This is easy. You'll need a pasta sauce of your liking, and Italian sausage left over from last nights dinner. yea, right. Prosicutto works well in this omelet too. So we have the meat, and now a few red bell pepper slices, some onion, garlic, some bruschetta, and shredded Parmesan. Romano works well too, as does mozzarella, or any combination thereof. Three eggs, spices like sea slat and tellicherry pepper, and we're ready.
First, put the mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a mix of butter and olive oil to saute about half way. Meanwhile, whip the three eggs together, and cut up the bell pepper and the meat. Remove the saute items, and throw the eggs into a skillet. Once the eggs begin to cook through to the top, flip them. Then cover half the eggs with the saute mix, peppers, and meat, and a couple tablespoons of sauce spread over them, and cover with cheese. Flip the omelet over into the traditional half circle shape.
Put enough sauce to cover the omelet in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove the omelet, cover with the sauce, add several small dollops of bruscetta, and sprinkle with cheese.
A great addition to this is a couple slices of ciabatta bread. It is a hearty meal, so don't be afraid to share it with a friend!
Sunday, July 31, 2005
Saturday, July 02, 2005
I LAUGH ABOUT IT NOW
(THAT TEE SHIRT WAS MINE)
I was ready.
Well, as ready as
A twelve year old could be.
I knew all the words:
“Two all beef patties,
Special sauce,
Lettuce,
Cheese,
Pickles,
Tomatoes,
Onions,
on a sesame seed bun.”
I even knew the melody.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “that contest
ended last week.”
I felt like an idiot.
(THAT TEE SHIRT WAS MINE)
I was ready.
Well, as ready as
A twelve year old could be.
I knew all the words:
“Two all beef patties,
Special sauce,
Lettuce,
Cheese,
Pickles,
Tomatoes,
Onions,
on a sesame seed bun.”
I even knew the melody.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “that contest
ended last week.”
I felt like an idiot.
Decembers
DECEMBERS
Here I can look out on the world from
my office window,
at the cold December snowy rain.
I feel the heat of the room where my tie
closes the shirt around my neck.
Cup of coffee in hand, I gaze at the
seasonal decorations that brighten
my cubicle world of
steel and plastic, computers and
conditioned air.
Away from there, I hate it when my feet are wet,
when my hammer hits my cold finger
working in a tight place, bound in four layers
of clothes to keep warm...
the sawdust in my eyes...
the whipping wind...
I hear it's song.
The eagle hangs in the sky looking below for
food on the edge of the woods where
treasures of a new world are hidden.
As a fleeing ray of sun warms my face,
I realize I enjoy working
in the cold December mud.
Hollywood Gal
HOLLYWOOD GAL
She stood, framed in the doorway,
her wet hair all a mess,
leather coat, and
oval sunglasses.
She looks like a Hollywood gal.
"Those jeans are tight on her ass."
Nice.
Fleeting moments that are
the feeling of time.
This woman who is almost
my silver partner.
This Hollywood gal who's
really from New York.
Here is my heart this moment,
this morning.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Yellow Bird Week
Good morning ! Well, for most of the country it is good afternoon as it is almost noon here. Oh well.
I have been posting on the whale watching network out here, www.orcanetwork.org, and most of my posts have come from the vantage point of Possession Ridge, where I was involved in an extensive remodel project. The owners there are a great couple. One of those couples that despite the stress make working a joy. Anyway, the husband had told me that during a surgery recuperation period, he logged 43 different species of birds from his back yard. After working there, I have to believe him. And this last week he added another, and it was a week I call Yellow Bird Week.
The 44th species was the Evening Grosbeak, of the Fringillidae family. I had seen many a Rose Breasted Grosbeaks of the Cardinalidae family at the former home of the in-laws west of Madison,Wisconsin. The grosbeak has a very distinct beak shape, and is white in color for the Evening Grosbeak variety. I happened to be returning from the lumberyard and there in the front yard in a conifer were 6 of them. I was fortunate enough to get the glass on them, that's lingo for using binoculars, before they flew on. It is always fun to see a new species of bird.
