An entire Year since I last visited here

WOW....it would appear that it has been over a year since I last visited here. It would be easy to say that not much has happended since then, but that would be way too much of a cop out....The kid graduated from high school, 9th out of 950 students, could have higher but he met a girl and it appears that he spent his time studying something other than the school books....apple didn't fall far from the tree as the longrooffan says...the kid's sister is stillstillstillstill playing softball....travel all over central FLA and we still aren't home yet....she finished middle school....second in her class....now she is a freshman in high school....like her brother she is becoming a very popular student based on the amount of time spent on the cell phone and facebook....she is now playing basketball for the school and that involves more traveling....the sungoddess keeps getting better looking every day....I sure am lucky....left my job of seven years....b.s. stress just wasn't worth it anymore....so I joined the likes of 20% of our country's population....that lasted about 3 days and I took a position with a small local company that is working out better than I could have imagined....good people that are truly customer focused....retired our old big white Ford truck just recently....that vehicle sure was good to us over the past 10 years....20 trips across the southeastern country...over hill and over dale...off to Grandma's house we went....the sungoddess came out to the garage a couple of weeks ago and stated she wanted to go look at new cars....we came home that night with a 'new to us' car that she had been looking at for quite a few weeks....she loves it and that is what is important....and it get's almost twice the fuel mileage of the old white truck....gotta love a V-6....the kid comes home from school this weekend....he said he would like to spend Friday evening hanging out with me....guess I better get a few more cold pops for the garage frig...
sure do miss him....the gentleman farmer and his bride recently moved to jsut up the road a piece from me....I commented to his bride how good she was looking, she had lost wait and had a suntan....she laughinly told me that while she did have a suntan, she had not lost any weight, I just had not seen her in over 10 years without 4 layers of clothing on....seems I only visited their farm during our annual winter visit to the show me state....12 degrees outside with a 30 knot wind makes you bundle up...it is nice having them close....even the bus visited for a while...took him for a beach cruise on the old yellow jeep...he seemed to enjy himself....I'm gonna go for now, it has been nice visiting here again and I'll try not to stay away as long.....remember to always CELEBRATE LIFE

What I did today...or the last three weeks...

copying a tag line from the longrooffan.......

What I did today...or the last three weeks......
by now everyone that follows this page has learned of the exploits of the bondoguy.....Jimmy is a good friend, one that you want around when camping for damn sure....he is one hell of a good painter....and now has been recognized by NASCAR for his exceptional skill at asphalt repair.....hats off to the man in turn two......
a addition and a deletion to the list of vehicles that have been under my domain over the years.....
a little set up here is due.....when the weather went north around here back in early January and the temperature dropped into the mid 30's (an actual HEAT WAVE for some of my brothers and friends) and the kid was driving an open topped, doorless vehicle, my bride explained to me that I would be driving the kid's jeep and he would be driving my new (to me) truck since he picked up his sister every day from school......now being a good Father and a caring friend to those two kids, I had to agree to relinquish my truck for the health of the kids...
of course this came at a very high price.....one week later I contracted a chest cold that is still nagging at me....another by product of driving a topless-doorless vehicle in near freezing temperature is the necessity to stay warm....multiple layers of clothing, a scarf, hat, double socks, and stay all scrunched up to conserve energy....(we called this 'max heat)...was a sneezing spell I went into one Sunday night a couple of fortnights ago that resulted in a serious back injury from which I still haven't recoverd completely.....yea I know, getting old beats the alternative.....but damn this back is a real pain in the back.......
but back to the future......I had aquired through various means the title to a 1979 CJ-5 Jeep with a small lift kit and some serious mud tires.....do not inquire....just let that go.....I had consigned this vehicle after a few modifications (yes there is blogproof of this and it did get it's fifteen minutes of fame) to the longroof to post on craigslist for sale......of course the proceeds were to finance shop supplies and other items more commonly known as 'hurricane supplies'.....when this was turned into a UTV by means of a trade I was back at square one with an image of a very warm looking truck everytime I drove into my driveway.....but alas after the trade was made I was contacted by a guy from the western part of the state about my old "huntin jeep" .....when he asked about the jeep I had for sale, I had to think for a minute before I replied, "Which one?"....seems he was willing to look at a 1967 CJ-5 instead of a 1979....up shot was he and his 'that'll hunt' girl drove over one afternoon to look at the kid's jeep......he was impressed enough to anty up the money it would take to have the bondoguy fix the rust and repaint it Army Green.....of course the longrooffan and even the goodattorney advised me of all the wrong that could be happening for taking the cash up front to have the jeep fixed up before I took payment on the jeep itself.....but I had met the buyer and what I call "looked in his eye".....
the week after the 500 mile race here in Daytona, the jeep was ready and the buyer showed up with a friend and a trailer.....as the buyer and his friend looked for the head, I took a peek at his ride......when he returned and handed me a wad of cash, I didn't even count it.....the handy 8 pack of cold beverages provided by my favorite brewer was all it took to confirm the sale.....
but now what do I do....I'm a two car owner in a three car family.....looks like I am back to craigslist in search of a Toyota 4x4 for the kid...gotta have something that can handle the beach driving during the summer.....in the mean time Jim comes through by surrendering the keys to his 69 Bronco....so here I am, back to driving a specialty vehicle in the middle of the worst cold spell that can be remembered in these parts.....never could figure out how to turn the heater on in that beast....at least it is wind proof....but then a friend calls and tells me of Ford Ranger for sale by the tow company we use at work....a quick phone call to the tow company and happy hour is cut short for me.....a quick trip back over to the mainland and I am looking at my next vehicle....
now the kid was not too happy when I first informed him of his next ride, and my bride was not too happy that I made a commitment without her consent....
an extended conversation with BigJimDunn and she never said another word...
how I like that man....so now the kid is driving his new ride.....of course a couple of modifications were required....and most importantly I am back in my new truck.....
the longrooffan was commissioned to photograph the kid's new ride, however it hasn't been seen in daylight since I brought it home and his digital retainment equiptment is not real good in low light......I just plain forgot to take photos so expect photos by the end of the week........

