2022 Year in Review

 

Things improved in '22 from the previous two years. I did manage to leave the homestead a few times - a couple of tag-a-long trips with Cuzzin Ricky and the trip to Tulsa for the Golden Gloves Nationals. Also made it to a couple of other boxing matches. Finally made it to a sprint car race this year. Been a long dry spell on the races.

Exercise picked back up - about 300 miles on the bicycle and quite a few walking miles this year. I quit recording my mileage about August for some reason, but I did at least five 5K events and I started going back to the gym on a regular basis the past couple of months. I've got my weight down under 170 for the first time in at least 40 years. Not as strong as I used to be but I'm working on that a little. I was probably in my peak condition mid to late seventies. I was about 172-4 lbs. with very little fat - doubt if I'll ever be in that shape again but no reason not to do what I can. The Missus got her port removed not too long ago. Good sign that the cancer's in remission. That's probably the best news of the year.

Got quite a few things accomplished this past year on the project front. I made good progress on the jitney up until the latter part of the year. Same for the vintage trials bike. Lost my momentum on that project when I sent the motor out. I'm putting the finishing touches on the old boat trailer. It's at the point where it's useable now and looks pretty good. I did several jobs for others - nothing major, but that's the way I like it. The owner of the business I worked for occasionally sold the business, so that will probably be the end of any work there. Lots of odds and ends taken care of around the shack but always plenty to do when you're a homeowner - especially when you've got a bit of acreage and the house is over 100 years old. 

Book count came back up this year - not back up to 50 which was the goal my buddy Kevin and I set for ourselves about ten years ago, but 40 is not bad. In addition to my reading, I've got some DVD courses I need to make time for in '23. 

Nothing major on the agenda for next year other than getting back out again - races primarily - some more boxing matches, and hopefully, a trip to Hawaii. I need to get that last state under my belt to complete my quest of visiting all 50. I'd like to visit my brothers, one in Kansas, one in Ohio. None of us have been traveling the last couple of years. Time for that to change.

Not making too many other plans for next year other than travel and working on the projects, of course. With the way things are going, who the hell knows what the year is going to bring. I'll keep plugging away at the projects, try to be prepared for whatever comes my way and remember to take time to count my many blessings.

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Mustang Sally & Some Boxing Stuff

 

When you think of The Rascals, this one is probably not the first song that comes to mind. It plays out slower than the more commonly known version by Wilson Pickett, but I really like the funk beat that drives it along. Four minutes of the stuff I was diggin' when I was 16.

And now for something completely different, a one-hour podcast on the subject of who were the best fighters, current fighters or ones from the past. It's rare that I'll watch any You Tube video other than a tune I want to hear, but I really got interested in this one and made it all the way through. I might have to listen to a few more of Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcasts, in fact. I came across this here, BTW.

The podcast was based on the above book and the author answered some questions that were posed to him. The general consensus seems to be that the fighters of today would be no match for those of the old days. I bought a copy of the book - I want to dig a little deeper into the subject. As a boxing coach, I'd like to know more about what specifically made the fighters like Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson and Tony Zale better than today's champion fighters of the same weight class. I'll do a book report later. 

I picked up the plywood for the trailer sides yesterday. I need to make some pieces for the stakes and get those welded on before I can bolt the plywood on. I won't get much done today, though. One of our former boxers - a state Golden Glove champ and a Marine Boxing Hall of Famer - will be at the gym this morning, so I'm going to stop in and see him. Oil change on the truck in the afternoon. 

Saw Stop

 

I bought a couple of the cheapie wheel chocks to put on the green trailer that came in yesterday. Surly just bought a small dirt bike for the grandson, so he wants to be able to haul a pair of them at a time. I'm going to make a couple of back-up angles to put under the floor with nuts welded on so it'll be easy on, easy off.

I needed to cut several pieces for the Missus' table project that were all the same length. I decided it was finally time to make a new stop for the saw. I don't know what happened to the old one, but yesterday was as good a day as any to knock out a quick replacement. In the photo the piece of flat appears to be leaning out at the top. It's actually leaning inward, the reason being, when you cut off a piece you want it to drop out easily and not get wedged between the saw blade and the stop. 

Made a bit of progress on the table afterwards - cut the flats, drilled the holes and tacked the top and bottom stretchers together. I need to tack the ends on and finish weld it after that. Might be a little tricky holding things in place to get them tacked. That's one of the disadvantages of TIG welding - you need both hands for welding. Times like this is about the only time I miss teaching welding. Always had plenty of free hands for holding things there.

Doing breakfast with my buddy Kevin this morning and then off to Menards for plywood.

1st Place

Burned up most of yesterday running around the county. Had to get a blood test to start the day off, returned some books to the library, dropped off the recyclables, got a haircut, went to my running buddy's house and picked up my medal from the 5K at Thanksgiving, did lunch, checked out a photography exhibit, picked up some lunch for the Missus, and bought some mower blades. Pretty full day. Hardest part of the day was trying to take the photo of the medal while dealing with the cat. 