So a day or two later, as we were soaking up the sun and view during morning break, I noticed a streak of yellow flash out of the berry bushes that border the sloped back yard. I managed to glass it, but it moved to rapidly, and it rather resembled the behavior of the male Ruby Throat Hummingbird. Let me explain. When the Rubies made it back to the island, we were in the back yard overlooking the Saratoga Passage, on break, soaking it in. This particular Ruby was zooming straight up out of the berry bushes, and then straight down. Up and down. All day long, though not seemingly for more than several trips at a time. Well, I saw this flash of yellow, almost orange, flash up and then down. Not what I would say was Grosbeak behavior. Why? The grosbeak is a nut and berry eater, and unless it was mating season, I would call the flashing up behavior that of an insect eating bird that spied a cloud of insects. However, that wouldn't be the case for the Ruby Throat. I think they are territorial, and since the females didn't show up for several weeks until after the male, I suspect that what we witnessed was territorial behavior. Anyway, I glassed the feeder, and there were some Grosbeaks. They looked too pastel though, not bright enough for what I saw. Hmmm, I pondered.
My question was answered at lunch time. Remember the sloping back yard? There is a road down the slope beyond the berry bushes, and of course the resident conifers that fill the hillside between the road and down to the bluff edge or the beach. I saw the orange/yellow flash light in the top of one of these Firs, and I pulled out my 'nocs. Yup. That's no Evening Grosbeak! Black bill, slender as in the case of many insect eaters, and a black eye stripe with and orange eye line, sometimes called a lore. Well, I told the homeowner, and it turns out it's the Bullock's Oriole, the only Oriole species that appears in this part of the country. That explained the insect chasing behavior and orangeiness of it's color.
Part of what is exciting about seeing these new species is that it opens my awareness and observation to that around me. Everything has it's distinctions. Think about it in terms of people. Nose size as opposed to beak size. Eye color, hair color and shape, instead of feet or talons, the shoes they wear. Trees can be viewed this way. No, not as humans. In the differences of their needles and leaves, the color and texture of their bark, and so on. The colors, shapes and sizes of clouds. It is fun to see the different species of dragonflies on this basis. The different textures of wood come alive. Look at the trim in your house, or different pieces of wood furniture. It is truly amazing all the beauty and diversity that surround us.
That's it for today! Believe it, I'm going to post a delicious recipe for Italian omelets next!
I have been posting on the whale watching network out here, www.orcanetwork.org, and most of my posts have come from the vantage point of Possession Ridge, where I was involved in an extensive remodel project. The owners there are a great couple. One of those couples that despite the stress make working a joy. Anyway, the husband had told me that during a surgery recuperation period, he logged 43 different species of birds from his back yard. After working there, I have to believe him. And this last week he added another, and it was a week I call Yellow Bird Week.
The 44th species was the Evening Grosbeak, of the Fringillidae family. I had seen many a Rose Breasted Grosbeaks of the Cardinalidae family at the former home of the in-laws west of Madison,Wisconsin. The grosbeak has a very distinct beak shape, and is white in color for the Evening Grosbeak variety. I happened to be returning from the lumberyard and there in the front yard in a conifer were 6 of them. I was fortunate enough to get the glass on them, that's lingo for using binoculars, before they flew on. It is always fun to see a new species of bird.
So a day or two later, as we were soaking up the sun and view during morning break, I noticed a streak of yellow flash out of the berry bushes that border the sloped back yard. I managed to glass it, but it moved to rapidly, and it rather resembled the behavior of the male Ruby Throat Hummingbird. Let me explain. When the Rubies made it back to the island, we were in the back yard overlooking the Saratoga Passage, on break, soaking it in. This particular Ruby was zooming straight up out of the berry bushes, and then straight down. Up and down. All day long, though not seemingly for more than several trips at a time. Well, I saw this flash of yellow, almost orange, flash up and then down. Not what I would say was Grosbeak behavior. Why? The grosbeak is a nut and berry eater, and unless it was mating season, I would call the flashing up behavior that of an insect eating bird that spied a cloud of insects. However, that wouldn't be the case for the Ruby Throat. I think they are territorial, and since the females didn't show up for several weeks until after the male, I suspect that what we witnessed was territorial behavior. Anyway, I glassed the feeder, and there were some Grosbeaks. They looked too pastel though, not bright enough for what I saw. Hmmm, I pondered.