these, and other reasons too many to list are why we......

CELERBATE LIFE............

What did you do this weekend....????

The weekend started Saturday at 05:00......rise and shine....we got a 2 hour drive ahead of us.....gotta be at the fields by 08:00.....haven't been to these fields before...softball, not baseball......on the road, iced the cooler down at our local stop and rob and hit the Eisenhower Road at 05:45...(John is not sure what these are, Interstate 4 for him).....call the kid at 07:00, John is still not sure what time I am talking about, but he can figure that out on his own.....make sure the kid is awake...he has to be at the ballfield in South Daytona, baseball for him as he is the assistant coach on a traveling team heading to Cooperstown, by 08:00....07:30 the kid calls back checking directions to the ballfield......07:45, we arrive at the Diamond Plex in Polk County Florida....
Field 5 for our first game.....nice complex....i.e. clean bathrooms.....we are a 'B' team and faced 3 'A' teams on Saturday....lost the first 2 and tied the 3rd.....basically got our hats handed to us......first game at 09:00.....got blown out.....second game at 14:00......got blown out again......third game at 17:00..... tied that one.....all against 'A' teams......guess we aren't as good as we wished.....
the kid's sister got to catch a game and half....no plays at home and she did a good job...no errors and she got a couple of good sacrifice bunts down.....not bad for playing up two years....I keep telling myself that....so it's off to find the hotel and await notification of Sunday's game schedule.....quick dinner provided by the kid's little sister's Mother and we wait.....and wait...and the phone rings around 21:30.....08:00 game Sunday...same complex.....hey when you lose all three on Saturday, don't expect to sleep late on Sunday......got to the complex at 07:00 Sunday only to find out we are scheduled to play at another complex 20 minutes away.....follow the leader and we arrive at a softball complex to the sound of cows mooing, chickens crowing, dogs barking, and horses neighing.......
loser's brackets are NOT glorious.......
umpires give us 20 minutes.....our first game is against the spring league State Champions who threw their Saturday games in order drop down a bracket....not real sportsmanship....but some people take this stuff way to seriously.....guess they were looking for an easy way to the finals......(loser's bracket and all).....but the kid's team played like there was no tomorrow.....they held the Spring State Champions to a tie game though the time limit....on to the Texas tie breaker....
put a runner on second and you get three outs....the result is....a win.!!!!!!!!...took the former Champs two innings to lose.....talk about an emotional high.......get a 60 minute break and it's back to playing ball.....ranked 18 out of 20 teams so the confidence level is not real high despite the recent victory.....the second game starts and it is now win or go home......a tripleheader later we are heading home......what a day.....parental stress level was extremely high as the girls played their way up the loser's bracket.....lost our last game in a tie breaker againest a team coached by an abnoxious SOB.....kind of took the fun out of it....finished fifth so it was a fanatastic weekend by all standards......as usual the longrooffan was no where to be found to record the weekend on film, (I am throwing the blame on him because I forgot we own a camara on Sunday)....however, I was able to catch a couple of photos.....not surprising the most intesting to me was the osprey nest on the light pole....I was unable to record the transfer of a fish from one adult to the chicks...but at least I saw it....unlike the Bear, I often forget to get the camara ready for the next shot.....but got home and was able to download a couple of photos of the weekend's activities......hopefully next year I'll be a better photographer....but then spectating gets in the way.....

