Diaster Strikes Gatorland!!!!

Hi Jimmy!

Oh NO!Fire has struck the main building at Gatorland and destroyed it! The Gift Shop is ruined, but the great gator Jaws we have always walked through to get into the park have survived.....

They're gaping and burnt, with nothing left behind them...but look more sinister than ever I remember them.

Management has promised to not close the place down. Its always on the list to visit when in town, and for sure its a must see this year- every dime will count on getting them back up to speed!

School!

HI JIMMY!!!,

It RUNS!

The A 65 I have been working on was on the test stand, in the test cell toda...AND IT RAN REALLY GOOD!

I think all the little extra things I did for this tired old warrior helped for sure....

Details when there is time (meaning I have two more finals and two more tests this week alone...and all the homework is due...)

Apollo Is Getting On My Nerves..

Hi Jimmy,

Got to admit, Apollo is pissing me off. Now there is a charging problem and I can't drive him. I replaced the alt and fixed some mangled wiring to no avail. I have zero time to trouleshoot this....so its off to the local shop to hopefully get it all fixed. I am regretting not having Evie anymore...she NEVER failed me in times of need. (You see, I have to have a way to move equipment for classes...and the Miata ain't designed for that sort of thing...).

Word has it YOU have added shows out here, and hopefully a friend will be able to get tickets...as I'll be stuck in class at the time.

Bad Night For Little Dog...

Hi Jimmy,

I think there must be something in the air. The planet is falling off it's bearings or something. I ain't the only one who feels it either. Maybe that Mayan calander thing about not starting the Iraq diaster...er...war..., meant something after all.

Last night, about 10:00 p.m., my girls little dog, Peewee, walked into the room, took a few sips from his water dish and wandered away from it. He bagan gasping and choking, and then just flat fell over choking. My girl screamed out as she dove for him....

he was choking on his tongue along with whatever else was going on, and she tried to clear it. She got bit pretty badly as he struggled. I took his mouth and got his tongue out of the way while she pushed his chest to make sure he was beathing. At first he wasn't...then he barely began too again. When we were sure he was breathing on his own, we bundled him into the truck to race to the vet's office.

99% of the people got out of the way of a speeding truck that was flashing his lights to warn them...EXCEPT for ONE preppy ASSHOLE who cut in front of me, cutting me off and making me jam the brakes to not rear end him. I flashed the lights and warning flashers and he slowed down! He was making SURE I couldn't get past him.

OK...so what, I was born and raised redneck so I can outdrive damn near any little prick I see around here. I took it to the shoulder and went to pass him amd he speed up again! (Had we been in MY truck instead of hers...I certainly would have just tagged his front bumper and psun his sorry ass.No remorse, no regrets!). I finally got past him.

A mile down the road another truck pulled in front, but moved when I falshed the lights..I flashed a thank you back as we blazed by. You see, some people DO understand and emergency is going on!

Anyway, after almost two hours at the vet's (while another fellow's aged dog didn't make it...so sad...!), we saw the x-rays and talked with the doctor. Seems he must have chocked on something, but the shape of his body keeps his lungs from filling up all the way. You could see it in the xrays. The last week or so he had been a bouncing ball of energy, which is amazing for a 14 year old dog. I think he overdid things and that was part of the issue.

Today he looks like he lost a bar fight, he is vague, doesn't want to eat or drink- and is jumping up to pace the apartment every few minutes. Only in the last hour or so has he calmed down a little. He certainly had a rough night.....a Bad Night For A Little Dog.

Goodbye to Maynard Ferguson

Bummer. Maynard Ferguson has died. He wasn't that old (well, compared to fencers I guess...) but he caught some sort of digestive infection and it killed him.


Maynard was THE MAN of Trumpet, thats all there is to it. Oh, you have your Trumpet snobs like Wynton M and Mile D...but Maynard played with pure joy for every note. While the others run around buried in hype and pretention....Maynard just never stopped that roaring attack on the upper stratosphere of the instruments register.I saw him live- and it was just pure he way he played.

I was/ am crazy about the way he sounds. He gave it all back to the future generations too, spending the last 10 or so years playing high schools to bring the music to those kids. He would even practice with a high school group and perform with them. I would have died for the chance to do that. I saw on his website a few years ago that he actually played my little, out of the way school a while back. I was happy to know he had graced the place with his blanket of excitment.

Its just a sad day to know he is gone. I don't think anyone will ever surpass him, in that while they may play- they don't have that underlaying explosion of excitment to every single note. Oh to live life as he played....

Goodbye Maynard- you are missed!

How I Spent My Saturday.