Back in the shop today. 

 

Header Installation

It was quite a bit warmer yesterday, so after I did my Monday chores I went out to the shop and installed the header and the intake manifold. When I was doing the fitting while making the header, I used my other intake, but I wanted to get the carb on so I can see what it's going to take to hook up a throttle and choke cable. I might have to put a little bump-out in the hood to clear the air cleaner as well. 

I've got some more running around to do today, so probably won't get anything done in the shop, but tomorrow's supposed to be warmer still. Definitely need to get out there and get some more progress on the wife's table and the jitney.

Buon Natale

 

Just like Elvis, we'll be home for Christmas. The weather is just too cold to be taking the Missus out.  Other than going out to take care of the chickens, Shop Teacher Bob's been hunkered down in the shack trying to keep warm. When it's snot-freezing cold, I see no reason to travel unless it's a dire emergency.

However, I'd hoped to get out, especially after our Thanksgiving was cancelled again - third year in a row for celebrating at home. The Missus and I do have tentative plans for our Anniversary this year, not Hawaii, but a nice weekend with a dinner show and a night out. Just a couple more details to be worked out and then we'll get it booked. Looking forward to it - it's been way too long since we've had a night on the town.

But now, I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. It's been a tough year for most all of us, one way or another. 

Peace to you and yours. 

Blizzard & Boxing

 

High noon view of the front field Friday when the temperature was - 3 degrees and the wind was blowing about 20 mph with gusts 10 to 20 mph higher. The horizontal band of white along the center of the photo is not snow on the ground, but rather, snow swirling around due to the gusting winds. We received a phone call from the county about an hour later telling us they were pulling all the plows off the roads at 2:00 pm, so keep your ass home. 

We, meaning me, were prepared for this. When you grow up in the country back in the days before all of the technology, you realize the importance of self-sufficiency. If you want to see how dangerous these conditions can be, read The Children's Blizzard. We had a quick drop of temperature Thursday, but nothing like Cheyenne, Wyoming. It dropped 42 degrees in one hour. Remember the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared.

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From an e-mail to the membership of USA Boxing:

“The future of boxing as an Olympic sport is in doubt, and the IOC has made it clear that unless significant changes are made, it will not be included in the program for the Paris 2024 Olympics and beyond. This represents a critical threat to the future of the sport, both at the elite level and grassroots. We have a responsibility and a duty to everyone connected with the sport to explore all possibilities and do everything we can to ensure boxing’s continued inclusion in the Olympic games, thereby providing opportunities and inspiration for boxers across the world and for all future generations.” 

I just renewed my coaching license with USA Boxing for another year, so this affects me as a member and as a fan of amateur boxing at the international level. As a coach at a small gym in a rural area, I'm pretty far removed from the politics of this, but I was aware of some of what was going on. It would be a shame to lose boxing as an Olympic sport - been an Olympic sport since 1904, I believe. 

The young man we took to Tulsa last year for the National Golden Gloves is dreaming of competing in the Olympics and actually has a realistic chance. He mentioned the other night about an event in March that might get him close if he were to win his weight division. I don't know much about the event, but it does warrant some investigation. We've been working on some things to improve his skills - in-fighting, jabs to the body, lateral movement, all the things necessary to be a more complete boxer. He needs to get more quality sparring but that's always an issue with a small club.

Jet-Hot Header

 

The header showed up yesterday. The UPS guy usually shows up around 10:00 - 10:30. The e-mail said 10:30 - 1:30, so I laid around the shack waiting because the delivery required my signature. I finally gave up and went out to the shop at 1:30 and the header arrived about 2:30. It was starting to snow by then and the temperature was starting to drop. I did get the end pieces for the table welded up while I was waiting, however. 

The finish is the Classic Polish from Jet -Hot. It looks good and, hopefully, it will work as advertised. I need to get it back on the engine and get another photograph. I want the intake with the carb and air cleaner installed in the photo as well. Yours truly is going to be featured in an e-mail mailing from a welding supply in a few weeks. I'll be sure post the photo and I'll give you the address to see the write-up after it comes out. 

I'm going to be holed up the next few days. The snow fall wasn't as bad as they were forecasting but the cold temps and the blowing winds showed up. The actual temperatures are going to be about zero with windchills down around -30 or so today and tomorrow. I've got plenty of things to read and things to keep me occupied the until the temps come back up next week. Now they're forecasting a couple of days in the mid-forties coming up. I'll get back out in the shop to finish the table, do some work on the jitney and work on the bulkhead and sides on the trailer when it's warmer. 

Tangential Railroad Post

The photo shows parts for the sideboard table I'm making for the Missus. 

