That's life on the East Coast

Well, my plans for the car this week were once again thwarted. The shortest snow storm ever was enough to make working on the car impossible.
The storm only dropped 2-4 inches, but it was heavy and wet and it all came down at once. I was lucky enough to leave work about 45 minutes early so that my Cavalier didn't end up on the side of the road or wrapped around a pole somewhere. Surprisingly, people were actually driving cautiously...we were able to get up around 24 MPH on some sheltered sections of road. The most annoying part of storms out here is that they seem to not bother doing any cleaning of the roads until the snow has stopped. Now, this would be logical if everyone was also ordered off the roads any time it is snowing, but that's not how it works. Everyone is still driving home, or to work, or just feeling like a snow storm is the prefect time to shop. So the roads are covered in wet snowy slush and there is zero visibility as it is the kind of snow that, no matter which direction you are driving, it is snowing at you and swirling all around you, and it appears that you are constantly attempting hyper-drive or warp-speed. As I said, luckily people were driving cautiously, instead of the usual 'I have 4-wheel drive...get out of my way so I can drive 60mph down a side street'. Not the point...

Dad had a doctor's appointment yesterday that I was going to drive him to since Steph's car was supposed to be getting worked on. But, because of the snow, her friend was not picking up her car so she was available for dad after all. Since, by then roads had all been cleared, I decided to go hang out (and play Rock Band) for a bit, even though we could not work on the car. Again.
I knew I wanted to fix the tarp though so we went over early. I was hoping to get some better pictures, but she was covered in snow. Heavy wet snow that I cleaned off as best as I could before putting the tarp back on. Again. The tarp was buried in the snow, of course. This time I brought bungees and secured the tarp so that, I hope, it won't blow off again.
Trying to maneuver around the car I realized I also need to clean up the piles of wood and other random debris surrounding the car. I just want to get started. I've started doing my neglected home improvement projects to get me through, but now I'm just itching to try something new. I mean, drywall/painting/floors...I've done that already!

As a side note: I told my dad about the car being built in Hamtramck. He said, 'I know.' Which is a typical response from my dad. But then he also told me that his dad's dad (who died of TB when he was 33!) worked at the Dodge Main plant. AND when his dad's mother re-married, he new dad (my (step-) great-grandfather who lived to be 92!) also worked there. As if that wasn't enough...I never even knew my great-grandmother had been married twice!!

I'm so surprised

Steph and I had made plans to do some car stuff this week. Minor things...cleaning, fixing the tarp, removing the battery. So, of course, we are getting a snow storm Wednesday. The planned meeting is Thursday, as Dad has a doctors appointment a we both have the day off, so maybe we will get lucky and the snow will turn to rain and we won't just be left with a car covered in snow...again.

Hoping to get some better pictures, but I would really like to get some shots without snow!

Here's hopin'!

Waiting for Spring: part 2

It gets closer, but it's hard to look forward through the snow. I'm encouraged by the fact that it snows, but only a little at a time these days. And it seems to be melting at a pretty swift pace. So, although it's still just around 20-25 degrees these days, with a flurry here and there, I am still keeping my hopes high that once spring is here...work can start. No waiting for mounds of snow to melt...just waiting for a nice day.

I wanted to get out to Dad's this week while I was 'blessed' with yet another 3-day work week, but caught that cold I have been avoiding all winter and having been feeling crappy. There's also Dad's compromised immune system and me going over with a cold wouldn't be a loving daughterly-type thing to do. Of course, I probably make him out to be more frail than he actually is, but that's me...the great exaggerator.

Possibly this next week I can get out there. The list?

1. clean the interior...carpets, dash, seat. Steph says she's done some cleaning, but I'd bet that was a year ago.

2. remove the battery. A friend of mine AND a friend of Steph's both said to do it. So we'll do it.

3. maybe try to get better answers from Dad concerning insurance, title, and registration. The car has plates and a registration that expired last March, yet no one can actually remember getting plates for the car. It's a mystery I am determined to straighten out ASAP.

4. fix the tarp. Including the addition of bungees to keep it on the car during the windy days.

5. scope out the layout of trees and such for the placement of a series of tarps for rainy workdays.

A short list and certainly things that can be done in almost any temperature. A few things to keep me busy until the day I have a reason to sit in this chair!

Not quite sure of it's purpose, but it has a little tray for tools and it's on wheels so I assume it's for rolling around the 'shop'...

Oh, and we'll have to check out the shed and basement to see which tools our brother left for us when he picked up 'his' tools.