Wordman
XS650 Addict
Hey guys and gals!
It's been a while, and life has been... well... in progress (to quote one of my favorite movies).
Over the last 12 months I have made many trips to Florida. My mom has Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a disease in the Parkinsonsism family. It's kinda like Parkinson's, but much more aggressive, much more debilitating, and with an accompanying shorter lifespan. Less than a year ago, mom could walk (with a walker or behind the grocery cart) for however long she needed to get from point A to point B. Today she can walk a few feet. Basically, it sucks.
My dad takes care of her, but she can be quite a handful, especially in the evening when she starts what they call "sundowning." When this starts she has a lot of cognitive issues, asking to go home, wanting to get up and do things she can no longer do, asking for things which haven't been in the house for ages, and becoming fairly agitated during it all.
Because of this, my sister now goes over to their house every couple days, and I go down to give her a bit of relief, or help out when she has to go out of town, etc. Her daughter and son-in-law will be attending the Marine Corps Ball (in California) and my sister will be going out to California to watch their child and visit a bit, so I'll be heading down to Florida.
To make a long story longer, all these trips have kept me pretty much out of the garage since last winter.
But I have been up to a few things.
Since it seems I'll be driving to and from Florida more often over the next few years, the Miata ain't cutting it. It's just too small, even for a solo trip. I'd made some money on crypto speculation, so I bought an '87 Mustang with T-tops. Once I get it fixed up, it will replace the Miata for my trips, as well as for Kristy and I to go on our "rides."
It's in pretty good shape and runs well. I did (of course) order approximately the national debt worth of parts to bring it up to my standards. These include a 5-lug upgrade with bigger rotors, a rear disc conversion, struts, shocks, springs, and a whole host of other stuff.
Recently, and at the suggestion of my wife, I took up trying to learn to play the guitar again. I've only been at it about a week, but I'm really enjoying it.
Kristy turned 50 this year, and I managed to get her folks to come out as a surprise. They spent a week (though it was well past her actual birthday), and we had a great time. Her big birthday "present" is tomorrow, though. Her appointment is at 0900, and she starts the prep this afternoon.
Over the past year I've started to get into the idea of working on my own watches. I bought a few tools and have been watching a lot of videos, etc. For a start, I decided to build a watch. Basically, you do your research and assemble a bunch of parts. A bit like a crate engine, the movement comes assembled and all you have to do is attach the dial and hands and put it into a case. Naturally, I didn't choose a dial that fit the movement, so had to use "dial dots," double faced adhesive dots, to attach the dial to the movement. I think it turned out pretty well for a first try...
I have a yard full of wood to be split and stacked, and I hope to soon start work on remodeling the house. Hope. <sigh>
Didn't get one ride on two wheels in over the summer. I did get the garage cleaned up after some work I had to do on Kristy's car, but that's about the extent of it all. Maybe next year.
Oh, I almost forgot. Five months ago, my lawn guy told me there was a nest of kittens in my carport. Sure enough, there were four little black and white kittens, probably born the same day or the day before. Momma cat came back (at least I think it was momma cat) and got two of them (though, maybe she had already moved one or more before I saw them). She didn't come back for the last two. Being the sappy sucker I am, I went to the store and picked up some bottles and kitten formula. To our surprise, we nursed them both successfully through to weening. Thing is, after working so hard to keep these little things alive, giving them away... well... and especially after Kristy named them...
So we have two more cats. We don't need two more cats, but...
Meet the Squeakies, Charbon and Minuit (French for charcoal and midnight).
And recently...
As Porky Pig used to say, "That's all folks!" At least, for the moment. Hope all is well with you and yours!
It's been a while, and life has been... well... in progress (to quote one of my favorite movies).
Over the last 12 months I have made many trips to Florida. My mom has Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a disease in the Parkinsonsism family. It's kinda like Parkinson's, but much more aggressive, much more debilitating, and with an accompanying shorter lifespan. Less than a year ago, mom could walk (with a walker or behind the grocery cart) for however long she needed to get from point A to point B. Today she can walk a few feet. Basically, it sucks.
My dad takes care of her, but she can be quite a handful, especially in the evening when she starts what they call "sundowning." When this starts she has a lot of cognitive issues, asking to go home, wanting to get up and do things she can no longer do, asking for things which haven't been in the house for ages, and becoming fairly agitated during it all.
Because of this, my sister now goes over to their house every couple days, and I go down to give her a bit of relief, or help out when she has to go out of town, etc. Her daughter and son-in-law will be attending the Marine Corps Ball (in California) and my sister will be going out to California to watch their child and visit a bit, so I'll be heading down to Florida.
To make a long story longer, all these trips have kept me pretty much out of the garage since last winter.
But I have been up to a few things.
Since it seems I'll be driving to and from Florida more often over the next few years, the Miata ain't cutting it. It's just too small, even for a solo trip. I'd made some money on crypto speculation, so I bought an '87 Mustang with T-tops. Once I get it fixed up, it will replace the Miata for my trips, as well as for Kristy and I to go on our "rides."
It's in pretty good shape and runs well. I did (of course) order approximately the national debt worth of parts to bring it up to my standards. These include a 5-lug upgrade with bigger rotors, a rear disc conversion, struts, shocks, springs, and a whole host of other stuff.
Recently, and at the suggestion of my wife, I took up trying to learn to play the guitar again. I've only been at it about a week, but I'm really enjoying it.
Kristy turned 50 this year, and I managed to get her folks to come out as a surprise. They spent a week (though it was well past her actual birthday), and we had a great time. Her big birthday "present" is tomorrow, though. Her appointment is at 0900, and she starts the prep this afternoon.
Over the past year I've started to get into the idea of working on my own watches. I bought a few tools and have been watching a lot of videos, etc. For a start, I decided to build a watch. Basically, you do your research and assemble a bunch of parts. A bit like a crate engine, the movement comes assembled and all you have to do is attach the dial and hands and put it into a case. Naturally, I didn't choose a dial that fit the movement, so had to use "dial dots," double faced adhesive dots, to attach the dial to the movement. I think it turned out pretty well for a first try...
I have a yard full of wood to be split and stacked, and I hope to soon start work on remodeling the house. Hope. <sigh>
Didn't get one ride on two wheels in over the summer. I did get the garage cleaned up after some work I had to do on Kristy's car, but that's about the extent of it all. Maybe next year.
Oh, I almost forgot. Five months ago, my lawn guy told me there was a nest of kittens in my carport. Sure enough, there were four little black and white kittens, probably born the same day or the day before. Momma cat came back (at least I think it was momma cat) and got two of them (though, maybe she had already moved one or more before I saw them). She didn't come back for the last two. Being the sappy sucker I am, I went to the store and picked up some bottles and kitten formula. To our surprise, we nursed them both successfully through to weening. Thing is, after working so hard to keep these little things alive, giving them away... well... and especially after Kristy named them...
So we have two more cats. We don't need two more cats, but...
Meet the Squeakies, Charbon and Minuit (French for charcoal and midnight).
And recently...
As Porky Pig used to say, "That's all folks!" At least, for the moment. Hope all is well with you and yours!