My question was answered at lunch time. Remember the sloping back yard? There is a road down the slope beyond the berry bushes, and of course the resident conifers that fill the hillside between the road and down to the bluff edge or the beach. I saw the orange/yellow flash light in the top of one of these Firs, and I pulled out my 'nocs. Yup. That's no Evening Grosbeak! Black bill, slender as in the case of many insect eaters, and a black eye stripe with and orange eye line, sometimes called a lore. Well, I told the homeowner, and it turns out it's the Bullock's Oriole, the only Oriole species that appears in this part of the country. That explained the insect chasing behavior and orangeiness of it's color.
Part of what is exciting about seeing these new species is that it opens my awareness and observation to that around me. Everything has it's distinctions. Think about it in terms of people. Nose size as opposed to beak size. Eye color, hair color and shape, instead of feet or talons, the shoes they wear. Trees can be viewed this way. No, not as humans. In the differences of their needles and leaves, the color and texture of their bark, and so on. The colors, shapes and sizes of clouds. It is fun to see the different species of dragonflies on this basis. The different textures of wood come alive. Look at the trim in your house, or different pieces of wood furniture. It is truly amazing all the beauty and diversity that surround us.
That's it for today! Believe it, I'm going to post a delicious recipe for Italian omelets next!
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
HOPIN FOR WHALES...
We were disappointed. At least I was, and that was when we got there. Fishing boats everywhere. I couldn’t believe it. Right in tight on the shore, where the whales would feed if they had a mind to be there. It seemed like this was going to turn into a walk accompanied by the constant drone of outboard motors.
The last time we walked Possession Point; I ended up with an earache that lasted a long time. It was windy that day, almost a year and a half ago. This day promised to be different: sunny and warm, gentle breezes. And on such a sunny day, why walk in the woods? So I suggested Possession Point, in hopes of seeing the migrating gray whales.
Well, there we were, motorboats and a rocky shore. What the heck. We decided to walk for a little ways, and see if anything changed. So we headed for the point that makes up the southern most tip of Whidbey Island.
Possession Point has two very interesting features. One is that the bluffs there contain the most complete record of Ice Age deposits in the Puget Sound area. The second is the wreck that is just inside the channel buoys about 250 yards offshore. That area is home to several Giant pacific Octopi. What makes these features interesting? Both are hard to see! The dive to the wreck is risky, as boat traffic and currents are challenging. And the bluff face is quite expansive, and you need to know what to look for to see it. Yet a lot of people walk by there without knowing either of those two features.
Which is how I felt our walk would end up. Featureless, save for the excellent company of my wife. I could not have been more wrong. That day revealed several treasures, three of which I’ll share with you.
One is a particular favorite of ours. Remember the marker buoy I mentioned before? Guess who like to hang out there? That’s right, the California Sea Lion. We heard them first, swimming around the buoy and barking. Eventually though, two of them made it up onto the platform, and soon enough it was quiet again, and every once in a while a flipper would lazily shift as they lay there and basked in the sun. Mind you, a person can visit certain locks in Seattle during the salmon runs and see seals a-plenty. The numbers of seals are increasing, yet the downside is the depleted salmon runs, which are also adversely effected by pollution and over fishing.
