to be sure of your decision.

Our daughter understood that no shelter was going to help us.  I posted on facebook and Craig’s List to give him away.  We had one bite from a student at the high school, they just needed to move….I haven’t heard from him since that day.  It was nice though, to think that someone might keep him safe.

Days went on.  Eli continued doing his thing.  Looking amazed at the smallest comforts.  Toys, food, cookies…..were truly amazing things to him.  He and Max (the other rez dog) were growing closer.  They wrestled in the back yard daily.  And Eli was always the submissive one.  There wasn’t any sound coming from either of them.  The play was play.  There was no roughness.  Just two dogs having a grand old time.

Nala, our mother dog, took care of him as we went through a yeast infection with Eli.  He was covered with yeast from head to toe.  He was loosing his hair and itching ALL THE TIME.

Walks were getting more fun for him as he relaxed.  He would not walk on a leash.  He would freeze up and just stand stiff as a board if we put a leash on him. He didn’t flinch when we walked by him and his confidence grew as he passed us.  He didn’t fear getting hit any longer.  It was good to see he came around so quickly.

There was one walk, in particular, I will never forget.  We were hiking on what we call the fire trail and on the way back he hid behind a tree and just starred at us.  I told Dave I thought he was deciding whether or not to stay with us.  He loved his freedom when he was out walking with us.  He hadn’t taken off but he looked as though he might.  We kept walking and he stayed behind that tree.  He heard or smelled something and took off into the woods.  We waited and then walked up the trail.  No sign of him.  Our other dogs were with us and we waited.  We discussed the reality of him being a wild dog.  We had given him a collar and tags.  But if he wanted to be free, he should be free.  He would make it longer on the mountain than on the reservation.  He could find water and food.  But it was breaking my heart.  We waited for a half hour.  Calling every once in awhile.  Just waiting.  We were about to give up.  We were gathering our dogs up and putting leashes on them when, you wouldn’t believe it, he comes out from the woods smiling.  Max ran to him and they licked each other.  He walked right up to Dave.  Dave put a leash on him and he walked next to Dave as if he was the proudest dog.  I believe he decided in that moment, on that day to  become part of the pack and the family.  Since that day he doesn’t take off except to chase deer and rodents.  He comes right back and beats us back to the truck.  He loves his water and snack.  He listens and comes when he is called.  You would never know he was a wild dog if you met him today.

The answer.  He’s part of the pack.  He is part of our family.

We do have another cat, Dolly.  We have a dog door so we split the time with dogs and the cat.  She lives separated from Eli.  The three other dogs sleep with us in our room and Eli has to stay in the living room so that he does not attack Dolly.  It’s working.

It’s our rez dog story.  I love that darned dog.  I love all of our dogs.  I’m sorry for Ms. Ivy.  I wish I had been A LOT smarter.  😦

Life isn’t easy.  Life and death decisions come at us and it’s never easy.  I’m really glad that we didn’t jump at our first response.  He’s special.  He is so appreciative and so loving.  He is a good dog.

A Dog’s Day Part Three

*Warning:  This post is rough.  Violence occurs, you might not want to read it.  😦

To catch you up:  Dave picked up a sickly rez dog and decided to get him healthy and find him a home.  After vet visit, the dog is deemed non contagious so he has been introduced to our other animals (3 dogs and two cats).  All is peaceful…..until now……….

Dave took the rez dog to the doctor for his neck surgery.  The doc had never seen anything like it.  It was full of pus and icky-ness.  It appeared that he had gotten into a fight or two and another animal had him by the throat, and the doc was amazed the bite didn’t take out his entire throat.  It missed his throat by centimeters.

Dave nursed this dog back to health.  It was nothing short of a miracle.  The dog now had a name:  Eli the rez dog.  Eli was not as skittish but still had food issues.  He would not take food from Dave or me.  He would not eat if we were even near him.  He was becoming more social with our dogs.  He didn’t play but he didn’t run and hide.

It was time to bring him inside.  This was HUGE for this animal.  I will never forget his first experience inside our home.  He timidly walked in and looked around.  He just stood there.  He watched the other dogs – our furniture is really the dogs’ furniture as they own the couch and have two dog beds on the tile.  He sniffed the area and watched.  He didn’t move for the longest time.  Finally he checked out a dog bed and he actually sighed as he layed on it.  It was adorable.

He was starting to gain weight.  He was starting to interact with our other dogs.  He would just stare at the cats.  He was not threatening to anyone or anything.  He was the most submissive dog I had ever seen.  That is why this next part is so difficult to write.

