Yesterday I stopped in to see cuz MEH of the HimesGang up near DC. I got there about 7PM last evening and ultimately spent then night at her house as she was kind enough to offer. I had business calls in the area yesterday and one today, then on to home.
We had a great time. She bought dinner that was grilled by me, something about a guy and fire seems to go together, right? We sat and chatted about many things in both our lives since our last visit. We caught up on the family gossip about members on both sides, told many stories about silly things that happen to each of us at work and in general enjoyed the company.
Then Sh and Au come over from their dad's house next door and now we had new people to join in our conversation. It seems as if Au had his sugar/caffeine fix for the night as he was in pretty good form, wound up telling funny stories and being a energetic 15YO. Sh and I also had some good conversation and she seems to be maturing nicely as a young lady. She has a ready smile that is warm, with a great conversation style.
MEH, you have two wonderful kids, and thanks for the very enjoyable company last evening
Friday, June 27, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Anybody good at sewing???
Curved parts?
C and her GS Gold Award has decided to make teddy bears for the Victory Junction Gang camp in Level Cross, NC. They give the kids attending a teddy bear so the kids can leave theirs at home so not to get dirty.
Anyway, C has committed to coordinate the making 40 of these things. So far, there have been 28 cut out and 3 sewn together. We had a group get together today for about 5 hours and cut out about 18 of the bears. K and a neighbor sewed the bears together, while 6 other people pinned and cut the fabric pieces.
If you are up to the task, we can send you some bears to sew together.
C and her GS Gold Award has decided to make teddy bears for the Victory Junction Gang camp in Level Cross, NC. They give the kids attending a teddy bear so the kids can leave theirs at home so not to get dirty.
Anyway, C has committed to coordinate the making 40 of these things. So far, there have been 28 cut out and 3 sewn together. We had a group get together today for about 5 hours and cut out about 18 of the bears. K and a neighbor sewed the bears together, while 6 other people pinned and cut the fabric pieces.
If you are up to the task, we can send you some bears to sew together.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
How I spent father's day weekend
Yesterday, I had planed to change the timing belt, water pump and thermostat on C's car to make sure that I know when it was last done. After going to but the parts, I started about 11AM. Had the whole car apart in a little over an hour. Installing the parts and re-assembly took about 2 and a half hours.
However, in the middle of this I get a call from A that her call stalled on the interstate about 3 miles from home. She is in tears as she could reach nobody because I had left my phone on C's front seat while I worked on her car, C and K's phones were on vibrate mode in their purses and not within hearing distance for vibrate. It took A 4 calls to me for me to hear the phone ring. She did not try to call home, why?????
After calming her down and asking what happened, I asked her to try to restart her car. It ran with a Check Engine Light (CEL) but nothing worse. I asked if the car was running ok, with a positive affirmation, she was told to drive the car home. (take note of the interruption, needed later in this missive).
She arrived home and I used my scanner to determine the problems. The diagnostic codes for the CEL indicated that a sensor was going bad. This sensor was not inexpensive, but not bad, so I sent K off to the auto parts store to get the part.
So while K was off to get the part, I finished the job started on C's car. After that was completed, I turned my attention to A's car. I looked at the part and tried to find in my manual where the part was and how to replace it. I used the Internet to try to locate the part and a DIY on how to replace it. I took the part to the car and tried to imagine where the part fit to figure out how to replace it.
Well I selected the wrong part for K to buy. So after much searching and digging, the right part was determined, so after church, K and I went to exchange the old part and get the right part. Well, NAPA took the old part back without problems, but did not have the desired part, so we had to go to Winston-Salem, about a 20 minute drive to pick-up the part.
We get home about noon and begin have lunch. C says that her car made a horrible racket just as she was turning onto our street and as she was turning into our drive, the temperature gauge had started to rise. Remember the interruption mentioned earlier. Well that interruption came just as I was tightening the bolts on the water pump drive pulley. I had neglected to tighten them enough, so her car shed a couple of bolts and the water pump drive belt. A quick trip to Ace Hardware for a couple of new bolts, then 20 minutes after arriving home, C was back in business.
We had the right part for A's car now. After trying for 3 hours to get the old part off the way that folks on the Internet said, I finally resorted to plan W, having exhausted all of plans A-V.
This called for me to remove a motor mount on the car. It took about 40 min to remove the motor mount, supporting the engine with a jack stand and 1x4 under the oil pan. Once the motor mount was removed, it took about 20 min to replace the sensor and about 90 minutes to put things back together. At no point when the motor mount was removed was I under the engine. The work was done from the top during that period. The car was on ramps.
