Modern Garage in Far East

[CJUDGE]

Beautiful puppy watching over the treasures...

 

[abstamaria]

Charlie

Yes, the dogs are such a joy, CJUDGE, even Charlie, who we rescued from the pound. Here he is in a photo I took this morning, after I had taken the Dino for drive. The quality of the sun has changed, and while it is still cool in the mornings, we can feel summer is around the corner.

 

[abstamaria]

Driveway

Here is the Dino after this morning's run. I had to whip put my phone and take a photo. It is so beautiful.

That's the main gate behind it. It is mechanized and opens with a remote; that is so convenient. You can see the arms attached to it. The grass is still adapting on the driveway, and naturally the strips where the tires pass are obvious, but the grass seems to be hardier in those areas. The grass driveway has made the place cooler.

Andy

 

[Modern Jess]

Re: Charlie

Yes, the dogs are such a joy, CJUDGE, even Charlie, who we rescued from the pound. Here he is in a photo I took this morning, after I had taken the Dino for drive.

Cute boy! Any idea what approximate breed he is? Rescues are always a bit of a mystery.

(We have rescued two dogs from the pound in the last couple of years).

 

[abstamaria]

Je suis Charlie

That is good of you, Modern Jess.

Charlie was surrendered to the pound along with his mother and sister. We were only going to rescue one, but of course could not leave his mother and sister, so rescued all three for adoption. That was last October. Thankfully, the mother and sister have gone to good homes since. We decided to keep Charlie (we named his sister Lucy, as she was always bullying him), who has problems with his rear legs. They don't bend, but you wouldn't know it from the way he runs.

He seems to be quite a mix, perhaps part Jack Russell. Very bright, too.

That's Charlie and family at the vet after rescue, and Charlie when we brought him home.

Andy

 

[Denwood]

Andy the dogs are pretty adorable

You were spot in in terms of the white floor. I love it. Thanks for the inspiration.

That red toolbox will get fixed next...

 

[abstamaria]

Dennis, it looks really good! Fantastic job. The floor has lit up your wonderful place.

Best,

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Getting rid of stuff, such a painful process!

40 years at work is a long time, and one accumulates many things in that period. When I retired in 2013, I gave away books and many other things. The rest I put in plastic bins, to be sorted and thinned later. But now it is time, and I must be ruthless and say goodbye to things I probably will not read or need to see again. Simplify! Simplify!

But it isn’t easy, as each book, each sheet of paper has imprinted in it some memory of times now gone. I cannot guarantee success.

Andy

 

[dubber]

Hi Andy,

Really enjoyed what you shared about rescuing the dog(s). Good on you!

 

[Denwood]

Andy, I'm doing the same thing in the shop. Amazing how time consuming "simplifying" actually is!

 

[Brian R]

Getting rid of stuff, such a painful process!

40 years at work is a long time, and one accumulates many things in that period. When I retired in 2013, I gave away books and many other things. The rest I put in plastic bins, to be sorted and thinned later. But now it is time, and I must be ruthless and say goodbye to things I probably will not read or need to see again. Simplify! Simplify!

But it isn’t easy, as each book, each sheet of paper has imprinted in it some memory of times now gone. I cannot guarantee success.

Andy

I just went through this process myself recently. I grabbed a bin of that size and decided that I could only save the stuff that fit into a bin that was 8 inches x 11 inches x 3 inches. Some of it was so easy to pitch like newspaper clippings of box-scores from when I played soccer and baseball 40 years ago and then some of the items were impossible to get rid of like letters from friends that have passed away. None of it really means anything to anyone but me but when I read the letters I was overwhelmed.

I cheated and kept two small bins with one just for old letters.
Good luck with the process and as usual your cars and pictures are outstanding.

 

[abstamaria]

Rescue Charlie

Thanks, Dubber. I enjoy your threads very much. Always very interesting.

Before we brought rescue Charlie home, we were apprehensive how Sundance, our four-year-old Rottweiler, would react to him. Sundance grew up with Xena, a very nice, much older Rottie, who since passed away. Sundance has issues with a neighbor’s dog and was often hostile to dogs on the street.

But Sundance has been kind to Charlie. Charlie found comfort in him and often imitated what he did, as you can see from the picture of the two at our main door. So far, it has been a win-win situation for both dogs. The picture with Felice shows Charlie when he was first brought home and introduced to Sundance.

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Brian, Dennis. Yes, paring down is tough. I have a few more plastic boxes to go through and will tackle another one this weekend. It is a job one wants to postpone.

Best,

Andy

 

[Denwood]

Sundance and Charlie just made my day. Behind the charging hp of the supercars, I see a pretty gentle soul Andy

 

[Ferrari-lover]

The picture of them sleeping together is by far the cutest thing I've seen this week.

 

[abstamaria]

Good you liked the photos of Sundance and little Charlie, Dennis, Ferrari-lover. The little guy has already repaid us a thousandfold with smiles and laughter.

Best,

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

A Plug for Plain Floors.

A bonus that comes with a plain white floor is that you can take good photos on it. (Those are used tool and jack kits I bought from eBay to carry in the Dino. The original set, not too good and in a simple roll, have become too expensive to carry around! These leather cases are gorgeous, I think, and look better than my briefcase.)

Best regards,

Andy

 

[Morrisman]

We have a couple of dogs in our back yard, I seem to recall.

 

[abstamaria]

Good of you, Morrisman. By the way, we were your way this Monday to visit the car restoration facility in Clark. Fabulous operation.