Hi Jimmy,

Well, there was a flyin of the Short Wing Piper Cub Club at Flabob Airport, so ff we went to hang out and smooze. My Girl Ajay was a trooper, hiking around with a painfully injured knee. She cheered up some after getting food and meeting up with Marv (her cuz and a good friend...)Here are some photos:


OK...well...maybe not. I tried to upload photos a number of times to no avail. Maybe Blogger is having a bad day. Will try again later...stay tuned!

WOW!!!

HI JIMMY!,

Well, I got started in tearing down my very own A65 engine. just like the little jewels I have seen in Piper J-3 Cubs ever since before I was borned. Its so way cool!

I have learned a lot this week so far. Airplanes seem to be a great deal less complicated than autos. They are sturdy and basic....because...as the teachers say "If a car breaks down you pull over, if an airplane breaks down you fall out of the sky....."

This trusty little engine makes like 65 HP. The first manual I got my hands on was printed in March, 1944. What a gas. I also found out some of these engines have probably been in the program some 60 years....WOW! What greats in the world of flying might have gone before me here? I am going to a place with a legacy...it so rocks.

I know one thing, Art Scholl ran the program for some 18 years until the world lost him. There are a number of his personal crew still involved in and running the program...so you get the picture of the caliber of folks involved.

In addition, they are working hard with the charter school I know of that is focused on aviation. A number of their first grads are in my class, and some current high schoolers busting their butts to do as many credits as they can.

I love the detail and note-taking required by the FAA to repair engines. Its the sort of detail that got me fired or screwed under in my last two jobs. Yeah- this is going to be a great fit. I worry not about actually getting work at the end of it. I have a current desire to restore and stay around general aviation. Maybe the money ain't as good...but the rewards are higher. Then again, I am old with lots of other job refs to back up a new skill. Right now I just want a steady income and to start adding all maner of letters after my name like "A & P" and so on....

Hey Jimmy, if ya have a closet full of old airplane stuff nobody needs I know a great little program that would probably love to have them donated...!

School.....

Hi Jimmy,

Well, I am very busy. School has started and its very, very tiring. I have two classes with two labs attached to them. This means:

One class covers aeronatics in general and working in a shop.
Another covers working on recriprocating engines and working on them.

I have been assigned to two lab partners. One of which was actually working under he teacher over the summer...and one who doesn't seem to know anything at all about ....anything. It may be a language issue as he barely speaks, shrugs a lot and seems to want to get by on what we others do....

Oh well, Continental engines...here I come!

In a Grumpy Mood

Hi Jimmy,

That's right, I am Grumpy. Just spoke to my lawyer about suing to cover my medical bills from my wreck and its not a very good outlook at all. Of course I will recover damages from a 20 year old mexican woman with no job or insurance! All this pain and losing the Truck for naught!

So I decided to whine about things I don't like, and mention one thing I DO like.

Football: What a complete and utter waste of time. Its more than clear that every game from college (and maybe high school at this point) on up is fixed in advance. No, the players may not all know it. But it's just to obvious when the favorite makes some incredibly stupid mistakes at just the wrong time to end up losing. In Vegas once I overheard guys talking about an upcoming game and how and why it would turn out a certain way. The fumbles and mistakes were just as they explained and it was a huge upset. Tell me its not just all about the money so I can laugh...

Baseball: Pretty much the same reasons as football, but at least they don't walk around thinking they are some sort of warrior and tougher than everyone else. Perhaps they heard that pro footballers have been found to die by the time they are 50 on average? Then again, how god-awful slow and boring can something be?

Sidenote: Getting the idea I hate team sports? yep. I was sick of them and they attitude by the time I got out of high school. I see no merit in this sort of disguised entertainment at all.

Basketball: If there ever was a stupid concept thas a waste of time, it's basketball. Originally designed as a set of warm up drills for an individual sport, a sparse set of rules was applied to them, and becuase of the simplicity it became overly popular. The skills required for this are a trifle when compared to folks who work real jobs every day. While the players certainly desrve huge salaries for BEING the attraction, its a 1 ring circus of misfits for the most part. Recently heard that over half of the NBA has been convicted of felony level offenses. Those are certainly the role models that should be shoved down people's throats.

Rap "Music": Gee, when I was a learnin' about music, the elements that define rap "music" would be called a "Percussion Ensemble". Without melody, harmony, theme and counterpoint and all those other things--it's not actually MUSIC! And just why is it rap stars all have to show off gold teeth? Gold is the single cheapest replacement tooth you an get! It's like saying "I am letting my manager screw me so bad that I can only afford the worst!". Then again, the music industry is overcontroled and little good music ever reaches the masses. MySpace and websites are at least leading the way for bands and music of all ilks to make a comeback. Now where's my Alasdair Fraser disc at again.....?

Movies: 90% of them are so predictable they are worthless. Would somebody PLEASE destroy the script-writing software in Hollywood and make writers THINK FOR THEMSELVES AGAIN?!?!?!?!

