4Th of July family gathering...I will not be attending

I'm the unhappy dude on the far left with the hat

Shade tree mechanic

Late last summer my Karmann Ghia ("My Little Hottie") began to run rough with little explanation. I eventually discovered that the rear bolt of the carburetor was very loose allowing an influx of air. I had to have a friend heat and bend a wrench that would allow it to reach behind the carb to tighten it; thus allowing me to avoid dismantling the air conditioning and moving it out of the way. Yes, the 1973 air cooled VW has air conditioning. It did work fine until it froze up from non-use in the winter months. Unlike the cars of today, where the a/c is engaged even when not in use, it is never idle. VW recommends that in the winter months one should operate the VW a/c for at least fifteen minutes every few weeks. Since I store it for close to six months of the year and it is inaccessible, it finally froze up. Not much to fix but why bother?

After this little discovery, she needed a tune up to make up for the loss of vacuum and an idle change. Since I have not dabbled in this depth for years, it took some time. Hell, I don't even own a timing light and tach/dwell meter worth its salt. Anyway, I put in new plugs and wires; new points and coil, set the timing, adjusted valves and etc.....and all appeared fine. Of course I missed the Okemo mountain show because of it. But hey, I learned much in the process.

Unfortunately I did not learn enough. I forgot to top off the gas tank before I put her to bed for the winter months. This created a great deal of rust in the gas. So much so that the the fuel pump could no longer pump out any fuel whatsoever. I broke down on the way to the first show of the season. Haven't been to one since. I took out the gas tank and cleaned it. I discovered, much to every one's dismay that there was a large antique gas filter under the tank. It has been there since the car was sent from Germany for sale in Florida. I replaced that by placing one in a more accessible location. I also placed one after the pump too. I ordered a new fuel pump but got the wrong one (alternator type) I still have a generator for God's sake....

So...she is sitting and awaiting a new pump and a clean and adjusted carb. I took off and polished all the wheel rings and hubs and mirrors. I repainted the wiper arms. I plan to paint the engine compartment and repaint the wheels.

I am somehow going to fit this in on my coming week off. I'm also going to re grout the bathroom. Redo the woodwork in the hall since I just painted it.....Light twilight purple on the tin ceiling, pumpkin spice on the walls with millionaire red on the accent wall that climbs the stairway. All in the Ben Moore Matte finish. The rail and wall foot board will be done in a darker poly finish. White spindles with the stairs and floor in Amber teak oil.

Of course, I'll throw in a few late nights with a belly full of scotch. Hope to get laid. Replant my rain trodden hanging tomato's.....

I'm only one man!

The day before the longest day in the northern hemisphere, the Lady's Grandmother passed into the next world. It's been two since Grandfather passed. The Lady states that she is now truly an orphan. Her father, a career military man went awol on his family when she was five. Her mother had several stays in the hospital and the Lady was raised for several years by her grandparents. I too became close to them in ways that I never experienced within my own family and with my own grandparents or aunts or uncles.
I wonder though what has become of us. Master T and the Lady, although never very self assured, understood the hardship of others and we wore a welcome mat on our foreheads and extended another at our door. I think that we must have attached ourselves to the desired effect that people would extend grace in return.
Although the Lady and me have brothers and sisters in the greater area, we no longer associate with them. Now...this seems to cause some of them feelings of, "Oh, but we're family," meaning that we should all be "close" and all that blah, blah, blah....
There just came a day when the door closed. The mat was taken it. No fanfare. No trumpets announcing our departure. It was just our decision to no longer tolerate bad behavior. No malice, no judgement. You do your thing and we'll do ours.
My younger sister recently tried to unite all of the family for a 4Th of July BBQ and it appears that only me and mine will not be attending. I truly believe that I could not survive the drama of such an occasion. In times past, I would have rolled with the punches and excused, excused, excused. It is my sincerest desire that all beings be free from suffering, so why would I purposely add to my own?
Family is great. Today and tomorrow will be spent with my children and my grandchildren. I refuse to burden them as my mother did to her own children, that after her passing her greatest wish was that we forever remain close.
Closeness is not a mandate but something that is cultivated. The seeds were sown and the crops are now in. Its just that much of the crop is chocked with weeds and there is none that can seperate the wheat from the chaff.