local birds of prey......


chilling out before the game...

ready......

set......

go...........

only action shots of the kid's sister we recorded.....

another reason to.........................

CELEBRATE LIFE......

Beach Sunday

went to the beach today.......every day spent at the beach with my wife and kids is another day to CELEBRATE LIFE.......had a great time......lots of sun and surf.....the kid spent the better part of four hours catching waves......the kids sister fought her way out to the breakers and then nailed three good waves.....using one of her brother's boards.....the kid's second oldest aunt gave him a couple of surf boards that belonged to her late son.....after a little work on them we were able to make them sea worthy again......one of the boards was missing a couple of fins, and on the way to the longroof's yesterday I saw a broken board in a wastemanagement pile......had to double back because the fins looked familiar......brought the tail home and the fins were the same that the kid had been shopping on ebay at $20 each......three fins.....0 dollars....and they worked perfect.......gotta figure that was a trip that was meant to be.........back to today.....the kid commented no less than three times how sweet the new board was with three good fins......cuts like a sharp knive was his exact term........the kid's sister was using one of his other new boards and she grabbed the first wave and was gone like a flash.....the grin on her face was priceless.....
she couldn't get back out to the breakers fast enough......two more good waves and she was done for the afternoon.....there was a wicked current today and by the time the kid's sister called it quits, I was ready too......rather sit and watch than fight the surf sometimes.....
so thanks to my second sister and her gift to my son.......
it enables him.....and I.....to........

CELEBRATE LIFE..........

Thank you Carol

not sure what the title to this entry into my life's reflection should be, so it is blank for now...... sometimes we have entries like this.....just not sure what to call them......spent a long holiday weekend/week hanging out with the kid and uncle Jon-Jon.....saw some really nice restored automobiles and one really sweet 46 CJ2A that will never see a dirt road, or a sandy beach...... seemed like a waste of time , energy, and money on the jeep...the cars are all the same..... I call them Vanna Whites.....man they look great from 60 feet away....but when you get up close you realize they are really not worth the money it takes to keep them looking as they do..... somewhere, somebody, is tired of their crap and that is why they are for sale to the highest bidder....but then I enoyed the time spent with my son and his uncle Jon......didn't get to spend any time working on the new-old jeep.....instead spent that energy getting the Christmas lights up and finishing the honey-do list that had materialized......got those knocked out and found a lot of free time to just sit and relax in my garage....enjoyed watching the kid and the kid's sister playing with the neighborhood kids.....the kid got his driver's license on Monday and like all of us, found every excuse in the world to go someplace.....?what, you wanted three items from the store?.....I must have forgot one of them....gotta go back....same thing we all did.....and every new driver since then.....tonite he had b-ball practice.....he came home from school on the bus and then drove to practice himself....drove himself home too....no problems despite his Mother's worries.....the most excelerating -frightening time of my life......all for knot it appears....

