I am no mechanic..

Roughly three months ago, I took the truck to work happy that it had finally decided to stop running like crap. A few months after the "Oil Can Henrys Incident" where they failed to replace my oil filter correctly resulting in a blown engine had put a very bad taste in my mouth with regards to this truck, all was well and I was happy. The next day, when I went to start the car, it wouldn't startup correctly. I had just put some gas in it the day before ( $10 worth ) so I knew it wasn't the gas. Knowing as little as I do about cars, I asked all the 'mechanics' in the family to take a look at it, and asked what they would think. Even my own father suggested that it was the fuel filter, and that was going to be a pain in the arse to get to due to it being located inside the gas tank itself. Needless to say, money being tight and all, the car sat for over two months.

Last Friday, Melanee started her new job and needed to be picked up. Janet, her mother, was working and did not have the chance to make her car available to us so she was going to have to take the bus. Out of frustration, Melanee asked me to put a gallon in the truck just to see if maybe some bad gas had caused the issue or something. Knowing that I had put the gas in it the night before it wouldn't start, I opted to give it a shot.

1 gallon, turned over 5 times and then 'vroooomed' right into one of the more embarrassing mechinical moments in my life. This sits right next to the time I failed to load film in the camera before a full day of shooting pictures of my wifes family. I wondered why the film counter exceeded 41 pictures.. I thougth they only made 36 exposure rolls?

Anyways, needless to say, one car back on the road and the other just awaiting it's tabs, we are almost fully functional once again. I am still laughing at it myself. I wish I knew more about cars and less about computers and cameras. I guess somethings still catalog me as a geek.

Jeep Squirt

So, the other day I was sitting at a stoplight in the Eugene rain. I looked into the rear view mirror, and noticed that the back window was soaked, and could use a little rinse. I switched on the rear windshield wiper, and then rocked the switch into the fluid position as to add a little windshield wiper fluid to the wiper to make it so I could see through it. Little did I know that the tube that connects the fluid reservoir to the washer arm had separated, and so when I engaged the fluid mode, a stream of fluid shot straight out the back on to the vehicle behind me.

This normally would not have been an issue.

However, I noticed a familiar red and blue light begin to flash behind me. The drain of fluid had squarely nailed the motorcycle cop behind me right in the windshield of his bike. He pulled me over, and I feared the worst. As he approached the window, I had already pulled my license, proof of insurance, and registration out. I rolled the window down, ready to apologize profusely, when I heard an uncontrollable laughter coming from his mouth.

His response was “Sir, you are not getting a ticket, I have a Jeep, and I HAVE to know how you did that... I want to set mine up so I can do it!"

I guess not all the cops around here are jerks. :D

Seattle, and stuff

I don't know if I have even enjoyed a train ride as much as did today. Boarded at 5:30am, and found a single seat next to the window. I had stayed up a l ittle tooo late the night before, so I was feeling ready for a nap as soon as I sat down. I have never been able to sleep on a train, but this time I dozed off for a few hours. I think I fell asleeep somewhere around albany, and woke up in Portland. The stops that we had were so few and quick, than the train arrived 17 minutes early. That's another first. We left Portland, and within a few minutes, I was crashed again. I don't think I woke up until Tacoma, or near there. Dozing here and there, I finally arrived in Seattle, and was picked up by my sister, Krissy, and her boyfriend, Dave. My first time meeting Dave, he seems like a very nice guy. He makes my sister smile. And to me that is more than enough. I had a few minutes to stop and see some old friends from High School, there were only four of us, but it was still nice to see some old faces. Those three ladies haven't aged much in 16 years. I, on the other hand, got VERY grey. :D

I made my way up to my dads place, where the moving had already begun. Within a few hours, we had 90% of his stuff packed up and in the uhaul, so we all hopped in cars and headed down to Pe Ell, Washington where my dad moved to. Along the way, I stopped to see an old friend who I hadn't seen in a very long time. I only stayed for 45 minutes or so, but when my sister called me and told me where she was at, I neaded out quickly to catch up. As I neared the exit I needed to take, a semi truck blocked my view of both signs, I didn't know the exit number, and the next thing I know I am 17 miles farther down the road than I need to be. Needless to say, all the non-heavy stuff was in the house by the time I got there, leaving all the heavy stuff for dave and I to finish up. After apologizing profusly, I slammed out the rest of the stuff, and we headed back out. My dad and I slept at a naarby motel, and Dave and my sisters headed back up to Puyallyup. Kandi left me her car, so I can go sleep up there tonight, which is probably where I'll post this from. :D

This Weekend

I will be leaving early Saturday morning on a train from Eugene to Seattle to help my dad move. He is moving from West Seattle, down to Pie El, Washington. I'll be sure and post lost of pics once I get home, but probably won't see alot until I do get back. Be sure to drop me a line ( you should know my cell phone number if you're a close friend) if you're in the area and would like to see me!

