Courageous - A quick movie review

After hearing good things about the movie, I recently settled in and watched Courageous.  This is the latest in a line of inspirational movies from Sherwood Pictures.  The acting in these movies isn't going to win any academy awards, but the story lines are strong and the messages are enjoyable and grounded in Scripture.

As I watched I thought about my personal philosophy as a father and reflected on some things that I can do better.  It was a healthy exercise.  It reminded me of my duty and refreshed me spiritually.  Come on Alex..... a movie?  Really?  Yeah... really.  It was THAT good.  This is coming from a guy whose top 5 movie list includes Smokey and the Bandit and Back to the Future.

I don't want to spoil the movie, but if you're a Father, check out Courageous.  You and your family will be glad you did.

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

I'm Baaaaack!

Some might call it hiatus.  Some might call it a time warp.  Some may call it laziness.  Either way, I've not been blogging for a while.  I've been MIA for a little over 5 months to be exact.  What happened?  I broke pretty much every rule that I set for myself when I started blogging on this particular topic a year and a half ago.  Maybe that's not fair to say.  I have remained relative good at embracing the idea of living below my means, not trying to keep up with the Jones and putting the family first.  The whole stress thing.....ehhh.... not so much.

I took a new job which I have really enjoyed very much.  It was a change though.  A little more intense with a little more of a learning curve and some more lofty expectations.  That's cool though.  I'm always up for a challenge.  In my last entry, eons ago, I mentioned that I was closing in on a campaign in which I had set some pretty lofty goals.  Naturally, I stressed about it, but we ended up surpassing the goal.  I will say this....... it was a dynamite team of volunteers that was truly responsible.  The stars aligned in a magical way and we rocked the mic.  The next stress du jour will be repeating it and/or surpassing it next year, LOL

What about other stuff?  Well, we got a dog for the kids.  We're proud owners of the sorriest hunting Beagle that you'll ever see.  Perfect for us as we'll never run him.  He is the perfect companion for the kids.  I'm glad we made that decision.  I bought a 1974 International Scout.  This is the perfect vehicle for a "Back 'er Down" mindset.  It doesn't get up to speed very fast at all; it tops out somewhere around 60mph and I spend copious amounts of time working on it.  If we hadn't gotten the Beagle, the Scout would have become our family mascot.  We sub-soiled and plowed the area for the garden.  I'm once again going all-in this year.  I hope to have better results with the tomatoes this year.  Maybe we won't go from 70 degree days straight to 100 degree days with no rain this year.  A new twist....... I'm considering buying a dehydrator this year and cutting my teeth on that method of veggie preservation.

I recently started another blog too.  During a recent two hour drive home I began thinking of interesting ways and topics about which to write.  As I've shared with you before, I enjoy writing as if I were talking to someone.  I had an idea of writing about random topics and providing "Top 5" lists.  Where would I get material, I wondered?  It hit me wen I heard abut the Wikipedia blackout protest of SOPA.  You can search any date on Wikipedia and get a wealth of information from births and deaths to major events.  I figured I could pick my favorite nugget, write down the first thing that came to my mind and write a top 5 list that would be related to those items.  So at that point, along a boring Georgia Interstate was born:  In Honor Of This Momentous Occasion.  Check it out if you have a minute.  My #1 goal for that blog is to keep it as unpredictable as possible.  We'll see how that works out.  I'm going to do my best to getting back into the writing groove by penning something for both blogs at least once a week.  Help me y'all!  Help keep me on track!

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Back To School!

At the local Wal-Mart an 8 pack of Crayola crayons cost me 96 cents.  A 24 pack of Crayola crayons was 40 cents.  Only in America.  It's time to go back to school and the cash registers are ringing.  After buying the assorted supplies for my Kindergartner I was surprised that things haven't really changed all that much.

We're at the end of the first week of Kindergarten and I proud to report that it was a great week!!

Edit and Update:  This was a draft blog that I had planned to expand on.  However, I hit the publish button instead of the save button.  didn't even realize it!  LOL!  Well, since Trey commented, I figure that I'll just leave it.  If you like the outdoors, Browning firearms, antique furniture, the Atlanta Braves, or the Georgia Southern Eagles, check out Trey's blog.  It's a good one!   http://treyluckie.blogspot.com/

Climbing Out of a Funk

Clearance rack blueberry bush

Been feeling kind of blah lately.  Not sure why.  Maybe it's the heat.  The wife says it might be because the garden is done.  Either way I have to snap out of it.  It's a drag.  No patience with the kiddos, no patience at work and I find myself just being a general grump lately.  That ain't me.  The peeps around me deserve better.

I started running again.  Before son #2 was born, I was a regular runner, nearly every morning.  Once he came along I got out of the habit.  A baby will do that to a household.  He's 2 1/2 now though.  I don't have an excuse, except that I was just being a useless slob.  My short term goal is to run/walk every morning.  Even weekends, even rainy days.  I remember feeling so good when I was doing that a few years ago.  It gave me more stamina through the day.  It helped clear my sinuses.  If kept me from packing on 20 extra lbs.  Remind me again...... why did I stop?  #FoRealDough

Garden is done, but we're still planting!  I found some blackberry and blueberry bushes on a clearance rack at Lowes.  $3 each.  They actually looked pretty healthy too.  We planted two of each and have our fingers crossed that we can keep them watered enough through the brutal South GA summer.  We also planted 5 peach trees.  These gems were volunteers that my Dad dug up out of his trash pile.  He and Mom put up some peaches last year and low and behold the pits put on some pretty impressive trees right there in the trash pile.  Nature is funny like that.  We potted them in the spring and they had began to get root bound, so it was time to get them in the dirt.

I'd like to go camping with the oldest boy, but finding the time and fighting the heat/rain is making that difficult.  I'd love to go to the river, but it's so low I'd be dragging the boat........ not to mention I'm not sure it's clean after a questionable fish kill.  Guess I need to treat it like the running.  I just need to step up and do it!  In other news, I'm thinking about taking up photography.  Auctioneering school is still on the bucket list, but taking awesome pictures seems to be a little more realistic goal right now.

