Bear with me as the signal clears,,,

Yes, I’ve beena drinkin,,,,

Seems I may have spoke prematurely,,,

Took Bloo out for a spin, a quick drink run to the store; something other than coffee and water,,, Not alky-haul, not in the budget for ‘extra’ past whats on the shelf at home currently (yes, that means I was goin’ for a “pop”,,, down to only a few a week, not the 12 pack every other day that I had been,,,)

I’m not a happy camper at this stage. All during the last couple of weeks, dealing with the valve seals, I figured I had this licked,,,

Doing the running adjustments, Figured I had this licked,,,

Running to the store, she started SPEWING WHITE SMOKE out the arse end,,, Left a frellin’ vapor trail for 2 miles to the store,,, didn’t not diminish the return trip. Fact (more like empirical observation on my part) seems like it got WORSE,,, Underneath, much dryer than she had been. That cooler line (nad its just the one) was wet, with some blow back from that, but nowhere near enough to leave a frellin’ vapor trail like she did.

I came home, parked the Bloo, and sat on a cinder block and cried,,, Then I busted open a bottle. I love this truck, but its pretty obvious, the former abuse has killed this engine,,,, It matters not what I do, she wants to die and stay dead,,,,,

She’s parked back in her spot under the carport, nearest the house, facing outbound. Half under, half exposed. Tool boxes out, cab and hood under.

What now?

New block (or at least new to me,,, I can deal with Used so long as it ain’t abused,,,) I’m done fuckin around here. This particular block WANTS to die. The rest of the truck is being copasetic as hell about ‘hey, we’z runnin’gain!’ This block,

jeez

this block,,,, I’m done. I ain’t even gonna order parts for it until I know I have another block in hand, or on way.

And pay off bills. LOTS of bills that need paid down/off before that ‘new Block’ can become a reality. LOTS going on in my world PAST a simple little Bloo Twuck as well. I haven’t the patience for ALL OF IT at once,,,, BLOO SITS!!! And I may even put blocks under hard points to keep those tires from getting flat spots ($2000 worth of rubber,,, Yeah,,, I have no desire to see those do bad things due to time.)

And part of me, (granted, intoxicated brainium here bear with me,,,) is saying ‘maybe this mobile mech thing ain’t what Universe wants of you?”

and there is a valid point there,,, I have WAY more skills than just wrenching, and the way things are goin’ with Bloo, I have some doubts of my skills there,,, Not gonna write the whole thing off: Hell NO!, too invested in it, But that does NOT mean it has to be the ‘bread and butter’ side of things.

FACT: some of the things happening on this side of the screen, stuff that I have not devolved in these screeds (privacy stuff,, deal) I have been getting Nudges towards,,,, Maybe I should say BACK TOWARDS Wild ass fabrications and whatever keeps the income flowing,,, Be that wrenching on a POS FOad! today,, or custom building a Double Drive gate for some rich toady that thinks he’s special, or Making a steam engine in my shop (follow along, I know I don’t have said shop YET!) for some Prepper that wants one, has the skills for a boiler, but not the machine,,,, (I won’t build a boiler, there are better ways of getting superheated steam without creating a bomb in your basement.)

Don’t know if ya recall, I said I had some premonitions about Bloo, and with the extending list of issues, those premonitions are bearing fruit. I KNOW a new(er) block will END this Fuckedness,,, But I have literally tapped out my credit getting to this point and STILL this block wants to die. (Yes, I know, I shoulda listened to saner heads and just did the block from the get-go. I would be in much better financial shape: that I am certain of, NOW,,,, Live and learn)(and this lesson will NOT be forgotten,,, In fact, I am already incorporating it into my ‘business’ and told one person, “don’t bother, get a block, pay once, cry once.”,,,,,,)

NOT A BLEG,,, I’m doing ‘ok’. (thanks in no small part to Mike in FLA,,, thanks again Mike,,, Was NOT expected in any way..)

Bills ARE getting paid, even if not as well as I would desire,,, that will change with the warmer months and more production at the J.O.B. Nothing going to collections,, thats a bonus. Even with needing to take time for the Da, I am doing alright.

As for “shop”,,,, Da is selling his place, and I believe I mentioned that once or twice. Well,, Some of my stuff ‘resides’ at Da’s place as his is climate controlled and lots of floor space in the basement. Machine tools,,, 3n1 chineesium lathe mill, an old PorterCable Drill press, Porter cable table saw, my foundry stuff (thats outside, and shoulda been moved years back,,,) Da KNOWS I have no desire to lose that gear,, Made offer to put a ‘shop’ on my place to move it to “Once the house sells” I’m gonna not look this gift horse in the mouth. No way,,, take it and smile and MAKE IT WORK OUT. May not be “prime real-estate” for my dreams, but here I stand, I can do no other.

And if that stuff is close by, I can make it work. I would much prefer a “Real” engine lathe, but thats one of those things that can be pickedup later,,,, I still kick myself for letting my Bend go,,, I know she is in a good home now, and hopefully being used. Oh,, And she turns 100 this year in September,,,, Go Gurl!!! She was still cutting a 12″ pass with less than.004″ taper when I sold her. there are modern machines that call that GOLD,,, She called it a standard!

Bloo sits, Buffalo up! Ol’ reliable remains the steady ticket in my world. At least I managed to get her alignment done this weekend.

And i spend the next few weeks getting in touch with Nudge to find out WTELF she intends for me, for the rest of my days,,,, Because my ideas are getting shot in the foot left and right,,,,