Nice Day

 Not much of a title for an article, but on short notice it was the best I will do. Maybe by the end I will change it and maybe I won't.
 
 Let me talk about my 55 Studebaker for a change. I sold it years ago and still think about it and what it meant often.

 It was a lime greenish color with reupholstered seats. It had an in-line 6 cylinder engine that ran. My uncle used to drive it whenever he visited. He always drove down from Jacksonville, Fl by way of the bus route. He said it took him longer, but that if the car broke down he could just catch the bus.
The auto was  handed down to me when he bought a Dodge Colt. His second and last car.

 Well when I got it, it needed a bit of work. The motor was running rough and had  a bad vibration. My dad and I pulled the motor and found we had 2 spun bearings. Everything else checked good. We tried to find a new crank and couldn't at the time. So we took it done to NAPA and let them weld it up and regrind it.

 While that was on-going, we came across a 53 motor that had been rebuilt and not paid for or picked up for over 6 months. 50 dollars later we had the engine in the trunk. All of the rebuilt parts would fit but the crank. So we proceeded to overhaul the 55 with parts from the 53. That old Flathead turned out mighty fine.

  I was stationed at Eglin AFB about that time and had to drive it from Ft. Myers to there. Somewhere around 600 miles. Of course the overdrive didn't work and  so it ran pretty hard the whole way. Again, I followed the bus route.

 I got a few years use of that old car, and had some fine memories. Nothing like tracking down a front spindle from a yard in Ga. When they sent the wrong side first, they said "Don't return it, we don't need it either." a 20 dollar part with 10 dollar shipping.

 Sadly I had to let her go. She was getting too old, having too many problems(rust) and I had gotten married. I did find a nice home for her with another collector. He said she had many good parts and would not be scrapped.

 One of these days, I will be getting old. I don't have kids so the wife or uncle sam will care for me in my old age. Being a veteran should still have some benefits. I hope when I go that someone will not just scrap me. I hope to still have plenty of parts to give out to others in need.

 When you read this, please become an organ donor. There are a lot of other people that can use the parts.
jmo
Bobby

Ice Cream

Getting caught up with the world and thought back to the better times.
I remember a time when I was growing up and we would make time as a family to enjoy some ice cream. Mom would mix it up in the kitchen, while dad would set up the machine with the ice. A lot of times we had banana flavored. With real bananas. Nothing was artificial. Real sugar, probably from Immokolee (sp) Fl. where they had the cane fields.
Mom would pour the mix in, Dad would set the silver lid on. Then the crank assembly was added, some more ice, some salt and then he waited.
You see, while he waited, I was the one churning the crank. It would start out real fast and easy. Give me a big grin on my face That I could spin it so quickly. Dad would just smile. We talked a bit about everything back then. Fishing, his cars, the old homestead in Ga., and time stood still. There where no worries.
It was a very special time back then. I wish I knew how special it was gonna be. In my dads last few years, we would sit on the porch and talk. He would ask what needed to be done at my house and I just wanted him to sit and enjoy life. We drank alot then. Something we didn't do when I was younger at home.
As Budde would say, I digress.
My arm would be getting tired. I could see the silver tub spinning slower. My arm would feel like lead. It just wouldn't spin no more. Dad would grab a hold and it would start spinning like nothing. After a few minutes he would declare it done and then we would wait. After it sat awhile he would rinse off the top, to get the salt off. He'd remove the crank and lid and there it would be, in all its glory. Home made ice cream.
There is nothing like the taste of fresh ice cream. Having it freeze the top of your mouth, on a warm summer day. So smooth and tasty.
I haven't had home made ice cream since I moved away from home, back in the 70s. Life got busy and I never had time.
This summer will be different. I gonna make the time.
And life will be good again.
Mom and dad, I'm thinking of you. I love and miss you and will see you one day.
Please lord, let it be after my summer ice cream.

GM

Wandering around the net and saw this.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/danger-lies-on-the-gm-food-road-20110209-1amy1.html
It tells about the some problems of farming organically.
Felt I'd throw it out there.
Monsanto will hijack the food supply and Big Oil got the fuel. We just supply the money.
What a life.

Interesting Finds

Just some ramblings from things on the net.

Seems like the Steelers will win the Superbowl. Madden Sports did the game and the Steelers won, so now I don't have to watch the game.

At the lazy farmer site, Budde showed me how poor I am. I can't afford to buy him this tractor. http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=6105783. It is a fine one and he said he'd keep it clean, but I can't fit it into my budget. Maybe one day I can be a farmer and have one myself.

In other news, seems like president Clinton hummer cost more to investigate than the 9-11 bombings.40 mil to 15. Kinda shows you where our priorities lie. I really don't begrudge the man having a good time, what with the stress he was under. If only he had been nicer. He should've wrapped that rascal.

Dang time for the pre-game. Gotta go for now.

Be safe and be kind
Bobby