I have long noticed that my wife is more observant than I. Once I get focused on something, most of the rest of the world doesn’t exist. Here I was walking along, looking at the rocks, looking for small tidal pools. I heard, “Rob…,” which translated meant, “Rob, don’t move and look up.” So I slowly raised my head and there not 30 feet away on a large dead tree trunk was a Yellow Headed Blackbird. According to my Smithsonian bird book, that species rarely comes west across the Cascades. Yet here this one had crossed the mountains and the water to come to our Island! Thankfully, I had the binoculars. What a gorgeous bird, with the yellow head and chest on a jet-black body. It finally flew up to the top of the bluff and out of sight. I had seen that species once in the almost 47 years I lived in the Midwest. Here I see it out of its range and usual habitat on a beautiful Sunday afternoon on the Island.
As we returned from our walk we noticed a large bird along the shoreline. It looked like a young eagle, and what struck me was the way nature still happens despite the proliferation of boats, and there were still very many of them on this opening day of Lingcod and Halibut. They adapt to the changes we make, and keep right on doing their thing as if we weren’t here. Truth be told, I am walking in their world, they aren’t “visiting” mine. We rounded the southern corner to head back to the van. For some reason, we both turned to look south, and there headed right at us was a bald eagle.
Now, back in the Midwest, a bald eagle was a big deal. Around here, I see them regularly. I see their nests. I hear them. It’s almost, well, I was going to say commonplace. Like whales though, they are too magnificent to be common. We had seen the young one fly off to the west, around the southern shore. This one was flying north, along the east shore, directly above us, but not by more than 40 feet or so, and with talons full of Lingcod. A good 12 to 16 inch Lingcod. This eagle rested on a dead tree directly above our heads. And suddenly, we were interrupting his dinner! It kept eyeing us, and not until we moved on did he begin his feast on his still live quarry. My wife wouldn’t use the binocs. But man, those eyes, and the beak, and the talons on that bird. It was amazing.
So despite being disappointed about not seeing whales, we still had many treasures on our walk. Motorboats, seals, eagles, a rocky shore, and excellent company. It was time to go home and check on our sons. I had been hoping for whales, and was surprised by joy instead.
The last time we walked Possession Point; I ended up with an earache that lasted a long time. It was windy that day, almost a year and a half ago. This day promised to be different: sunny and warm, gentle breezes. And on such a sunny day, why walk in the woods? So I suggested Possession Point, in hopes of seeing the migrating gray whales.
Well, there we were, motorboats and a rocky shore. What the heck. We decided to walk for a little ways, and see if anything changed. So we headed for the point that makes up the southern most tip of Whidbey Island.
Possession Point has two very interesting features. One is that the bluffs there contain the most complete record of Ice Age deposits in the Puget Sound area. The second is the wreck that is just inside the channel buoys about 250 yards offshore. That area is home to several Giant pacific Octopi. What makes these features interesting? Both are hard to see! The dive to the wreck is risky, as boat traffic and currents are challenging. And the bluff face is quite expansive, and you need to know what to look for to see it. Yet a lot of people walk by there without knowing either of those two features.
Which is how I felt our walk would end up. Featureless, save for the excellent company of my wife. I could not have been more wrong. That day revealed several treasures, three of which I’ll share with you.
One is a particular favorite of ours. Remember the marker buoy I mentioned before? Guess who like to hang out there? That’s right, the California Sea Lion. We heard them first, swimming around the buoy and barking. Eventually though, two of them made it up onto the platform, and soon enough it was quiet again, and every once in a while a flipper would lazily shift as they lay there and basked in the sun. Mind you, a person can visit certain locks in Seattle during the salmon runs and see seals a-plenty. The numbers of seals are increasing, yet the downside is the depleted salmon runs, which are also adversely effected by pollution and over fishing.
I have long noticed that my wife is more observant than I. Once I get focused on something, most of the rest of the world doesn’t exist. Here I was walking along, looking at the rocks, looking for small tidal pools. I heard, “Rob…,” which translated meant, “Rob, don’t move and look up.” So I slowly raised my head and there not 30 feet away on a large dead tree trunk was a Yellow Headed Blackbird. According to my Smithsonian bird book, that species rarely comes west across the Cascades. Yet here this one had crossed the mountains and the water to come to our Island! Thankfully, I had the binoculars. What a gorgeous bird, with the yellow head and chest on a jet-black body. It finally flew up to the top of the bluff and out of sight. I had seen that species once in the almost 47 years I lived in the Midwest. Here I see it out of its range and usual habitat on a beautiful Sunday afternoon on the Island.