One of the end assemblies ready to tack together. The design is to match another one I made years ago. The top of that one is made from siding that came with the place off an old box car. The original house was built to a spec plan by the developer of a small rail line, Ben Gifford. They're called Gifford houses and there are several of them around here. My house has been added on to a couple of times, so it would be hard to recognize as a Gifford house. However, a couple of relatives of the original owner showed up here several years ago wanting to take some photos of the place. In return, they were kind enough to send me some copies of photos taken here and in the area from back in the day.

The photo quality is not the best, but it'll give you an idea of what the original homestead looked like many years ago. The man in the dark suit standing in the cabbage patch is the original owner, Frank Lewis. This area was developed by Gifford for vegetable farming, the produce then shipped to the Chicago market.

That goose is about the same size as that young 'un. There's no longer a porch on the house. I would have preferred the house to have retained a little more of the original flavor, but these houses were never real architectural gems to begin with. Judging by the photo and the other Gifford houses I know of, that porch is fancier than any of the other houses I've seen. 

In addition to vegetable farming, the area was noted for its market hunters as well. Ducks were shot by the barrelful and also sent to Chicago. There were several hunting lodges along the river utilized by some big-name people - General Lew Wallace for one. 

I've written a small book about the development of the area and the railroad, but I've included some information from the Indiana State Library, and I need their permission to publish it. Like the family history book, I should wrap it up and get it published. A few copies for the local library, copies for some friends and family and call it done. 

Blizzard Warning

Making it through December is going to be a little tricky the next few days. It's supposed to start snowing and blowing with temperatures dropping rapidly Thursday afternoon. The predicted snow totals are 7"-12" last I heard. Temps will remain frigid until the first of next week. Wind chills -20 to -30 for a couple of days along with 50 mph gusts.

I spent yesterday making sure we are prepared. Fresh straw in the nesting boxes for the chickens, along with fresh water. Topped off the feeder and tossed them some grit and oyster shell. Checked the transistor radio for batteries, since it has national weather report for our area, and checked the propane level in the outside tank. Filled up the gas tanks on both the rigs, and I'll put the tractor on the charger today as well as putting some gas in it if need be. The old farmhouse is not the warmest place when the wind blows hard and the temps are cold, but we should be fine - better than the original occupants back in 1898 I would wager.

I ordered some material for making the bulkhead and sides for the green trailer along with some material for inventory. I need to get a spare tire and add a couple more wheel chocks to be able to carry a couple of dirt bikes at a time. I ordered two of the cheapie Harbor Freight ones. I still need to get the plywood for the sides and bulkhead - maybe pick that up the week after Christmas. 

My header is scheduled to show up tomorrow. Anxious to see how it looks. Definitely time to see some progress on the jitney again.

Delivery Done

 I delivered the E-Bike and trailer yesterday. No problems, but it was about a 90-minute drive one way. After visiting awhile and stopping to do some grocery shopping, pretty much shot the day in the ass.

They're forecasting cold temperatures this week - it was only about 20 degrees when I was loading up the trailer yesterday morning. It's also looking like a serious snow, maybe even blizzard conditions at the end of the week. Might be Christmas at home, just like Thanksgiving this year - and the last couple of years as well. We're pretty fortunate, however. Every day is like a holiday around here, when it comes right down to it.

I'm planning on cutting up some stock for a side table today for here at the shack. I want to get this job knocked out and then I can move the jitney over to the center of the floor so I can work on the rear axle. I've got other work I can do on the car, but I want to get wheels under it to not only get the suspension figured out as far as ride height, get the fuel cell located and start thinking about the sheet metal back there. The header should be getting shipped back this week. I was told it would be done on the 21st, so should be here for Christmas, if I'm lucky. If not the following week will be fine. If I get the rear wheels located, I can give some thought to the exhaust pipe as well. 

Lots to do on the car and bike projects. It's also time to start spending some time down the basement in my little workshop. I've got a couple of winter-time projects to keep myself amused and out of the recliner during the cold winter months - got to keep my Expert Level Putterer rating. 

Trailer - Almost There

I pulled the trailer into the garage to get the wiring sorted in a little more comfort than working outside. It was a little warmer yesterday than Tuesday but rainy. I've got a little electric heater I brought out and put next to where I was working - kept my hands warm and warmed up the tools. Much nicer than the previous day. 

I eliminated the cheapie splice pieces, soldered the joints and covered the splice with heat shrink tubing. That's what I should have done from the jump - "Never have time to do it right, always have time to do it twice." Looks better and should be good for 100,000 now. 

