Crappy Days

I tried, really I did! This past weekend I had great expectations about how much I could get done on the bus. It was a four day long weekend and we didn't plan on going anywhere.
My plan was that the first thing on the list was to install the drivers side panel...that has been off since god knows when.
Friday was the day, Randy was to come over and have a bus day.But things started going south that morning when Randy sent an email saying he was under the weather and we'd have to reschedule. No worries, I did some other errands, general clean up. Rust removal and paint, as previously mentioned. Then on to the father son project, Big Red.
Later Saturday afternoon after the obligatory dump run I decided to get to the panel...."But wait what evil lies in the hearts of men"...or more accurately what evil lies in the body of Fillmore?

As I was prepping the site, I felt the support that the front edge of the panel rivets to in the words of shaky Bill.."something is rotten in the state of Denmark". Yes the metal didn't feel right...it felt weak, tinny....and it was.
This was as far as I could go, Michelle and I had a date Saturday night and I wasn't going to be late.
I would get to it Sunday morning....
But then I was hit with some bad news....my cohort in bus crime is down. Randy is in hospital.
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After spending time with Randy and Leslie, getting them settled. I returned home to a very concerned and loving family. I calmed their nerves and assured them that our  adopted grandparents were OK and in good hands, I sent them to bed. It was late but I couldn't sleep so I puttered, which really means I layed on the gravel under the bus for a long time thinking about just about everything from rust to the meaning of life.
 Unable to use power tools in the neighborhood after midnight I did the best I could to excavate the rust by hand.

After removal of the bad....I wasn't left with much. But I had to remove more to get access to the frame so I can repair it. Which means...yup you guessed it....removal of a front panel...damn these ones have compound curves.

Now to do what a dentist does best....drill and fill.

Who says I don't work evenings!?

Big Red....

Big Red...
So here it is. A 1984 Honda TRX 200
When I picked it up from Mike's place he assured me that is did run. And , as always, true to his word...it did.
For about 4.74 seconds......and then she ran no more.(there's a song in that....never mind)
I gave the gas tank a skiff and....you know when gas is old when the gas doesn't smell like gas no more!
So we decided a little overhaul may be just the thing the doctor ordered.

We dismantled the front end. Bearings OK, steering linkage needs a new tie rod end on the left, new hydraulic brake cylinder for the front brakes...

The throttle cable was seized... a little perseverance and some grease fixed that (temporarily-need a new one)

And the gas tank.....sitting for a while without to much use...left her a little tarnished!

But a little red neck rust remover...

Yes that is the gas tank (with rocks and soapy water inside) strapped to the tire

And she looks good!
New spark plug, gas line and...

And how she looks to an 8 year old's eyes...

"The best laid schemes of mice and men Go often askew"

Aye laddie 'tis true! The words of the great late Robbie Burns ring strong and clear these days.
It is rounding the corner to the latter half of May, the good news is that this means Grey Owl is right around the corner. The bad news is...Where does the time go?
As I think of Grey Owl, I remember a conversation with the great grand sandbagger Knobby Fred, where he asked "what is your timeline with the bus?"
I responded reflectively "Well there is no timeline, that is the beauty of it. It is a project, a hobby, a passion." I then paused for dramatic effect..." but I want to have it road worthy for next Grey Owl."
"Not finished!" I said with a slight defensive tone " but drivable."
Ahhh Mr. Burns....you knew so much.

For some time now there has been very little bus activity, but yesterday I did manage a few hours when Michelle took the kids in to get sheered....uhh "hair cuts"

 I started to do a little more clean up on the frame under the last panel. Randy had already done the lions share but I wanted to do a little more....ya I know OCD.

 Just me CBC and the shop vac...life sucks.(sorry couldn't help myself)

Soon enough Fillmore's ribs were picked to the bone and ready for my favorite wonder paint POR-15
And this is where the "plough passed"
Jeff and I have been spending a lot of time together working on his project. Last weekend we made a road trip to Manitoba. Where amongst other things we got an old snowmobile and a quad from my parents and my brother. The plan is to salvage parts for "The Snowenator" which is still the plan for the ski-doo but by the time we had gotten to Swift Current Jeff was in love with the 1984 Honda TRX 200. It had been granted the last minute pardon by the Governor and was now scheduled for rehabilitation so it could be an active member of the community.
When he returned from his hair cut, the focus shifted from Fillmore to Big Red...

My little bun head

So, I won't be working on the bus this weekend. Anna is once again in a dance competition. That by itself is a good enough reason not to be selfish and stay home to work on Fillmore. To add icing to this cake,  Saturday is Michelle's birthday and then Sunday is Mother's day! Soooooooooo, my neanderthal male brain was able to see that if I was to stay home I might as well move in to Fillmore to live because although there is not heat in the bus, if I missed this weekend....it would be very cold in my house.
While I am away Randy, bless him, has offered to come and work away on Fillmore. I wonder if I can get him to take photos....

Where the H#%& did I put it???

I like to think of myself as easy going, open minded, a roll with the punches kinda guy. You know the guy I mean, the one who has a flat tire 20 min before a case presentation of his life, and SOMEHOW he manages to change the tire, not get dirty, never break a sweat and not only makes it to the meeting but slam dunks the presentation to boot.

Well guess what.....I'm not that guy.

The other day I was working away on Fillmore mounting the boxes for the water tanks. I had to cut some support braces, weld them,and then drill bolt holes in the ends. When it came time to put them to place I grabbed my De Walt drill case, and my three paper bags from the hardware store (nuts,bolts,washers).

So far, so good!.....but then... as I shimmy under the bus with the drill bit in my teeth(ya I know I should know better) I reach over to the drill case.....empty.CRAP!

Crawl out from under the bus and start the search. I looked in the bus shelter, I looked in the garage, I looked in the workshop...NOTHING!

Needless to say after looking at an unorganized mass of 'stuff' like this for an hour...I lost it, not the drill, my cool.If there was any illusion that I was Mr. Easy-going never break a sweat dude, that went out the window with my first blue streak of verbal venting. Fillmore will have to wait, I have some housecleaning to do.

Now come on, tell the truth....a pile of paper bags full of surprises or a hardware box that looks like this?....

A couple of utility shelves that I picked up around Christmas time....

And.....TA DAAAAA!

OK now I feel better....thank you.

A little lady touch.

 There are many ways to show affection. A squeeze of the hand, a kiss on the cheek, or a great big bear hug.

 But nothing says " I love you" more than your child carrying a 3 tonne jack stand!

  Seriously, I coerced Anna into helping me with the bus this afternoon. Which really meant my timing was spot on. She had called all her friends and they were unavailable for a play date, she already spent the last couple of hours sewing, and we had already did the weekly dump run that morning...so with options being scarce...she happily jumped at the chance to help with Fillmore.

When she found out what we were doing her trepidation melted away and she was all in. Building wood boxes in the workshop was, in her mind, better (or safer) than welding or grinding outside.

 Michelle thought this was hilarious. I don't know it just seemed practical to me. I took a page out of Mr. Canoe-head and we minimized the number of trips from the shop to the shelter.

Boxes and tanks in place!!