My baby came home this weekend...

Its a wonderful thing when you get to see your child for the first time after they've been gone a couple of weeks.

"Separation makes the heart grow fonder!"

I don't think that is always a true statement. I was extremely fond of her prior to her leaving. I think I love her just as much as prior to that fateful day that we dropped her at Mississippi State University.
I think that this is a result of being extremely lucky on our part to have a child who always seemed mature beyond her years. Those of you that know her realize that this is not a brag. It is a plain statement of fact.

She has been gone, and I think she misses us as much as we miss her. We have always been a close and supportive family, so to be separated has caused some anxiety for all of us. Nothing that can't be cured with time and regular visits on both parties parts. But we don't love her more because she has been gone.

Maybe I am taking that old statement a little to literal, but it was weighing on my mind so I figured I would put my thoughts onto the proverbial paper. With all of the emotions that I have, fonder is not one of them.

I love that she is growing wings and flying. I love that she will get her feet under her and she will be running at life full tilt. I love that she cares for her parents so deeply. I love that we love her back just as deeply. This is the way life is supposed to be! A little sad, but a ton of joy to offset the changes that are occurring.

If your child has yet to leave the nest, cherish each moment. The moments you want to last a lifetime unfortunately don't, but you can cherish the young adult they have become.

So Alysse, go back to school and give it your all because we will always be here for you.

Please pray for Texas.

Having been through Katrina, and having to deal with the aftermath. Not to mention dealing with my in-laws flood last August in Baton Rouge, I say please pray.

Their journey is just starting and its not a fun or pleasant journey. They will need financial support. They will need emotional support. They will need a kind word and a shoulder to cry on.

I have friends who live in the Houston area, I hope they are well and a lucky one. If you need anything let me know.

Help if you can. Support your police, fire, and ems folks. Also, I am sure that the military will deploy to provide assistance.

So please pray for them and the emergency service folks for support and safety!

2013 Ford Focus Cabin Air Filter Replacement.

I decided to change the cabin air filter in my salvage 2013 Ford Focus.

Here is the Video of that process.

I purchased the filter from Amazon. Here is the link to the Amazon Page.

After you purchase the filter, you must get into the passenger seat side of the car.

There are two plastic friction nuts hold a glove box cover on. Remove those and the cover.
The cover to the filter will then be to your left. The cover is held on by one Torx 15 screw. Remove the screw, and compress the two tabs together. That will allow the door to be removed.

Reach up and grab the filter that was behind the door. Pull it out. It will require some twisting to remove it. Don't worry that is normal.

Get your new filter and ensure that the air flow arrow is pointed in the correct direction. It should point from the engine to the interior of the vehicle.

Reinstall the filter in the same way you removed the original. Then reinstall the door and the glove box cover.

It is truly a 15 minute job, and I imagine that you will save a bit over what the dealer will charge you to do it.

If you have any questions, please email me and I will respond.

Thanks,

1973 Ford Torino Anticipated work

As the weather cools in south Louisiana I plan to get some items taken care of on  my 1973 Gran Torino Sport. I have some big plans that I hope to do and follow on my blog as well as my You Tube channel.

1. I am planning to install new bushings in both the front and rear suspensions.
2. I am going to install a Holley Sniper EFI System.
3. Once I get the EFI working I am going to change distributors so that my EFI can control the timing.
4. Repair or replace my C6 transmission.
5. Hopefully find time to get my vinyl roof replaced.

That is just this car, I still have the 1971 Mercury Monterey station wagon that I'm working on. I'll have a bunch of content for the blog.

Katrina and how it changed my outlook...

We have a tropical storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico right now. Its called Harvey.. I'm hoping its a Harvey Korman rather than a Harvey Keitel.

Its brought up a lot of discussions about Katrina with the team members who are not from Louisiana or have not been in hurricanes previously. We tell them that Harvey is not going to impact us too much, not like Katrina did.

Which brings back a bunch of memories that are not bad memories, just memories that make me realize that I look at life a little differently now. I don't dread hurricanes, I just think back to my experiences and know how quickly life can change.

Katrina was bad. It killed bunches of folks, it took irreplaceable heirlooms, it took homes. That goes with the territory, all of those things contribute, but takeaway I have is life can change in a heartbeat.

Now as you read this, realize that I am not a prepper. I am just a regularly guy who get up every morning and goes to work and hopes that the status quo remains until I am old enough to retire, and our grandkids can enjoy this great country.

What I know now is that we are one natural disaster away from total anarchy.

Enjoy your electricity?

It can be taken away in a heartbeat. Our electricity at home was out for over a month. Think of all the things you use electricity for? Keep medicines cool, food cool, house cool, house warm, lights, television.

Think about that, with the help of all available energy crews from all over the country, it took them over 30 days to repair!!! Thinks about the breadth of the destruction! Without electricity, you could not get gas at the gas station. Then your mobility is severally hampered, and you can not escape somewhere with modern creature comforts. You can't get gas, you can't get food, you can't do your job, you can't make money.

So always be aware and understand what is going on in your surroundings and be prepared to remove yourself and your family from bad situations if required. Big government and private companies end up just as helpless in these grave times of need. The only help you can count on is friends and family.

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.