Exercise and outdoor activities.........that will bring a man out of a funk don't you think?

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Feeling Better About the World

After 10 days of not wearing shoes, napping and generally going at whatever pace I wanted................. it's back to work today.  Our family enjoyed a week at the beach and with the way the 4th of July fell this year, we had a good three days to get home, unpack and get some stuff done at the Ponderosa too.  that was a welcomed treat.  Coming home from vacation, unpacking that night and going to work the next morning is a huge drag.

We vacationed with the wife's family to a small and relatively underdeveloped South Carolina barrier island called Edisto Island.  Neat place with a lot of history, one grocery store, one gas station a hand-full of restaurants and shops and 4 million rental houses.  Very family oriented.  I'm not a big fan of the beach really.  I prefer fresh water adventures.  The wife and kids enjoy it though, so it's worth every penny.  We did rent a house with a pool this year.  Also......worth every penny!

As I typically do each year, I took a 2 day vacation from the vacation and came home to take care of some chores.  This time it was cutting grass.  If you've read any of my garden updates this year you would know that we were very dry this spring.  I pretty much called it quits on the garden just before we left for vacation.  Well, we have received as much rain in the last week as we did in the previous five months.  In fact Wednesday afternoon we got right at 4 inches.  Insane.  Garden is over but the grass is looking great!  Maybe this will give the pine seedlings the chance to get down a good root entering their 3rd year.

So the title of the blog......  I did come across a few things during my vacation that has me feeling better about the world.  Sometimes I watch the news, read certain publications and I just get down in the dumps.  There is hope though.  Here are a three reasons why:

1.  My kids set up a watermelon stand this weekend.  Through no prodding by me, my oldest said that he wanted to set up a watermelon stand and sell them for $1 each.  Great teaching opportunity I thought.  We have already established that "you get money by working."  This was a chance to teach that you can also get money by selling something that you "created."  Under the direction of the oldest, the boys did everything themselves.  The planned how they would set up, made a sign and even decorated.  After some help from Daddy in getting loaded and some stern words about staying out of the road, they were off.  Not a lot of traffic in our area, LOL.  They were troopers though.  Stayed with it for a good while.  We finally had a generous visitor who bought the only 4 watermelons we had left.  The kiddos were fired up to have money in their pockets.  A trip to the store will soon follow.  Why it makes me feel better about the world - I seem to be making some headway in showing the boys that you have to work to get paid.

2.  Cars 2 is in theaters now.  Cars is one of my all-time favorite movies.......animated or not.  Pixar does a good job of making kids movies that the parents can actually enjoy as well.  For those of you who do not have kids.............. that's a big deal!  Naturally I was excited to see the sequel.  This would be the oldest son's first trip to a movie theater too.  The theater we chose was really nice.  Very clean, modern amenities and free popcorn!  Maybe that's customary now.  I have no idea since I've not been to a movie is 5 years or more.  It was a small popcorn, but still roughly the size of a gallon tea pitcher.  Of course the one pack of  M&Ms and two bottled waters were $10.50.  Glad to see some things haven't changed.  Davis really enjoyed it and even kept quiet.  That was a shocker.  Despite being a social commentary on alternative energy, the movie was great.  I enjoyed it for what it was.  It was a movie about talking cars that had races all over the world and a redneck tow truck has some interesting adventures along the way.  What's not to love about that plot?!?!  Why it makes me feel better about the world - Even with the social commentary about "big oil" and alternative energy, the movie still had room to provide a plot about friendship, cooperation and respecting others.  Good reminders for children and adults alike.

3.  My garden wasn't the only one that sucked this year.  They say misery loves company.  I guess that's the case here.  In talking with others from my area, Wilt Virus was very bad on tomatoes all over the region.  The lack of rain was universally troublesome.  Some folks burnt up, others drowned.  It was neat to read and converse with other gardeners across the country this year.  Maybe a few of our ideas can translate the some of our starkly different climates.  We got food in the freezer and on the shelf.  I should absolutely not complain.  Why it makes me feel better about the world - I'm not the only one........ and there are countless resources from which I can learn.

Writers block is starting to set in once again.  I do have a few drafts in the hopper, so I'll be good for a while.  However, the garden updates have really kept me writing regularly.  Honestly though, writing solely on that was starting to get a little boring to me.  Glad to have a little break from it.  Suggestions for topics?  I'd appreciate them.

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Backing 'er waaaay down today!

Yesterday was was a day in which "back 'er down" was nowhere to be seen.  After an event for work I finally got in bed around 2 AM.  I was greeted by the kiddos at 6 AM.  We left for family pictures around 9 AM.  Drove to South Carolina for a couple of hours and took some great pics with the wife's family.  Loaded up again with the oldest son and beat it back to Statesboro, GA for a birthday party at 1:30 PM.  We bowled, played laser tag, played arcade games, etc for over three hours.  Took it to the house, got a quick shower and pulled out again at 6 PM.  went back to South Carolina to drop off the oldest son.  (Wife and little one had stayed.)  Hung out and ate dinner and headed for home once again.  Finally got showered and in bed around 11 PM.  Geez Louise!  What a day!

Today though is going to be way slower.  In fact it will be one of the laziest of the year.  For a race fan like myself today is the biggest racing day of the year.  At 8 AM the Grand Prix of Monaco will go green.  This is the most prestigious race on the Formula 1 calendar.  Around Noon the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be on the tube.  Finally later in the afternoon NASCAR's longest race, the Coca Cola 600 will cap off the evening.  This guy is watching them all!  I'm not sure that I'll actually do anything constructive at all today.  I might go outside and pick beans between Monaco and Indy, but I'm not going to get really motivated about it.

Y'all take it easy,   (I sure am!)

