Overabundance of unloved dogs...

I was reviewing my blog to see what I could do to get more folks looking at what I'm writing about and I actually realized that one of the items I said I was going to ramble about was dogs. I have been remiss in writing about some of the best friends I've ever had. Four legged friends that is.

I was blessed that my parents had dogs in our house from a very early age. From these animals I learned compassion and responsibility among many other things. They were companions that helped fill my days.

These four legged friends are a gift and it seems that not everyone takes the commitment as seriously as they should. I try to help as much as I can by donating to rescues so that some of these pups can get a second chance. They are spayed or neutered and then adopted out.

I say all of this to let you know that my heart really goes out to these pups. I wish there was more regulation on these puppy mills. I wish all of the irresponsible pet owners would immediately spay and neuter their animals since its the right thing to do. That way we could cut down on the number of unloved dogs.

We had a slight tragedy at the end of last year, our 14 year old schnauzer Jo Jo, after having a splenectomy, succumbed to whatever cancer had caused the enlarged spleen. We were all heartbroken because she was the sweetest dog ever, except to Jessie.

We acquired her as a rescue. Her original Owner had failing health so she could no longer care for poor Jo Jo. So that is how she came into our family. She loved us and we loved her back.

Jo Jo 

But then she was gone, and it left quite a void. We couldn't stop thinking about her, including Jessie. The entire time that we had her, Jessie and Jo Jo ate from the same bowl. They could do math, one would only eat half the bowl and leave the other half for whomever was next. Jessie looked for her, and could't figure out where she had gone.

Based on our experience with Jo Jo we had decided that when the time came for a new furry family member we would be adopting from a rescue. We started looking in June, and we just couldn't decide when the right time would be.

In late June one of the rescues we follow and support posted a Facebook message that they were rescuing 25 dogs from a hoarding situation. That they did not have room, and that they were having an emergency adoption event the next day. They wanted folks interested in adopting to come the first night, and then have fosters come the following day.

We arrived early and we saw a cute pup. We asked to see her. Ash sat on the ground and the dog crawled in her lap and sat down. I then immediately knew that the skinny, stinky, bad haired dog was our next pup. Just wagged her tail and wanted her belly rubbed.

Well she went home with us that night and we now have a great new member of our family. Her name is Lucy, and she is a purebred mutt. She loves everyone. Enjoys laying with you to watch TV and Loves when you get home. Hopefully she'll be a good sister to Jessie for a long time.

Lucy 

So please, when its time for your next pet, please save a pup. The more folks who get rescue dogs will be that many less pups that help continue the puppy mills.

1973 Torino - Old Car Truth's

Yesterday I was working on the fuel system in the Torino. I am getting it ready to support the fuel injection system. One of the first items I decided to do was to replace the old fuel tank with a brand new tank. I wanted to to do this in order to make sure that no old debris clogged up my new system. This change would also enable me to install a 27.5 gallon tank from a later year Torino in lieu of the stock 22 gallon tank.

This whole process is going to be part of a video that I am making on installing the Holley Sniper system. So I won't go into this in any great detail right now. I would like to say that by removing the tank after 44 years exposed one of the "Old Car Truth's".

The Truth in this case is that working on these cars leads to other work that is required. So if you are working on your own vehicle you must be prepared to be distracted from the initial goal to take care of an issue that you did not know when you started working on the current task.

With the old tank removed I discovered that there was no undercoating above the tank. It had surface rust, and a little more serious rust. So rather than continuing with the fuel system install I now have to take care of the rust and then paint the area. I could just leave it alone and move on, but I can't. I know its there so now I need to fix it. So that's what I'll do.

The next "Old Car Truth" that was exposed by this fuel system install is that you never have all the parts you need to finish the project immediately. With changing tanks, I need to order a breather for the top of the new tank. between 73 and 74 they made a few changes between the tanks other than the capacity.

Now mind you I'm not complaining, I am just stating fact. I will continue plugging away because I cannot wait to drive the car with fuel injection and I want it done prior to Cruising the Coast in October.