When I got all done, I hooked the trailer up to the truck. The brake lights and turn signals worked but seemed a little dim - no taillights or marker lights. I put the trailer back in the garage, got the battery charger out and hooked the positive to the taillight wire on the plug and the ground to a clean spot on the trailer frame - lit up like a Christmas tree. Apparently, the bolt the tongue pivots on was not allowing the ground connection that's connected to the tongue to pass the current to the trailer frame. Not sure why I was getting brake lights if that was the case but who knows. I could pull the pivot bolt, clean it up and put some dielectric grease on it, or I could put a jumper wire from the tongue to the trailer frame. I chose option number two. I'll get that done today and then the trailer and the e-bike will be ready for delivery this weekend. 

New Lights

 

I welded the light mounts on yesterday and installed the new marker lights on the front. The rear lights are a little vulnerable up there but that seemed to be the most expedient solution in order to get light on the license plate. I need to run the new wires still and install the wheel chock if it ever shows up. 

E-Bike Trailer Progress

 

The light kit showed up Saturday afternoon. I probably could use the lights that are on the trailer by just rewiring everything, but these new ones are the "ultra bright LED technology" - and you know that has to be good. Still no wheel chock yet, though.

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I made up a couple of brackets to mount the lights on. The stock ones sit low on the trailer and because of that, the license plate gets bent up if you tilt the trailer top. There's no real good solution for having the plate along the bottom frame rail, so now it will be up above the deck bolted to one of the "L" shaped pieces in the photo. I'm going to try and get those pieces welded on to the trailer today before it starts raining. I can pull the trailer into the garage to do the wiring - no heat in there, but no rain either.

There were a couple of comments in the last post about motorcycle tool kits. In the zip-lock baggie is the kit that came with the e-bike. I'm not sure why they even bothered. The black item is a screwdriver handle for the different included blades - might be good enough for fixing your eyeglasses, but not much else. I didn't look real close but I don't think there's any place on the bike to store a tool kit, anyway.   

Brother John

Brother Johnny with his duck, which brings to mind the old joke that had the two of us giggling like a couple of little school girls: "A duck walks into the drugstore and tells the druggist, give me a Chapstick and put it on my bill." Don't know what happened to the duck, but Johnny's been gone ten years now.  

John used to play in a band. He was a pretty fair guitarist. The Holiday Star was a local venue that hosted big name acts. They also had a smaller room where the band Johnny was in played a few times. On one of those occasions, Merle was playing the big room, Johnny playing the small one. After Merle finished up, he came in and checked out Johnny's band and bought the band a drink. So he had that going for him. He also went on tour with John Mellencamp a couple times, but in a different capacity. 

We had some good times growing up - I miss the LCEFT. Happy Birthday, Brother!

Electric Motorcycle

 

I got the little e-bike put together yesterday. The operation went fairly smoothly. I had to run a tap through one of the holes for the handlebar bolts and the screws that hold the supports for the front side panels didn't line up well. Those aren't mentioned in the instructions. They would have been more easily accessible before I put the front fender on but not all that tough to deal with. According to the instructions, assembly should take 30-40 minutes. I didn't figure that was going to be accurate, but I had the heat on, the music playing and nothing else on the schedule. I had about 90 minutes on it and then as the last step I went to install the fuse. Zap! The key was turned off but there's a kill switch on the handlebars I didn't count on. I got out the voltmeter to see what was what, only to find a dead battery in the meter. Fortunately, I had a fresh 9V in house. After turning off the kill switch, I got a reading of zero, installed the fuse, turned on the key and the kill switch and rode the bike about 4' across the shop floor.

There are a couple of potentiometers under a panel right behind the headstock. One for response, one for speed. I had turned them down some before twisting the throttle. Even at that, the little bike took off right smartly with me in the saddle. The suspension is way too soft for me, but it's probably about right for a 13-year-old girl. The single shock is adjustable for preload, though. The bike came with a bag of "tools". Little stamped sheet metal things, all of which are less than 4" long. Can't imagine trying to assemble the bike using those.

I'm still waiting on the trailer light kit and the wheel chock. Maybe today.

Bike and Trailer

Cuzzin Ricky and I went out for breakfast yesterday and then picked up the e-bike - some assembly required. The angle iron shipping frame is pretty crafty. It's both welded and bolted together in such a fashion that the top half of the frame can be removed to access the bike easily enough. I opened the box up and drug the metal frame and bike out to access the manual but that's as far as I got. I'll see about getting it put together today.

After picking up the bike we motored on down the road and picked up the trailer. It looks a little tired but at this point in time, looks aren't very important. Due to the limited time I've got to get the bike and trailer put together and delivered, function is more important than looks, especially since I don't have a heated space to paint it in. The light kit and the wheel chock should be here today or tomorrow. I got a box from Harbor Freight yesterday but it contained the set of tie downs and the hitch ball. When I get the trailer road worthy and the bike loaded up, I'll deliver them both with the offer to paint the trailer in the spring when it warms up. 

