Old, I am.

Wife wanted a dream catcher of sorts. She wanted a lattice work behind the swing on the west side of the back porch. You seen the stuff at your local building supply center. There is that plastic stuff, and it's OK in some places but it isn't what I want on my porch. There is also that pressure treated stuff, and that wouldn't do either. Also there is some thin stuff, but I found 4'x8'x3/4". But this isn't quit right either. That thickness was more like 13/16" to 7/8". I bought some 2"x4"s and cut a 13/16" grove into them. But that was too tight and would allow it to move. There is a point here, tight and move.

I had the whole thing laying on the porch and got it to fit. But when I stood it up, noting fit and I had cut off sum excess at the top, now that was just about the right height. That lattice flexes. So the size change depending how it is supported. At least it will hold up holding 'Morning Glory's' and when they die, the stronger lattice will not fall apart taking the vines down.

Well finally got it to fit stand upright. I cut it off at the top and fitted with long clamps and straps. Screwed it tight and the only thing missing is a hole in the center in the shape of a "Zia". That's a New Mexico symbol.

Climbing up and down that ladder just less than 50 times is getting old. But now my wife is happy. I just fell older.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Thing don't always go the way you would think.

This being Saturday there were many things to do. Cloudcroft had 'Lumber Jack Days' and a lot of people would be there. Ruidoso has a motorcycle fest going on with thousands of motorcycles coming from all over the Southwest. Alamogordo had Hot Air Balloons at White Sand Memorial Park.

We started at the Balloon Feast, and took pictures from the east side of town. Sun in my favor. Little did I know I had the camera set to something that I could not use the pictures no matter what I tried to fix them. So much for that.

So I decided to go to Las Cruses and pick up some items the neighbor wanted plus things I needed. So we stopped at Harbor Freight. I need some bandsaw blades for my cuttoff saw. Thin pickings but I found 2. The neighbor needed some 6”x48” belts, they only had one pack on display. I needed two and found a person to get me the other one. Also he needed some 9” sanding disc 100# grit. They only had 80# grit. Sucks.

Then I got the bright idea, since my other air grinder I bought works so great, I thought it would be get a “Right Angle Head Air Grinder”. I had one of the personal to open the locked cabinet and get me one out. He did. He also carried to the check-out.

Not this is the fun part. When I got home, I could not find that right angle head air grinder. So I looked at the receipt and it wasn't on it. I didn't pay for it, therefore, I didn't get it.

60 mile one way trip for part of what I went after. So much for life.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Seems like a long story, but if it happens to me, what about you?

I was lucky for someone who just happens to watch the Michigan Department of Unclaimed Money. Somehow he picked out me and traced me down.

So this is how I was on there list of unclaimed money. An insurance company decided to change policy holders with stock of the company. So somehow the insurance company decided this was what they wanted to do, so they needed to send the policy holders the money.

This is the part that caused the problems. The insurance company hired another company to mail out these checks. Since I had moved, twice, the letter was returned to that company. They then turned over the returned mail to the State of Michigan. They in turn posted my name and old addresses to there internet site.

Now since this person who tracked me down gave me enough information to follow up for myself. Now it have been a week waiting for the state of Michigan to send me the form they required plus what phone number at that insurance company to get that policy information. Once I get all of that filled out and send it back it could take additional 180 days to resolve.

Who knows, you may have money coming to you. Check the state in which you have lived, including you current state. Get lucky.

W. Kirk Crawford

Tularosa, New Mexico

I got so much to do, but I find it fun.

So much to do, and I don't seem to want to do any of it. I have everything scattered across the floor of the shop, and nothing has a place. Now if I could 'stack it'.

There is also rain to deal with. Mud cause me to make a wooden sidewalk at the door to the shop. There is also a need to lay down the ground to replace the license plate on the trailer I bought to haul the TR6 back to here from Indiana. Now I don't really need the trailer, but I do need it to haul something longer 12'. And who knows what all I could use it to haul.

