Mark's Off Road Warehouse Fire Thread (4 Viewers)

[65swb45]

Time for another update.

All the extra ‘indoor’ time has led to an unprecedented phenomenon: I am COMPLETELY caught up on rebuilding carbs for the first time since last summer! I finished my last carb at 8pm last night. In speaking with a gentleman from Simi yesterday I was able to offer him a one week turnaround!

I still have a few steering box rebuilds to get through,but that won’t take much longer either.

In the meantime I’ve been mulling over my son’s condition, a now unemployed teacher for the rest of the school year. I called him last night and told him my back was hurting me (which is true) and asked if he wouldn’t rather come down here and help me organize the shop instead of just sitting in his apartment. He was happy to oblige. So even though I am apparently now going to have to postpone the 30 year celebration, I will still be moving towards something more worthy of videotaping for posterity.

My daughter is still in a holding pattern, but our granddaughter must know something is up. They said she’s getting a little fussy about being cooped up. In desperation they put a movie on the TV for her last night, something they assure me they have not done before.

 

[zidaro]

entranced! don't let her get used to that!!!

 

[themudman88]

Damn man. Did you ever get to rebuild?

 

[65swb45]

Damn man. Did you ever get to rebuild?

I think you are confused. My shop and the warehouse are two different locations. My shop is fine. Actually better.

 

[lcwizard]

Mark, if your family feels cooped up Az isn't far away and we're still republican here so we still observe the Bill of Rights.
I've been wheeling and camping the last two weekends. About half the Rvs out in our lakes and forests have California plates.
...last weekend......

 

[65swb45]

Thanks Dave. We’re talking about doing something, but I’m going to sit tight this week and see how it goes with our son coming down to help.

 

[65swb45]

One door opening, another possibility closing.

One of the things I’ve been working on on the side the last couple of weeks is trying to make some new music videos. I did some back in 2008. Poor audio, worse video. Not worth linking.

Tried a few times to record something with my laptop. Video still not moving in real time, and audio absolutely sucked, worse than my handheld AM radio I had as a kid. So I started asking around about microphones for the computer, and possibly software, even though I didn’t want to start down the rabbit hole of editing.

A couple of days ago I was explaining my situation to @EStein and he casually suggested I try recording with my iPhone. Hmmm. Then yesterday it occurred to me to try tweaking the sound the microphone would pick up by running the audio through my acoustic amplifier and using the built in equalizer. 8 takes on the laptop, each one increasing the bass and lowering the treble seemed to compensate for most of the tinniness of the mic. Tried one take on the iPad, then moved to the iPhone.
Two takes and I had something to post to YouTube. Without further adieu:

 

[MANUCHAO]

Without further adieu:

That was awesome Mark !!!
Loved to be around when you perform on the one or two trips I have met yah at !!!!
Now I can enjoy your performance on YOUTUBE !!!!!

Thank you!!!!

 

[fjl40]

Excellent Mark!! Reminds me of many years ago camping and enjoying the music and whiskey!! I'm ready to hit the off road, shall I bring a cajon?

 

[65swb45]

Well, that was the door opening.

My sister called me Sunday to tell me that our mom, who has been in lockdown in a seniors facility for weeks has had a stroke and was taken to the hospital today. Mom had texted me a week and a half ago that someone in her facility had been taken to Cedars Sinai after testing positive for Covid-19. Since then her facility adopted even more stringent standards (no details available to me) but the cat may have already been let out of the bag.

In case I haven’t mentioned it before, She already has end-stage congestive heart failure and a host of other problems. Now they‘re saying possible pneumonia as well.

The thing is, she’s been on her way out for so many years now, I just became kind of numb about it at some point. Tina had asked me last week if I’d heard anything about how people were handling weddings and funerals. Well I guess we may find out about one of those.

 

[Downey]

Gosh Mark, between Tina's eye problem, your grandchild's scull problem, and now your mom- - -hang in there Bro. Now, getting back to the music, I'll never forget shortly after I met you we worked a swap meet booth together, you broke out your guitar, and started singing so softly that I could barely hear you. Then you got louder where I could definitely hear you, then louder so the neighbor booth could hear you, and finally you built up enough nerve that the whole friggin swap meet could hear you- - -wild times with my hairy Bro.

 

[kevos37]

Mark,

Be strong my friend ! The end days for a loved one are STRESSFUL ! I always hope for the best, and then pray they go peacefully. Your Mom sounds like a very strong woman.

I wish you and your family the best!

Cheers
KevO

 

[airon23]

it's hard to hear so many things happening like this all at once Mark. Hang in there and I hope you can find some peace through all these difficult times. God bless you and your family.

 

[65swb45]

it's hard to hear so many things happening like this all at once Mark. Hang in there and I hope you can find some peace through all these difficult times. God bless you and your family.

Aaron, what my wife and I learned a long time ago, is how important it is to hang on to your routines when life is throwing you curveballs. Mundane, trivial things have a lot more value as anchors when less things in your life are certain.

It has truly been a blessing that I have been able to continue working, almost without change from my previous routine, while so many others have been idled. REALLY a blessing.

My sister texted earlier. My mom has been moved from ICU to a Covid recovery area in the hospital, and is taking less oxygen than yesterday. She still has pneumonia, but they are cautiously optimistic. We still don’t have a clear picture of what the stroke did to her mentally. A nurse took an iPad and put me on video chat with her yesterday. She could not focus on anything for more than a couple of seconds. I assumed it was narcotics, but my sister told me they took her off them the day before.

 

[2wheelbob]

Thinking of you and your family my friend! Tough times indeed.

 

[ToyotaMatt]

My thoughts are with you and your family Mark ...................


matt ....

 

[Rigger]

Best wishes, Mark, to you and yours. I’m hoping things improve. Take care.

Alfred

 

[65swb45]

Well,

We’re still in a holding pattern regarding my mom. They put her back in ICU on Saturday, and my sister told me that she was on 4 liters of oxygen/minute to keep her kidneys from failing. That doesn’t sound good.

Through the mixed miracle of modern technology, a nurse in the ICU hooked up a tablet and each of us kids spent a couple of minutes looking at the travesty of what once was a very strong woman. I had Daniel standing over my shoulder, and I flinched when the first tear fell on my arm. It was really tough. She’s already deaf, and with the ambient sound of the oxygen machine in the room, the nurse had to translate everything, in both directions.

That was Saturday. Her condition faltered on Sunday, but we did another video call anyways, and my daughter got to see her grandmother and show her the baby (who is doing very well)

I made a couple of new music videos yesterday and posted them, in hopes that my mother would see them. A couple of her old favorites. At noon the nurse called, and I gave him the links.

And so it goes.

I have a favor to ask.

It’s really hard for me to have any idea of who has seen this message if you don’t take a moment to hit one of the buttons. or , it would be nice to know who is checking in. Thanks.
.

 

[HENDOG]

My mom would say "No rest for the weary".
And Aunt Emma would add "Such is life".
Thinking about you, on a daily basis. Tears are allowed! In fact sometimes They feel good.
HENDOG would say:
"Remember life is to be lived! " and " Nobody's getting out of here alive---Ask me how I know"

 

[fjl40]

Hey Mark, I'm checking in. We're wishing you and your family the best in these crazy times. Hope things get better for your family.