Referee, Sports Cars and Bonneville

Mills Lane passed away the other day at the age of 85. Back when I was a young man, lots of championship fights were televised on network TV and you could almost bet Mills Lane was going to be the third man in the ring. He was also a real judge, a TV judge and as shown in the photo, a boxer. RIP Mr. Lane

Since we got the "smart" television a while back, we've now got more options for our viewing pleasure. While the wife was scrolling through the available shows, she came across The Boys of Bonneville, the story of Ab Jenkins and the Mormon Meteor - pretty good documentary. Not the thing I should have watched, it's got me thinking again about setting the jitney up for the salt. When we, meaning me, finished watching The Boys of Bonneville, we found a show on the history of Maserati, my second choice of a classic sports car after a Jag XKE. Two really good shows back-to-back with no commercial interruptions. Even better than Perry Mason reruns.

I'm picking up the motorcycle this morning I need to assemble. The parts for the trailer to haul it on have been shipped, so that's the line-up for the next few days. Might do a 5K Saturday depending on the weather and the condition of the wife's niece, who is in the hospital currently. As my old saddle pal, Kevin, used to say: "If it ain't one thing, it's your mother."

 

Up The Lazy River

 

My pops used to play this tune on the piano and sing/hum as he played. When he got together with uncles Jack and Lloyd at the family reunions, it would get played. Pete Fountain plays it on the CD I just purchased but it's all instrumental. However, the piano work on that version reminded me of my dad, so I've been humming Lazy River for a couple of days. Actually, it sort of fits with what I've been doing lately, which is not much. Up the lazy river is actually a pretty good place to be. Much better than up shit creek without a paddle - been there a time or two. 

Spent a good part of yesterday out and about running errands. Hit the boxing gym later and held mitts for some of the guys. Pretty good session - three guys in the ring at a time. Able to get a chance to observe their footwork, stance and punch delivery. They all need some personalized training that they haven't been getting. We could still use one more coach to make sure everyone gets at least some individual attention every session. I'm glad to be back there helping out and working out. I've lost some weight and gotten some muscle back. If I push myself a little, I should be down under 170 pounds pretty soon - almost back to my old fighting weight. 

I need to make a quick trip to see the finance guy this morning and then get out to the shop and do a little something. I've got a job for the Missus that needs to get done. Might start on that one - at least get some pieces cut. Like they say: need to do something, even if it's wrong.

Update

 

I saw this posted on one of the Facebook groups I'm in. There's some really talented people out there building cars and doing related metalworking. I'm still a duffer when it comes to metal shaping, but I'm getting better by fits and starts. 

This is what the dash above is in. Quite the rig, wouldn't you agree. Rolls Royce power plant, by the way.

Not much to report on the current project front but I've got a couple of interruptions to the flow scheduled. I've got some sort of electric motorcycle to assemble after I pick it up later in the week and then work on another trailer to haul it. I ordered some bits and pieces so Santa Claus can make a young girl happy on Christmas Day. I don't absolutely need the trailer finished by that time since I could deliver it in the back of the truck or on my new trailer, but I'd just as soon have it done and gone. Actually, happy to do it - repaying a favor.

I was planning on another 5K this coming Saturday but might take a couple of guys to Indy for some sparring instead. Waiting to hear the details. I'd rather do the 5K but the boxers are planning to compete in the Gloves this year and need some quality sparring. Two of the younger guys competed in the Silver Gloves over the weekend, both of whom got beat, unfortunately. Both of them are pretty green and they ran into tough opponents. The gym needs to get some more talent in and start building a decent squad of fighters again. The covid seems to have negatively affected things a bit. Now that I'm getting involved once again, hopefully having another coach on staff will help.

Beezer Jersey

I'm in need of another bicycle jersey. I had a couple made up when I did the Portland to Missoula ride with my cycle pal I used to work with. I screwed up and shrunk it in the laundry. I don't like the polyester ones, preferring wool. I checked Rivendell, since I have one of theirs now that I like, but they no longer have that one listed. If I could find a BSA jersey like the ones in the photo, I'd snap that up in a minute. Actually, I'd put it on my Christmas list, since it's that time of year.  

I finished reading this one yesterday. Cameron Hanes is nothing short of a beast. The book is an autobiography of his journey to be the greatest elk hunter with a bow of all time. I'd never heard of him before, and I don't know anyone I'd call an elk hunter, but after reading his book I can't imagine him not holding that title. It's not a training manual but rather it's "just" a listing of what he's done to get in shape for hunting and to stay in that shape. By his own admission, he's obsessed with bow hunting elk and the preparation he feels is necessary to be successful on his hunts. 

I've never been obsessed with any one thing in my life to devote that kind energy. If you've been reading the blog for any length of time, you'll have picked up on the fact that my interests are all over the map. I've done my share of physical activities, maybe more than the average guy, but I couldn't carry his lunch bucket. Good book if you want to see what you're capable of if you're willing to make the sacrifices.