There is so much to watch both on TV and the Internet. There are these things called video podcast and they provide so much information it is a bear to keep up with everything I hear. Not everything is music and I have little interest except while driving is when I most like it.

How much can I put up with and how to deal with everything I need to do? I need to make more room to allow me a place to put the body of the TR6 for a while. I need to build an rotisserie to hold the body for the sandblaster, and maybe the painter. Plus I need to replace rust everywhere on the car.

Also watching the Science Channel, History Channel, Discovery Channel, and others like these, are showing ways to slow/stop Greenhouse Gases from causing Global Warming. The work that I have seen, I would like to be there to participate.

I guess I am getting to old to get everything done that I once did. But I enjoy what I am doing, and think I am having fun.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

Getting to a point is getting harder.

It hasn't been easy to get to a point. That point is getting my Triumph TR6 the body tub off the frame and get sand blasted. Besides, I am trying to save some money, but there are some things that need to be home built.

I am working on building a rotisserie for the guy to use to sand blast it and maybe another guy to paint it. I probably could paint it myself, but I am not near good enough. The tub is going need new floor pans and other areas are going need an lot of work and a rotisserie will easy access.

Don't even ask about the engine. That will probably be another story in it self. But with body off, I can check the frame for cracks and change to tube type shocks.

All I want out of this is a driver.

W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico

One of the things that I am interested in is, Computer Aided Design/Drafting, CAD, computers, woodworking, Sprint Cars, cars, and my wife. Not necessary in that order.

At this present time I am working of a '70 Triumph TR6 that is in petty bad shape. It is all there, I think, but it hasn't been started over 15 years or longer. The gas in the tank is black. The engine has one cylinder that is 25% lower than the rest. Otherwise, I don't know much more about it.

It has been repainted, Mallard Blue, if you will. And I believe the frame is cracked or may have a break in it. The floor pans are rusted and the previous owner tried to fix them with very thin sheet aluminum using both rivets and sheet metal screws. The fenders, rears, were held on with some silicone and one had been brazed. There is some rust in the panel joints.

I am at a point now that I have stripped everything off of the body. I am ready to pull the body off the frame. I want to make a rotisserie for the body because it needs to go the a sand blaster to clean it. Also the frame needs to go the the sand blaster to get rid of the surface rust. Then the frame can be painted.

As for the body, I guess I can learn how to fix it. There should be more in this paragraph than just that sentence.

The engine I will deal with after the frame is painted. Not a good idea, but I don't want to purchase other equipment. Although, with me building a rotisserie for the body, the two ends could be engine stands. At least that is the design I am working on.

Anyway, I have been watching a site that strictly work with Triumphs. I have posted questions there and have gotten great answers that I can't believe how this works.

Another thing, I don't want to purchase items that I won't use but this one time. An engine hoist I can rent. I hate not having tools.

W. Kirk Crawford

Tularosa, New Mexico

Where is the money in 'Microbloging'?

I have several microbloging accounts.  I find them not all that useful on my end.

They require you to take out a few seconds to write something.  Now most of the people that I watch are amoung the poeple who are watching or creating technology.

There are a few who have grammar problems.  I am not the best in the world, but I use capital letters, commus, and periods.

OK, so much for that, but what gets me, is there any money changing hands?  If so where.  I can't why so many would putting so much effort into it.

Now watching some of these people, we are getting latest news within seconds of it.

Well anyway I'll keep tweeping, if that is what it is called.

W. Kirk Crawford

Tualrosa, New Mexico

Got to start some where and some time.

It appears that now is the time to start this blog thing.

After all, I have some things to say about some things.  Like, Google's Chrome.  Chrome allows more screen space, most sites that I have hit appear faster.  And speaking of faster, as you scroll up and down the page, it is a lot faster at that.

Since I used Mozilla and its spellchecker, it appears in Chrome.  But when you right-click on it, nothing.  That sucks and it dosen't work here using Chrome.

With Chrome, where is the Export Favoraites?  There may be other things but I guess I need more time.

Over all I am happy with Chrome.

W. Kirk Crawford

Tularosa, New Mexico