Wonderful Days......

as another weekend comes to a close I, as usual, can be found in my garage watching Sunday Night Football enjoying a cold beverage recounting the weekend's adventures...
spent Saturday am working while my wife took the kid's little sister and the kid to a softball tournement in Ocala Fla.....as Ocala is a short drive thru the woods to our west, my intent was to drive over to catch the afternoon games.....but the thought of fueling up two vehicles twice shut that idea down quickly......besides, I knew something would come up to occupy my time Saturday afternoon......a quick call to the longrooffan lined out the day......as you recall, the ragtop that he aquired needed a little work.....he got a great deal on this car and he did the really hard work himself....he switched the complete interior and the convertible top and did a fantastic job......but all that work was done a couple of weeks ago.....all that was left was repairing a faulty gasket on the intake manifold that had failed causing the vehicle to die at idle.....last week we spoke about completing the repair and looked up the labor time to see what we were getting into.....called for about three hours by factory authorized technicians......this kind of scared me because when you open the hood of this little rag top, there are vacuum hoses and sensor wires running everywhere......but then again, I think what the hell, we got a parts car and digital tecnology that enables us to photogragh an actual example......back to a Saturday in my garage....the longrooffan pulls his ragtop into the garage and opens the hood......five cigarettes, three diet cokes, one Bud Light, and two and a half hours later the car starts right up on the first crank......it idles a little rough as I can't remember where the last vacuum hose belonged.....know what's great about a complete, unmolested parts car.......ran across the bridge to get a molded hose off the parts car and while there found out where the loose vacuum hose belonged.....back in my garage the errant hose was installed and the little ragtop fired right up and ran great.......the horsefarmer would have been surprised......ole JD actually helped on this project......no sitting in his beach chair and watching......actually got his hands dirty....it helped that all of my chairs were in Ocala watching softball and his chair was in the Falcon Van at his place....no where for him to sit.....beat the time too.....of course it was nothing like the radiator change on the old Volvo.....I think that one took about 40 minutes.......of course that was right after the 24 Hours of Daytona so we were still operating on 24 hour race time......
okay so now it's early afternoon and one project is scratched off the list........
line two....I finally got the longrooffan to do some work......when we (me, unless you ask my wife) installed hardwood flooring in our house a couple of years ago there was no compensation made for the dryer vent......so after replacing the heater element twice in the past two years I finally sat down and thought about why...well the vent size was reduced by half because the dryer was farther off the ground......due to clearance issues the dryer fits almost flush againest the wall so repair options without cutting the exterior of the house were limited......it's good to have an oleconstruction worker around every so often......ideas were exchanged, a trip to our local harware store was made, and repairs were initiated......twenty minutes later the damn thing works like a champ.....and best of all.....no painting needed......can't see the repairs because the dryer hides it.......thanks JD.......
okay, scratch another line off the list........
back to the fun stuff.......the 'new, old' jeep needs some brake work......I had previously installed the new master cylinder and gravity bled the brakes......now I needed a warm body to help pump the brake pedal so I could bleed the brakes manually to get a brake pedal.....got the old jeep moved and the new jeep fired up and backed into the garage.....all the tools are laid out so no fumbling around a box looking for a the correct wrench.....and the bleeding commensed.......twenty minutes later we are cleaned up and ready for a test drive.....asked the loogrooffan if he was up for a run around the block......only question he had was "is this it's virgin run"......YEP.....this is it for the new old jeep......three trips around the block was what it took......wanted to hook it up behind the old jeep and take it for a test trail run but we'll save that one for when the kid is with us.......got back and put everything away........
so far so good.....great day doing fun stuff......and everything works.......
okay, scratch another line off the list......
pulled the old jeep into the garage next and tried to hook up the speaker lights......too hard, too late in the day to be bending over and under a non moveable interior so we will leave that job for the kid......spent several minutes going thru numerous storage containers looking for the right stuff to modify a light bulb to fit into the speedometer......gotta have at least one so you can see how fast you are going at night.....once again the longrooffan comes thru......seems electrical wire loom fits perfectly......then pulled the exhaust system off, just two bolts and a strap.......fixed the exhaust leak.....you know one of the wonderful things about a garage full of stuff, you can find all kinds of problem solvers......a small self tapping screw fixed that pin hole in the exhaust system......
so far so good.....the list is finished......everything works and a great time spent with good company........now it's time to sit back and watch some racing and pay tribute to the guy that invented 12 ounce aluminuim cans so we could enjoy a few cold adult beverages.....
somebody needs to give that guy a medal........
thanks John for helping me enjoy a great day........