As we returned from our walk we noticed a large bird along the shoreline. It looked like a young eagle, and what struck me was the way nature still happens despite the proliferation of boats, and there were still very many of them on this opening day of Lingcod and Halibut. They adapt to the changes we make, and keep right on doing their thing as if we weren’t here. Truth be told, I am walking in their world, they aren’t “visiting” mine. We rounded the southern corner to head back to the van. For some reason, we both turned to look south, and there headed right at us was a bald eagle.
Now, back in the Midwest, a bald eagle was a big deal. Around here, I see them regularly. I see their nests. I hear them. It’s almost, well, I was going to say commonplace. Like whales though, they are too magnificent to be common. We had seen the young one fly off to the west, around the southern shore. This one was flying north, along the east shore, directly above us, but not by more than 40 feet or so, and with talons full of Lingcod. A good 12 to 16 inch Lingcod. This eagle rested on a dead tree directly above our heads. And suddenly, we were interrupting his dinner! It kept eyeing us, and not until we moved on did he begin his feast on his still live quarry. My wife wouldn’t use the binocs. But man, those eyes, and the beak, and the talons on that bird. It was amazing.
So despite being disappointed about not seeing whales, we still had many treasures on our walk. Motorboats, seals, eagles, a rocky shore, and excellent company. It was time to go home and check on our sons. I had been hoping for whales, and was surprised by joy instead.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Another beautiful day! Well, the puter should be up and running next week. It really needs a major overhaul, and right now I am cobbling it together to get back on-line. Then I'll plan for major surgery. I'll need the "pute for serious writing soon.
The Wisteria and Magnolias are blooming, as well as the Daffodils and other plants. It is going to be wondrous here in another month. I'm not so buggered about our current political situation because this too shall pass. I don't want to be caught up in the afflicting emotions the current polarized environment generates. Life is too short for that. I will continue to work however, for a better world of true freedom and tolerance.
Anyway, I'm on the clock for a writing assignment. Finally I pass from being published to being an author. I'm actually getting paid to write. How cool is that!
More later! Live well!
The Wisteria and Magnolias are blooming, as well as the Daffodils and other plants. It is going to be wondrous here in another month. I'm not so buggered about our current political situation because this too shall pass. I don't want to be caught up in the afflicting emotions the current polarized environment generates. Life is too short for that. I will continue to work however, for a better world of true freedom and tolerance.
Anyway, I'm on the clock for a writing assignment. Finally I pass from being published to being an author. I'm actually getting paid to write. How cool is that!
More later! Live well!
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Upgrading the 'puter
We recently picked up a virus on our computer. So my son and I decided to "remodel" as it were. I had laid Win 2K over 98, and so had two OSs running, and eating up disc space. Turns out I have a two small discs due to the partition on it. So my son re-formatted the hard drive, and consequently wiped out the ether net drivers, and the discs are who only knows where. So then we decided to move to XP, and so we are getting a new hard drive, which will allow the other to be a slave, and ethernet card. Supposedly a new motherboard is on it's way from a brother-in-law, and the a new ergonomic keyboard to lessen the strain of my carpal tunnel. So in the next few weeks the entries will be sporadic, as I am doing this from the library. After the remodeling though, it will be cushy at the 'puter! In the meantime, live well!
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Spring already?
Wow. This morning as I was reading a poem about the coyotes my wife wrote, they started yipping. It was cool. I cracked the front door and listened.