Taking our baby to college.

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I think the next few days will be slightly rough for my wife and me. We get to participate in the act of our daughter growing up and leaving the nest. She is headed off to college, and as an only child, this will leave a large hole in the fabric of the nest. We get the pleasure of loading all her earthly belongings up, driving for hours, and then trying to squeeze it all into a dorm room.

Everyone keeps telling me that once we become comfortable with the change we will thoroughly enjoy our empty nest. Though this may be true, I really do not see that occurring anytime soon. Not only will our daughter not be there to interact with us on a daily basis, but neither will her friends.

This will be a big change as well, since the kids have been part of our life for the past 10 years. I wish them all the best, and I am rooting for them to do great in school and in life, I just know we will miss them.

We have been extremely fortunate to have a daughter that has always been a pleasure to be around. Her intelligence and maturity has meant that no matter where we go or what we’re doing she fits perfectly into most all situations.

Based on this maturity she has always made some good decisions and been trusting enough of us that decisions she is not comfortable with, she discusses with either my wife or I. Although she will now be “on her own”, I truly hope that this personality trait continues. She will use this emotional intelligence to hopefully make many new friends that will last her a lifetime, while not forgetting the friends the she has now that have helped make her whom she is.

The range of emotions this activity is producing is incredibly wide. We are sad that our baby is going out on her own. Meanwhile, I can only imagine the incredible excitement, and curiosity that my daughter feels about getting to make a run at being “independent”.  She will be facing her own adjustments that while she doesn’t know it will be as big as or bigger than ours. I wish her luck, and want her to know that we are always here for her or any of her friends.

As all of these young adults head out into the world to make their mark, let’s say a prayer for them and their parents as everyone adjusts to this part of the circle of life. There will be success and failure, but that is life and that is what they are about to learn. Hopefully we have prepared all of them to be successful in their coming endeavors

MSD 6AL Install 1973 Ford Torino - Part 1

Part 1 of my MSD 6AL install.

This is the MSD 6AL that I purchased and installed.

The Hummingbird

Yesterday afternoon when I got home my wife was standing in the garage. Almost as if she was waiting on me. Which I knew was not the case.. I asked her what she was doing and she told me that there was a hummingbird trapped in the garage.

In reviewing the situation I could not understand how this little guy was trapped since the garage door was as open as it can get. It seemed as though the guy  couldn't understand to fly a foot lower and he could just zoom out of the garage.

We could not scare him out. I lowered the door so there would be a gap at the top of the door as well as the bottom. That strategy did not work to well either. So we decided to go to dinner and think about solutions. We wanted him out so that he would not die from dehydration of starvation.

The plan we had decided to use was to hang a feeder from the open door and see if the sugar water would draw him down to the lower level and allow him to see his way out. I did not participate in this portion, but I wish I had taken a picture. It was a redneck display of epic proportion. The hummingbird feeder was hung with a zip tie from the garage door. They had placed flowers in my jack handle directly under the feeder.

It was a great idea and the hummingbird took the bait. It got a drink and then flew the coop.

Everyone was happy. The bird was happy. We had successfully saved the little bird, and that little bit of kindness made us all feel good.

I may have been premature

I may have been slightly premature with my proclamation that the space race was dead in my blog post from six years ago. What I didn't know was that some of the same nerds like me who were inspired by the original race to the moon were billionaires with the same dreams.

The commercialization of spaceflight has grown in leaps and bounds, and you have investors like Paul Allen, Elon Musk, Richard Branson, and more I am sure that they are showing us that commercial space travel is possible.

Space X is doing everything they possibly can to drive the cost of lifting materials into space down. They have reusable boosters that land themselves back at a designated landing spot. It can then be refurbished and reused. They are working on manned capsules and with the technology they currently have they are being paid to deliver goods to the International Space Station.

Elon Musk has everyone thinking large again, he is talking about returning to the moon. He wants to set up colonies on Mars. He has big plans... to say the least.

So the question is, how do we get the excitement that he and his employees show about science and rocketry and all that goes along with it spread into the school children of today?

