Sunday, September 27, 2009

Morning Production

Well, it's been a darn fast week. I woke up extra early yesterday and beat the Koreans to the spring and the sun to the horizon. Out in the middle of nowhere, between VA and WV, I was glad I was packing heat. It can be eerie when you are out there alone. Last time, I was with companions and nearly accosted by a baying dog. Luckily for him he was more bark than bite.

Still, the spring itself is a naturally peaceful place and still flowing well, given the lack of rain in recent weeks. I finished quickly and just sat down to roll out as the next patron rolled in. The early bird gets the spring water, or something like that.

The parts counter at Chrysler opened at 8, and I had all the water delivered and put away at home by about that time. I had to order a small contact terminal for the center high-mounted brake light over the tire on the jeep and install it to pass Virginia's draconian inspection procedure. It came, but without the rubber grommet I needed to mount it in the hole. Fortunately, for me it was early. My red tag was about to expire and the inspection shop I went to stops taking vehicles at 11:15. I had 3 hours--plenty of time for some coffee and mechanical work.

I went across the street from Chysler to Napa Auto Parts and came away with a 10-pack or so of small rubber grommets that I thought would work. After I came home and had a cup of coffee with my lovely wife, I started my second and went to the shed where I parked the Jeep.

The challenge? Getting the wires that had falled into the fenderwell somewhere back into their respective holes. Having worked with electricians, fishing wire is not foriegn to me. So I fished the pilot wire through their holes, checked the other terminals to see which was black and which was white, and go to work connecting the pilot wire to the lost wires and fished them back through.

I used two rubber grommets to achieve the right space, actually, closed the gate, tested it and shizam, the light worked. And with plenty of time to spare. Victory!

The mechanic even asked me how I did this, so I figured I saved myself some significant coin. It's stuff like this I enjoy doing on my Jeep, where I actually have a clue, the time, can break the rules a bit, and achieve the desired result. It was even more fun with the caffiene and being so near all of my tools. (I usually have to drag them across my property because I am working on the upper driveway, where it's flat).

I got all this done by noon and spent the rest of the rainy day inside, watching Robin Hood (the version for T.V. from 1991--I've always wanted to watch it) and doing some serious study of chess with Jeremy Silman's book, How to Reassess Your Chess. So far it's excellent and I am really enjoying it. Playing online or general is great, but at some point you need to take the time to study the game if you really want to improve. It's just amazing that I was able to do this today, considering the mayhem that generally ensues around here.

In general, I just like it not to be under the gun so much these days by projects around the house. There's still plenty to do, but the urgency is less because things are getting done and ungodly apple pies, made from our trees' apples, are being consumed.

Over and Out,

--Nick-Dog

6 comments:

Martin Schap said...

Impressive. Next time you come through IN you can give me the savage beating I so richly deserve in chess. I play, but I am terrible.

Nick-dog said...

LOL. I am always looking for a good pick-up game...

One thing I like about chess right now is that there's no major financial investment for me to play and practice. Just time + serious study, and the cost of a few books and such. I have enough books for the moment, I just need to read the damn things.

And yes, I was a dork and in chess club in HS, but it was really cool!

Martin Schap said...

My favorite part about being on the high school chess team was that we lifted weights twice a week. Hold on, I'm thinking of track...

Nick-dog said...

I got to lift weights in weight training, but it was actually kind of a tough class. The work load was pretty heavy.

I wish marksmanship was a course I could have taken.

--Nick-Dog

Martin Schap said...

Marksmanship would have been sweet. I remember Culver Military had a rifle team and I thought that sounded like the coolest thing ever. In all seriousness though, the guys on the chess team were WAY cooler than I was and probably could've kicked my ass.

Nick-dog said...

LMAO.

Yes, or even a junior IDPA. That would have been awesome.

I'd have to tell my dad I was doing something else, though, or get my pro-2nd Amendment Uncle to give him a call. If it wasn't for him, I would not have been able to study martial arts, and that's saying something.

The good ole days.