It has been delightful here lately on Whidbey. Blossoms are emerging, the weather sunny and mid fifties. This is winter here. I love it! Different bird migrations tell me that spring is coming though. I get disconcerted when I look at Mt. Pilchuk and see no snow. It has been unseasonably warm and dry this winter. Perhaps March will be blustery, but we missed for the most part two months of winter. The worst two usually. The ski season on the Cascades was for all practical purposes wrecked. Many of the resorts closed regularly. It seems bittersweet. Since I work outside, I have loved the weather. But this changing climate is troublesome. It seems a sign of the times, and in Buddhist teaching, it's a sign of collective karma.
It has been delightful here lately on Whidbey. Blossoms are emerging, the weather sunny and mid fifties. This is winter here. I love it! Different bird migrations tell me that spring is coming though. I get disconcerted when I look at Mt. Pilchuk and see no snow. It has been unseasonably warm and dry this winter. Perhaps March will be blustery, but we missed for the most part two months of winter. The worst two usually. The ski season on the Cascades was for all practical purposes wrecked. Many of the resorts closed regularly. It seems bittersweet. Since I work outside, I have loved the weather. But this changing climate is troublesome. It seems a sign of the times, and in Buddhist teaching, it's a sign of collective karma.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Further Adventures with Automobiles
The van died recently. I had driven it home from work, parked it, and Jody got in 15 minutes later and, nothing. It turned, but there was no pop. So I called my mechanic, and he said to disconnect the fuel line in the engine box, crank the van and see if anything came out. It showed me the fuel pump wasn't working. That meant dropping the fuel tank to remove the pump. The upside is, it would allow me to fix the gas gauge as well.
So Tuesday night I got everything out tool wise, and figured out how I was going to support the car while I was under it. Pretty much that was my night. Wednesday night I got under it and looked around. There was one quick disconnect, and two bolts to contend with to drop the tank. So I thought. I started in on the first bolt, and knew immediately that it was going to be a process. It took several hours to work that bolt down almost to the end. Then the slip washer broke. That was the end of that night. On Thursday, I knew I'd be cutting. So I bought a small hack saw, because the vehicle's frame is just so that a regular hack saw and my reciprocating saw just wouldn't fit under there. You have to know something. I'm not mechanically inclined. It's not too different from construction, however, different enough that I prefer to pay to have it done. So back under the car I was on Thursday night, handsawing the bolt. In a tight place with the spare tire at my chest, and just enough room to get a one inch stroke with the saw. My shoulders felt it soon enough. And of course every movement rubbed the spare which knocked off dirt which fell on my face, and into my eyes despite my safety glasses. Ah, you say. Yea, yea. I realized it, but not until SATURDAY. Remove the spare! It took me all night to hand saw that one bolt. I had the two gas lines and one brake line to contend with. The other bolt was easier, and that was my mission on Friday night.
I didn't do much on Friday night. By then I had all weekend to work on it. I had a plan. And Saturday morning I set out on that plan.
I noticed quickly that plans change. Change meaning in my case, get delayed. I got the bolt cut, and do you suppose it dropped right out of the strap? Noooooo. It was such a rusty mess that I had to torque and twist and wrestle it out. Not with just one bolt. With both. Finally though, both bolts were history. Needing replacement. Stainless steel came immediately to mind. Now for the quick disconnec...quick discon...disconne...quick(?)...aaaarrrrrggggghhhhh! It was neither quick or disconnected. So (having brilliantly removed the spare tire and having oodles of room and no dirt falling in my face), I decided I was going to mangle off the so-called quick disconnect without damaging the fuel line. Between my hand hack saw, needle nose pliers, and line pliers, I did manage to get the last fuel line disconnected. I walked into the house at noon, on Saturday, to proclaim my victory! I had disconnected three items! Let the fun begin!
Being that my boss is a super guy, as well as running a great business I am happy and proud to be a part of, I had been driving the company truck home at night. I cleaned it out, and did the weekend recycling run of cardboard from a cabinet delivery as a payback. It was the jack in the truck I wanted to hold up the gas tank after I got it free from its rusty chains. It was one of those wheeled hydraulic jacks. Sweet, as my young one would say. And it was doing it's job well. Because now was the time to begin the big drop. Using my construction and fire fighter knowledge to block things for support, I figure I could lower the tank onto blocks so I could get the jack out, and then with the aid of my oldest son, side by side pull out the blocks until the tank was laying flat on the ground. There was one little thing in the way.....