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I received an e-mail from Jet-Hot. My header has been received and should be completed around December 21st and I got the 20% off. Sometimes it pays to procrastinate.

Hand Warmer

The new heater showed up Tuesday while the Missus and I were gone for her eye doctor visit. Good news on that front - no shot in the eye this time and things seem to be clearing up. We went out for lunch afterwards to Olive Garden. That's a little fancier that what we normally do, plus it's in a location I normally try to avoid. Food was OK, service not all that good, so I'd like to find a gen-u-ine Eye-Tie restaurant now that we're getting out again. There has to be one closer than Florence, but that would be my first choice. Maybe Lido - best fish dinner I've ever eaten was on that trip.

Meanwhile back at the shack, I got the heater installed yesterday. It's over the top of the welding bench and the vise, pointing to where the jitney will soon be. This should be nice. Also, it's just the right height for a handwarmer. Since it was only about 38 degrees in the shop when I was installing it, that's going to be nice. My old fingers don't much care for the cold anymore.

I found out on Monday, I did earn a medal in the 5k I did last Saturday. I'm not sure if it's for coming in as 3rd male walker or an age group win - I was 1st in the 70 - 99 group. I'm thinking that's what I should be shooting for going forward, just out last the rest of them. Medaling in these events doesn't really mean all that much at this point in my life but, being healthy enough to compete means a lot to me. When the Missus and I were at the eye doctor, there's always a steady parade of both older folks and people that look really dependent on others to see to their needs. With all the talk lately about a nuclear device or an EMP event, I can't help but wonder what's going to happen to these folks if the power would go out for two weeks or more. And it's not just the elderly that will be in trouble, either. Lots of young people can't tie their own shoes, can't tell time unless it's a digital clock, and can't do much of anything more than sending text messages faster than a speeding bullet. Time to get off the couch and do something, if you haven't been, and do a little more if you have been. 

Last up is a reminder of how quick your life can change. A guy I grew up with had an emergency quadruple by-pass operation last week - seems to be doing alright, fortunately. Another guy I knew who used to bring his kids into the gym died last week when some dude had an accident, then left the scene and proceeded down the Interstate going the wrong way and plowed into my friend, killing both of them. And the last horror story today is about our dog groomer's husband. He got hit from behind by a drunk driver while riding his motorcycle and was thrown into a tree. He's been in the hospital for a month now. He might be able to come home in the next few days. 

Be aware of these things and do what you can to prevent them but don't allow fear to rule your life. Live life to the fullest, treat people kindly and put some effort into taking care of your health. Get outside everyday if you can for some fresh air and sunshine, exercise, avoid fast food and sweets. Love yourself, family and friends. Do something productive every day and count your blessings.

 

Jitney Time Once Again

Running errands yesterday while listening to Pete Fountain - good way to spend the morning. Bank, grocery store, Dollar General, library, car wash, and most importantly, got the header for the jitney sent off in time to get the 20% off Black Friday pricing.

The trip to the Dollar Store was to pick up another 8x10 picture frame for my Billy Goat Tavern photo - that's the one on the lower right. That one was shot with the old Franke Jr, handheld in low light. Came out better than I expected. Lower left is a big lathe at The Henry Ford I was able to take when I had behind the ropes access. Top left is brother Johnny "riding" the bicycle that was hanging from the top of the garage. Top right is a mill at a state park in Kentucky. Click on the photo for a bigger view.

Did a little layout work on the rear axle for the jitney. I'm going to have to move the car before I can do much else. The one end of the axle is hitting the milling machine when I tried to get it lined up. I'll have to move the car over and forward a couple feet before I can get started in earnest on that. Definitely time to move the operation inside - it'll be December in a couple of days - three months of cold weather at a minimum, now.  

5K

I did a 5k yesterday with Surly and a few from the boxing gym. I looked around at the start for the guy I used to work with who's a pretty fair race walker. I didn't see him but did spot him when he was right at the 1 mile mark. I told Surly we might be able to catch him if we really hustle - and we almost did. In fact, Surly caught him right at the finish line. However, he let the other guy go ahead. I was about 20 yards behind due to my back tightening up. As it turns out, the other guy was the first male walker, Surly was #2 and I was #3. If I had spied the other guy before the gun went off, Surly and I might have had a 1,2 finish. And Surly was wearing a rucksack with about 40 pounds in it. Probably the only reason I could stay with him. Great day for the race, on both levels.

I got the little bracket made up for the new metric deepwells. They're not in the handiest spot, but I doubt they'll get much use, so it's not a bad choice of locations.

I boxed up the jitney header yesterday. Jet Hot is having a 20% off sale, so time to send it out. I'll call them tomorrow and make sure the price they quoted me is still valid. If it's in the ballpark, I'll get it to the UPS place in the afternoon. It needs to be at Jet Hot by Dec 7th, so not much time to dilly-dally.

