So, what am I doing.
Not as much as you or I want, but something.
I bought a larger version of the other flex head torch for my tig welder, a 17. I needed the ability to go to at least 125 amps to weld in the chassis support. It’s a CK. Good to 150 amps.
The CK 9 was good to 125 amps, which is what I need to weld the cs in. Have y’all ever tried using an air cooled tig torch at it’s maximum rating over an extended area? It gets really, really hot. It becomes very painful. So, the new torch.
I’ve also started the initial research and purchasing of the parts for the Booger Cart I’ll be building to shuffle the old boy around my IBG (Itty Bitty Garage). I’m going to pick up the casters from Harbor Freight tomorrow (thanks
@CarMichael Angelo ). Then spend some quality time at Lowe’s piecing together the 4x4’s and bracing to make the actual cart. I’m hoping to have Booger 18” to 24” off the floor.
I know it’s been slow guys. I’m adapting to single life. It’s kind of hard to explain the mental process I’ve been going through.
Understand my wife was very much a control freak. We did what she wanted, or nothing at all. We met with her friends, we vacationed where she wanted to go, weekends were spent doing what she wanted or nothing.
Sure, I worked on Dolby and Booger a lot during the last three years of our marriage. First, let me say, I enjoyed that time with the cars.
Let me also say, it drove her a little nuts that I was doing that. At the stage Doby came along though I had grown weary of doing what she wanted every single day and night. For DECADES!
So now it’s just me, I can do what I want (more or less depending on the kids).
I’ve been going through a funk the past few months. I’ve been so used to having my spare moments orchestrated that now that I don’t have that, I’ve been, not at a loss for things to do, that’s not it, but..........
When I got out of the Army back in ‘92, after spending 11 years in, there was a bit of trepidation about the common things. You know, rent, electric, food. I was a big tough soldier that really hadn’t had to worry about the mundane, that was always something for others to do. By god I needed to focus on the next thing required of me as a soldier.
It’s kind of like that in a way, except now the things I needed to focus on were the things I might like to do. It’s been a long time for me to wonder what I might do over the next weekend. I really lost touch with what was fun for me, I’m not kidding.
So, I’ve been floundering around a bit. I got into testing out various ribeye steaks from various vendors. Tasty, but not necessarily deeply satisfying as a life choice..
All through this though is Booger. I’ve always enjoyed working on him (and Doby before).
There’s been so many little time sucking things that have prevented me from working on him. Starting over has been time consuming.
Another thing that’s been delaying me is an old habit I developed in the Army.
I’m a voracious reader. During my down times back then I loved to read, sometimes, depending on where I was, that’s all that was left for me to do.
The habit came back to me for the same reason I read so much back in the eighties, It provided an escape from what I was going through, kind of allowed a place for me to be that everything else wasn’t. It provided an emotional release in the characters I’ve read about. Sometimes, when life is harder, the emotional release doesn’t necessarily need to be the release of what you’re going through, Just a release of a generic emotion. Books provided that. The have a beginning, middle and end.
The end of each book, wether I liked it or not, provided a release of emotions for whatever characters where being written about.
I’ve read four novels in the past week and a half. Seriously. Maybe it’s an addiction in itself.
Now though, I’m trying to get back in touch with reality. I’ve literally sat and thought about these issues and their destructive results on me for hours.
I’ve come to realize that I’ve lost joy in living. Not suicidely by any means, so no need for interventions here. But I really haven’t enjoyed anything. Sure, I looked forward to a good steak, but seemed to hate everything else in betweeen.
Marriage is a good institution, just not for me.
All of that bs said, I’m coming out of it. Not like a butterfly from stasis, more like a survivor from a vicious battle where everything you care about has died around you.
There, I’m purged, lol.
I realize that I really do like working on my cars, it wasn’t just a way for me to stuff it in someone else’s face (I’m not denying I might have enjoyed grinding those couple hundred welds on the floor pan for more than neatness sake....)
Booger and I are more than friends, he’s my catharsis. He’s bringing me back to being Dave again from a long dark night.
Christ, this thread was supposed to be about building a car, a lot of crap has happened to me during that time. Sorry for a lot of drama, you guys have been great though.
This will be my last whining diatribe about myself. Though I’m truly not whining, I’m out of that now. It’s time to enjoy life!
What say we build us a hot rod?