Where does the gas go into your car? Bingo! In a hose that goes UP from the tank to the side panel of the vehicle. Argh. Flat on the ground was out. But the one corner dropped far enough down for me to think with enough twisting and maneuvering I could get the old pump out and the new one in. Fortunately, just a ring that you turn under some flanges holds the pump in. So I took the requisite screwdriver and hammer, and banged it off. Which around a tank of gas, makes me nervous. But it came off! So fast! The home stretch! I could smell the sweet victory of exhaust emanating from a running engine already! It did take a bit of maneuvering. Wet maneuvering. The pump came out and as I turned and twisted the quart of gas it holds poured out all over the ground. My nervousness factor escalated rapidly. I'm a fire fighter. I know how fast and easily gas sets off. Without incident, it came out and I was standing there holding this broken device in hand. By now it's almost dinner time. I had gotten my new bolts and made the recycling run. I could get the new pump in, and then it's just a matter of hook up. No problem! So in goes the new pump, with much gentle turning and twisting. On goes the ring. Now for the electrical hookup...What? They aren't even CLOSE to matching. AARRGGHH! Yes, I called my mechanic in a rather surly mood (which is putting it nicely), for which I later apologized. Guess what I get to do! I get to take the two pumps apart and build one working one from the functioning parts of both! Oh joy! In retrospect, it was a rather educational experience. So after tearing the two apart and making one with the various working parts, I reinserted the pump, and had my son turn the key. Gusher, I tell you what! Whoo! I knew I was on the downhill side now. The reconnecting was a bit smoother. I needed to innovate a few pieces to rehang the straps, and the one gas line was a bit gnarly and hung up the quick connect for a bit. But it all went together. And, there were NO parts left over, and the van started and ran. A little clean-up, and it was all done.
I emerged from the van 12 hours after I got under it. I was tired and sore. I had learned a lot. Some about me, some about the van. But there has got to be an easier way.
So Tuesday night I got everything out tool wise, and figured out how I was going to support the car while I was under it. Pretty much that was my night. Wednesday night I got under it and looked around. There was one quick disconnect, and two bolts to contend with to drop the tank. So I thought. I started in on the first bolt, and knew immediately that it was going to be a process. It took several hours to work that bolt down almost to the end. Then the slip washer broke. That was the end of that night. On Thursday, I knew I'd be cutting. So I bought a small hack saw, because the vehicle's frame is just so that a regular hack saw and my reciprocating saw just wouldn't fit under there. You have to know something. I'm not mechanically inclined. It's not too different from construction, however, different enough that I prefer to pay to have it done. So back under the car I was on Thursday night, handsawing the bolt. In a tight place with the spare tire at my chest, and just enough room to get a one inch stroke with the saw. My shoulders felt it soon enough. And of course every movement rubbed the spare which knocked off dirt which fell on my face, and into my eyes despite my safety glasses. Ah, you say. Yea, yea. I realized it, but not until SATURDAY. Remove the spare! It took me all night to hand saw that one bolt. I had the two gas lines and one brake line to contend with. The other bolt was easier, and that was my mission on Friday night.
I didn't do much on Friday night. By then I had all weekend to work on it. I had a plan. And Saturday morning I set out on that plan.
I noticed quickly that plans change. Change meaning in my case, get delayed. I got the bolt cut, and do you suppose it dropped right out of the strap? Noooooo. It was such a rusty mess that I had to torque and twist and wrestle it out. Not with just one bolt. With both. Finally though, both bolts were history. Needing replacement. Stainless steel came immediately to mind. Now for the quick disconnec...quick discon...disconne...quick(?)...aaaarrrrrggggghhhhh! It was neither quick or disconnected. So (having brilliantly removed the spare tire and having oodles of room and no dirt falling in my face), I decided I was going to mangle off the so-called quick disconnect without damaging the fuel line. Between my hand hack saw, needle nose pliers, and line pliers, I did manage to get the last fuel line disconnected. I walked into the house at noon, on Saturday, to proclaim my victory! I had disconnected three items! Let the fun begin!