Andy

 

[Denwood]

Andy, I'm simply thrilled with the white floor. My one issue with grinding, then using a pigmented stain/sealer (on a very old slab) was that deeper pits in the 5mm range are nicely sealed, but hold dirt. Next run I will use a 100% solids epoxy to achieve a smoother floor.

I can't see myself using anything but white in the future. Nobody ever mentions this, but white hides scrapes and scratches that are inevitable on a shop floor. It also enforces some degree of cleanliness which in turn adds to productive use of the space.

 

[dubber]

Those Ferrari tool kits are top notch and would definitely suit their application nicely!

 

[GDPossehl]

Just read through the whole thread. What a great place, taste in cars, and dogs. I have a 2 year old rottie myself. He looks just like yours in his two year old pics.

I picked up some cues here and there and was able to plot the house on Google. The satellite view seems a bit outdated. It still shows the roof of the old house and the carport.

Is the ivy you planted along the wall 'creeping fig'?

 

[abstamaria]

I'm glad you are enjoying your floor. Dennis!

 

[abstamaria]

Is that your home, GD? It seems a peaceful and lovely neighborhood.

Andy

 

[GDPossehl]

Is that your home, GD? It seems a peaceful and lovely neighborhood.

Andy

No, I believe that's what used to be yours.

 

[abstamaria]

You’re quite a detective, GD, but, no, that’s not our old house. I had to look twice!

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

2nd hand tool kits

Those Ferrari tool kits are top notch and would definitely suit their application nicely!

Yes, they seem so, Dubber. The leather cases are exceptional. The tools are very good quality, too.

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

Ferrari Lug Nut Socket

I was quite surprised by the design of the wheel nut (or bolt, in the case of Ferrari) socket that came with the jack kit. It is obviously a flank drive, intended to engage the flats of the nut or bolt, rather than the corners, but the design is quite radical. I'd never seen anything like it. Has anyone here? The more common design is at the rear.

Andy

 

[vic m]

Andy, my guess is the design of the wheel nut and socket is a bespoke Ferrari theft deterrent. It'll be difficult to steal your wheels while your Ferrari is parked in the parking deck on casual Friday or in the dimly lit lot while on an evening out for dinner, theater, etc.

You have the most tastefully executed house, garage, and grounds on this site. Plus your taste in automobiles is way up there,too.

vic

 

[GDPossehl]

You’re quite a detective, GD, but, no, that’s not our old house. I had to look twice!

Andy

Haha, I could have sworn I'd found it! Now it's gone from curiosity to mystery.
Looking at the old carport roof again, I see that it had more green paint than rust.

 

[abstamaria]

Mg tc

I took our 1948 MG TC to the local “cars and coffee,” some 20 kilometers South of where we live. It was still cool early in the morning, with 22C on the thermometer, but summer is definitely here. The sun’s position has shifted, and by midmorning one can feel its harsher, more direct rays. The driveway grass has become dry, so we have to turn on the sprinklers now. They are programmed to go on at 4AM every other day.

I drove the TC with the windscreen and top down of course. Seeing it after I opened the garage door, I just had to take out my phone and take a photo.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Beautiful shot of the TC, and of course driven the proper way with windscreen and top down.

 

[abstamaria]

Thanks, Scuderia. The TC is so engaging to drive.

Andy

 

[Geek]

Delightful!

I've just discovered this thread Andy; thank you for taking the time.

Cheers,
Edward

 

[abstamaria]

Great, Edward! I'm glad you enjoyed the thread.

Best regards,

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

W/C

I have received some messages asking to see the washroom, which in another forum would seem quite funny, but this would not out of place at Garage Journal. I have also been asked whether I have any paintings or such t on walls.

I only have a small, very plain washroom for the workshop, shown below. Coincidentally, this is the only place I hang anything on the walls. Those are cut-away illustrations given to me by car friends durng a visit to Japan. The medicine cabinet fits into a corner, and that is a reflection of another print you see on its mirror.

 

[Mr. Welsh]

I just went through this process myself recently. I grabbed a bin of that size and decided that I could only save the stuff that fit into a bin that was 8 inches x 11 inches x 3 inches. Some of it was so easy to pitch like newspaper clippings of box-scores from when I played soccer and baseball 40 years ago and then some of the items were impossible to get rid of like letters from friends that have passed away. None of it really means anything to anyone but me but when I read the letters I was overwhelmed.

I cheated and kept two small bins with one just for old letters.
Good luck with the process and as usual your cars and pictures are outstanding.

You might consider scanning/photographing sentimental items that can be condensed digitally and then tossing the physical originals. I find it is much easier to part with the sentimental when what triggers the memory has been saved.

 

[abstamaria]

Yes, that's what I've been doing, photographing and scanning things, Mr. Welsh. Still it's not easy, so I hold on for a while.

Andy

 

[abstamaria]

More W/Cs

We hardly have any paintings or prints inside the house itself,. But, as with the workshop toilet, we cheated a bit and also hung one or two favorite paintings in the half-baths or powder rooms, as I think they’re called. Here are the two powder rooms.

 

[abstamaria]

Rain Car

I thought I should get a “rain car” for sports-car-club events when the weather is unpredictable and which I could leave outdoors on out-of-town runs - a car I don’t have to worry about much. After some thought, I bought this old SLK. It seems generally waterproof and – this is a factor that was never important to me before – comfortable. I must really be getting old.

I quite enjoy the freedom it has given me actually. It seems an earnest, honest little car.

Andy