Did a Hunter's Safety Class at the Lodge this weekend. That was well attended.

Had 49 Scouts, 16 adults. We fed them lunch, snacks. It went over well, despite very cold temps. Reset the tables Saturday night for Valentine's Dinner, that went well also. Sunday we did an Eagle ceremony for Colby Dahlke, he wrestle's with Allen and Kyle, he is only 13, still at Scott. A little young to be an Eagle in my opinion, but whatever....

It was a nice ceremony, the boys knew a lot of kids there.

Now working on scanning photos in for the power point style presentation for the reception... finally got caught up on paperwork for all the Inspections in the last few days.... have two tomorrow, one Thursday, and potentially one Friday. Just been crazy busy this winter. Can't complain about the $$, when it finally comes in, but sure could have used the time off....

The boys looking good for their upcoming Eagle ceremony...

Allen decided to drop Advanced Algebra, and replace it with being a Teacher's Assistant. Not sure I like that idea, but he does have all his required Math courses for graduation. All he has to do is complete an Economics course. He already has plenty of credit hours and all his requireds completed. His Mom went ballistic when she heard that, ranted about him not being able to enter college without it ,etc.  I reminded her that he wasn't planning on college, but the Military, and they wanted good grades. By dropping a class he had an F in, he would maintain the good grades - A's and B's - he has in his other classes, not to mention it will keep his Good Student Discount in place for car insurance. That quieted her down a bit.  This will bring him down to 12.5 hours, which is not enough for athletics, but he is done with wrestling after next week anyway, so it doesn't matter to him. Hopefully when he graduates he can find a full time job and stick with it, then enlist and be successful in the Navy. Time will tell on that one.... Kyle signed up for Grade 11 classes, definitely college prep courses, he knows where he is headed. He is anxious for spring soccer to start, and to get his Driver's License. I know he wants to drive the Camaro, so next project is to get it dependable, and start on the interior, glass and so on....been watching a center console on E-Bay....Tim Klingenberg offered us the use of his paint booth, and some help prepping the car for paint this spring, sure won't turn that down....need to get my air compressor plumbed in so I can get my gun out and paint Diamond T parts while they are apart...have to figure out a color....see if the implement dealers can still come up with tractor paint that has lead in it...highest gloss most durable paint I have ever seen. Wears like iron, but environmentally and politically incorrect to use...can't even buy lacquer anymore....may have to do plain enamel. Need bright red tho... have to polish up my pinstriping skills when I re-do the box paint. Those Omaha Boxes always had white pinstriping on the wood slats....

Been working on the Garage the last few days with the nice weather, finally got some shelving up, and boxes unpacked, outlets wired in, and some general organization to the place. Now to start making a frame for the furnace to accomodate filters, and screen the blower opening so a cat can't get in there....

went to weld the frame together, discovered that sometime I had left my torch tanks turned on, so I am out of Oxygen...grarrr...have to take the tank in and get another *kicks self* fortunately it is only about $18 a tank for oxygen. Acetylene was on as well, but it still has about 75 lbs in it, so it will go a long time yet. Next step will be to measure and plan the sink and drain, get that installed. Then I can start on utilizing the room above the sink. Got my chop saw out, and my table saw, both new in the box, never unpacked. Really nice to be able to get them out and have the room to use them. Wire up a stereo soon, run an antenna wire in from the tower with a splitter, feed the TV and the stereo....then start restoring the radial arm saw, see if I can get it unfrozen and functional.  Need to pick up an Electric Fencer also, mine died. Darn things are about $60. The don't give them away...

Well, with the good weather I finally got a start on the Diamond T brakes. Got it jacked up and the front wheels off....

Got the hubs off, wheel bearings in good shape, a lot easier to dismantle than I thought.... found a broken brake spring, frozen wheel cylinders, and chewed up brake shoes....

so after a trip to Lincoln Clutch and Brake, two new wheel cylinders, new brake hoses, relined the shoes, new brake springs, and a thorough cleaning and painting.....I started reassembling things......

looks real nice all cleaned up, quite a simple brake system, acutually...

Had new tires installed on the rims, so reassembled the front end and set it back down on its tires. Tried to start it so I could turn it around, but the starter decided to die, so....time to pull the starter for a rebuild....

it will go to Fred's tomorrow, new brushes and bearings, maybe a new solenoid. Drive teeth looked good. So I decided to dismantle the rear end where it sat. Got it jacked up with a bottle jack, too heavy for the floor jack. Put a heavy duty jackstand under it, got the duals off, not as bad as I thought. Also removed the spare tire from it's carrier. Ancient, almost looked like a tractor tire....

Now to try to get the drum off. I pulled the axle and stuffed it with a rag, that came apart easily. But the drum does not want to come off the hub, I pried on it for a while, tried loosening the adjusting nut, but got nowhere. So I need to get a manual on the way this brake system is assembled, see what I can do. It is an Eaton 2 speed, used on a lot of trucks, so it shouldn't be too terribly hard to find parts for....

