Cincy for me - feeling empty...

[rapieper at yahoo.com (Ron Pieper)]

Basically, sorry if I let anyone down.  But Cincy 2004...well, I coulda done it better.

First, I had grand plans of another video, this one being a tranny build-up.  Big Al and Brian
Wagner were both all primed for filming.  I was busting my nuggets trying to fit coaching and
family and a hurting back into a schedule that'd have me doing Julia Childs' technique on an 020
sometime early Saturday afternoon.  Had prepped the subject by having the diff and pinion bearings
all shimmed and everythin'.  Was actually pretty ready for it all.

BUT, as fate would have it, it didn't turn out that way.  First, the bearing-shimming went slowly,
causing Dave Winchell and Allyn spent more time at my house Friday than I'd anticipated.  But we
got up there on Friday night for awhile and had a good time.  

Then, Saturday, coaching the kids (T-ball and coach pitch) just sucked up gobs of time, and
packing the car with tools, solvent, tranny pieces, etc. just plain old got me to Daun's too late.

Once I got sorted at Daun's, I realized that I'd left the pinion shaft at home - oh shit.  So
Frank, Brian Wal-Mart, and I began to do some final tearing down, cleaning up, and reassembly,
then I realized two fateful things had happened that put an effective end to the videoing: the
migration of the 'rocs to the back lawn for the annual aerial shot (meaning no audience), and that
I could fix Frank's original broken tranny.  

So, to make a short story longer, by the time we tore down Franks old (actually very new
Kraftwerks 4K, with a minor problem that Franks admitted to causing), it went back together rather
quickly, and thus even though the pinion shaft showed up (carried by a local I had called who was
coming up anyhow), I didn't have enough schtuff to reassembly my Julia Childs' tranny - I was now
short a case gasket and a few other bits.  

By this time, the brisket was served, then some reloading the car, and a little - too little -
socializing.  Lotsa folks I would have loved to spend more time laughing and BSing with - old
friends (too many too list) and new (Jeff T. and others).

When Rich's car ditched, that was pretty much that.  Sunday was out...fambly stuff, but I can't 
regret that.

Anyhow, we know about the best laid plans...sorry if you were planning on watching the rebuild, I
was too happy to demonstrate and explain my fumbling.  Maybe now I can get my favorite amateur
Videographer (My Yellow Friend Anson) to film me in my garage, and My Favorite All Around
TechnoGeek (Big Al) to to the compress/upload/bittorrent thang.  And you can all download and
watch and snooze.

And maybe, just maybe, at Cincy 2005 I'll do not a damned thing except sit, have a few slow beers,
shoot the shit and just be friendly for a change, instead of having *something* taking my
attention away from the Truly Important Thing - the MEMBERS of this list, and their fellowship.

All the best, 

Cheapass Ron

PS: Patrick: you really coulda stayed at our house again - in fact we sorta planned on it.  No
offense meant, none taken I hope.
PPS: Daun: Thanks.
PPPS:  All: I'll see yo' sappy asses next year.





	
		
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