I need a job...
 

...being unemployed is too much work. The rear bumper on the motorhome was crunched in the middle, top and bottom were buckled. So i pulled it off, cut the back side open, beat it back into shape, welded the back on again then painted it. It's not perfect, that metal is a lot thicker than auto sheet metal but it looks better. Krylon Khaki is a pretty good color match, not perfect but close, first pic. So I got some Krylon Fusion in Khaki and painted the rear plastic fenders and one front fender, 2nd pic. You can see from the pic of the other front fender how dull and faded they were, 3rd pic. Also replaced the frig vent cover, the plastic was cracked and brittle, 4th pic

Ordered a tow bar, base plate and wiring kit so we can tow the Malibu behind the motorhome. The first base plate was bent so they overnight-ed another one. Didn't notice the bend until I had taken the front of the car off to install it. You can see from the pic what has to be removed to install the base plate. Not done yet, it just came today. Have to drill some hole and bolt it on then put everything else back on.

Also resealed the roof on the upstairs deck. Need to install the new windows in the front side of the garage. We replaced the living room picture window, side window and a couple more in the dining room last fall. Wanted the 30% energy credit. At this rate I can stay busy for the next few years.

And when you are done I will give you my address. I can definately find things for you to do.

Well like I said it's going to be few years. I have a list a mile long of things I need or want to do. Things you don't have time to do when working. My shoulder hurts like a bitch right now, probably need another cortisone shot, but otherwise I feel great. I get up, have some coffee, watch the news, eat breakfast, then start doing something. I know this is fantasy land but this is how life should be.

I figured by the time I retire I will have enough to keep me busy the rest of my life. Everything you have done looks great. Keep up the great work, it will keep you young.

You do some mighty fine work in your off time .I have a friend who was asked to retire from Delta several years ago and he told me last week he doesnt know how he ever had time for a job when all he does is work at home but never gets caught up .Just pace yourself and dont do like me and overdo your workload. I work all day and come home and think I have to work around the house or shop til 9 PM most nights and still cant get done what I think I should.

Glad you are enjoying life.

Nice work Hank. That roof looks to be pretty high off the ground.

That's how I feel John. I don't have time for a job. I knock a couple things off the list then think of 6 more to add to it.

It's mostly the angle of the picture Tony, I was close and looking up. It's probably about 18' up. Notice the extension ladder to the right. Up the ladder to the first story roof. Walk up to the peak and step on the second story roof. Walk along the bottom edge and you can step on to that roof. So it's not hard to get to and it's almost flat.


Rain today so I'll try to get the car back together. The front end gets pretty much sealed up with air dams held on by a million of those plastic Christmas tree plugs. Should be fun trying to remember how everything fits back together.

When is your next road trip ? We have a good one in the planning stages for the New England coast driving our Chevelles but Chuck hasnt given us the details just yet .All we know so far is that we are going about the second week in September and they are planning some special side trips. Im still trying to get my list of things done from last year that I neglected due to traveling so much. Im also trying to cut and split enough firewood to get me through next winter along with trying to keep hunting parts for my truck thats in the bodyshop.

flash, you need to convince Chuck to come up to Michigan for the Woodward Dream Cruise. If not the cruise, then one of the weeks leading up to it. That would be so cool.

That would be a cool road trip ,I will try to bend his ear .Which he may have been befofe when he worked for one of the big auto magazines .I will see what he thinks if I can remember.

No road trips planned. Second weekend in September is Frankenmuth Autofest, can't miss that.

Tony, I could have used your expertise at bending metal rods at multiple angles. Mounting that base plate on the car was not fun. You have to drill holes through the front frame rails to mount the base plate. Three of the holes are blind holes, inside the hollow part of the frame. They give you 3 nut plates with a heavy wire welded to them. You have to fish it up through a hole in the bottom of the frame about a foot and half away from the bolt hole.

Took longer than I thought, doesn't it always. I was probably being too fussy about getting it lined up to the exact same spot on both sides. Have to finish trimming one of the air dams to fit around it then finish putting the front end back on.

I'm only 28, but I'm convinced that if I retired today, I'd still never be able to finish all my projects.

28, well I only have a few years on you Derek, like 30. It's amazing all the things you can up with when you have the time. Been in this house 10 years this fall and we've been doing changes, upgrades the whole time. Still don't have enough time to do all the things I want to.

Think I went too far this time. Yesterday my son decided to do some landscaping for Lynda. So we pulled out a bunch of old shrubs with the truck and a few logging chains. Also pulled up the 6"x6" landscape timbers out front. Decided to use them around the parking pad we put in for the motorhome last year.

Do you know how much a 20' long 6"x6" landscape timber weighs? I have no idea were they bought them but some of them are huge, and of course they're soaking wet from all the rain we've had. Also chopped off and pulled up some roots from the maple tree. One we took out would make a nice tree. 6" around before it forked in to two 4" roots. They were running along the surface and had to go. The big one had lifted that 20' landscape timber several inches off the ground at one end.

Today we had 10 yards of topsoil delivered to cover the fill used to make the parking pad. 10 yards is a lot of dirt! Wasn't delivered until mid-afternoon so we only got a few yards moved, that pile still looks awful big. Worse part is shoveling it twice. Once into a little trailer behind the lawn tractor, then a second time to get it back out of the trailer. Hopefully it doesn't rain too much tonight, we did cover as much as we could with a tarp.

Messed up my knee Saturday crawling under the car putting the base plate for the tow bar on it. Shoulder aches from chopping roots and shoveling dirt, time for another cortisone shot. 6 pack of beer and I feel good. Red Wings won last night, tomorrow is another day and life is good. It shouldn't feel this good to abuse yourself the way I have the last few weeks, I am on the downside of the hill age wise, pretty damn close to the bottom I guess.

Anyway that's my boring tail of the last couple days. Hope you all are doing well and enjoying life.