Saying Goodbye and Meeting a New StangNet Friend

I'll start with second part of the title (the "happy stuff") first.

Later today, Matt, Jessie and I will be heading up to Phoenix to pick up Cowgirl Tink at Sky Harbor; and along with her will be coming SVTCobra306. So, we're going to be finding out if the Iowa Farm Boy that jumps out of perfectly operable airplanes can get along with a bunch of redneck Desert Rats! A.J. had planned on visiting Trish and all his other Ft Polk buddies for the rest of this week; but changed his plans when he found out Trish was heading back this way. BTW, his plans changed literally at the last possible second, when I called him as he was about to check in his bags at the Fayetteville airport. When he heard that Tink was heading this way, he exchanged tickets to get on her connecting flight from Houston to Phoenix.

The sad news is the reason for their coming; and I'm gonna try to soldier through this with a minimum of sniffles. My Mom passed away in the small hours of Tuesday morning, July 18, 2006. We had been expecting this for a year or so, and it became very imminent while I was away at Scout Camp last week. when my sister finally caught up with me upon my return this past Sunday, the news was that Mom would be at peace some time in the next week or two. But Mom was never the patient type. I never talked about it much online, but 65Stanger and I had been PM'ing each other quite a bit when the cancer came (to Mom) two years ago; and again as she entered the Alzheimer's Facility; and I thank Fritz for his patience and understanding. Who better than the BBFCM to help me through this stuff; with his own personal experiences and those of his step-mom? Thanks, ol' buddy.

I'm not gonna get into the whole "spiritual/sharing thoughts" routine; because I've done it already on - of all places- myspace Yes, I have a myspace account; got it to keep track of Tink and her sister (and all thier friends and acquantances); just doing the 21st century "Dad Thing". Never thought I'd be actually posting anything over there; but I was responding to a PM from a Ft Polk "Army brat" (who just went through Army Boot Camp himself) whose family Tink had befriended this past year; and I just started feeling creative (or was it maudlin?). Okay, so there was a bottle of whiskey involved

Anywhat, that's neither here nor there; I just wanted to say couple of things about the lady that raised me. I was her "late-in-life child"; born shortly before her 41st birthday (and Dad was 45); some of my friends in grade school thought I lived with my grandparents, 'cause the other kids' parents were the same age as my older brothers But mom (and Dad) were cool for "old folks". Mom even thought my oldest brother's 67 and 68 Mustangs and his '67 Cougar were "cute little cars", his '65 289 HiPo Fairlane 500 was "really pretty, but's kind of loud", and his '64 Econoline camper-conversion (the "Yellow Submarine") was "a nice way to travel with a bunch of people". She wasn't too sure about the next brother's '67 396ci Camaro Rally Sport - "Why can't that nice car go around corners without squealing the tires? But it's neat if you want to go somewhere in a hurry!" Mom was cool, that way.

The best way I can describe my Mom to those who never had the chance to meet her is to say that, when Cowgirl Tink was younger, my whole family called her "Little Mary". Tink looks almost exactly like my Mom -except the hair: Trish is a blonde, and Mom's hair was jet-black before it turned gray. And, they have/had the same personality; they'll be everybody's best friend 'til somebody pi$$es them off, then, well, it's best to get out of the way Anybody else notice how that flame looks likes it's giving somebody "The Finger"?

And now, my younger daughter Jessie - who (with the purchase of NoKitten's '73 Cougar) is now known as "NoNameKitten" on mercurycougar.net - is blossoming into a beautiful young lady, who has well developed Mom's sensibilities as well as her talents in poetry and prose. A lot alike, those three; I'm a lucky guy.

So, anyway; that's what is going on at the StangDreamin' household this week and next. Just so you all know. Now, I've got to go out and "Mush the Boys" (verbal shorthand for "Give the geriatric horses their supplement mixture"). Should have been done last night; but, like I said, there was this bottle of whiskey.......

Well, in case you haven't been completely reading all the threads around here; before I can even think about a Stang, I have a Cougar XR7 (since it's a '73 and therefore BIG, it should be called an XL7) to put together for Tink's li'l sister!

To say nothing of my rag-headed "one horsepower, all-hoof-drive" project. Y'know, the one that can average 100 MPB (miles per bale, as in alfalfa) - his only problem is that he has no "off" position, and therefore consumes fuel even when he's parked in his stall 'Course, in that case, he's no worse than Tink's or Mrs StDr's 1HP hoofed vehicles.

And thanks for the condolences, all. We were sort of expecting it; just not really prepared for it.

Realmongo said:

... but when he was moved to recovery he stopped breathing, and had turned blue by the time they were able to bring him back.

Click to expand...

What???? You mean to tell me they didn't have a vent within 50' of the beds in a Post-Anesthesia unit????? Good God, man we still roll back the sidewalks and stop fighting the Indians at 8:15 PM out here (according to my mother-in-law); but the PACU Nurses -including, especially Mrs StDr- know how to push a vent and then go get some Doc to order it! Your's don't???

Thanks for the wishes, Dan (and Deanna). I figure Mom is doing better than the rest of us. If there are highways in Heaven; Mom is happily "backseat driving" from the shotgun position as Dad barrels along down some highway in his 429-powered '71 LTD. For the under-30 crowd, that's the early - 70's issue of todays 5.4 three-valve Crown Vic; 15 feet and 2-1/4 tons of very plush "old man's hotrod", powered by many gallons of (in your neck of the woods in that era) $0.75/gallon 91 or better octane go-juice.

Memories: Late August 1972. My Dad grousing at some gas station along the Pennsy Turnpike, 'cause he coasted in almost on fumes and spent nearly fifteen dollars on "Ethyl"; while Mom was grumping "Now Art, if you hadn't been trying to pass everything in sight for the last 200 miles, we wouldn't have to buy that much gas!" Mom didn't drive, but she was an accountant; and she was "doing the books" (including fuel costs) on our month-long trip to Brockport, NY. Dad couldn't wait for the vacation to end so he could ".....get back to Arizona where the sonsab****** don't try to rob you at the pump!" Premium only cost $0.65-.68/gallon around here back then.

As far as the Mustang goes; as I said, first I have to get the Cougar up and running for Jessie. It's gonna stay "basically stock" for now. Planning to pull the Holley 650 and "4-into-2" spacer plate off the stock manifold and replacing it with a deuce, replacing the original lifters before they ruin the new cam, and tightening up the steering/suspension. If Jessie tires of the Cougar, I'll find her a Ranger or an S10 and start playing with the Cougar. It's not a 67-69 Stang, but it's already paid for; and I've had fairly decent luck with a smog-stripped Cleveland before -I LOVE having my vehicles registered in "rural" Arizona with no smog inspections A Stang can come later; the '67 coupe around the block is still sitting in their carport, and it isn't exactly rust-ville around this part of the desert.

85turbobird: Thank you for the condolences. Yes it is a rough time right now; but I keep reminding myself (and our kids) that Grandma is in much better shape than we here on earth are.

SVTCobra306 flew back to Raliegh and drove on the Ft Bragg today; as his unit's b-leave time ends at ohhhhmygawditsearly tomorrow. (I think it's 0600, which isn't really early, but it might be at 0001 ) Trish had talked with AJ, and she says I didn't do too much to embarrass her or myself; AJ seems to have enjoyed our family, so I guess we do have a new beginning of friendship.

Fritz and Dan: Awwwww, jeeze guys! I'm so sorry for you guys. why do these "events" have to come in groups? Sorry to have started the trend. Maybe we should all meet down at the shallow end of The Gutter to crack a bottle and toast our respective elders.

I'm tapped out; have absolutely no idea what to say to this.