Alex

Garden Update May 24

Two empty rows to the left of that pole were the tater beds.
The pole is actually a raised sprinkler to get above the corn.

I'm starting to sound like a broken record when I talk about no rain.  Actually I feel bad for moaning about it when I see flooding happening along the Mississippi River.  We've totaled about a 1/2 inch of rain in the last 10 weeks.  Dry.  On top of that the last three days have been over 100 degrees too.  Sandspurs love no rain and 100 degree days.  Other stuff.....not so much.  I've been letting the water sprinklers rip though.  That's kept everything steady.  We are actually harvesting things now and the results are pretty decent!  So far we've put up 10 quarts of snapbeans, given away about five more and eaten some as well.  The squash are putting off like gangbusters.  I knew they would.  I believe you could make squash in bed of shattered glass.  The tomatoes are doing decent but these last few days have been tough on them.  Of the 72 plants we set, only 5 have died so far. Not too bad.  All of the plants have fruit, so as long as nothing funky happens we'll be picking maters soon too.  About half of the corn is tassling and it looks pretty decent too.  Sweet potatoes are looking healthy and starting to drop and run.  The sugarcane is struggling bad.  No water.  Gotta have water to make cane.  Same with the watermelons, though they aren't too terrible.  Just not as healthy as I'd like right now.  There is still time before the 4th of July though :)  The cucumbers are struggling as well.  They are the biggest mystery to me.  The first year I planted a garden I made bunches of cukes.  The last three years have been absolutely paltry.  The only think I can guess is that they loved the area where the sandspurs were.  If nothing comes this year, I'll plant them in that spot again next year and just pick carefully.  There is one about three inches on the vine.  I'm nursing that so that I can have at least one this year.

This weekend was spent digging potatoes.  What a crop!  I estimated that we ended up with around 160-170 pounds.  I filled my storage rack and still had an entire queen sized bed sheet full to give away to friends, neighbors and coworkers.  Taters for all!  I hope the sweet potatoes do that well.

From the opposite end.  Freshly hoed tomato plants

What made really made the day special was to work in the garden with the boys.  Despite the heat they were there with me.  We had a great system in which my five-year-old would pull the plant, I would dig and my two-year-old would pile them in the middle of the rows.  Keep in mind now.......this wasn't my plan....it was their plan.  On top of that, the two-year-old had a fit to make sure that every one was in a container of some sort be it a plastic bag, bucket, box or even his pants pockets.  It was interesting that they never once complained that it was too hot.  It was bright and 101 degrees at the peak.  I made sure that they had plenty of water and sunscreen (wish I had put sunscreen on myself...ouch) but they never once complained about any discomfort.  They were out there working because it was an opportunity to hang with Dad.  I'm sure being able to root around in the dirt had something to do with it too, but they were as well behaved and attentive as I've ever seen them.  They were happy.  Despite being hot, nasty and tired they were happy.  I could learn a lot from that...........

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Refurbishing a Tractor Part 3 - The Before and After Pictures

The final installment of my three blogs documenting the process of refurbishing a Ford Jubilee for the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro.  Part 1 gave a brief  description of the cleanup and all of the wacky things that were wrong.  Part 2 expanded on that and gave a little talk about the cleanup process and the mechanical repairs.  We finally got to the point of painting.  the first order of business was attempting to salvage the sheet metal.  You can buy and entire hood and side legs for this tractor for about $1000.  However, that was my total budget for this project.  That meant getting out the grinder, hammer and giving it what I call "violent encouragement."  There were areas that had been welded back together and other areas that had rotted away.  It wasn't pretty and it didn't really fit back together properly.  Dad and I aren't really very talented body work guys.  We could have taken it to a body shop, but again......budget.  We did a lot of banging and bending until we got it in place and somewhat straight.  When we started the tractor did not have a grille.  We found one, but the original mounting tabs had long rusted away.  We needed something so I went digging.  When we moved my youngest son to a bed, I disassembled his crib and kept some of the parts.  (see my May 15 garden update for the potato drying rack that I made from the base)  I dug through and found two brackets that worked perfectly!  A shot-coat of ford medium grey paint and they were good to go!  I would like to have done a $3000 restoration, but then folks would have felt guilty for using it.  By putting $1000 into it it gets it looking decent, running great and ready to work.  It's going to get dinged and scratched.  It's going to have things break again.  That's okay.  That's what it's for.  It's meant to work.  so now the before and after pictures..........the old Ford came a LONG way!

Front Before

Front After

Rear Before

Rear After

Left Side Before

Left Side After

Right Side Before

Right Side After

I had a blast refurbishing a Ford for the first time.  can't say that I'm ready to give up on my trusty John Deere's, but it was fun to learn the nuances and differences with another brand.  We returned the tractor to its home Saturday.  I was a little sad, but happy that I could get my baby back in the shop out of the elements.  Next project...... making my Dad's lifelong dream a reality.  We're restoring a 1949 John Deere M like the one my Grandfather bought new when Dad was a kid.  He says it might be his last project.  I hope not, but if it is, I'm going to make the most of it.

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Garden Update May 15

Still no real measurable rainfall.  I did get about 1/4 inch on Saturday night, but that still take us to only about a half inch cumulatively in the last 6 weeks.  It's dry, but early last week I started running the sprinklers full bore.  I watered for 3 hours each evening and 2 hours the next morning every other day.  It made a difference.  Today I was able to pick a five gallon bucket full of snap beans and the blooms that I noticed as I picked are numerous.  I'll be picking beans again mid week and likely next weekend too.  It's great!!  We also dug some more potatoes.  We focused mainly on the dying plants today.  I'm very pleased with the crop so far.  we've been able to keep the potato bugs at bay.  Last year's killer were mole crickets.  Two applications of granular Sevin knocked those back easily.  The potato crop is as healthy as good as we've had this year.  We have small tomatoes on the bush and watermelons on the vine.  Several corn stalks are starting to tossle.  Cucumbers are struggling but some are starting to drop and run.  same with the sweet potatoes.  For a plot that is deathly dry it's actually yielding.  What if I had had some rain?  Would have been my best garden ever...that's what.  There is still time.  If it's God's will the rain will come.  I took several pics and I figured that I would make that the bulk of this weeks's update:

It's hard to tell what's in that picture, but it's deer tracks.  More specifically the digging done by a deer who got the piss shocked out of it after trying to enter the garden.  After two months of chirping, the fence charger finally got some use.  Hopefully it gets some more use.  I suspect the watermelons will be very inviting.

