13 Months

See that alternator there. I put it in there about thirteen months ago.
Do you care to guess how long the warranty on that alternator was?




Bastards.

Another Roadside Attraction

So, I just made my way through a re-read of Tom Robbins "Another Roadside Attraction"

I gotta say that it has been a while since I have read anything by Robbins, but it was good to wade into the less/more than solid worlds which he creates. His writing of the weather in the Northwest is spot on. Cool characters fill out the story which includes a lovely baboon, various atypical carny-types and the recently discovered body of Jesus (not a Mexican guy).

Anyway, you should read it, if you want to. I am sure this review is much worse than the book itself...

Oh, c'mon...Iran?

I think we can all fairly well agree that the country is waste deep in some uncomfortable shit. I will spare us from using the word "quagmire" because the conservatives in the crowd hate that - ties to bad memories make for bad press and all. What in the hell is our executive branch doing.

All of the recent escalated posturing regarding Iran and their "special designated terrorist" guard seems like greater nut-ball thinking than anything the White House has delivered in their tenure. They have floated the concept of airstrikes through the press, what since the UN has not been quick enough on more sanctions.

Beyond the fact that we are already fighting on two fronts and all, what of the global economic effects of these saber rattles?

Oh, top generals have snuck conversations of the need to crank up the draft again.
The stock market is flopping around like a fish on the dock.


I need to watch "Mad Max" again. Lots of decent reference material in that movie...

The Draw of the Dairy...

It is that time of year, when decent, good-hearted natives of the great state of Ohio begin to hear the internal call of the ButterCow.

Moooah, moooahh!

She calls out to our internal butter-fat gauges, beckoning us to eat iced cream, and chase it down with a milk shake.
Ohh, ButterCow, how you tempt us...

You see, the ButterCow (like Santa) is only around during a very specific time of year - during the Ohio State Fair.

There is some debate about whose state fair is the largest/greatest, amongst the states that might debate that kind of thing - but I digress. I am sure that the great ButterCow would not be hanging around any but the best of state fairs. I mean, really, the frickin' ButterCow!


Anyway, the ButterCow graces the Ohio heartland with an appearence only during the Ohio State Fair. She is the golden glow of her own sunshine, bathing all in her presence with a rich, creamy goodness - in the hall of the Dairy Building at the fair. Loyal followers of the great ButterCow pay homage to her grace by partaking in various dairy based delicacies, and admiring the fittest specimens of her bovine relatives.

Mother, some day, we shall gaze upon the great ButterCow together, again. We shall eat the iced cream. It will be glorious.

This is what KVC looks like, texting, at a pub.

made some shiny things...

shiny stuff showing up...

that is the gauge cluster I had stashed away, an Old's I think, in a chunk of alloy I cut and swirled up

I have not really messed with aluminum before this little project, but now that there is some here there will be some brackets and such fabbed from it...

Proof of Life

Evidence that I am still alive...
...in spite of my lack of communications.

The celebration of my birth has been completed.
I feel older.
All of the gifts and cards were received, appreciated, enjoyed.
I worked a bunch last week.
Not for busy-ness but for stupidity.
You might imagine the joy I did derive from that.
Midterms have been completed, fairly well.

Spare time has been spent noodling on the car.
A proposed visit by HRB to fire the engine...
...has me trying to get to the point,
the point where one could actually fire the engine.
I have come to realize that there is a whole big list,
of things that need to happen,
for that to happen.

So, I am keeping myself busy.