I've got some cleaning to do and then it's back on the jitney project and a couple more of the loose-end jobs I've been trying to get done. 

Toys For Tots

 

I received a Christmas card in the mail from my new financial advisor yesterday. Included in the card was a schmaltzy letter and some information about the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. The program was started in1947, so even a guy like me who's oblivious to many things, was aware of the Toys for Tots program, but I wasn't very familiar with the details. First of all, I didn't realize there was an actual Toys for Tots song that was recorder by both Peggy Lee and Nat "King" Cole. After being on this earth almost as long as the organization, I probably heard it a time or two but just didn't realize what it was I was hearing. Most importantly, I learned the financial office has a drop-box for toys. 

Like most of you with a phone or a mailing address, you probably get bombarded all year long with people asking for money. I've decided to limit my giving to people and organizations that will have a direct impact on people close to home. I'm not a big giver by any means, but the Missus and I are truly blessed and can afford to share a little of those blessings. I normally give a few bucks to the local food pantry, a shelter and "Shop With a Cop" this time of year. Now that I'm aware of the drop-box for toys at the financial advisor, I'll get a couple of toys for the Marines to distribute. There is no reason that any youngster in this country should be "food insecure" or not get a couple of toys for Christmas regardless of their religion or financial situation.  

Some friends lost their house to a fire Tuesday. What didn't get burned up was probably lost to smoke or water damage. I don't know their financial situation, how well they were insured, or if they had the mattress stuffed with "C" notes, but short term they're going to be hurting, no doubt about that. I'll kick a few bucks their way, also.

I mention my giving not to make myself look like a great philanthropist, but to point out that there are lots of people in need, especially this year. The covid, with the governmental response and their irresponsible money printing, has put the squeeze on a lot of people. Foreclosures are up, car repossessions are up, the housing market's heading down hill, layoffs, it all is adding up to a really tough end of the year and next year's not looking any better.  

If you wish to make a donation to Toys for Tots and don't know where to drop off your toys or make a cash donation, click here and get the straight dope. They do a lot more than just the Christmas toys also. And if you are in need of toy, there's a spot to request one. Even if Santa can't find you because you're living on the street or in your car, the Marines will.

 It's been a tough couple of years, let's all pitch in and do what we can to help the less fortunate. 

Thanksgiving

 

Another beautiful day yesterday, so I finished screwing down the trailer floor. I was going to bolt the D-rings down but sticking my finger inside the tubing to put a lock washer and nut on the bolt just wasn't going to work out well, so I made back-up plates with the nuts welded on. Much easier with these.

I did a few other outdoorsy things, got the blade on the tractor along with getting all the fluids topped off. Nothing much on the agenda today. We'll be dining at home today, due to one of the grandsons running a fever. There's still plenty to be thankful for, however. Life's pretty much back to normal around here after a couple of years of covid seclusion. 

Best wishes to all of you on this day of thanks! 

Trailer

I've been working on some photo stuff as part of the tidying up loose ends thing I've been working on as of late. The shot above is my gallery wall in the woodshop. Most of the photos are portraits I've done along with some other things, most of them out of view to the left. I've about run out of room except where the speed bag platform is. I'm going to take that down. Even though I've got it cross-braced and tied into the wall, it vibrates too much and kills the action of the bag. Might as well take it down and make room for a few more photos. 

I've got a couple of negatives I was going to print up recently, but the developer had gone bad. I need to decide if I'm going to shoot anymore black & white film. I enjoy fooling with the old cameras, but I need to do something with the negatives. I might tackle some alternative process stuff. I bought a tintype kit, and I made a couple of albumen prints once upon a time. Hard to find any incentive these days when my phone takes such nice photos, and the images can be manipulated easily enough on the computer without any special software. I still like my old cameras, though.

Another beautiful day yesterday - temperature was about 50 - just right for working on the trailer again. Productive day. I've almost got it whipped.

Just have a couple of things left to do. I need to finish screwing down the floor and the "D" rings and then it's useable. I'm not too concerned about the sides at the moment. I'll work on them one of these days as a fill in project. I did take it for a little shakedown run. Lights all work, tires hold air and the wheel chock is bolted down. It's about ready to put into service.

 

Shocks

Beautiful day yesterday - temperature was right at the average for this time of year. I got the gutters cleaned, put the cover on the air conditioner, a couple of other piddly-ass things, put the shocks and the acorn nuts on the trailer, installed the new rope light, and finished the day off with a trip to the gym. 

Today and tomorrow are supposed to be seasonally warm again, or a bit warmer. I'll get a bit more done on the trailer while it's nice - try to get the floor down and the wheel chock installed. I need to box up the header for the jitney. I received an e-mail from Jet-Hot and they've got a 20% off thing going on. Time to get that sent out. I'll keep working on some of the loose ends and then get back on the jitney hot and heavy.