and that was my Saturday......

woke up this Sunday am for a run thru the woods back to Ocala....seems the kid's sister's team had one more game to play this weekend....if the win on Saturday, they play again on Sunday in these games.....on Sunday it is one and done so it looked like it might be a short day at the ballfield....arrive at the ballfields in Ocala and at a glance can tell we are in 'God's Country'.....the horsefarmer would have felt better at home here than I.....the other side of the center field fence is a cattle pasture complete with grazing cattle.....woods outside the left field fence and the parking lot was cut from a pine forest....well the kid's sister's team won their first game on a home run hit by the kid's sister in the top of the last inning....tie game and she starts off the inning with an inside the park homerun...
her hit woke up some bats and by the time the inning was over 6 more batters crossed homeplate.....when she came up again in the inning I think she was tired and just wanted the game over because she hit a blooper to first to end the inning...she started it so I guess she could end it....well one win on Sunday and you have a double header to play......didn't fair real well in the second game....played againest a team from Jacksonville that was very well coached and had a fantastic pitcher....this kid had a changeup that some of our players are still trying to hit as I am writing this....so we finished third.....at least a podium finish.....got back to the house late this afternoon.....cleaned the big white truck and the kid and I took another spin around the neighborhood in the new jeep.....gotta do some more work on the brakes as the pedal fell off completely....oh well, that's why we buy old cars.....gives us something to do on weekends......

CELEBRATE LIFE.........

Jeeps...Ragtops...Rainy Days...

Hope everyone remembered to turn their clocks back today.....great thing about this time of the year.....wake up in the morning to an extra hour in the day.....gee, what can we get done with an extra hour in a day.....I'd like to have this every day.....spent the extra hour today enjoying the company of the longrooffan.....started the day knocking down the honey-do list my bride has spent the past week developing.....un-like the horsefarmer, I did not have to put any hay up.... just had to organize the wood pile, straighten out the ladder pile...(seems like I have a boat load of ladders....not sure where they all came from....but damn, I can trim the tallest palm tree in the neighborhood with the ladders I store under the canoe).....organize the storage area where the trash cans belong....(like the ladders, I'm not sure where all that stuff came from either).....I know about the cast net, but where did the extra garden hose come from...????.....and were those sawhorses always there...???....the hemp rope I know about, but the other stuff seemed to be from somebody else's stuff.....but it's there now and organized too.....by now the list is finished and it's just barely past lunch.....this included spending time with the kid's sister working on her pitching at the ball park.....then the rains came.....looks like it's gonna be a lazy rainy day hanging around the garage.....my bride decided she was going shopping and the kid's sister was down the street playing with girlfriends, the kid was reading a book, and I've got free time and football on the television, cold beer in the fridge.....smokes in the cabinet.....an empty house.....just gotta turn off the phone and damn I'm set.....fired up the new old jeep and pulled it in out of the rain.....got the new master cylinder installed, the new old fuel tank set in place, bolted down and hooked up, the seats bolted into place, which is a serious challenge when you are alone.....and the battery dead because I forgot to turn off the key.....forgot one thing...turning off the phone.....but that worked out best because the longroof was scheduled to attend a high dollar car show south of here today and it was rained out.....he called and was immediately invited to join me.....day just got better by his company......one thing....the longroof is not really a football fan.....but the circle races started soon after his arrival so he was content......of course staying true to my nature as soon as John got here I had to put the new old jeep back into the rain so we could check out his new ragtop.....he did a great job trading up to this vehicle....and he did a fantastic job of parts transfer.....anyway since his new ragtop was in the garage I couldn't sit still so just for something to due we polished and waxed the old baby.....WOW.....amazing what a good coat of wax does to a paint job......of course the kid and John got bored and just had to head over to the beach to get a battery charger for the new old jeep......just like us....I made a comment about not having a battery charger and the ragtop says he has one and takes off to get it.....got one now I guess....
but the longroof hung out for a while longer and after declining a dinner invitation he headed back over the big bridge to his condo on the water......meanwhile I now know that winter has arrived because we have had our first chili dinner.....guess it is now time to dig out the long sleeve pants to wear to work.....nah, gonna hang onto the shorts for a little while longer......it's gotta get below 65 for a least three days in a row before the longsleeve pants become daily attire.
oh, forgot the kid and I went fishing last night.....can't think of anything more fun that hanging out with that kid fishing......usually he catches the fish and I feed them.....but last night we both spent the entire time releasing our catches.....he hooked a couple of big catfish and one wicked sting ray.....no real safe way to unhook a sting ray, but it sure makes for an exciting 5 minutes....
took pictures but the longroof forgot to bring the equiptment to download them.....try to have them for the next posting......football game is starting so it's time to close.......







