Colorado Melons

While organizing some files, I came across a directory of the “Insider” newsletters that I published for a couple of years in real paper & sent out to about 3,500 people every 45 days. Those files revived many good memories of our initial transition to Colorado, a transition that many of you helped make a very pleasurable experience.

Having been able to try something new that I’d had no experience with whatsoever in an area where I had no contacts was a daunting experience at first; but the realization that one could do quite well simply by doing the right thing and treating people decorously was another real-time reinforcement of a closely held belief system.

The company in which I had developed many good relationships here has since changed hands and no longer exists, but fortunately some of those relationships continue to grow.

The actual layout may or may not be a bit off depending on your program and/or version, but here’s a sample of a couple of those newsletters:

Volume 03 Issue 01

Volume 03 Issue 03

It seems that I went to the big swap meet in Denver a couple weeks ago.  You know that it’s going to be really interesting when a story starts like that.  None of my boys could make it.  Something about sorting socks in the sock drawer or something of equal importance.  My wife wanted to go to a sewing and fabric show that was just up the street from the swap meet.  The result was that I was turned loose in the biggest swap meet of the year with no adult supervision.  And I had a pocket full of cash, a really bad combination. Continue Reading »

I’ve been getting asked a lot of questions about the Wind Turbine lately. Friends, neighbors and readers in general are wondering what’s been up with it. Since I’ve formed the blades, next next step will be fiberglassing them before they get mounted to the hub and the hold-up is with that fiberglass work.

My intent was to get the garage insulated, sheetrocked, painted and heated this Winter, but due to my transportation issues, I’ve been unable to finish it.  While I’m not opposed to laying some paint on a firewall in mid-20 degree temps, I’m not about to take any chances with the blades of a rotating wind-driven PMG not curing properly.

I’m still as excited to see it completed as when I started it and after getting the blades on, all that will need to be done is wiring up the rectifier & such and then mounting the machine on a tower.

I appreciate the questions & all the interest and I look forward to posting more progress with it when the appropriate time comes.

Stay tooned.

Tags: wind turbine

From Norm on Jan 31 @ 8:04PM:

I actually got a little time to work on the ‘51 this weekend.

After setting the upper cowl section on the lower sections I found that there was a misalignment between them.  Although I expected some misalignment the difference was a lot more than I had planned on.
Continue Reading »

Tags: Norm's '51

‘ picked David up from a sleep-over this morning, took the family to breakfast and then went to sign the boys up for High Plains Little League since their Basketball season has just come to an end. We were politely greeted by the person behind the first table as we entered the registration area and were directed to progress from table to table where the boys would get fitted for shirts at one stop, meet some vendors at another, and eventually finalize registration and pay at the end. Simple enough, so Mom and I began to make the round with our two eager-to-play boys.

We no sooner get to the second table where a man walks up and asks us what we’ll be volunteering for. I open-mindedly and ready to pitch-in ask him, “Whaddaya Got?” and he starts listing them, “Coach, Asst Coach, Team Mom, etc” and in the course of the conversation informs us that “I’m not asking you to volunteer. I’m telling you. There’s none of that asking stuff.”  Continue Reading »

The music and truck are from the same year.

Tags: 1958 chevy

I put the ‘58 Chevy on the road earlier than anticipated and have since been shaking it down by running errands, driving it back-and-forth to work, etc. I really wasn’t ready to start driving it, but it’s turned out to be good motivation to get back to working on it again.

The truck still needs a lot before it could be considered presentable, but you do what you gotta do and driving it right now has turned out to be the best thing. Even though this one isn’t close to  yet, I’ve totally forgotten the effect these things have on people and how much fun they are.

I’ve been involved in the “Street Rod” scene with the ‘56 Ford, and I’ve met some decent people at local shows, gatherings or stuck rows and rows deep in cars and unable to get out when you’ve had enough, and it’s just not how I want to spend my day anymore. I like building stuff and talkin’ to people who build stuff. I really appreciate the effect old mechanical stuff has on people and sometimes a vehicle just fits the bill. It just changes our perspective sometimes. Continue Reading »

Tags: 1958 chevy