Small Two Car Operation

[HSpencer]

Thanks Herb for volunteering helping the Vets out. If you plan on working until the VA gets caught up.... well I think you are going to be there a long long time

Thanks for your comments and great to have you stop by!

We had a vacancy in the Legion office for some time, and many of the claims I have been working on were upwards of two years old. Most of the claims status is worked on line, but I like to get on the phone and talk to people rather than send emails and such and then simply "wait" for someone to take notice.
These claims can get stale and too old in a matter of weeks if you don't get names and keep pushing people's buttons.
We have cleaned up a lot of them, some successes, but there needs to be a full time administrative officer on them. It is all volunteer work at a local American Legion post. I have learned a lot about how to push those buttons.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[BUGTHUG]

For some reason they sure go thru a lot of people at our VFW in Wichita. I think in the last year they have had 3 or 4 people start then a few months later they were off somewhere else.
I had a claim that lasted over 7 years, had some decision judge had died so they had to go back over some things. Of course by the time it came from DC. to Wichita then me was almost 9 months I think the thing that bothers me is they don't want to put any names on most of the paperwork. Then you have to go thru the 1-800-***-1000 and wait....wait...
The newest thing they are doing for a C&P claim, they use to do at the VA in Wichita. Last week they sent me to Tulsa,2 1/2 hours away, the appointment took 15 minutes. They had it schedule for 8:30am, I had to leave my house about 4am. Of course the roads in OK. aren't the best and they had construction on the main road I needed. What was really sad was a guy from Arkansas was there for his appt. and apparently they changed his appt. to the next day. He took a day off work to be there and he had a 3 hour drive. I guess the company the VA farmed this out to, forgot to call him. They didn't want to make time for him and sent him back down the road. Oh well I'm sure you are aware of some of this? Have a good day sir!

 

[drivesitfar]

Herb: i'm back to GJ reading threads and posting at least part time until the rains start in again up here in the PNW. i hope you missed all that rain and wind the guys in states on either side of you have been getting. did you??

maybe one day you can teach me how to fish and i'll teach you how to play golf. catching fish to eat or just to release sounds like a relaxing way to spend a few hours.

cheers

 

[HSpencer]

Herb: i'm back to GJ reading threads and posting at least part time until the rains start in again up here in the PNW. i hope you missed all that rain and wind the guys in states on either side of you have been getting. did you??

maybe one day you can teach me how to fish and i'll teach you how to play golf. catching fish to eat or just to release sounds like a relaxing way to spend a few hours.

cheers

Drives

Great to see you back in the thread! I too have been away from here for quite a while with other obligations and projects.

Yes, I have done some fishing, but the big trip is coming up on Oct 16th! That's our annual 'whitewater" trout run for a week.

Best Regards
Herb

 

[Htscheg]

SGM,

Thank you for your 30 years of service! I am also retired US Army, 24 years myself. love your thread and the organization and hae read every post. thank you for sharing your time with us.

HT

 

[HSpencer]

SGM,

Thank you for your 30 years of service! I am also retired US Army, 24 years myself. love your thread and the organization and hae read every post. thank you for sharing your time with us.

HT

HT

First of all thank you for your interest in my thread, and I also thank you for your military service in the US Army! I would be very interested if you posted back and outlined your MOS, locations, and experiences in the service. Having 24 years in is NO SMALL FEAT. I certainly hope your enjoying your retirement as much as I do.

WOW, reading all the posts in my disorganized threat must have been a chore. I am glad you found something interesting in there. I have not posted much shop stuff lately, as I have been ******* with other obligations and hope soon to be back in my shop with tools humming.

Thanks again for your post in the thread!! Hope to hear from you soon.