Speaking of watermelons....we have a few on the vine!  This one is about the size of my thumb, but it's a start.  This is where watering becomes critical or they will all get bullet-nosed.  I'll define that term in a later blog.  I'm sure I'll have an example ;)

Saturday morning was spent staking tomato plants.  I put baskets around the ones that get the most sprinkler water and used bamboo stakes for the rest.  That's The Murph in the background.  He was helping ;)

This is my "engineered" potato drying rack.  It is the base of my youngest sons old crib.  I covered it in screen and suspended it from the rafters in my shop.  Perfect for letting the taters get air from all sides.  Already had the base and the chain.  Total cost was $3.49 for the screen.  I do hit my head on it all the time though.  Doh!

Sunday's bounty.  Cooked a pot of beans and bagged 4 quarts for the freezer.

The day ended with a true home cooked meal.  Veggies from the garden and deer tenderloin.  The deer was on the money.  I recently learned about marinading it in milk for 24 hours to help tenderize it.  Worked like a champ!  The kids loved this meal because they helped harvest it and because it tasted good.  not usually a deer fan, the wife even liked it.

It was a great weekend.  It started out hot and humid and ended cooler and breezy.  We got a little rain.  The kids got dirty with me in the garden.  Murphy dug his first potatoes.  Mama Bear ate deer meat.  Davis is riding his bike without training wheels.  The Ford tractor is almost done.  Wow!  Hope next week is as bountiful and fruitful!

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Regal Fever and the Best Known Cure

Image: http://www.americarclassics.com/ 

Oh boy did I have Regal Fever!  For the past two weeks.  It was bad.  Not a "Back 'er Down" type of move AT ALL!  Thankfully I'm over it now thanks to a good conversation with my Dad.  We never even focused on the car, but the message was still there.  Funny how it all works out sometimes

It all started when I was a teenager.  My first car was a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass.  It was a great car that served me well all the way through college.  (There was a six month span where I blew the transmission out of the olds and drove a 1973 Dodge pickup....The Orange Monster....That's a whole other blog)  While working in downtown Savannah the car was stolen.  Broad daylight.  Hot-wired.  Recovered three weeks later.  Completely stripped.  I never got closure for that whole situation.  So here I sit 10 years later.  I've paid the bills and I have some money.  I got a little giddy at the prospect of getting another Cutlass.  Then I just started getting greedy.  I figured that if I was going Cutlass shopping I should just go ahead and look for it's smoking hot older sister, a T-Type Buick Regal.  I found several, but I found one in my hometown, with 27,000 original miles.  GASP!  I came very close to pulling the trigger.  Despite everything I've done saving money over the last couple of years.  Despite the fact that I know I need it like I need a hole in my head.  Despite the fact that it would get 12 miles to the gallon.  Despite the fact that it was a dumb idea.  I was ALMOST ready to pull the trigger!

Luckily my old man came over for a visit.  He's always good for a reality check ;)  He never said "Don't buy that thing."  We did get into a conversation about life, our economy and our country.  We talked about the early 80's and how he lost his farm and how things were when he was a little boy.  We talked about the fact that smart people hold their money in situations like these.  I don't know if he talked about all that on purpose or not.  We talk like that all the time, but it struck a different chord this time.

I had rationalized in my mind that if I bought this car that I could eventually resell it and at least get my money back.  (I rarely buy anything that isn't for sale two days later.)  That might have been the case, but it was pushing it just a little bit.  This particular car would be targeted for resale to a collector....... that guy with money......who would probably be holding onto his money if things don't get better soon.

The stock market has me a little concerned right now.  I have some in it, but I want to keep some of it at hand.  I feel a need to put my cash in some tangibles right now.  So the question really became where can I put it to be safe and get a possible return.  Been doing it with tractors for years, but tractor buying time is in the late fall and early winter.  Gold is past my comfort zone.  If silver comes back down, maybe I'll get back into that.  I see third-world militias on TV all the time riding around in early 80's Toyota pickups.  Those are some tough little suckers.  Maybe that's where I need to be.  I finally decided that a pristine 87 Regal probably isn't the best place right now.  A good solid $1,000 Regal maybe.  I could turn that for a Donk conversion in a heartbeat.  The collector market is just a little too shaky right now.

I still want T-Type.  One day I'll get one.  Just isn't the right time.  Glad I have that visit last night.  Dads continue being Dads no matter how old you are :)

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Farewell To An Old Friend

A part of this blog is to help me write and verbalize to myself the silliness in "accumulating stuff."  Sometimes I get attached.  Today we let go of our 1954 John Deere 40.  It had been for sale for a while, but today was finally the day she left.  It has served our family well for almost 19 years.  The real reason that I had such sentimental ties to it........it was the very first tractor that Dad and I restored together.  It was also the first tractor that my oldest son drove....just earlier this year.  It was the tractor that allowed me to learn the proper way to use and care for these old machines.  Hard pill to swallow.

However......the reason that we sold it makes the pill a little easier to get down.  We recently purchased a 1949 John Deere M.  My grandfather bought an M brand new in 1949.  It is the tractor on which Dad learned how to drive, how to garden, how to work.  He always wanted one of his own.  Now he has one and the restoration can get underway.  It was a bittersweet process.  A tractor that I've grown to love is gone.  However, we now have an opportunity to allow my Dad to realize a lifelong dream.  Making that a reality it totally worth it.