We had a nice time Sunday afternoon at the Eagle ceremony in Manley. None of us were real impressed with the three Eagles, especially one who was a little un-interested. But whatever... we grabbed some burgers on the way up there, Maureen had way too much sugar so she was bouncing off the walls....it was good fun. Kyle brought his portable DVD player and they were watching Dodgeball. Again, things that like build memories. Maureen recognized several kids from Cornhusker, and a number of people remarked about the kids being there and in uniform. I explained that they like to support me in these Flag ceremonies, since I have supported them in their Scouting endeavors over the years. And the boys admitted they felt pretty proud to stand when the Emcee asked for any Eagles in the audience to please stand and be recognized.  There were only two other people that stood. We headed back to Lincoln, I stopped and got an oil filter, and the boys came on out to the acreage. Allen worked on homework, Kyle fed cats and washed the drive down under his Camaro, got the rest of the antifreeze off.  Willie had decided to break his fence and run off to the neighbors, so I fixed fence, then brought him back home. At least met the neighbors, nice people.  They offered to spend some time with him, saddle and ride him. I told them go for it, by all means. He needs more time spent with him than I can give. So I got him fed and put away, then headed in. Maureen came out a bit later, and we got caught up on computer stuff, paperwork, gathering things for her to head to college. I finally hit the sack, and they followed shortly. Monday I got the boys off to school, and her oil changed, and on her way to Kansas. I headed into Lincoln to do an Inspection, then over to Woods to help move a vending machine downstairs, got some brochures printed up, stopped past the Elks and typed up my report, turned it into Capitol, then stopped at Home Depot and got a ballast for Mary Ann, and a pair of new tubes for our Laundry room. Got a call from another Hunter's Safety Instructor about doing a joint class through Scouts, offered him the Elks Lodge, so we decided to meet for coffee Wednesday evening and discuss further. Sounds like a good opportunity. Decided by then I wasn't going to make it to MA's to fix lights, so headed home and got Scout uniforms, installed the lights and headed back to Godfathers. Boys came about 6:20, then we headed to Scouts. Boys had a good time, asked several people to help in their Eagle ceremonies, got a good response. I finished the Auto Mechanics Merit Badge with Josh Brown. Kyle decided he wants to go to Cornhusker this summer. I really thought he'd want to wash his hands of the place after his Eagle and palms, but apprently not. I will have to talk to Allen, see what his plans are, and if he qualifies to be an Adult leader with the Troop and go with us, or what. 50 year anniversary for Cornhusker. Allen stopped and got some Tootsie Rolls for his Stonehenge project for school, Kyle and I got home and fed cats. Kyle gave me a neat pic of the band in front of Westminster Abbey..

kind of hard to see them, Allen is in the center rear, Kyle is on the right. They both dropped band for this quarter, which I am not real pleased with, but Allen has participated in band all four of his High School years. I told Kyle he had to be involved, one way or another, with band or drama or some sort of arts in 11th and 12th as well, that school isn't just about reading and writing and sports. He was not pleased with that, but oh well.  I have to head in this AM, replace some lights at Home Cotner, then head to MA's, fix the Kitchen light and wire up the computer phone line, move the computer stuff up and install it. Supposed to have Elks practice tonight, but may skip it and go to wrestling meet instead... no meeting tomorrow night (yay!) but next week Omaha team is coming down Wednesday to do the ceremony, and we are going up Thursday evening to do theirs...probably need the practice in unfamiliar territory. I saw a Tae Kwon Do class being offered, I really would like to sign up for it, but I know I would be hard pressed to budget the time for it...really need to spend my time on work and tax stuff right now, and save all available daylight for car work, do my paperwork and other stuff in the evenings when it is dark...Hope to work on the fences this afternoon. Tomorrow I have an Inspection, and one on Thursday, one more to schedule, and I know of two coming up in Beatrice, one for sure next week. So at least work is coming in. Explorer did well yesterday, not a drop of grease leaking from the rearend, that is a plus. Sure wish I could get that door open tho. Frustrating. I think I have Friday open, which would be a good day to work out here. I really need to get that propane tank re-leveled on the trailer, that should be fun. Darn thing is wanting to slide downhill, roll. Figured if I can ooch the Explorer up next to it, and hook a come-along on it to the top bracket on the tank, I might be able to "roll" it up hill enough to get a block under the downhill side. Right now the tank has 70% in it, and as warm as it has been, it isn't using much, so it would be quite a while before it was much lower. Frankly I don't think I can wait that long, as it seems to have moved quite a bit in the last few weeks. Guess I'll see what I can do with it... worst case I can get the Co-op out here and lift it, and reset it. Well, best scram.....

