tao1776

The last five years of my life has been visited by a great amount of loss. Some of it intentional. Some very unexpected. Some tragic. Buddhism discusses loss via several vehicles; Loss (suffering) is the springboard of the Buddha's four noble truths. In those periods of my life when I was consistent in my meditation practice and the study of Tao, my ability to experience loss and gain on equal footing came as easy as the next bend in the road. You didn't squabble or worry or even question. You drove. Sometimes the road turns sharply. Sometimes it goes in one long and straight boring line. Sometimes there are exhausting hills and exhilarating downhills. But it is the road. That is just how it goes. Here in the West, we have become accustomed to achievement. To gaining something. Win, win, win. We don't do well with loss. You can't forever flip the proverbial coin and always have it land as "heads". You win some, you lose some. But the tragic loss of loved ones ...

YouTube - george carlin nails it

Well, the Ghia is up and running. She needs some fine tuning that may be a wee bit above my limited shade tree mechanic experience. I could use a little help. So I drove over to a fellow Air Cooled enthusiast who owns a sweet powder blue Beetle with a 1776 motor and someone who just happens to be a VW mechanic. I'm dropping off the "Little Hottie" Tuesday evening so that he can fine tune and double check her for any issues that might need addressing. Remember, she was running like a top before a tank of bad gas fouled everything up so I don't think she needs much. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a mandate that all must have health insurance. I began completing the forms for subsidized insurance last fall as my wife's PT time position doesn't offer insurance and I can hardly afford my own plan. I pay $152 a month for a High Deductible Health Savings Plan. If I add my wife, it jumps to $325 a month. At $12 Hr. it is more than I can afford. As it is, I...

Her joy was short lived however. She really still prefers the trike. She moves with ease often getting it up on two wheels. She'll get the hang of the new bike when she's ready.

Her tank is out for a good cleaning and an internal sealer. The tank did not have a brass filter inside, which explains much. I blew the lines and took the filter out from under the hood. I'm going to place it back under the tank as it was when she was new. With a new and clean inside with a new brass filter, she will be more than fine. I ordered a new cap, rotor, condenser and point based on the numbers etched on the outside of the dizzy. New plugs too. She'll be in tip top shape soon. I'm going to take the time to clean and grease and undercoat what you see now. Wish me Godspeed!

The hanging tomatoes are doing great. The green beans at the base are growing fast as well.