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Refurbishing a Tractor Part 2

This is the second in a three-part series where I attempt to "blogify" the process of refurbishing an old tractor.  If you missed part one, check it out here.  I want to take a moment to thank my friend Wallace for suggesting this blog topic.  I was  having a bout of writers block and this series has been excellent for getting me back on track.  Thanks Wallace!

At this point we are starting to give the old Ford a good cleaning in preparation for painting.  I did want to quickly touch on the problem we had with the throttle linkage.  When we rebuilt the carburetor we put everything back together just like it came off.  We thought it looked odd that the linkages from the throttle to the carb were all bent up and binding.  Having never restored a Ford, we put it back like it came apart.  When we cranked it the throttle would not work properly. The tractor ran fine and the carb worked fine but the throttle linkages kept hanging up and binding.  After a few hours of racking our brains my Dad encouraged me to let it go.  He said that, "sometimes it's better to step away and come back another day."  Good advice, so that's just what we did.  We came back a little over 24 hours later and looked at it again.  That's when we solved the mystery.  Whoever rebuilt the carburetor last put the throttle body in backwards.  Instead of fixing it they bent the throttle linkages to get it to work.  I swear........ I don't know how this thing is even still running!

Once we got that buttoned up and had the mechanics all proper, we hit it with the degreaser and pressure washer again.  Then the fun part..... cleaning the cracks and crevices.  There isn't an easy way to do this.  It's all about getting dirty and getting it done.  Preferred tools for this part of the process are things like wire brushes, paint scrapers, putty knives and screwdrivers.  One of the best tools for getting into tight places is a can of engine starting fluid also known as ether.  The little straw on the tip and the pressurized can are a really big help in some of those hard to get places.

After the fine cleaning it was one more blast with the pressure washer to rinse away the loose dust, goop and gack.  Here she sits ready for some mild body work and a coat of primer.  That will be part three.

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Babbling 'bout a Birthday and a Blogiversary

What a great birthday!  I was woken early in the morning by two little fellas presenting me with gifts.  The bigger box was a cool battery powered sweeper for our hard floors.  That was great but the homemade card, homemade book and pinchpot (apparently some kind of primitive pottery) were the best gifts of all!  Handmade gifts from the kids.  I cannot imagine that I will ever receive as special a gift as that!

As the day went on I enjoyed best wishes from my coworkers and friends.  And Facebook....... holy moly Facebook!  If you ever have a complex, just change your birthday on Facebook and you will be showered with comments beyond your wildest dreams!  I made it a point to personally comment on each birthday wish instead of doing the mass status update.  Folks took time for me.  I feel it fitting to take time for them too.  Even if it's just a few strokes of the keypad.  Superstar for a day!  Made me feel special!  LOL!

The afternoon was brightened as one of my coworkers and I got into a conversation about Jerry Clower.  What a genius he was.  It got me fired up so I hit up a few classics on the way home.  I always cackle no matter how many times I hear him.  Shoot up in here amongst us!  One of us has got to have some relief!

When I got home my mom, dad, brother and his GF came over to enjoy dinner and an ice cream cake with us.  I enjoyed having them over.  The boys enjoyed a crowd at the house too.  They got to show off a little bit ;)

In the middle of the birthday frivolity I remembered that it's been right at a year since I started "Back 'er Down."  I mentioned in my very first post that this is a blog that I would truly enjoy even if it wasn't read by a single person.  That turned out to be true!  I think it's helped keep me grounded, focused and honest.  Looking back I've found that I have had some successes and that I still have some work to do in other areas.  Thanks to the magic of Facebook, some other bloggers, a few fellow Kurt Busch fans and a lot of friends I actually have a good little following for this parcel of the Blogosphere too!  That's a nice added bonus.  Y'all keep reading and help keep me straight.  Okay?

Y'all take it easy,

Alex 

Deciding on an Automobile

We just paid off my wife's car!  This is the first time since we've been married that we have not had at least one car payment.  The feeling is liberating.  This seems like an appropriate time to bang out a blog regarding how I decide on an automobile.  My friend Sally (not That Girl) offered this suggestion a month or so ago in terms of "How to decide when you're ready to go from a normal car to a Mom/Dad-mobile and how to accept it."  Thanks for the suggestion Sally!

I should offer my disclaimer again today....... this is what works best for me and my family.  You might think I'm crazy and something else might work best for you.  Nothing personal, just my .02.  At the end of the day it's your money!  Spend it like you want!  Several questions come to mind when I think of this great American pastime of purchasing an automobile:

1. What do I need? - My needs for a car now are much different now than they were 8 years ago.  My perspective on life is of course a lot different too!  Now I have a family and two car seats take up a considerable amount of space.  I want decent fuel mileage, but I still want to pull a trailer occasionally.  Mamma Bear has no need to do anything, but get good gas mileage and transport the kiddos part of the time.  It's easy to get caught up in trends and what's considered cool.  Been there, done that.  That costs too much money.  Can't let myself fall into that trap again.  Brand loyalty used to be important to me.  Not so much any more.  I'm a Chevrolet man.  I drive a Jeep Cherokee.  Wife drives a Toyota Camry.  Favorite NASCAR driver started in a Ford and now drives a Dodge.  I'm diverse if nothing else.

2. Can I afford it?  Ouch.  Sometimes this means financing, sometimes not.  I've financed 4 automobiles.  Hope to never do it again, but sometimes that is the only option for folks.  It certainly was for us when we were younger.  I think that I've purchased my last new car.  Never say never, but my plan is to buy used from here on out.  If we can be disciplined enough to save what we have been paying then that should not be an issue.  So what about leasing?  If someone drives few miles and will only keep a car two years it might be a good proposition.  For us....not so much.  We put a ton of miles on cars and I do pretty much all of the service and maintenance.  Bottom line....don't bury yourself financially for a mode of transportation.  The long term determent just isn't worth the short term gratification.