Cloey, our little rat terrier plays with cats.  She always has.  They wrestle.  The cats get a genuine kick out of it and taunt her.  Ivy the orange cat was Cloey’s favorite playmate.  It made sense because Cloey doesn’t know how to play with dogs.  But she is AWESOME with cats.

I was taking my daughter to school.  We were not gone for 5 minutes and I get a panicked phone call from my neighbor across the street.  “THE DOGS HAVE A CAT, THEY HAVE A CAT.”  My heart sank.  I asked if she was dead.  My neighbor said “YES”.  Our daughter knew from what I was saying.  I made my daughter go to school knowing that the dogs have killer HER cat.  It was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do.  I didn’t want her to see her cat in whatever shape she was in at this point.  I was absolutely sick to my stomach.  The stupidity of us.  How could we have left Ivy with a rez dog that was 2 years old and the only thing he knew was to hunt small animals.  HOW COULD I HAVE LET THIS HAPPEN?

I raced home.  My other neighbor helped me get to Ivy.  She was still alive but it wasn’t good.  She felt like mush.  I had to grab her from under a bush and wrap her in a towel.  Our neighbor had seen the whole thing.  The three big dogs were on her and the little one was barking like crazy.  He yelled and gave Ivy the opportunity to get away but it was too late.  I raced to our vet talking to her the whole time. Apologizing profusely……but what does that even mean to a cat?  She was trying to stand up and crying the whole ride.  Our vet is 20 minutes from our home.  It was the longest car ride of my life.

I called my daughter’s school and told her I was going to get her.  My husband met me at the vet and I went and retrieved my daughter.  We went home and cried.  She asked me point blank if I thought Ivy would make it and I said no.  Sure enough, Dave called with the news.  Ivy was too hurt.  The dogs had crushed her entire rib cage and they put her down.  We cried some more.  We then sat on the couch starring at the floor.  My daughter, being one of the strongest people I know (she was 11 years old), said she would like to return to school.  It was too painful at home.  I agreed and took her to school.  Her teacher had been through something similar and handled the situation with love and grace.  To her, I will always be thankful.

It was hard to look at Eli.  It was hard to know what to do.  He had been a catalyst for killing our cat.  What do you do?  He is not violent.  He is submissive and soft.  And he’s a KILLER.  We have another cat.  She is 15+ and living with a KILLER.  What do we do?  The obvious answers were discussed.  1. Put him down  2. Take him back to the rez  3. Call the shelters and get him OUT OF THE HOUSE.

We chose number 3.  No one could help.  They were all full and/or didn’t take rez dogs.  I didn’t feel good about this because he was already so freaked out.  The shelters would just end up putting him down.  I didn’t want his last days to be lived in fear.  He had already been through so much.

Dave and I save animals.  We don’t hurt animals.  And what happened in our home was unthinkable.  But it wasn’t right to kill a dog for doing what he intuitively knows how to do…it was quite the life lesson.  We couldn’t believe we couldn’t find help.  We were at a complete loss.  We had moved Dolly the cat into our bedroom and kept the door shut to protect her.  What were we going to do?  We let a wild animal live with us.  WE were responsible.  The dog was doing what the dog knew what to do.

FAMILY MEETING:  What to do about ELI…………the rez dog…..

A Dog’s Day Part Two

To catch you up – Dave found a rez dog and brought him home.  He was in bad shape ….our story picks up at the first vet visit.

Dave returns from the vet with the rez dog and a lot of meds.  The most touching thing about the first vet visit was that a man heard Dave talking to reception of how he found the dog and this stranger paid our first vet bill.  Dave said no because he found the dog and knew the responsibility that comes along with it; the man smiled and said, “Please, let me do this.  It is so cool you picked him up, it’s the least I can do.”  People can be so cool.

We had been keeping him in my daughter’s playhouse because we didn’t know what illness he might be suffering from and we needed to keep our other three dogs and two cats away from him.  The vet gave him a non-contagious bill of health.  That was good news.  The vet was very concerned by the ball of ?? on his neck.  Surgery was scheduled.

He continued living in the playhouse.  He was skittish, nervous and looked horrible.  We had to hydrate him a couple of times a day.  It was painful to watch him go to the bathroom as he could barely stand.  He was terrified of people and tolerated the dogs and cats.  Max, our other rez dog, was so good to him.  He would approach slowly, lick him and leave.  It was a beautiful thing to watch.