thought I's post this picture of the kid deep sea fishing over the past summer.......just so you will know how hard we work when fishing......



















had to add at least one photo of our catch from Saturday night......this is a sting ray the kid caught in the intracoastal waterway.......scary thing about this fish is that it can really hurt you if you let it hit you with it's tail......this one was about 14 inches long .....big enough to make you VERY careful getting your hook back......


CELEBRATE LIFE.........

A Week Away From the Beach

As we all know, and the bus has recently experienced, sometimes the best things come to those who wait....we both spent many an hour following jeeps around the country only to find the right jeep at the right price, after we quit looking.....kind of like finding what you are looking for in the last place you look.....a while back the kid decided it was time to look for a new surfboard....
during this search for the best deal on the best board we scoured every pawn shop in town......I put the word out to everyone I knew......no results......gave up looking for a board.....then the longroof hooked us up with a sweet board down in New Smyrna Beach.......the kid got a great deal...

check earlier blog for details....but...par for course, earlier this week word comes to me about a decent board to be had cheap.....how cheap is the first thing I think of....the kid already has a board so I'm not pressing this too far.....the response is it's 6'6" Orien real cheap......how cheap....REAL CHEAP.....seems a guy I once did a favor for knew a guy...you get the drift here....anyway, the board shows up today and it is all it is led up to be......guess that favor was worth more to him than I thought....but man it is sweet board....6'6" three fin fish Orien board, with a lease.......just about perfect......but the kid already has a board......but perfect for the kid's

sister......okay, maybe a little to long, but hey, a long board is soo much easier to ride.....but as the price is right along with my favorite word......you know.....CHEAP....I snatch this baby right up..... got to the house while the kid's sister and the sun goddess were at softball practice...... so the kid and I were alone at the house.....how much trouble does that sound like.....but the kid was studying for a History Exam so I am alone to unload the board.....when the kid finally comes out to the garage and sees the new board I am amazed at what I got.....the kid was ecstatic to say the least.... I guess it a pretty good board because he wanted to hit the beach immediately to try it out....not so fast kid....this is for your sister......WHAT.....you got her a sweeet board Dad.....guess it was a good deal after all if the kid approves.....the kid says it would be cool to put the board in the kid's sister's room so she would be surprised when she gets home from practice.....so we tried to hide it over by her closet against the wall......

when she got home and headed to her room to get cleaned up after practice...of course I tagged along trying to hide behind the wall when she went into her room....you ever notice that when a guy enters his room he goes to get what he wants and then leaves...girls don't do that....they look around...kind of like taking an inventory....then they got get what they came for .....you can only guess where I am going here.....the expression on her face was priceless......when she saw the board leaning against the wall her face first contracted in a confused look...what is that...??? then the look of recognition...that is a surfboard..... then the look of realization that because it is in her room, then it must be her's......total surprise and joy......when she turned around and saw me standing there she literally jumped into me.....remember the last time your child jumped into your arms......WOW....she clung to me like we were in ten feet of water.......take your arms away and the kid is still hanging around your neck type of hug.....last time I experienced that was a few years back when the kid didn't understand why he got nothing for Christmas until he walked out into the garage and saw the go-cart.......jar dropping, total shock, total surprise, then sheer joy at the realization that this was their's....and no one else's......it was that type of hug.... I guess it was then that she realized that there would be no more arguing between her and the kid at the beach about who got what surfboard...... she had her own board now.....and a sweet one at that.....anyway....the kid's sister is now sleeping with the board and is totally 'cool'.......no longer does she have to compete with her brother over who has a surfboard in their room.....not sure if this will help her play better in this weekend's softball tournament.....but it sure made her get her homework done sooner.......

see you from the beach soon......


Celebrate Life........