May 11, 2003 (3) - Carlinville, IL (4/23-29 - Doug's shop, St. Louis, MO; 5/2 Girls performance; and 5/8 Lake Williamson)

Well, from Cobras that look good but won't run right to fire trucks that look ratty but run good, we're at son Doug's shop.  www.dougjenkinscustomhotrods.com if you have a high speed connection.

Full of fun contrasts here.  The suburban is a rig that Doug's crew works on every once in a while, and then for the first time in his life, Doug acquired a car he really didn't have any need for.  This 1953 Willys Overland came available, and since Doug has done several restorations for this family, they gave him the chance to get it, and he jumped on it quick.  We went over to take it "home," and I told Doug that it was a good thing he was getting it, because I couldn't afford to restore it.  But wouldn't it make a cool toad for a motorhome?  So now we each have a Jeep.  Fun to compare them.

Interesting story about the Jeep (don't you love that license plate).  The fellow in the picture had inherited it from his father who had used it at their fishing camp in Canada someplace.  The father had acquired it from the widow of a friend, and so the fellow who Doug got it from had been around the Jeep since it was new.  He took lots of pictures of it leaving, his wife had come out to watch the proceedings and everything.  Very sentimental occasion, and not lost on Doug and I who know about these things.  Doug's plan is to put it into safe running condition and just drive it, delaying restoration until later.  Knowing Doug, my guess is that it'll get restored sooner than later.  In either case, it'll get tender loving care from now on.  And there it is in its new home.  This is a cubby hole in the building that will be the "new" shop after it is completely ready for the move from the old location.

A "before" shot of the new shop, and then it's lunch time at the old shop.

Another Cobra being worked on, and Doug and Kerry's rally car.  They've just started doing some of the Pro-Rally circuit races in the area.  Today was the second one, and they started in 29th position and ended in 16th.  In these shots the suspension is being changed and I got to wire up some sending units from the front wheels to the computer that Kerry uses to help determine the speed, distance, and time from the last checkpoint.

The 'vette is made up of parts from other cars, and has little street value, so rather than sell it, Doug decided to do some advertising with it.  Yeah, right.  Like I don't know how much fun rallying is?  While never doing any of the pro-rally stuff, Barb and I used to test our marriage and a 1968 Porsche 911S running rallies in Anchorage many years ago.  And this Mercedes is going to get a new paint job.....after the previous 3 coats of paint are removed!

The first of many coats of special paint in the paint booth for a muscle car, and a mustang getting a new front end after its owner wasn't paying enough attention to traffic.

Doug working on the suspension of the rally car, and then its off to "A Spring Performance."  Robin and Holly were invited to perform at this wonderful woman's home for a select group of friends.  Each girl played some solo's, and then they did several duets. It was great fun and made Barb and I even prouder.  It was the kind of an evening most people can only dream about.  Wonderful music by some talented young musicians, great catered desserts, and some very interesting people to meet and get acquainted with.  All in the luxurious surroundings of a beautiful home with a gracious hostess.

And then back to reality.  That's Wayne in the backhoe, me on the Grasshopper, and the other Wayne cleaning the lens of the sidewalk lights here at Lake Williamson Christian Center.  Yes, that's right, it's me and two Waynes on this project, and our wives.  We'll get pictures of them later.  Kathy and Katie (yes, the two Wayne's wives names are Kathy and Katie!) are mostly folding laundry, and Barb is cleaning chairs in the dining room.  At least that's how our first week stacked up.  I think us guys are having more fun than our wives, but isn't that usually the way it is?

  TAA DAA!  It's finished!  After an untold number of hours, the baby afghan for son Rick and his wife Lynn's baby.  They're expecting in July, and almost as soon as we got the news, Barb began crocheting this afghan.  Because the gender of the baby is undetermined, she chose sex-neutral colors, and today we learned that Rick and Lynn are painting the baby's room a pale yellow.  The blanket will fit right in.

And believe it or not, other than some pictures from Holly's St. Louis Youth Symphony concert last night that are still in the camera, I'm finally all caught up with the website.  Whew!