3. Will the cost of maintenance and care be reasonable?  One of the main reasons we bought the Camry is because the oil filter, drain plug and air filter were easily accessible.  I recently found that doing a brake job was pretty easy too.  I do pretty much all of the maintenance on the car and so far it's been manageable.  There are no obscure parts that aren't available.  Same thing on my Jeep.  If you need brakes, a pcv valve or an O2 sensor, you can get it this afternoon.  No waiting on some parts for that better-German-engineering to be shipped.  The life of a car is maintenance.  Gotta do it if you want it to last.  It's an expense, but it shouldn't be a money pit.

4. Can I accomplish the above with a car that I actually like?  In late 2004 We bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee.  When our first son came along it seemed like we had made the perfect decision!  You have to have an SUV if you have kids right?  STOP IT!  I remember well riding in such classics as a Ford Grenada, Dodge Omni and even a Chevrolet Celebrity as a family when I was a kid.  We even took a vacation with me and my sister under a camper top in the back of an S10 truck (that was fun by the way)  Why didn't all families have K-5 Blazers and Ford Broncos back then?  Because we didn't need them, that's why.  Sure, there was the station wagon, but were there as many of those on the road as there are SUV's now?  At about 6 months old my wife decided that my son was too heavy to lift into the back of that Cherokee.  We went shopping and bought a Toyota Camry.  So far in our young lives, it has been the best car we've ever purchased as far as the balance of utility, price and practicality.  Mamma, Daddy, two kids and luggage fit tight, but they fit.

So I put the ball back in Sally's court (tennis reference for you there darling)...... what is a Mom/Dad-mobile?  Is it a minivan?  Is is a Ford Excursion or Chevrolet Suburban?  I don't think it has to be either.  A sporty 4-door sedan with a spacious trunk can serve you well.  (A two-door served 4 of us when I was a kid!)  The smart money is on taking what you have and making it work.  My advice....don't spend a lot because the leather is just going to end up with juice, Cheezit crumbs and vomit all over it anyway.  Save your money and buy something cool when the little one leaves the house.  Think of it as a reward ;)

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Being a Tightwad

The is the second in what I call my "Being Series."  The first was Being a Father.  The third will be Being a Renaissance Man.  Should have that one buttoned up in the next week or so.

I'm all about saving a dollar.  Some call me cheap and tight.  I call myself frugal.  I honestly have no interest in racking up a bunch of debt that I will have to face midlife.  That's the point at which I should be getting in a Corvette and heading west to Route 66.

I do a variety of things to save money.  Some things are small like using coupons and watching sales.  Other things are more involved like switching to CFLs and unplugging certain electronic devices when they aren't in use.  Our family lives comfortably, but by no means do we live extravagantly.

I'm a big fan of reusing stuff.  That's not because I'm some rabid environmentalist, rather because it saves loads of cash.  I pretty much built an entire electric fence for my garden with free items.  I compost for fertilizer in the garden.  The garden is probably a slight net loss when compared to buying food.  I enjoy that though... and it really does taste better.  I reuse paper towels if they aren't too dirty.  I wear pants twice without washing them if they aren't dirty.  Burnt motor oil is used for other lubrication.  We eat a lot of deer meat.  I hardly ever use paper anymore.  I take advantage of as much free entertainment as possible.

The biggest area in which I save is by doing without.  My clothes are not fancy and I always buy on sale.....preferably clearance ;)  (NOTE:  I do not skimp on shoes.  My feet have to last me for the rest of my life so I always by top quality shoes.  I still shop the prices, but I will not buy cheap shoes.)  I drive a 7 year old car.  My tractor is as old as my Dad.  We don't travel a lot.  We don't eat out a lot.  I do admit that we  probably over did it on our home.  We're not suffering because of the mortgage or anything, but it's more house than we really need.  I often think that we should have built half as much house on twice as much land.  That said, we do love it and have no plans to sell any time soon :)

So why do I do all of this?

I do it so that I can spend the money on things I really want.  Electricity, food, clothes, interest payments.....those aren't really things that I want.  To be honest I'm not really sure what it is that I want.  I want my wife to be comfortable and I want my kids to become good men.  I do want to have that Vette wide open on The Mother Road one day, but beyond that I'm not really sure.  I guess that's what the idea of "Back 'er Down" is really about for me.  I'm not chasing money any more, and I'm comfortable with that.  As a result I somehow feel like I need to save it to compensate.

I'm a work in progress.  That's the one thing that I know for sure ;)

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Refurbishing a Tractor Part 1

I love being able to work on projects with other people's money!  The tractor to the left is a Ford NAA that belongs to the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro.  She has lived a good life at the local fairgrounds, but she's been just about used up.  She lived outside in the elements for more than 10 years.  The worst stress is that she is a "community tractor."  That's my own fancy term for a tractor that is used by a variety of people who have a variety of experience on a piece this old.  Luckily this is one of the most bulletproof tractors ever built, so she handled it gracefully.

After talking with club leadership, I decided to take on the project of sprucing her up a little bit.  I am glad that they decided to keep this tractor as opposed to buying a new one because a big part of our Fair is agricultural heritage.  This Ford is from a generation of tractors which completely revolutionized farming.  I was given a budget of $1,000 for the project, but of course any amount under that would be better ;)  I think we should be just fine with that number.  So here I sit with a tractor to refurbish, $1,000 to do it, another opportunity to "Back 'er Down" with my Father and an opportunity for my boys to get a taste of this family tradition. God has blessed me in a mighty way!  What a wonderful opportunity!