All this finished about 7:45 tonight with a successful test drive. After putting my tools away, a not so quick shower, K and I were off to the grocery store for a couple of items.
Both cars are now running with preventive maintenance done. Hope your Father's Day was a good one too.
However, in the middle of this I get a call from A that her call stalled on the interstate about 3 miles from home. She is in tears as she could reach nobody because I had left my phone on C's front seat while I worked on her car, C and K's phones were on vibrate mode in their purses and not within hearing distance for vibrate. It took A 4 calls to me for me to hear the phone ring. She did not try to call home, why?????
After calming her down and asking what happened, I asked her to try to restart her car. It ran with a Check Engine Light (CEL) but nothing worse. I asked if the car was running ok, with a positive affirmation, she was told to drive the car home. (take note of the interruption, needed later in this missive).
She arrived home and I used my scanner to determine the problems. The diagnostic codes for the CEL indicated that a sensor was going bad. This sensor was not inexpensive, but not bad, so I sent K off to the auto parts store to get the part.
So while K was off to get the part, I finished the job started on C's car. After that was completed, I turned my attention to A's car. I looked at the part and tried to find in my manual where the part was and how to replace it. I used the Internet to try to locate the part and a DIY on how to replace it. I took the part to the car and tried to imagine where the part fit to figure out how to replace it.
Well I selected the wrong part for K to buy. So after much searching and digging, the right part was determined, so after church, K and I went to exchange the old part and get the right part. Well, NAPA took the old part back without problems, but did not have the desired part, so we had to go to Winston-Salem, about a 20 minute drive to pick-up the part.
We get home about noon and begin have lunch. C says that her car made a horrible racket just as she was turning onto our street and as she was turning into our drive, the temperature gauge had started to rise. Remember the interruption mentioned earlier. Well that interruption came just as I was tightening the bolts on the water pump drive pulley. I had neglected to tighten them enough, so her car shed a couple of bolts and the water pump drive belt. A quick trip to Ace Hardware for a couple of new bolts, then 20 minutes after arriving home, C was back in business.
We had the right part for A's car now. After trying for 3 hours to get the old part off the way that folks on the Internet said, I finally resorted to plan W, having exhausted all of plans A-V.
This called for me to remove a motor mount on the car. It took about 40 min to remove the motor mount, supporting the engine with a jack stand and 1x4 under the oil pan. Once the motor mount was removed, it took about 20 min to replace the sensor and about 90 minutes to put things back together. At no point when the motor mount was removed was I under the engine. The work was done from the top during that period. The car was on ramps.
All this finished about 7:45 tonight with a successful test drive. After putting my tools away, a not so quick shower, K and I were off to the grocery store for a couple of items.
Both cars are now running with preventive maintenance done. Hope your Father's Day was a good one too.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Fathers Day
Dad, thanks. You have shown me how to be a good husband to K, and father to A and C. In the way you treated Mom and the way you now treat D. There is firmness enough take charge to get things done when needed, but enough softness to let me make the mistakes I needed to make to become a better person. The older I get, the more I sound like you. That is both scary and comforting because this road is pretty well traveled, and the example is a good one.
I remember all those nights, you standing in cold, snow or rain on game nights, offering your advice to us when we skating or playing ball. Delivering newspapers at very below zero, you were right there.
Having the 5 of us with our differing personalities, you and mom had your hands full. But for the most part, we came out just fine. No major issues among any of your kids. You call it luck, but really good examples do not hurt either.
Love ya and see you soon.
I remember all those nights, you standing in cold, snow or rain on game nights, offering your advice to us when we skating or playing ball. Delivering newspapers at very below zero, you were right there.
Having the 5 of us with our differing personalities, you and mom had your hands full. But for the most part, we came out just fine. No major issues among any of your kids. You call it luck, but really good examples do not hurt either.
Love ya and see you soon.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Dominoes
I saw this on Youtube and thought it was pretty cool. It is an advertisement for a beer, but there are no professional actors in this commercial.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Life is
semi back to normal right now with both A and C home for the summer. C got home yesterday and slept from about 4PM Saturday until 11AM today. She spent the last day at school celebrating graduations with her senior friends and spending special time with her rising senior friends that she will not see until September.
C was sad at leaving school, something she was not when leaving her previous HS for the summer. We have seen C grow and mature significantly over the last 9 months and are very proud of what she is doing.
Picture of the final day at school will be posted later.
C was sad at leaving school, something she was not when leaving her previous HS for the summer. We have seen C grow and mature significantly over the last 9 months and are very proud of what she is doing.
Picture of the final day at school will be posted later.
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