Random recents

[greatbearmd]

I know, I'm being a bad blogger, no real content for some time. I've been mostly busy, but not a whole lot of that busy-ness I figured would be post worthy. Let me try and fish up some highlights

Comments

[notdefined]

I have to read this again with a cup of coffee in the a.m. My ears started ringing before I reached the end of the paragraph.

[greatbearmd]

People often say that about my writing. Hence another reason I don't post more. ;-)

[notdefined]

Now just stop that! I love reading your posts, I just attempted to do so when nearly asleep and a tad, um, medicated. :)

[greatbearmd]

Don't read my stuff when medicated. You'll soon see Blue Meanies and a yellow submarine. X-D

[tbrough]

That's quite a litany. What album did you actually play on?

[greatbearmd]

"SkyZone" by Kit Watkins. He was the keyboard player in Happy the Man as well as for a short stint with Camel on two albums, plus he had a fair number of solo works. I wished he would have gotten back in with HtM when they reunited in '00, but he simply was done with the gigging and recording with a band. Like me, he had some serious back issues.

[tbrough]

That's pretty awesome. I used to dig Happy The man in my college days, especially "Crafty Hands."

[dan4behr]

Wow... that's a lot of madness in the Garage of Mayhem.

Glad the Mini's alright!

[greatbearmd]

There's more, but the teal deer was already scoping out my entry. lol

Yeah, I gave the Mini some much needed playtime the other day. I need to give it a complete fluids replacement and a thorough detailing, plus the headlights need to be sanded and polished, the tail lights replaced (I have new ones) and the gutter trim needs to be replaced. All this plastic stuff has gotten sick from UV radiation. The two side repeaters, while they looked fine, they fell apart when I tried to remove them to replace a bulb. The clear outer plastic was healthy, but the white inner structure had become completely brittle and crumbled. I wasn't expecting that little surprise. The replacements were ordered five minutes later. I love internet shopping.

[ciddyguy]

Sounds like we both have had our fair share of auto neediness, you with oil leakage, and other items that need TLC, Mine were a bad bearing, and it will need the upper radiator hose and serpentine belts replaced soon and eventually, the transmission needs attention (fresh ATF).

Glad the oil fire didn't get any worse than it got, or you'd have had one burnt Mini, and that would NOT be good.

Overall, I'm glad you are still OK despite things. You have it MUCH better than most right now and that's something to be thankful for.

[greatbearmd]

I have a little pile of parts to install on the Stratus. Lower control arms/ball joints (I don't trust them after having the tie rod end come apart due to lack of lubrication and, like the lower joints, there's no means to add any), front sway bar links, timing belt (way past due) along with the idlers, tensioner unit and water pump, and new tires as well as a full fluids change. The car is over 13 years old and has been pretty reliable so far. I want to keep it that way.

[ciddyguy]

And that's the way it should be.

Don't know the mileage on the Stratus but my Mazda has 123,500+ on it now, and overall, it checks out quite good for being 10, almost 11 YO car (built in late 2002, like Nov, or Dec, I forget exactly)

Still feels very tight, and the ride taut for its age, as does the front end, especially now with a fresh wheel bearing.

Overall, I can't complain.

Keep doing what your doing and you'll be alright.

[timbear]

I think that last sentence sums up everything important in life.

[greatbearmd]

I have to make a conscious effort in reminding myself of that. At times I feel pretty broken.