Despite the image presented by the 8 zip ties and 5 pieces of bailing wire that were holding various things together, she's pretty solid.  A big money saver is that the tires are all good.  The fronts are a pretty worn, but they are safe and hold air.  The back tires are excellent.  That is a good thing because that would have taken half of the budget right away.  After taking the sheet metal off and performing a quick initial degreasing we began to look at what needed to be done.  The list included:

oil change (simple, but sooooo important.  It was BADLY needed too, lol)
secure gas tank (one bolt was holding the tank in place.  There were supposed to be four!)
carburetor rebuild (carb looked good.  Needed a rebuild in the worst way, but it was solid)
plugs and wires (no new crap....old school copper)
distributor cap, points, condenser, rotor (common maintenance on these old gals)
coil (has been converted from a 6 to 12 volt electrical system.  This saved a lot of cash)
fan belt (the old one was fully extended and was rubbing the exhaust pipe!)
electrical system rewiring (was actually not too bad.  Just needed to be a little safer)
new exhaust system (totally shot!  tailpipe held on with bailing wire)
clean air inlet and replace hoses (at least 1 inch of goo in the bottom of the air cleaner)
sediment bowl screen and gasket (leaking gas, but that's pretty common on these old tractors)

This was the initial needs list and I am pleased to say that we are now done with that portion!  We cranked it up Thursday night and she ran like a champ!  I expected much more oil blow-by considering the wear and age, but it was actually not too bad.  The tractor is very very mechanically sound.  We ran into a little snag with the throttle linkage that we're working through.  wouldn't be as much fun if we didn't have a challenge though ;)

Next up will be a more detailed cleaning and we will start to sand and prep for paint.  We will also remount a strobe light (insurance requirement) and add a rear utility light.  She had no grille at all, just an exposed radiator.  We'll take care of that as well.  There is a list of other various aesthetic odds and ends as well.  Most of that will be done after painting.

I committed that I would work backwards on this project, spending the money to get it running good and safe first.  Beauty would come with whatever money is left.  As it sits the tractor runs great and we've spent $475. We should have no problem making budget.  That's good because every penny we save is one more that can be used for the Fair, which in turn generates more money for needs in our community.  I'll give another update when we get into paint and beautification.

I'm very excited about this project.  This will be the first Ford that my Father and I have done.  Over the years we have done many, many John Deeres and even and hand full of Farmalls.  Working on this Ford is new and interesting and another opportunity to learn and experience something new.  I'm all about that.

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Being a Father

"It seems to me that children thrive when they are part of something bigger than themselves. They need to feel useful, needed, as we all do.  We need our children.  Their assistance is a necessity if we plan on keeping this family warm, fed and clothed.  They are part of something bigger than themselves.  They are part of a family."

These aren't my words.  They are from a charming lady who goes by the pen name Enola Gay.  I enjoy reading her blog Paratus Familia  It got me to thinking about my own kids.  It made me wonder, what does it mean to be a Father?  Not a man, or a buddy or a glorified babysitter.  More specifically, what should I focus on to be a successful Father?  Wrote a Blog about it.  Like to hear it? Here it go! (That's an obscure Calhoun Tubbs reference for those that remember In Living Color)

I suppose the definition of "successful" could be up for debate.  For one Father it might be that their child grows up to be a doctor or a well-respected banker.  For another it might mean that they simply make it to adulthood without ending up in jail.  Whatever.  My point is that there may be differing degrees of how one defines success.  I've narrowed my own definition down to two traits.  If my boys can grow up to have a good moral compass and a strong work ethic, I will consider myself to have been a successful Father.  With those two qualities I feel like I will have prepared them for life and given them seeds which can produce fruit as they become Fathers later in life.

So there's the goal.  Objectives and strategies for attaining that goal are where it gets mucky....and it's gotten tough.  Holy crap has it gotten tough!!  Here I am five years in, with a five year old and a two year old and I'm only really just getting started.

I'll take the opportunity to share some info below.  Obviously I'm no expert.  I'm just a dumb redneck with a blog who has a couple of kids and I think this is the best way for me to raise them ;)  So far it's working out pretty well.

Three things I have learned to be fact:

1. They learn by watching me!

My boys have learned how to eat, talk, walk and pee all by watching me. (yes, I actually let my boys watch me in the bathroom.  Though the five year old is now banished, the two year old is still watching and learning, lol)  Should I really expect that they will learn their work ethic and morals any other way?  The way I figure it we have a relatively short window to work in since in a few more years mommy and daddy won't be cool anymore.  All I have to do is remember one rule.  Coach Erk Russell famously told his Eagles to just "Do Right."  Pretty simple.  No pressure right?  :)

2. They need structure and discipline.

I've found that my boys actually prefer structure.....maybe they didn't at first ;)  but they do now.  Their behavior is much better and their ability for retaining lessons is much better when there is a schedule.  For example: eat, play, bath, bed.  They know what's coming.  They expect it.  Once they figured out that it was beneficial for them they prefer it.  Kids need to be told what to do.  The only other option is that the child tells the parent what to do.  That is not a good situation.  I've seen it and I PROMISED myself that would never let it happen to me and my wife.  It's a disservice to the parent and the child.  As for discipline, it is a very unpleasant, but necessary task at my house.  The most recent lesson with my 5 year old has been actions and consequences.  All actions have consequences.  All of them.  Period.  The number one biggest challenge for me as a parent is punishing out of love and not out of anger.  It is a hard thing to do.  If I punish my boys out of anger the punishment was pointless.  If I do it out of love, lessons are learned.  That topic could make a great blog topic on its own.

3. Crying will not kill them.

Our pediatrician gave me that little gem.  The oldest didn't like tummy time and cried all the time when we had him belly down.  I asked the doc about it and he said, "Out of all my years I've never had one die from crying."  LOL, so there you go!  I applied that to every other opportunity that I could and it hasn't failed me yet.  Seeping through the night, staying in bed, getting dressed by himself, doing chores, the list goes on and on.  Once they figure out that I can outlast the crying, I win!  Horray!  +1 for daddy.

I've heard sermons and read literature about raising children biblically.  Proverbs 22:6 is a great model and I pretty much approach my fatherly duties in that way.  However, a much more memorable spiritual lesson came when a pastor asked, "Do you think your children see Jesus in you?"  That kind of question gets a man thinking.  It gets a man thinking about the image that he presents to his children, but also about the way in which he appears to his God.  Once I finally wrapped my mind around the fact that "my sons are to me as I am to God" my perspective changed.  I surely disappoint God all the time.  I whine, I groan, I am many times unappreciative, and I often don't understand situations and get angry as a result.  Sounds like any given afternoon at home with the kids!

