A great quote

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." -Winston Churchill

Been Busy

So I've been working my butt off trying to clean up my back yard thanks to the City of Casper Blah blah blah committee of blah. That has in short made it so if a neighbor that is too big of a pansy to come speak with you and ask you to change something whines like a little girl. Then the City comes and threatens to haul away your belongings and charge you for it. Apparently ownership of property and the right to use said land as you see fit is a right lost to us. Not what I was originally gonna blog about but it's a minor rant. I'll post some pics to illustrate my point

Worked my rear off on this fence after the whiners complained my dogs bark too much even though they have corgi's that won't shut up.

The original state of the yard which I admit needed work but don't threaten me I don't like it.

new tire rack

Tagged truck in hiding

organized wood and parts

Covered and cleaned up around 49

nice clean porch

nice open yard

So that is what I've been up to other than going to work from 8-5:30 everyday and class from 6-10 everyday and working 6 days a week. So yeah Gotta love the City of Casper.

Promised stuff from class

I promised some stuff from class but have been so busy. So here is the first assignment that I like how it came out.

it's a cross hatch ink drawing of a 1949 Carter Y-1 Carburetor

 

 

This drawing took a total of about 35-40 minutes.

I got the Carb a little dark to start with so I was a little worried about the shading, but it came out alright.

Sasha

My Cat was actually sweet last night and didn't attack me in my sleep. and I got some cute pics so here they are.

"WHY ARE YOU TAKING MY PICTURE?"

Shh it's a secret blog fest entry

Life is full of secrets. Secrets that feel like so many different things. Bad ones that feel like daggers in your side, good ones that make you feel like winning a prize, and even some that you just don't care about. In life it's like there is a Baskin Robins of secrets, but there are way more than the original 31 flavors. But if you are really lucky maybe someday you'll find someone to share them all with. If you find that person hang on for all you are worth.

Workin Hard

Been busting my hump something fierce lately. So not much to post other than "I'm tired" and that would get boring quick. But next week I'll start school and art classes so I'll be able to post what I do in class. Till then I'm resting ya'll.

Relativity of Time in the Human Mind

Have you ever noticed how days at work are so long? Or have you noticed how a day off seems like it's over before you even really get moving. I hate that. Lately my life seems full of projects 99% of which I have 0 time for. Admittedly most of them are of my own making and others are just general upkeep I have to catch up on. But a slow day in the shop at work seems like 5 years in a day. Whereas I walk into my back yard with a list of chores I'd like to accomplish and by the end of 2-3 the suns setting and I'm trying to figure out where my "Day Off" went. Oh well I guess it's just life. But I just thought I'd rant a little.

Daisy

I'm old and tired. I live out of doors all the time, longing for a home. I show the wear and tear of generations gone by and a life well lived. a young whipper snapper came along, scooped me up and promised me some youth and excitement again and though it seems to be taking him a long time to get that dream together. I sit here waiting for him to come through for me. He'll do it I know. He saw me in my tired state and saw potential. Someday I'll fly again . On the open road and I'll scream for joy. Living again in a Frankenstein type existence. More powerful than ever and with better capabilities than I had to begin with. But for now I wait for that day to come the parts to come together and make the magic happen. With a lot of hard work and a little luck they will.

Creations

Mostly I'm gonna show my rod and where it's at. Do to a change in circumstances it's been slowed down this summer so not much got done. But hopefully I'll get moving on it again soon.

Here it is before any work in Cowley WY

Taking her Home

 

Sitting next to the sedan that the guy I got her from replaced her with

The dash in the sedan

My engine before all the work

Speaking of work I've got to get there so I'll show more later. 