Went to the Lincoln High Wrestling meet last night...watched Allen win both his matches, pins, first match was in the second round, but he had the kid pinned in the first round for over 30 secs, the ref didn't call it...the second match he pinned the kid in 51 seconds....Kyle won his first match, he was really pumped after that...came out blazing, just creamed the other kid, got him in the first round...he was a very happy camper....good to see him finally win one....and nice to see Allen shake his hand and congratulate him....also great that Maureen got to be there and see it as well....now to go out and do battle with a pinion seal in the Explorer, and a freeze plug in the Camaro, shock the well, get new plug wires and cap and rotor for the Nova, order certificates for the Ealge ceremony on Sunday...among other things...never a dull moment.....laters..

Well we had a great time in London, saw a lot of things, went a lot of places. Hard to comprehend all of it. Amazing history over there, realizing we were in places thousands of years old, when our country is only 225 years old...

The Albert Hall - concert hall, mentioned in many Beatles songs, films

Buckingham Palace - incredible

Gun Collection at Tower of London

Windsor Castle - unbelievable lavish interior - still in use

You can't go to England and not see Stonehenge (and you can't go to Alliance and not see Carhenge)

The Avon River at Bath, built over a series of stone steps to give this effect, there is also a lock there to move small gondolas (boats) up and down the river, you can see small shops built on the bridge over the river.

The Roman Baths, over 7000 years old...

Miniature hand made steam engines in the Parade...

Old High wheel bike in the London New Years Day Parade...

Antique Vauxhall autos - really neat...

Old Morris Minors - built in England....

Old Humbers, another car built in England...

neat little three wheeled cars, don't know what type...

An American Peterbuilt managed to sneak in there, licensed in Kansas. a 1983 951 long nose, it was a real hit, and enormous compared to the small tractors we saw on the roads. Length limits very short there, and only allowed on certain routes.

An articulated Fire Engine Ladder Truck. They have to have a driver in the rear to steer the rear wheels, to get around the tight turns and narrow streets...

a midget Electric car, and it acutally seats 4....very small people....

Allen, center, and Kyle, near, marching in the Parade. Southwest did very well.

Antique Double Decker Bus near the end of the Parade.

Wonderful times and lots of sights and memories....

A few more pics of the D-T Bus...

needs a little paint (anything but blue!) but basically straight....

Carpenter Bus body converted to a camper, which will be extensively reworked. Relocate propane tanks underneath, rewire entire bus to 12 v. negative ground, and 110 v. for camping, with window A/C. Needs new tires and brakes rebuilt. Engine is 6 cyl. flathead, runs very smooth, needs minor work (choke cable hooked up, etc.) 4 speed, 2 speed rear end.

Will look a lot better with a paint job, but body is basically straight. They even painted the chrome hubcaps...Model 404, weighs about 8,000 lbs. Needs a few pieces of trim on the grille and hood, but largely intact.  At least there is headroom in this to stand up...made it home just in time for Christmas...

with new running lights and better mirrors it will be a pleasure to drive...remove the screen off the windows and clean and tint them...replace broken glass...another in the line of projects waiting attention....

Well, our new addition on the trip to our house, coming off Hwy 2 onto Hwy 43...

and here it is headed south on Hwy 43...

It took us a while to get it started, it had traveled through sub-zero weather in Wyoming, so that old cast iron six was plenty cold....and the 6 volt battery was not charged real well...we managed to burn up a set of jumper cables jumping it, had Allen standing on the flatbed, with the D-T hood up, working the choke by hand. We finally got it started, then found out it was out of gas. Maureen and Kyle had to run back to the Bennet corner for 5 gals of gas. We poured that in, got it choked and started again, then let it warm up a bit. We had no brakes, so backing it off the ramp was a real treat. By this time the sun was going down, and of course there were no operational lights on it...so backing it in the drive was quite a treat.....we managed to get it in place tho. Sure runs smooth once it warms up. I will be anxious to get started on it this spring, replacing glass, scraping, sanding and painting, restoring the interior, rewiring it. This one is going 12 volt positive ground. Plus I will wire it 110v and put a window A/C in it. I will mount the propane tanks underneath instead of the middle of the roof. It will be a bit of work, but a lot of fun. A new set of tires and rebuilding the brakes will round it out. Plus a thorough lube and such. Probably new hoses, belts. I know I will have to adapt a belt to run an alternator. It is a 1949 Diamond T 404, 6 cylinder Hercules Special counterbalanced, and 4 speed transmission, with a 2 speed rear end. So far, so good... more pics to follow....

I've been tagged by Number One Daughter....

Let's see, 5 random facts....

1. I own perhaps the only 1949 Diamond T  School Bus in existence....

2. I play the banjo...

3. I have driven semi trucks 3/4 of a million miles accident free....

4. I am a Hunter's Safety Instructor....

5. I have three of the best kids a Dad could ever have...

It is hard to think of just 5 things....I am a very lucky fellow.....