Valentines!!!

Valentines

The Gillespie tradition of chocolate bars inserted in creative valentines greatings continues. Happily it has found it's way into some of our children's homes too. Michael shops for the candybars, comes up with the greating and I write it up. The children seem to enjoy it.

Family Dinner-Feburary

Febuary 12th, 2012

We gathered together for dinner again. Roast, potatoes, deviled eggs, salad, rolls and cake.

After dinner I mixed glitter and the contents of a glow stick into a couple of jars. Complements of pintrest. I think maybe a smaller jar would be more impressive. I still had sparklers left over from last month. So with a little more organization we played with fire again. I think this time it was more fun and less worry some. Pictures are complements of Julia.

Finally an antena!

I thought I would upload a picture of me standing on the roof with the boys. I found the file but it is zipped.

(Mikie found it and posted it.)

On Saturday, Febuary 11th, Michael and I drove to HRO in Phoenix. They sell ham radio equipment. We purchased some coax, a book, and an antenna for 20 meters for the big radio at the house. A year or so back we had already purchased some surplus army poles.

When we arrived home we surveyed the situation, mounted the poles to the house and then Michael got on the roof. Pretty soon he was coaxing me to join him, after all it was my antenna. So I moved the ladder to the only place that I am brave enough to get on and off the roof. Then I crawled up the roof, trying to say calm. Once up he said I was going to have to stand to be helpful. A little more excitement. Well I helped as he attached the ends to some rings that were to go on the top of the poles. Then he said I should put the ring on the pole. Oh my, it meant that I had to stand about a foot from the edge on my tiptoes. A little hyperventilating and the job was done. Then Michael and Paul raised both ends another 4 feet. The poles are now 20 feet up, not really that high for an antenna. Finished I sat down and started scooting towards the ladder. Then Michael rolled something off the roof and reminded me not to get down like that. Thanks a lot. He was on the ground quickly. It took me another 5 or so minutes to slowly back off the roof, put my foot on the ladder and finally reach the ground. Much better.

We had to both get the manual out and read the instructions. This radio has a lot of nobs. I checked out a few things for correct procedures. I was surprise to find I understood and remembered quite a few things. After tuning the radio and listening to New York, New Jersey, Georgia, and New Hampshire, Michael persuaded me to answer a CQ. I chatted with the gentleman in New Hampshire, and another one in North Dakota.

Sunday morning we were listening again and heard Barcelona, Spain- and a gentleman farmer in Russia, (his signals were bouncing off the atmosphere over the north pole area.). So cool. We have heard someone in Maui, Mexico, and various States.

I'm looking forward to getting a 40 meter antenna so we can hear better at night. 20 meters works great in the daytime.

Now I just need to work on my QSL card before I receive the ones from New Hampshire and North Dakota.

Family Dinner-January

January 6th, 2011

Andy's parents were in town this week so we moved our family dinner up to Friday. It was a nice night to be outside. We barbequed, visited and then I was acussed of trying to start the grandchildren on fire. I just thought it would be fun to play with some sparklers. I lit them up and the children ran around the yard. It was chaotic but fun.

Family pictures at the Mesa Arts Center

It now takes a professional photographer and an assistant to organize a family photo session.

They did a great job. These are just a few of the pics on our 2 CD collection. It's going to be hard to choose which ones go on the wall.

Jan 2012

May 2008

May 2008 the crew cab was still at Omars place, the camper was off so we could access the fuel tanks, still had the chrome 8 spoke wheels and all the body panels matched.

January 2012, the beast runs and drives, it is at my house now the camper is back on (temporarlily) and the doors have been changed and upgraded to power windows and door locks. Wheels have been upgraded as well to 2008 GMC 17 inch wheels.

Original Blue

New Gold/Brown

The interior was removed and updated to 1989 Suburban front seats and the original rear seat was recovered by Pillow Talk Designs, (Rachael's Business) the headliner was also redone by Ginger, Paul and me, and new carpet to complete the inside. The gas tank in the picture is now under the truck where it is supposed to be, the original one was rusted out.