Hockey Time!

I went to Indy yesterday for a hockey game - Indy Fuel. It's been at least 10-12 years since I've been to a game. Last time I was there the team was the Ice, not the Fuel. The inside of the Coliseum has been remodeled since then as well. Nice place to watch a game. Good, fast action. Reasonable ticket prices, also. They had a special deal for $69.00 - 4 tickets, a hockey puck and a coupon for four sub sandwiches. The only problem is the sub coupons were for a franchise that wasn't in the coliseum. They're good until May of 23, though.

When I came home from the game, I got a chance to see the new post lights lit up. They look pretty good up there and actually put out quite a bit of light. If I get a railing, I can get my telescope set up out there without worrying about falling off. I did a trick like that once before - damn near killed myself. I'd rather not do that again.

The weather this week looks to be a bit more seasonal, thank goodness. Hope to finish up the trailer, keep picking away at some stuff around the shack and make a little more progress on the jitney.

More Sockets +

I had the chance to see Leon Redbone a couple of times. His musical selections were primarily old tunes that lent themselves to his unique voice and guitar stylings. Unfortunately, not the kind of thing I can hear on any of the commercial stations I listen to. My buddy Kevin and I looked into starting one of the low wattage stations at the high school when they were handing out licenses years ago. The principal thought some kind of computer class or another was a better deal. While it's tough to argue with the guy who controls the purse strings, computer repair wasn't going to be near as much fun as a radio station in my book. Now there's all sorts of things available to get just about any type of music you want piped into your computer or smart phone. What I need to do is take some things off my MP3 player, add a few more, and then just let it run on shuffle when I'm out in the shop. The new radio/CD player in the woodshop is working out well for me but I don't spend much time out there. Probably should just quit complaining - as my old man used to say: "And people in hell want ice water."

I ordered this set of deep wells when I ordered the wheel chock for the trailer. With the coupon they were only $19.99. Granted they're made from Chinesium, but it's not like I'm going to be doing a lot of heavy-duty wrenching. Mostly lug nuts and the occasional odd-ball job I take on when I should have said no. The top of my toolbox is chock full of sockets now, so I'm going to make a bracket to hang this set on the wall next to the box. That's what the piece of angle and flat iron to the left of them is for. 

It was cold yesterday, it'll be cold today and tomorrow, so not much going to be happening in the shop. I did go out yesterday long enough to finish the pieces for the exercise bike at the gym. All I had left to do was cut the two rods for the tee handles and drill the holes through the ends with the threads. These are used to adjust the seat height on an old Schwinn Airdyne. I don't know where Jimmy got this thing, but the factory adjuster was missing and the threads were screwed up on the crank where the pedal with the left-hand threads go, if I remember correctly. Since I was a shop teacher and a bicyclist for years, just so happens I had a left-hand tap to take care of that. The seat post adjusters thread into a 1/2" nut on the seat tube and extend through holes in the post so you can raise the seat up or down. 

The one in the photo with the longer turned section is the second one I made. The first one lasted about two weeks and came up missing. Somebody lost it or stuck it in their gym bag, never to be seen again. So I made another one and keep it in my gym bag. Now that I'm going back on a regular basis, I've been doing some overdue maintenance around the place. It's gotten a little shabby over the last couple of years. I'm going to give the two new adjusters to a couple of the coaches. They can make them available to the fighters and keep track of them. I'm going to keep mine in my gym bag still.

They're calling for temps in the mid to high forties next week, so hoping to finish up most everything on the trailer, get the blade on the tractor and pick a few other things off the list. I've been on a roll lately, don't want to lose my momentum.

Posters

From Here

I don't know if there's a specific style for a poster like this, but I like it. The Gee Bee flying by is a nice touch. 

These are much more futuristic than the first one, but I've got a personal connection to Bohn Aluminum. My Pops worked for this outfit in Danville, Illinois when I was a youngster. These are the work of Arthur Radebaugh. He did a bunch of similar advertising posters for Bohn, as well as a variety of other works of art. The link will give you a nice overview of his life and work. If you type in a search for Bohn Aluminum and click on images, you'll find some very interesting ads, all of which were very futuristic in style.

Here's a couple of propaganda posters, one Chinese, one Russian.

And here's a little propaganda from the home team. When I first started teaching, I signed up to get Savings Bonds with payroll deduction. I got paid every two weeks, except for Spring Break, Christmas and summer vacations - 19 checks per year. Money was pretty tight when I first started teaching, but with payroll deduction I never saw the money, so I never missed it. I've still got a few of them I kept for an emergency fund even though they've stopped paying interest. Fortunately, I've never had to fall back on them. However, the way things are going, we might see some new propaganda posters urging us to buy war bonds coming our way once again.