Cats: Worthless animals all. Don't get me started.

SUV's: Take it off the damn road or sell it.

Illegal Aliens: I understand the desire for a better life, but don't take t from me. I have no options of moving to YOUR country or getting work myself if you illegaly take mine. Then again, I also may have a problem because I highly suspect that if and when I sue for my medical expenses I will find the other driver just HAD to go back to Mexico to avoid me....leaving me holding the bill. Legal aliens...rock on and good luck! You guys rock for doing it the right way.

Smog: Why can't it actually be a Small Hog like the Beverly Hillbillies thought....?

Smoking: OK people, just how could ANYONE think its a good idea at this time? Do you send your kids to play in traffic too? At least I feel jusified to hack up a lung in your face when your nasty habit gets me coughing. Remember, it's my RIGHT to hack up in your face.

Something else entirely: I'll think of something.

OK, enough of tha. Something I like. American has found a way to outflank the future onslaught of too many Chinese. Make 'em all fat too:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060808/ap_on_bi_ge/hong_kong_krispy_kreme

Gotta love them doughnuts!

It's an Open House...and you are Invited!!!!

Hi Jimmy,

That's right- we are having a small Open House for all those interested in Fencing or Art this Saturday at noon. It's at Tournament House on Brockton in Riverside....and we'll have a nifty work of Art created by Jocelyn Schneider Foye with the help of three of our fencers.

As for the fencing part, we'll have gear laid out to check out and folks who can answer questions and sign up newbies!

Come on...THAT just HAS to make you want to cancel a night of your tour and drop in on us doesn't it?

Hope you can make it....if you need details, there are at www.redlandsfc.com

Why I am so way cool today....

Hi Jimmy,

Wow...what a busy day. After waiting a WEEK extra for local stores to get off their butts and stock their shelves, I am proud owner of this (so far...). Yes, it's all for real...Hot Wheels has reissued Sizzlers! That's the cars with an electric motor in them. The package is EXACTLY like the 70's save current adds that the government required. The cars are being made with the same tooling and everything! How do I know? I spoke directly with the head of marketing for Hot Wheels at Comic-con.....she was way cool too!

If you don't have your Sizzlers cars and track yet you just are so far behind the times......Sizzlers RULE! (and are a hell of a lot cheaper than doing ANYTHING else to one of my actual cars to boot....).

Apollo Backstory Photos

Hi Jimmy,

Here's a photo of Apollo just after getting to home base a while back. From a distance all looks well...but start looking at detail and you'll see about half of the 21 stickers that were on the outside alone!

It took half a day to get them all off. It was quite a pile in the end... including the weird, skull embossed seat covers that smelled somewhere between a nasty wet dog and a white trash blonde bimbo. It took changing the whole interior to get rid of that nasty smell....

One HAS to admit that the aftermarket snake stuck on with tape below the F-250 logo really adds something to the dignity and charm of this truck. I later found the F-250 logo had been broken off and was also attached only with bad two-sided tape....they've been removed and I've lost at least 20 hours sleep trying to get the welded up holes right enough to paint and look good.

Oh...and one phot is just to show sad 'ole Cracker Skylab before I started stripping him down for parts. He's sitting in the background looking good. Since he didn't get much of a life he at least deserves SOME record that he was here.

Let's Rock and ROLL (out)...

Hi Jimmy!!,

Atlantis is on the pad and ready for a return engagement with SPACE as we speak...er...write...
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Crawling Back To Normal

Hi Jimmy,

Well, this blog sure isn't nearly as fun or as current as I had planned when I started. Perhaps it will improve as I crawl back to something of a normal life.

In truck news, Cracker Skylab is no more. He was towed away ( the bare bones of what was left actually...) yesterday and by now has probably run through the crusher. What an annoyingly stupid end to such a great truck.

Apollo is just rather annoying. It doesn't get anywhere near the milage the guy claimed when I bought it. In city driving is so bad its not worth driving at all. This truck is now only to be driven when something needs to be moved, or I need to go someplace Miatas don't work. I still have to finish off some bodywork, and will likely spray a color coat in my driveway to bring it back to stock. To top all, I have now recieved a 2000 dollar doctor bill since the person who hit me doesn't have insurance. I doubt I will ever put the paint job I planned on it the way things are going.

That would be slower than slow.

Its the worst slump in new students in YEARS topped with any number of existing ones vanishing. A number vanished at the end of last school year citing school work, yet never returned for the summer when there is none.


Wow...a month ago I had 5 cars, now I have 3. I actually may be forced to sell my Jeep to survive at this rate...

Too Much Work!