There were days when I really think this animal was deciding between life and death.  His pain was unbearable; you could literally see it in his eyes.  The pain he endured, both physical and mental, were way beyond anything I have ever witnessed first hand.  It was so sad.  Dave would spend hours cuddling him even though the dog was not fond of it, he tolerated it.  I think that is part of the reason that this dog chose life.  Dave is amazing.

When he had enough strength, we took him for his first dog walk with the new family.  We take our dogs for walks on a nearby mountain so they can frolic in the forest.  It was one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever witnessed.  He jumped out of the truck and hid under the first tree he saw.  He looked so sad and forlorn; as if he was saying, thanks, it was a good run.  We had Max get him from out of the underbrush and the walk began.  He would not pass a human for fear of getting hit.  He would not run with the other dogs until over halfway through the walk.  When he figured out no one was going to hit him and he wasn’t just foraging for food, he rather enjoyed his walk-just-for-fun.  I think I fell for him during that walk.  When we returned to the truck, he hid under the bush again; hot and thirsty.  We brought him water and he looked SHOCKED.  He couldn’t believe his luck.  A walk and water!!! GET OUT!  We had to pick him up to get him into the truck.

He was getting stronger.  He was getting healthier.  The days to come….were a lot more rough than anyone could have guessed…….

A Dog’s Day Part One

This blog post is going to be a little different.  No glass talk.  I’ve been feeling the need to share this story – so darn it – I’m going to.

Once upon a time (in April) my husband Dave went to Colorado.  On the way home, he stopped in Kayenta, Arizona for gas.  Kayenta is on the Navajo Nation. . . . . .

*HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING:  Something you need to understand is the Navajo Nation is one of the poorest places in our country.  The economy there makes the rest of our nation look like boom towns.  It’s dusty, dirty and full of wild dogs.  The culture of the Navajo Nation is very different than our own. For example: they build fences to keep animals OUT.  It is difficult for many people to travel through the Nation because they do not understand the culture, the influences and the unique issues facing the Navajo every day.  Animals and the “neglect” is incredibly difficult to witness if you are an animal lover.  From the newbie’s perspective, it looks as though the animals are starving, neglected and uncared for.  This is true when it comes to the wild dog population.  Navajo’s believe that animals are here to work for us.  They all have jobs and are quite capable of taking care of themselves.  Hence, the dog issue.  The dogs are not spade or neutered so they multiply….and multiply.  Wild dogs are everywhere on the rez running in packs. 

BACK TO OUR STORY: Dave stopped to get gas and there was a dog that he had seen 8 months earlier.  Unfortunately the dog looked much worse.  He had difficulty standing and was understandably afraid.  Dave tried to get him into the car but the rez dog ran away.  Dave chased the dog around the gas station until the dog finally froze in fright and was as stiff as a board.  Dave picked him up and put him in the truck. The rez dog lied there wheezing for the 4 hour ride home. 

He looked as though he was on his last leg.  I truly believe he was.  His breath was labored, he had a huge lump coming out of his neck, he was literally skin and bones, his ears were torn and he had many scares on his face.  This dog had seen some bad action in his day.  Dave made an appointment to see our vet.  I told Dave not to be surprised if the vet said, “Let’s put him down.”  Dave was shocked and asked me why?  My husband has the biggest heart for animals.  He adores them and would have 100 if we had the room.  At that time we already had three dogs.  I wasn’t sure if we could handle four.  He reassured me we would get him healthy and find him a home………..

 

 

Prescott Auto Glass

We service Prescott, Arizona.  We’ve been in the Prescott area for 8 years.  When you search auto glass.  Think of Adventure Auto Glass.  We take the adventure out of glass.  If your windshield has a crack, call us!  If you have a chip, we repair them! 

Adventure Auto Glass is an automotive glass installation and windshield repair facility. We are a socially responsible, locally owned/ operated company and have been in business since 2005.

Adventure Auto Glass offers free mobile service to Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Paulden, Williams, Ash Fork, Mayer, Dewey, Cordes Lakes, Cordes Junction, Rimrock, Cornville, Camp Verde, Cottonwood, Jerome, Clarkdale, Sedona, West Sedona, The Village of Oak Creek, Seligman, Flagstaff, and all surrounding areas. We have in shop service available in Prescott Valley.

 

Adventure Auto Glass is insurance approved and recommended. Our warranty is backed by all insurance companies. We take pride in every installation, on every vehicle, every time.

Adventure Auto glass not only replaces and repairs your windshield but we also replace door glass, back glass, sliders, back windows, quarter glass, sunroofs, moon roofs, vehicle mirrors, vents, side glass, regulators, power windows and wiper blades. Adventure Auto Glass also has chip repair services available for rock chips. We shop four separate wholesalers and dozens of dealers throughout the state for your car or truck. Our wholesalers include Mygrant, Pilkington, Guardian and PGW. Most windshields and other glass parts are readily available from the Phoenix metro area.

