It has been an eclectic week here at the old homestead and points beyond.
We haven't had any snow for nearly two whole weeks and the old apple tree has blossoms!
The Cooker needed some foot surgery to relieve some nagging pain so I took her to the teeming metropolis of Duluth for said surgery. It's a few hours away so we went after work on Monday and stayed in a tall (by Duluth standards) hotel. Opening the curtains the next morning gave me the thrill of construction, ships in the harbor, and that iconic landmark, the lift bridge.
Then there is Stitch whose broken arm is healing nicely, but still in a cast from her tomato planting incident. If anyone saw all of us together in town yesterday they might think I am some kind of monster with two injured women and that I have a lot of nerve showing them in public. It's not like I tell people, "She ran into a door" or something. I certainly feel special having four functional limbs.
Stitch's arm.
The Cooker's "Frankenboot."
So as long as we were in town I decided to go check out the annual Hot Rod and Classic Car Show again. Most of the vehicles come down here from the Thunder Bay, Ontario vicinity. I recognized some from previous years, but they are colorful and often nicely detailed. The best thing for them was that it didn't rain this year seeing as how there are some convertibles and open cars.
I really appreciate some of the details like this old Cadillac with the fuel filler cap under the tail light.
My favorite detail was this valve stem cap and the effect it had. Note the photographer's reflection in the hubcap.
And before we had to do some more errands and get back to the farm I got to take in one of our local bands, The Splintertones, for a few songs. I have played with a couple of them in the past. They sounded very good even though they had chilly fingers. It was about 50F (or 10C), but the sun was warm and so was the crowd that was gathering.
It was even a pretty good week at work because no one spit on their money before handing it to me!
Click on the pics to embiggen.
Sounds like fun - only sorry about Cooker and Stitch. Hope they recover soon.
ReplyDeletehope everyone recovers nicely..oooh the cars...love them.
ReplyDeleteOld cars have sooooooo much more charm.
ReplyDeleteI can remember being out and about with my partner after I did a face plant in the road. I suspect more than one person thought he was reponsible for my bruised and scabby self.
Good luck - and quick healing to the wounded warriors in your life.
I know we have orange blossoms here in Florida, but apple blossoms are a whole lot prettier, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI love car shows, too.
And speedy healing to Cooker and Stitch!
I am over at my grandfather's house, and I was asking him about the gas tank under the tail lights. He said there used to be a lot of cars like that, and then took me out to his garage where he has an old Mustang that has a filler door dead center between the tail lights and a Nova that has its filler door behind the rear license plate.
ReplyDeleteI assume that they stopped doing that after the experiences with the Pintos and Corvairs, where rear impacts were making cars explode.
Anyway, I learned something about old cars because of your post.
I hope everybody gets their bandages off soon!
I'm a gearhead, and even I learned something today. Had no idea about the beneath the taillight filler cap. How cool.
ReplyDeleteAnd as things would have it, my wife is currently in a frankenboot and using crutches. It's hilarious walking around and seeing a few people give me a questioning glance, trying to size me up and see if *I* was the one who caused her injury. No, I didn't push her down any stairs.
...Yet.
I've never heard of filling a car via the tail light -- wow!
ReplyDeleteEmbiggen.
ReplyDeleteThat's my new favorite word.
Donna, It WAS fun. It just started to feel like summer at long last.
ReplyDeleteJACKIESUE, I'm using my healing powers to get them well. The cars are like a walk down memory lane. One was similar to my first car and another was like the first one I drove at 130mph.
Elephant's Child, Once I rolled over in my sleep and elbowed the Cooker's eye turning it black. "How did you get that black eye?" "My husband did it." That was hard to live down.
PP, everything grows in Florida. It always seemed so bright and colorful all year.
Katy Anders, It was always fun back in the day when new model cars would come out. The gas station attendants (they filled your tank, checked your oil and tires, AND washed your windshield!) were always challenged to find the filler hole. Corvairs were also unstable with all their weight in the rear. Ralph Nader's first(?)book, Unsafe at Any Speed was based on that.
ABFTS, Sometimes guys like us just LOOK guilty and that is enough for some people.
Debra, there were quite a few silly and annoying places to fill your tank. It's all pretty straight forward now. Except for electric cars.
Sioux, I got it from Elephants Child. I immediately borrowed it hoping she wouldn't mind sharing.
ReplyDeleteVery cool cars! Glad to hear everyone is on the mend!
ReplyDeleteCouldn't you have limped just a LITTLE so people wouldn't give you that look? It hasn't been that long since you were actually limping, so it's not really a lie.
ReplyDeleteHope the family mends quickly. Because they probably have to eat your cooking, right?
:)
In the wars!
ReplyDeleteWishing all a speedy recovery x
Ha! I learn something new every day. I never pass up a show & shine, but even so I've never seen a filler cap under a taillight.
ReplyDeleteHope everybody heals up quickly! And hey, when are you going to post a video of you making some music? Inquiring minds want to know... :-)
Those are some beauties - the apple blossoms and the cars, not the broken limbs. Don't break a leg, Jono. Stay intact. We like you that way. Congratulations on a work week free of spit-cash.
ReplyDeleteAgi T, There may have been close to a hundred cars there. Healing takes time and I'm getting old. :(
ReplyDeletejenny_o, Pretty sure I remember how to limp, but I am so thrilled with walking "normal" that it doesn't occur to me. Stitch and I are sharing cooking duties and it has all been edible. So far.
John Gray, We are the walking wounded. Thanks!
Diane, Behind the license plate was fairly common. Maybe someone will put me and whatever combination on YouTube someday, but it's not likely to be me posting it.
Robyn, Everything is green and lush at last! Doing my best to keep it together physically. Mentallyis always a challenge. Spit-free is always a good thing (as Martha might say).
I’m surprised you haven’t been locked for wife and assorted other females beating.
ReplyDeleteGoing to the big city and staying in a hotel is great fun, occasionally. It’s also a good idea to make use of it and drag your victims to your preferred choice of entertainment and make them suffer even more.
A die-shaped stem cap? I want some of those for my tires!
ReplyDeleteIf you ever have to come down to the city, be sure to stop by. I can recommend a good lawyer if you need one for all of the injuries you may have been causing. Isn't it wonderful to FINALLY have summer? Looking forward to seeing the big lake this summer!
ReplyDeleteGood thing one of you is healthy. Knew a family once long ago where the mother had one leg (lost one in an accident in Kindergarten) and the father had two very crippled legs. My uncle commented that they hardly had a leg to stand on.
ReplyDeleteMy first car was a 1956 Buick Special. 5 mpg in cold weather city driving