Hi Jimmy,

Well, Mr Murphey seems to have been waiting in the shadows on this whole truck deal. I took a summer class to have skilled instructors guide me at touching up the body repairs needed on Apollo...only to find diasters under the repainted flanks of said truck.

I took no photos of the work as I now realize...but had decided to repaint the whole beast. that is until I ran out of time in class today. Yep, class is over, truck is primered (at least its white to match...) and no more can be done for a year until I clear the next set of schooling I do.

I need to get some updates and photos here but ain't managed it yet. I am not lazy, I am buried!

In OTHER News...

Hi Jimmy,

My Girl, Ajay, as she's known to her friends....is a fencer. As of late she and my buddy Eric were asked to take part in an Art Exhibit. It was way cool, and here is a link to explain it all..

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1177693.php

Proof positive that she exists...!

It's That July Fourth Deal...

Hi Jimmy,

Its been quite a week pounding away on Apollo. I have finally, only moments ago, managed to put the interior from Cracker into Apollo. Its taken days to get it all to fit right. Apollo seems to have had every possible screw/ nut/ bolt stripped or replaced with the wrong one over time....


I found that somebody in the past had put fancy tar/ foil insulation in Apollo, so it saved me that effort. However, the factory roof insulation was sadly lacking. In fact, when I pulled down the headliner I found the insulation had been reversed and stuck to the liner instead of the roof! I pulled it off, and between what I had from Cracker and itself I now have the entire roof, front to back, insulated like it MEANS it.

I need to find three larger self tapping screws to make the center console solid as it should be and all is done. It sure rides better with good seats in it too. Gas prices be damned...Apollo is rolling...! I'll add photos to der blogenstein later.

Congrats to NASA for getting Shuttle in the sky once again!

Randolph

Mr. Murphy's Memorial WEEK...

Hi Jimmy,

GEEZ! Could the week start out weirder? I decided to leave the interior of Apollo in peices so I could get the CD Player installed and the speakers re-wired. Now I COULD do this myself, but for 100 bucks I take it to a shop that has all the tools, the parts and supplies and its done in 30 minutes. Good deal!

THEN, the truck had an over-heating fit on the way home. I'm seeing Murphy over in the corner by now. I got a radiator and installed it, and it all runs cool as ice now (and the A/C is a LOT colder too...). While I was under the hood I pulled th cap and rotor..and low and behold its one of those crappy Ford ones with the aluminum posts in it. It was corroded all to hell, so in went the nice brass contact one I had picked up a few weeks ago. The truck purrs now, and doesn't feel nearly as bad in traffic.

One would think all was working out by now...BUT...during class I started on the right rear quater panel, taking out the dimpes and minor ripples. I noticed a bubbled part of the paint...and found bondo under it. The more I sanded, the more I found...until I had the paint off the entire rear portion! The bondo was over .5 inch thick in most places! What a butcher job! Seems I found proof today the entire truck has been painted before...and also had very bad bodywork done on it. I WILL set things right....

Cracker Skylab: RIP

Hi Jimmy,

Back In Feb we took Cracker Skylab to Vegas for a big fencing competition. He appointed himself well with great milage and never missing a beat. Comfortable to boot.In the parking lot of one of the megaplaces we took a quick photo...which turned out to be the only good one I got of him before his wreck. (BASTARDS!!!). It's pretty easy to see how good a shape the truck was in...

Evie's been Adopted!

Hi Jimmy,

Back in 1994 I got Evie, a brand new little Ford Escort. She is Calypso Green...which is a color that looks like it changes under differing lights. I took care of her and drove her a total of 261,000 miles. She had one issue during that whole time- and still runs like a charm....but...there isn't enough room for a wrecked truck, a truck that needs TLC, a Miata and a Jeep...(sigh...). She little Evie was offered for adoption.

My buddy Lou bought her for his son. Sam is quite cool, was once a fencing student but the call of the silver screen lured him away. NOW, however, he is getting into music and needs a car. LAST thing a musician needs is any sort of hot rod or custom car...too much damn time goes into keeping them running, and that don't even touch the money ity takes. I SWEAR 90% of the reason I never got anywhere with my own musical dreams was it was pissed away under a shadetree trying to fix the junker to make it back to work to get enough to fix the junker....I hope Evie is Sam's first step to making it....serve 'em both right! (I did tell Lou I'd probably buy her back if they want to get rid of her in a year or so when Sam is too cool for her...).


So it's been way to long since I updated here. I got Apollo running ok, and have Cracker 95% taken apart. I have to get the windows out and take off the doors and I am done. Hopefully this week.

I have taken a class at the local school for paint and body...might get to paint Apollo, but will fix all the minor crap for sure.

Oh well, The Girl is making floats now...gotta go! All this to turn 45 in a few hours.

Someday I AM!