Dogs Rule and Cats Wear Drool

I have two dogs. They're like my kids. Though they look aggressive they are pretty sweet dogs. Anyhow I got a Cat recently she's only about 3 months old now. I named her Sasha and she is ornery. When I first attempted to introduce her to my dogs the Boys ( Hemi and Chewby) were very good not nipping or chasing as I Held her down too them. They tried to sniff just a little. The Cat proceeded to claw them both in the face and and grow a Mohawk of hair down her back. Needless to say both puppies were a bit shocked by this sudden display of aggression

Chewby

Sasha (Thinks She's the Boss)

Hemi

It took the boys a while to become brave enough to attempt contact again, I gave up immediately trying to broker peace since when she clawed them she proceeded to crap all down the front of my shirt. But Sasha figured out they were a little worried about what the heck she was and started terrorizing them. charging them and chasing them.  Pretty soon though they adjusted and began to play chase back and get used to her. Soon they were so good together that they would all crowd around the water bowl together and the dogs would soak the cat as she drank water between them.

They hadn't been paying her much mind lately. As she'd run in and out of their area. So I hadn't thought much of it. I think Hemi tried it first, but as I came around the corner into the kitchen I saw the funniest thing. If I'd had my camera in time it would've been great.

Hemi had the cat by her scruff and carried her to the far corner and let her go. She being of a independent nature ran for the door. Where she was promptly picked up by Chewby who headed straight to the far corner changing positions with his brother. There he released her and she repeated the previous motions only with Hemi as the captor this time. They did this four times. I was practically rolling laughing. Then Sasha had decided that enough was enough. She clawed them both stormed from the room and clawed me as she walked by hissing.

Sasha thought she had her world under her little paw. Boy was she mistaken. She learned a important rule The cat only rules the house when the dogs let her.

This is Sasha playing fetch, she is actually better at it than the dogs

Just Surfed Around

I Just wandered this big, weird world known as Blogger. I found much to like and some stuff that just made you scratch your head. I found the Bible belt of blogs, the family circle circuit, The entrepreneurs lane of shops, And finally the Artists refuge. For many I think when they see me they think, "Great another Redneck hick". Truth is though I'm not by any means a good artist I try some. But I felt a connection more to their blogs than any other. I grew up some of my younger years in a small town in Montana that had a large abundance of artists, some in title only and some that had real talent. My Mother was one of these. I'm sure she'd try to cop out and say she wasn't very good and start listing her friends that were better. But my mom always had a gift she could do any art and make it look good. Maybe not quit your job and do it good though she was a potter for a while. But I still love that artistic nature. I long to create, I think that this is the reason I find hotrods so fascinating. My longing to create an original thing. But I just wanted to explain, for some odd reason my reason for following all those artists blogs. I love to see that next great original piece that comes from nowhere but the creators mind. Keep creating and inspiring me and others and maybe someday we'll get our masterpieces on here to show you too.

Well lets do a list

I'm feeling much better today thanks to a friend that insisted I play hooky and go to the lake with her to swim and lay around in the sun. I did need the break and now I feel alot better. And hey I even got my chores mostly done.  I decide rather than being a ranting lunatic today I'd do a list of my 5 favorite cars and why they are. So here it goes.

1. The 1969 Plymouth Superbird, Just gotta love that long nose and huge fin, not to mention the 440 or 426 Hemi engine options. Just a great car.

2. The 1969 Chevelle SS, Stock 396 in it , nice shape and just built to look mean.

3. The 1970 Dodge Charger, I loved this cars stance and body lines and once again awesome power plant options.

4. the 1949-1957 Chevy Coupes, build them right and they are some sweet hot rods, and the later 50's     Belairs are just gorgeous.

5. The Model T, yes I said it, as a Ratrod lover I have to put it on the list the old T-rod is alive and kicking, never a same ol powerplant and never a unoriginal moment, I think Henry Ford would be proud to know it's still running today and being a cause of inventiveness.