I'm like an old dog beside the fire. I enjoy a fireside chat. Poking at the flames with the lower half of an old fishing pole provides a calming comfort. I'm glad to be home. Wanderlust is absent from my mind.

Summer fires are.......

Brielle visiting. Nice sunglasses and her favorite necklace

The joys of growing vegetables; hanging tomatos w/ herbs on top/green beans and cherry tomatos on bottom..baby Buddha on top

Addendum

Picnic table made from an old coal room door

I love this song......

Galileo's head was on the block

The crime was looking up the truth

And as the bombshells of my daily fears explode

I try to trace them to my youth

And then you had to bring up reincarnation

Over a couple of beers the other night

And now I'm serving time for mistakes made by another

In another lifetime

How long till my soul gets it right

Can any human being ever reach that kind of light

I call on the resting soul

of Galileo

King of night vision

King of insight

I think about my fear of motion

Which I never could explain

Some other fool across the ocean years ago

Must have crashed his little airplane

How long till my soul gets it right

Can any human being ever reach that kind of light

I call on the resting soul

of Galileo

King of night vision

King of insight

I'm not making a joke

you know me I take everything so seriously

If we wait for the time till all souls get it right

Then at least I know there'll be no nuclear annihalation

in my lifetimeI'm still not right

I offer thanks to those before me

that's all I've got to say

Cause maybe you squandered big bucks in your lifetime

Now I have to pay

But then again it feels like some sort of inspiration

To let the next life off the hook

Or she'll sayLook what I had to overcome from my last life

I think I'll write a book

How long till my soul gets it right

(till my soul gets it right)Can any human being ever reach the highest light

Except for Galileo (resting soul)

Resting soul (of Galileo)

King of night vision

King of insight

The evening was blessed by the blinking light of many lightening bugs. A spurt of light here. Then there. High, low. It is magical show of lights lending to a pleasant late Spring night.

The more one moves out towards the wooded areas, you can hear coyotes seeking their night prey. The deer are closing in on the tender sprouts reaching upward from the newly planted gardens. The bats are beginning to sweep the sky clean of June bugs and mosquito's.

This makes me, well, horny.

Making love on a nice spring evening. Breathing your lover's breath deep within your senses. The taste, the smell; the feel of a lover's caress. Crickets chirp in approval as lovers sit inspired by the Buddha and his Concubine. Face to face with tongues lightly fencing, breath breathing breath while hearts beat in excitement. The moon lightly shining upon her face; her eyes approving of the depth of penetration, yet her legs pull you closer and closer until you appear as one being.

The explosive push far from concludes the embrace. The two that became one do not want to separate. Sleep welcomes the lovers into the comfort that defines the word nurture.

Then, the car's headlights illuminate the sleeping and quite naked pair upon the long porch and the late homecoming daughter is once again in despair.

Damn!

Fishing

I have always enjoyed fishing. A few years ago I was involved in a Spring to Fall, once a week, Bass Fishing Tournament. As a kid, when we would fish for "Horn pout" (NE version of Catfish) we could catch as many as 100+. My Dad could clean and ready for the cook as many as 4 or 5 a minute. I could never match his skill. Not even close.
My younger son, (pictured) recently moved back home after a an 8 year absence. He has never asked for much. We were glad to have him home.
We have not fished together in many years. On the 4Th of July, 7 years ago, my son and his friend were night fishing in a canoe. It tipped over. Neville could not swim and he drowned. It is always within his heart.
As part of his company's outing, they arranged this fishing trip. I was thrilled when he invited me as his guest. I was less than thrilled as I let out my line on the first drop and saw my Guinness watch fall from off my wrist and sink into 300 feet of water. I'm hoping that some fish will swallow it and be discovered by a fisherman. It would be a cool news story.

Son takes Dad fishing

Son Takes Dad fishing