The original dash and steering wheel.

New wheel and the brown dash.

Some how I just cant get used to having the old skinny steering wheel, I had one like this in my 75 truck and really liked it, so I had to have one in here. While changing the seats, carpets, doors and headliner, we figured why not do it all and rip out the dash as well. So for a while it was completely gutted on the inside, I did wonder what the heck was I thinking?! Finally I did get the inside back together, about July 2011. it is starting to come together.

This is where the rear seat is supposed to be.

Putting on the brackets for the rear seat.

The rear seat in and the trim on for the capret.

After driving my 2 seat sport truck, it now has a back seat, and looks pretty dang good. The original seat material is no longer available and Rachael did a great job matching what was in there.
who wants to be the first to sit in here?

For those of you who have not been to the house.

This is Ducky. 

 She mostly lives in Paul and Ben's room.

Her favorite hobby is guarding any door that might open to the outside world.

She only wants to drink running water.

She has her own private fountain

and has many servants who will willingly turn on a faucet for her.

Her favorite climbing post is Ginger's jeans when she is doing dishes.

She is frightened of the water that falls from the sky.

She sharpens her claws on all the boys and Julia.
She loves to sneak up on Buddy and jump on him or around him saying here I am, play with me.
He ignors her, mostly.

She doesn't listen to instructions as well as the fish or the dog.

Lately her favorite tree house is the Christmas tree.

NASCAR racing



I received a birthday present for the Rusty Wallace Race Experience, it was scheduled for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so early Sat. morning Ben, Julia, Ginger and I headed out to Phoenix International Raceway  (PIR) in Avondale. John Thaxton met us out there, there were already cars on the track, 2 were ride along cars, and had some extra horsepower and 8 others for the drives to use.

Suited up and ready to go, now I just have to wait my turn to crawl into the car. You don't get your choice of cars, they are already set up for different size people, makes it easier for the crews to get you into them. With the luck of the draw i ended up with #8 Budweiser car, (not a huge Earnhardt fan) but what the heck I am not buying it.

The crew is checking out John, at least so he thinks, they are seeing who to take the mount got the Go Pro camera to. Thanks so much Seth from Dragonfire Racing for letting me borrow it.

With the track only being a mile in length, it was pretty quick to get around it, Julia was taking lap times and my quickest was 36.19 seconds, average speed of 99.5 mph. Passing was allowed, but the spotter would get the slow car to move over so you could go by, they do their best to keep you safe and the cars in one piece.

Was it fun? Oh yeah, it was. Would I like to do it again? Most definitely

Halloween

Dressing up for Halloween.  Friday's pack meeting had a contest for the leaders.  We had a construction worker, ceiling fan, aircraft carrier and Mr. Conductor.  Needless to say Mr Conductor walked away with the two movie tickets.  With his "All aboard", train tickets and hole punch he was a big hit with the children.

Julia's school party was Thursday and she went as a jelly fish complete with blue ocean.

Everyone had a good time.Thursday was Julia's school party, Friday was the ward chili cook off and trunk or treat, and then finally Monday, candy at the door.  We might have had 20 trick or treaters.  

Happy Halloween from the dunes

Saturday Ginger and I went to the dunes with Dusty and Rachael and Shawn. We met up with several from our ward friends, Weinzerl, Mclaws, Geiger, Jones. Unloaded the bikes and dune buggy and took off for a ride. We usually will end up at Oldsmobile hill and watch the people racing up and down and race a few times as well. the Tri-Z was running exceptionally well this weekend ( probably about ready to break) and me and Rachael raced a few times, it was a draw she won some and I won some.

this is the view form the top of Olds hill looking down at some of the spectators and racers.

this is part of the group that we went for a afternoon ride through the dunes and then out to the bowls to ride around in, our group stops at the sand rail.

Just a little dirty from a days riding, but still smiling through it.

This is one really fast jeep, he would wait for the rails to go past then he would launch and catch them before the end.