So then Alex...where is your wife in all of this?  Oh she's there!  She's all in and we are a team.  We work together 100%  This ramble just took on a different approach.  I am a man and I have two boys.  I wrote in terms of being a Father.  Maybe a future blog is in order talking about what it means to be a Husband.  I have some pretty strong feelings about that too :)  Shoutout MB!  Holla!

I'm blessed to have the opportunity to have children.  They are a gift from God for sure!!  They're a responsibility too though.  Did I drop everything in life?  Nope.  Everything else sure did move down the list though.  It was a major factor in the decision to "Back 'er Down"  I hope to be able to look at this particular entry often to see if my perspective changes.  That is if I don't gouge my eyes out in frustration between now and then :)  As long as we all "Do Right" I think we'll be in good shape.

Y'all take it easy,

Alex

Struggling for a topic

So what happens when I don't really have a topic, but I still really want to keep the blog flowing as per my New Year's Resolution?  Keep reading and you'll see.

This blog comes from anywhere but a "Back 'er Down" type spot.  I'm sitting in a mexican restaurant in CNN Center in downtown Atlanta.  Maybe the margarita flanking my computer will inspire literary gold.

It's always tough to be away from the family.  This time it's 2 1/2 days.  That wouldn't be so bad normally, but I left the wife this morning with my oldest who has strep.  Even though I have almost 5 weeks of vacation built up, the kids have a knack for getting sick when I can't stay home with them.  Ergo, the wife had to call in this morning and stay home with the oldest.  That means 15 + or - of her patients have to be rescheduled which you hate to have to do.  Unfortunately, she'll have to be with him tomorrow as well.  As strep goes though, I might be home with the youngest on Thursday and Friday.  Yay for contagions!  Sick or not, I'm already looking forward to getting home.  I already miss my wife and the little fellas!  My boys are at the age where they are learning every minute.  They are like sponges!  I want to be there when the moment strikes so I can tell them about the designated hitter or why we wash whites separately or how more people watched Jersey Shore than watched the State of the Union address (we'll attack that in another blog.)

A friend mentioned to me a few years back, "You know one day gasoline will probably be for hobbies only.  We'll probably buy it by the gallon off a shelf at Wal-Mart."  I came back to that gem after seeing K1 kerosene in gallon jugs at Wal-Mart last week.  I remember pumping K1 when I worked at a store back in high school.  As I thought about it, I'm not sure that it's common for it to be sold like that any more.  Is it really possible that we might see gasoline relegated to the same end-cap placement one day?  Certainly it would be a long time down the road, but it is an interesting thing to think about.  This though as the Egyptians are going nuts and bent crude went over $100 today.  Hmmm.  Wonder what we have in store for the summer traveling season?

The fajitas just arrived.  I now have a nice grease slick on the screen.  Maybe this is a good place to stop.  The margaritas are starting to go down way too easy anyway.  I'd hate to go off on a wacky tangent.....oh wait.  I think this whole piece is a wacky tangent.  Oh well.  Guess that's what happens when you're struggling for a topic.  I'll try to do better next week.  Promise.

Y'all take it easy,      ......Stacy....please note the spelling of y'all ;)

Alex

Things I've learned since I quit learning

Don't let the title fool you.  I strongly advocate education and the practice of continuing to learn throughout life.  I enjoyed a wonderful education and I wouldn't trade it for anything.  However, I've learned a lot since I finished up what most people think of as formal education.  Part of the Back 'er Down lifestyle is after all learning the simple things that get lost in our busy world.  I figured that I would share a few of those nuggets with you.  I hope a few of these resonate and maybe even result in a chuckle or two.

- It really is more about who you know rather than what you know.
- Physics can explain pretty much everything, but God created physics, so it's all cool.
- Any math more advanced than calculating simple interest is useless you are a Physicist.
- The only real difference in khakis and chinos is the price.
- Hustling can make up for a bunch of other shortcomings.
- When saying that your little man has a rash.....that's interpreted differently by people without kids.
- God always has a plan......even though we may not realize what it is at the time.
- Bream aren't really considered seafood.

- Planting, tending and harvesting a garden is a heck of a lot harder than talking about it.

- Sweating is just as good for your mind as it is for your body.

Have you learned anything since the finish of your "formal" education?  I'd love to hear about it.

Ya'll take it easy,

Alex

Snow Day Musings

Snow day today!  Well....winter weather day would be a better description.  More ice than snow.  No snow in fact.  Here in South GA we aren't really familiar with winter weather.  We certainly don't have a clue as to how to drive in it.  So here I sit....at home.  I spent the early part of the morning walking around the Ponderosa looking at ice in the trees.  That was pretty neat.  I don't particularly care to live in anything like this all the time, but I enjoy the novelty of it once or twice a year.

Here is a picture of the windsock on top of the kid's playhouse.  Thing is the wind isn't blowing right now.  It's frozen.  Pretty cool.

A while back I said that I would try my best to blog a little more often.  Writer's block strikes me pretty hard sometimes.  Others post pictures when they don't have anything particularly interesting about which to write.  I decided to follow suit with the pic above and then this beauty:

This is Davis' first time driving a tractor by himself.  I throttled it down as lo as it would go and put it in first gear.  I released the clutch with my hand.  I was able to walk faster than the tractor was actually moving, but he didn't care.  For 5 minutes he was THE man.  Only problem now is that he wants to drive all the time ;)  I have fond memories of my Dad doing the same thing with me as a youngster.  I'm pretty sure Davis had the same feeling I did way back when.  Now.......if I can get him running it with a mower behind we'll be in good shape.  That might still be a few years away.

Ya'll take it easy,

Alex