Time flies when you're having fun.

On a cold October morning 12 years ago, I awoke from my sleep and opened my eyes, eager to see my little hottie snuggled up beside me. But alas, it is bad luck for a groom to see his bride before the wedding, so I had not seen her since the night before. There wasn't much longer to wait, as the wedding was planned for a few hours away, so that we would have the rest of the day to enjoy the company of our friends and family before heading home for the first time as husband and wife. The service went well, I remember Melanee's grandfather was there and let me use his suit (the only one that would fit me), as well as many members of both sides of the family. My sisters, and friends, played the church bells while Melanee walked down the isle. She is still as beautiful and young looking as that day. A tear formed in my eye while I was reading my vows, knowing that this would be the woman was willing to spend the rest of her life with me.

Today, 12 years and a day later, I feel the same closeness to this lovely lady as the day I said yes to her marriage proposal.


As I was driving to work today, I took some pictures of the leaves and their autumn colors. It got me thinking about how each leaf gathers as much light as it can before the fall arrives, helping the tree with energy to get through the long leafless winter. I can see how we, as a family, offer each other energy to get through the long winter. Without my family to keep me going, I'd probably shrivel up and wither away. A tree is only as strong as its trunk. I can safely assume that some day, my trunk will give way, and I'll need all the little saplings around me to get me through the rest of my life. I am sure that someday, this redwood will need to go to that great big lumber mill in the sky, but not any sooner than necessary.

Jason's Dream Car

This is my kind of car. Wonder where you can lease one....

White and nerdy

Oh, this is so me....

Redneck Rocket Launcher

While drinking beer, and smoking cigarettes; this guy builds a rocket launcher, then loads it with eight thousand five hundred bottle rockets. Then he fires them all at one time. This is a killer video. Check out the firestorm!

School is back in session

Tomorrow the boys go back to school, and not a moment too soon. Brendan will be starting middle school ( for the love of all that's holy -- I feel old ), and Tristan will be entering his final year at Spring Creek Elementary. They both are excited to be going back to school, as chores and watching TV all summer got old really fast. The did find a friend to play with towards the end of the summer, and he has spent some time over playing with them.

We've all had fun this summer, and we even had a chance to take a small vacation to Spokane, WA, last month. Melanee is looking forward to the time she can have in the mornings to do what she wants, and I am looking forward to having the ability to take a day off here and there and spend some quality alone time with her. Janet, Mel's mother, is moving to Reno to work, so we'll essentially have the house to ourselves while the kids are at school.

Anyways, other than that, things this summer when pretty well, and the fall is looking to be just as much fun with the kids in school and all the 'school events'... I am so looking forward to meeting their teachers.

I did some changing of the photo gallery, you can see the new look as I build the albums here.

Wow. Didn't realize it had been so long

Well, things have been good this summer for the most part. We got a new vehicle, special thanks to my dad, and we went on a short family vacation to Spokane, Washington. Check out the pics in the photo gallery. In training right now, so I'll be breif. More later, I promise.

Word.

Yes, I wen't skiing.

On this, the day before my 34th birthday, I awoke at 6:30am to partake in one of those sports that I had never had the guts to try. I figured, how hard could it be?

So my buddy Matt picked me up at 7:30 and we headed up to Hoodoo, in Sisters, Oregon. As soon as we got there, we found out that the classes that were being setup were full, but I could get a lesson at 1:00pm when the next lesson started. Matt, who used to work at Willamette Pass, took me up the top of the bunny hill, and next thing you know I was sliding down the mountain in what has been referred to as a controlled skid. I did very well today doing my 'snow plowing' or pizza stance, as well as turning on the bunny slope. I fell a few times, and was forced to get out of my skis to get up, much to my dismay, but other than that not much. I did a few runs up a down the bunny slope, and felt pretty confident going into my private lesson ( yes, I splurged and paid for a personal lesson ). After a few runs down the bunny slope, my instructor said he thought I was ready for a green hill (easy).

I made it off the ski lift just fine, snow plowed to a stop, and felt pretty good as got ready to go. The hill in front of me in the picture above is the same one I went down. Not to steep, I loved it. Then came the hill. The hill was followed by a series of repetative and sometimes painful trips over six and a half feet down to meet with what was once soft powder. Not any more. For some reason, I could not master the turn when you reach the end of a switchback. I lost it almost every time. We left the day with some fun, and a few pictures, and lots of stories. I am sure I will feel all of my stories tomorrow. I hope they go light with the spankings ( birthday, remember-- perverts..), as my arse is in pain.

Our Florida Vacation

Oh the fun we had. Took MANY pictures, and attended a wedding. But to cap the whole week, we spent two days at Universal Orlando, and Island Park Adventure. The crowning moment, when all 4 of us went on the Hulk roller coaster together. That is one that will never leave my mind.

Check out Photos for the pics.