That I do not know. I wish I did. Unfortunately there is too much static in the air, with politics and the social divide in this country. Is it possible that one of these giants of commerce starts some club that grade school children could participate in? Something that would excite them, make them feel as though they are part of the movement to the stars.

I wish I knew someone who could pass this idea on and perhaps make it happen. That would be a great thing for all of us. But as for now I think it is all parents job to push their children to dream and help them become excited about learning.

May or may not happen, but I'm still dreaming that it can....

Hard work pays.....

Lately, with Alysse going to college there have been conversations regarding what all college is about. Is it worth it? How to approach it? How to get the most out of it?

I realize its a beautiful taste of freedom. It's the ability to do what you want when you want to. To interact with other students with different backgrounds and beliefs. To spread your wings and your world view.

That is what I have encouraged my daughter to do. Enjoy her new found freedom. Embrace all of the new experiences you get with college, the dorm life, the insanely large classes, the girls in your hall, and the friends from home that have spread out to all four corners of the world.

I hope she is having a great time, and that she is enjoying life to the fullest....

With that said, I have preached to her from a young age, make good decisions. So we will get to see how well my wife and I have done at raising a very independent, intelligent, mature young woman. To date she is passing with flying colors. So girl grab life by the horns and hang on.

The other side of the conversation has been, you are there for an education that will last you the rest of your life. This will be the pivotal item that will most likely shape your work life and earning power. Realize that by doing well you will have the ultimate power of continuing to be an independent young woman with choices and the ability to sustain yourself.

I'm not saying that a degree is required, you can learn a trade, or join the military, so many other paths to success. But all of those paths to success require one thing, HARD WORK. I have said this many times to my young lady, and Ash and I have exhibited this trait to her every single day for her entire life. Get up, pull your boots up and go to work. We have been examples to her of what hard work and perseverance can allow you to achieve.

We have asked her to address her studies as if they are her full time job. Work at studying so that your boss won't fire you. Work as hard as possible to get promoted. Work as hard as possible so that your boss recognizes you for your hard work. If you do these thing you will continue to be successful.

I have no doubt that my daughter will continue to be successful, as long as she remembers that you have to work hard to be successful.

How could I write about anything but...

How could I write about anything but the eclipse? I really can't..

Luckily one of my coworkers brought in some #14 welding shields so we could safely observe the eclipse in all of its glory. It was definitely pretty neat, but I don't think it was worth all of the incredible amount of hoopla it was given.

I can now say that I have seen an eclipse, and check it off the bucket list. Thank goodness for that!

But with all of the larger items that we face on a daily basis, I cant help but wish that we could funnel all of this positive energy into folks helping each other, or just simply understanding where the other person is coming from.

I'll leave it at that and not get on my soapbox.

The only thing I can say is that based on the intellect of most of the general public, I think that Ophthalmologists and Optometrists are going to have a stellar month.

Moving my blog to https://genosgarage.company/

Decided to try my hand at having a complete website with the ability to blog.

Been thinking about hobbies and things to do with my spare time, and I decided that this is a good way to keep myself occupied.

So if you haven't yet, please go take a look at my new website and check it out.

I hope to have my musings, my projects, and travel.

Please take a look, realize that its a work in progress, and give me critical feedback on how I can make it better.

Thanks for all of your kind words to date.

Beginning to empty nest.

The young girl is now relocated to the college of her choice. The parents are back at home, settling into a new reality. The reality that the focus of our efforts for the past 18 years as moved on to the next stage of her life, and we are not overly involved in this new stage.

The questions that have been tossed around the house the last couple of days have included many what’s and why’s?

Why does the house feel empty? Why did the time pass so quickly? What are we going to do to pass our time? What are we going to do this weekend? Want to bet how much we will save on the water bill?

I think we have decided that we need some new hobbies. Photography, YouTube, automotive restoration, honey do’s and home repair. We really don’t know what, but we’re sure that we need to stay busy.

So the next few months will be interesting to say the least, hopefully we can settle into a rhythm of enjoyable hobbies and spending time together.