So there it is and that's just Cars. Coming Soon The truck list. LOL

Can't Sleep

Not sleeping tonight, past and present all causing me headaches and insecurities and weariness. My whole body is screaming to sleep, but my mind flits from problem to problem and won't give me rest. Most of the problems aren't even real big ones. they are things that I have friends that can help and will if I ask. But still they keep me awake. Other things bother me too. I'm probably imagining things, being paranoid. I have to admit that my over active imagination tends to get me in trouble. Some days I feel like everyone and everything is somehow conspiring against me. I like to say I'm cursed. Whether it's true or not I  don't know. Maybe it's just my poor rattled mind creating shadow to jump at.

I hate feeling sorry for myself so screw all that sob I just blabbed. The truth is that I created almost all my own problems and thanks to good friends and loved ones I'm staying out of the fire. And though I'm not sure what I'm so worried about otherwise. Just nagging worries that I need to work through nothing founded in reality.  So I guess the short and skinny of the problem is "Suck it up and keep moving" Once again sorry to be a downer blog tonight and hopefully I'll feel more like joking tomorrow.

Well what will fix this one?

I work in a shop as I've mentioned in a previous blog. My boss is great, a little eccentric maybe, but a good guy. He was a tech for years then bought the shop and is owner/manager. So he comes out and coaches, tell his trade secrets, and keep a general feel for the pulse of shop aned what's going on with each job. Anyway the other day I had a particularly annoying leak on a Oldsmobile Alero that I recently did a lower intake gasket on. So the fact that it felt like it was somewhat my fault was not making me any happier about my situation. I was assessing the situation when my boss wandered by and asked what it would take to fix it. With out batting a eye lash I responded " A block of C-4" ( Now at this point I have to explain I was in the Marines for 4 years of my life. Where they certified me as a breacher, which is a demo expert for getting into buildings.) My Boss smiled and laughed as he said " Yeah but you aren't qualified to do that." I started grinning and he turned to look at me seeing my large grin and then said " Then again. NO. Not even if you are."  Anyway it made me laugh.

So it's been a really long day and I'm bushed so I'm calling it a night.

Going to Work on Saturdays, Not my favorite

You know the old saying " You never know what you had till it's gone." That's what has officially happened to my Saturdays off. I love my job don't get me wrong and I need to work regularly to keep up on bills and such. But man it's hard to find your work ethic and motivation on Saturday morning.Wish i could find something funnier to blog about but I'm getting ready to head to work. So that's where my mind is.

Getting out of bed this morning was hard it was so nice there. Now I get to go see if half the people that have made appointments even show up. It's like the want an appointment till they realize hey it's Saturday and then they just blow it off for more fun stuff. Man I wish I could do that. At least I work in a shop with some good people. Gotta go face the day.

Not sure why I'm doing this but here it goes.

Be warned that you are about to be let into one strange ( as I am often told I am) persons mind. I have a friend a very close friend that has insisted that it would be entertaining to see what goes on in my head and that this is a way to do that. And so here it is my (I hope Kevin Smith doesn't sue me) askew view of the world. I work in a shop where I try to pretend I know what I'm doing 98% of the time. Lets be realistic though no one anywhere really knows what they are doing even 50% of the time. So maybe I'll rant about that.


Lets start with my favorite the Customer. All of them want a ballpark, I keep trying to tell people the Ghosts aren't selling their new field, But that's what they all say. "Give me a Ballpark",but God forbid you look at the car first. You might actually see what's wrong with it and be able to make a accurate estimate. Ahh Estimates, once again be reminded it's never a quote. Quotes are set in stone and we'd hate to be cornered by the ballpark seekers so it's always a estimate to keep that wiggle room.

But you have to love some customers. The little old ladies that call you sonny and think you're like a knight when you just fix some little thing and don't charge.

Or the funny old guys sitting in the waiting room talking about the "Swing he'd like in his backyard" as a cute girl walks out. I don't know I'd like to think the number of jerk customers and great ones are even somehow, but in truth I think it's like 1 in 20 is a great customer. Maybe I'm a cynic but there it is. and I think that I'm done ranting for the day.

Well for my first blog I laid a lot out there. More to come I suppose. Hope it was worth the time.