Being that my boss is a super guy, as well as running a great business I am happy and proud to be a part of, I had been driving the company truck home at night. I cleaned it out, and did the weekend recycling run of cardboard from a cabinet delivery as a payback. It was the jack in the truck I wanted to hold up the gas tank after I got it free from its rusty chains. It was one of those wheeled hydraulic jacks. Sweet, as my young one would say. And it was doing it's job well. Because now was the time to begin the big drop. Using my construction and fire fighter knowledge to block things for support, I figure I could lower the tank onto blocks so I could get the jack out, and then with the aid of my oldest son, side by side pull out the blocks until the tank was laying flat on the ground. There was one little thing in the way.....
Where does the gas go into your car? Bingo! In a hose that goes UP from the tank to the side panel of the vehicle. Argh. Flat on the ground was out. But the one corner dropped far enough down for me to think with enough twisting and maneuvering I could get the old pump out and the new one in. Fortunately, just a ring that you turn under some flanges holds the pump in. So I took the requisite screwdriver and hammer, and banged it off. Which around a tank of gas, makes me nervous. But it came off! So fast! The home stretch! I could smell the sweet victory of exhaust emanating from a running engine already! It did take a bit of maneuvering. Wet maneuvering. The pump came out and as I turned and twisted the quart of gas it holds poured out all over the ground. My nervousness factor escalated rapidly. I'm a fire fighter. I know how fast and easily gas sets off. Without incident, it came out and I was standing there holding this broken device in hand. By now it's almost dinner time. I had gotten my new bolts and made the recycling run. I could get the new pump in, and then it's just a matter of hook up. No problem! So in goes the new pump, with much gentle turning and twisting. On goes the ring. Now for the electrical hookup...What? They aren't even CLOSE to matching. AARRGGHH! Yes, I called my mechanic in a rather surly mood (which is putting it nicely), for which I later apologized. Guess what I get to do! I get to take the two pumps apart and build one working one from the functioning parts of both! Oh joy! In retrospect, it was a rather educational experience. So after tearing the two apart and making one with the various working parts, I reinserted the pump, and had my son turn the key. Gusher, I tell you what! Whoo! I knew I was on the downhill side now. The reconnecting was a bit smoother. I needed to innovate a few pieces to rehang the straps, and the one gas line was a bit gnarly and hung up the quick connect for a bit. But it all went together. And, there were NO parts left over, and the van started and ran. A little clean-up, and it was all done.
I emerged from the van 12 hours after I got under it. I was tired and sore. I had learned a lot. Some about me, some about the van. But there has got to be an easier way.
Star Date 20055142
Greetings everyone!
Well, my first foray into on-line visible words. I was inspired by a couple in California that developed their own blog company, and it mentioned some of the free ones. So here I am. I wanted a web page, but discovered that this serves the purpose I would have used the web page for.
This journal won't be daily, but it will be regular. I'll be including my Natural Vistas writings, the occurrences that we want to share, and some of the more memorable events. I'll also be posting book reports, and wine reports from time to time. And of course, news about the fam. What it boils down to is my interests. We'll see where it goes from there!
Well, my first foray into on-line visible words. I was inspired by a couple in California that developed their own blog company, and it mentioned some of the free ones. So here I am. I wanted a web page, but discovered that this serves the purpose I would have used the web page for.
This journal won't be daily, but it will be regular. I'll be including my Natural Vistas writings, the occurrences that we want to share, and some of the more memorable events. I'll also be posting book reports, and wine reports from time to time. And of course, news about the fam. What it boils down to is my interests. We'll see where it goes from there!
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