Adventure Auto Glass is a member of the Prescott Valley, Prescott, Cottonwood and Sedona Chamber of Commerce. We believe in keeping our dollars local and supporting local businesses.
Ask us about our “Adventure with Animals” program.

The Anatomy of a Windshield

How many layers of glass are in your windshield?  Why doesn’t it fall apart when that crack takes off from end to end?  A windshield is NOT as it appears: a single piece of glass that is attached to the front of your car placed there to conveniently prevent the wind from getting on you and to block dirt and debris from taking out your face.

In reality, windshields are actually far more involved than just one piece of glass used as a windbreaker, which is probably a good thing since they are put into many situations where they have been responsible for many saved lives.

 

1)  Glass

 

Your windshield is made up of not one, but two identical sheets of glass that are pressed  together. Why two pieces you ask?  Good question. Two makes for better insulation – just like your house glass – two panes are better than one right?  They also make for a more stable surface.  When you get that pesky chip on the freeway, the two sheets prevent you from getting hit in the face by it.  Your windshield will also remain air and water tight even when one layer is cracked.

 

2) Plastic

 

In between the two sheets of glass is  a layer of laminated plastic. The purpose of this plastic is to hold the two sheets of glass together. This plastic keeps objects from breaking through to you while driving.  We like plastic!  This then makes the glass much safer.

3) Glue

 

The glue used is polyurethane.  This glue helps bond your windshield to your car.  The seal should be water and air tight.  It helps keep you safe in case of a roll over or crash.  The glass keeps the structural integrity of your vehicle.  It helps keep your roof in tact in order to help you get out if there is an accident. 

4) Added Bonuses

There are many technological features in windshields.  More are sure to come.  Examples include:

Heads Up Display – allows the driver to see the speedometer in the glass

Heater Wiper Park Area – allows the wipers to thaw so driver can use them more quickly

Third Visor Frit – little black dots around the rear view mirror – disperses sun from driver’s eyes

Eletrochromic Mirror – time and direction included in rear view mirror

Antenna – so you can rock out!  😉

 

 

There ya have it!  Your Windshield Anatomy!  If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call:  928-775-9898 Prescott    928-282-5788 Sedona  928-634-2776 Cottonwood

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Auto Glass Installer

We are going to make this a quick and easy post!  🙂  Thank you for choosing Adventure Auto Glass! 

• You are not required to be with your vehicle at the time of the installation.
• Access to the vehicle is vital for the installation of a new windshield or other piece of glass. Ideally, our technicians need to move freely around your entire vehicle.
• Our technician may need your keys in order complete your service repair. Please have a key available if needed.
• Special instructions or concerns should be communicated prior to the appointment with our customer service staff.
• Should adverse weather present itself, your appointment may be rescheduled due to safety concerns.

3 MOST COMMON FALLACIES CONCERNING WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT

BEFORE YOU REPLACE YOUR WINDHIELD, LEARN THE 3 MOST COMMON FALLACIES

3 MOST COMMON FALLACIES

Fallacy #1: You can drive your vehicle immediately after your new windshield is installed.

NO! This could prove to be a very dangerous error. The adhesives that keep your windshield in place take time to cure. One hour is the minimum you should wait before you drive your car. The curing process varies with weather conditions. Our Arizona sun helps the adhesive cure more quickly (one hour). However, during monsoons and winter, it takes longer so be sure to ask your technician how long you should wait before you drive. If you choose to ignore the cure time and drive too soon, your windshield can shift and could leak when it rains. It could also void the warranty that each installation includes.

Fallacy #2: Making a claim with your insurance company will make the rates go up.

In most cases, NO! Anytime you make a claim with your insurance company, you should be sure to talk to your agent to understand your coverage and what the outcome will be. Most claims from auto glass only damage comes from your comprehensive insurance coverage. Comprehensive policy for some insurance companies view this as an”act of nature” because they are not the driver’s fault. Talk to your agent.

Fallacy #3: You must use the auto glass repair and replacement facility your insurance company tells you to go to.

No! By law, as an insured person, you have the right to choose any glass shop. Many insurance companies use glass networks as a means of handling their claims. If you call the 800 number to make a claim, be sure to know what shop you want so you are not steered to a facility not of your choosing that may not adhere to the strict standards that your vehicle manufacturer recommends.

New Signs, New Logo, Same Great Service!

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