Bugs Palace!

Been a busy month since my last post! I don’t even know where to start! Got the summer off to a good start by installing mom/dads new pool liner. Just in time too! It’s been a great summer for swimming! The kids have been in the pool many many times. Unfortunately we didn’t get our liner ordered until mid-summer, and have decided to work on re-doing the deck and fences before installing it next spring. The liner is bought and ready to go, but looking like a job for early May when the spring comes around again.

As I mentioned in my last post, the truck issues, although small, were starting to pile up. And with me looking to replace it this fall anyways, I bit the bullet and decided to post it for sale. Long story short, the Sierra is sold and gone to it’s new home in Ottawa and has been replaced with a a 2013 Subaru WRX hatcbback. This one is far more stock than my previous (for now). Loving it so far! Stereo install is underway and modifications to be installed are piling up. I don’t plan on going crazy with it, but my 2010 taught me all the little mods that really help make this car a great daily driver. Some/most of those will be installed over the next 6 months or so.

In not so great news, I got hit with a case of strep throat last month. No big deal right? Some antibiotics and a few days and I’ll be right as rain? WRONG. So very wrong. Throat did get better quick, however the infection spread to my eye socket (bad eye) and kicked the hell out of me. I was in and out of hospitals for over a week for IV meds and cat scans and other fun stuff. Three hospital and 10 days later I finally started feeling better. And thankfully the worry of the infection hitting my optic nerve and/or going to my brain were avoided. Scary and extremely painful week that I’d like to never have again. Thankful for my wife for trying to take care of me despite me not being a very good patient. I don’t do sitting still very well.

Just when I started feeling better, Shannon got hit with a terrible care of kidney stones. Two trips to the hospital and enough meds to knock down a horse, shes finally starting to come around. The pain and agony she was going through was something no one should ever to endure. Hoping the worst of it is behind her now. Don’t ever want to see her go through anything like that again.

And finally, on to some amazing news, Katie and Brian welcomed Veronica (Ronnie) Faye to the world! She’s as cute as a button and as mellow as her big sister Arizona. Congratulations guys! You done good!

Holy shit, we’re 1/3 of the way through August. Ugh,

As the topic above states, another school year has come to an end. With our kiddos completing grades 3 and 6 they are all ready to move up for 4 and 7. Where did the time go? Couldn’t be prouder of the improvements both have made in their education as well as watching them grow in to amazing little humans. Love you kiddos. Looking forward to many summer adventures and LOTS of baseball!

Speaking of ball, the season is in full swing – pun intended. Both teams doing quite well! Abbys team has won 6 games in a row and Joes did great in the ORSA tournament. And just for added measure, my Yankees are in first place! We are about 1-3 to 1-2 way through the seasons already, but loving every minute of it.

House stuff has started to slowly ramp up again. Starting to get the pool put together and clean up the property. Lots of weeds slowly taking over the yard. Gonna be a challenge to keep them all at bay, but slowly but surely we’re getting it under control. Not much else to report. Still have finish building that dang fireplace. Maybe job for one of my Monday/Fridays this summer.

After 7 years, and 210,000+ kms the Jeep is officially ours! Final payment was made last week. The old girl still going strong and looking great! Could stand a full, thorough detail, but all in all it has really been a great vehicle. Hoping for many more trouble-free years of service.

The Sierra on the other hand is really starting to show its age. Despite the cosmetic upgrades and tweaks that i’ve done (Denali front clip, rollpan, backup camera), the mechanical stuff seems to be breaking one thing after another. Brakes all due to be done, ebrake cable broke, ABS/Speed sensore crapped the bed, Y pipe took a massive hit and needs replacing and now it looks like a wheel bearing is on it’s way out. Nothing major, but it’s adding up. I’d been looking at getting a new daily driver this fall as my kids are not-so-slowly out growing the 3 seater. All these repairs may speed that up by a couple of months. Hoping to keep the truck, just take it off the road and tackle the problems at a later time. Still dont know exactly what I want to do just yet.

Bug is still sleeping. Bike has been ridden, but very rarely at this point. Work duties have required far too much moving of equipment lately to allow for the bike to be taken to work. Hoping that ends this coming week.

Finally I want to wish my boy Joe the happiest of birthdays. I know its a couple weeks over due, but I love you anyways bud!

Rain has finally slowed down. It was seriously starting to look like we had better get to building and Arc. Sun has been finally popping out the last few days and we’ve even had a couple warm days. Finally time to get the property back in order. So much grass. The first cut of the season after all that rain was a bit crazy. I felt like I should have bought something to do hay instead of grass. 3-4 days of chipping away at it and I got it all back under control. The second cutting of the year went much easier. Going to have to be pretty dedicated and on top of the schedule to keep it looking good. Especially if the rain keeps coming so often.

Jeep is officially ready for summer! I broke down and bought a brand new soft top for it. I bought one last year too, but it was used and from an earlier model. Worked out fine, just a little tougher for Shannon to put it back by herself. This new one is in perfect condition and easier to operate solo. Other Jeep news – I believe we have 1 more payment to make and it is finally, officially ours! Starting to think that day would never come! Hopefully it continues to give Shannon many more years of nearly trouble free driving.

Unfortunately my “week of holidays” although I’ve been busy, I haven’t even touched the bug or bike or the truck. Hopefully that changes today as I’m nearly through the list of things I wanted to do around the house. Just hasn’t been enough hours in the day between the yard work and baseball. After tossing kids at school today and I think its garage time. Get the rear bumper off so I can finally install that roll pan hat I bought 3 months ago and other the other parts that have been sitting in the shed since we moved. At the very least I hope to get the bike and truck washed. Only other update I have is that I picked up a brand new carb from my mechanic this week. As long as it bolts on properly – it will be the first time since I’ve owned the car that the engine will run 100% correct. I’ve been plagued with carb issues since day 1. This should finally finish off the motor.

House updates are nearly complete for now. Only inside tasks are to build a mantle/fireplace surround and a couple other little tasks like adding shelves into a closet and building a seat/storage for shoes. Hoping now the weather is finally getting nicer I can spend some time in the garage and get those tasks knocked out.

Baseball is in full swing! (pun intended). Both kids have a few practices and 1 game each under their belts. Both had great hits in their first games! So great to see them out there and really playing the game and loving every minute of it. Both have a good team around them full of some pretty great kids!

Finally we have 1 month of school to go! Maybe a a couple days more than a month but we’re getting there. Looking at booking 3 day work weeks all summer (taking the Mondays and Fridays off again) . With the labs all being gone hopefully the summer chores for school will go much easier.