Best Regards
Herb

 

[Htscheg]

Herb, I did 24 years as a 63B/H/W/X. All Intermediate and organizational level mexhanics! Where Ive been.... long list lol. Ft Leonard Wood, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Ft Drum, Ft Irwin, Whidbey Island Wa, Cleveland Ohio, Columbus Ohio, Pirmissans Germany, Crailshiem Germany, Korea, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iraq..... thats all I can remember at the moment lol. Hope your having a great day! Oh yea MOS Insturctor and Drill sergeant. How could I forget that painful duty lol

HT

 

[HSpencer]

Herb, I did 24 years as a 63B/H/W/X. All Intermediate and organizational level mexhanics! Where Ive been.... long list lol. Ft Leonard Wood, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Ft Drum, Ft Irwin, Whidbey Island Wa, Cleveland Ohio, Columbus Ohio, Pirmissans Germany, Crailshiem Germany, Korea, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iraq..... thats all I can remember at the moment lol. Hope your having a great day! Oh yea MOS Insturctor and Drill sergeant. How could I forget that painful duty lol

HT

HT

Thanks for your response. There is a special place in my heart for 63Bs. I was in logistics, namely Chief Supply Sergeant for a FA BDE (8"SP and MLRS). Prior I was First Sergeant, FA BTRY, and Svc Btry (8"SPs).
You have certainly stoked up a long list of overseas service. I know there are some VERY long days spent in Org Maint Shops.

Thanks for your speedy response, and I will be in touch. Do you plan to start a thread on here? You will like doing it, and we are always glad to have new people and new threads. (We LOVE pictures).

Thanks Again
Best Regards
Herb

 

[captain14]

Have you both listed your military service in NUTTSGT thread?

 

[HSpencer]

captain14

Great to have you post in the thread, it has been awhile!

I listed my military service with NUTTSGT military thread already. I will suggest it to HT the next time he comes by.

Thank you for stopping in!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[HSpencer]

Truck Detail

How about my (old?) 2004 Chevrolet Silverado Stepside? Not bad for 13 years old and only 87958 miles. Gave it a full tilt detail and repaired ONE little clear coat fluke. I have taken pretty good care of the chevy, and with 40K to 50K new trucks, she is more than paying me back now. (I think I will hang on to my money and drive her in to the end.)

Best Regards
Herb

 

[WarrenJ]

Look'in Good

 

[rmalkow2]

The truck looks like brand new Herb. And with that low mileage you have many years ahead yet to drive that ride. Especially the way you are taking care of it. I too am in the camp of driving them as long as possible and maintaining along the way. They just cost too much to replace.
That truck has lots of fishing trips in it yet.

 

[HSpencer]

Look'in Good

WarrenJ

Thank you and it is always a pleasure to have you drop by. The Silverado has performed very well for me.

Thanks again
Best Regards
Herb

 

[HSpencer]

The truck looks like brand new Herb. And with that low mileage you have many years ahead yet to drive that ride. Especially the way you are taking care of it. I too am in the camp of driving them as long as possible and maintaining along the way. They just cost too much to replace.
That truck has lots of fishing trips in it yet.

rmalkow2

Thanks for your comments. The truck has only had a few repairs in it's history. I had intake manifold gaskets done at 55,000 miles. And of course the "chevy" dashboard thing that most of us with these models experienced. Today wife and I took the truck for a 150 mile drive through some of the mountains here and I was so very pleased with it's performance. We parked it to go in a cafe and eat lunch, and I noticed all the "new" trucks on the lot there. I would not trade for any of them! Especially with their cost these days.
I am well pleased with this model (2004) and the stepside is getting a little rare here, as most of these are getting pretty worn out.
Our rural mail carrier uses a 2002 silverado to deliver his route and has told me it is somewhere near 250,000 miles. It has a real daily beating on that route, so I am sure I can "baby" mine to take me home!!

thanks again!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[dchance]

Herb, Pickup is looking great and it should last a long time. I had a 2001 that I put 250,000 on and traded it off because the rear seal began to leak and the transmission at times made me thing it was slipping. But I liked but wasn't sure who to get to fix it.

Dwight

 

[BuickFarmer]

Hey Herb, just trying to catch up on some of my my old friends here. Flipped back five or six pages, and see you've been busy with raccoons squirrels and mice. Sounds like you could use a good hound dog. My hound, Elvis, does a pretty good job of keeping the squirrels raccoons and possums away. Problem is whenever he makes a catch, he buries them and then a couple weeks later digs them up and rolls in them then comes home all smelly and proud.
The shop and house are looking great, as expected. And the Silverado is looking grand too. My '03 has about 150K and has been costing me quite a few bucks upkeep lately but certainly not as much a new truck payments. She'll be my last truck I am sure.

 

[HSpencer]

Herb, Pickup is looking great and it should last a long time. I had a 2001 that I put 250,000 on and traded it off because the rear seal began to leak and the transmission at times made me thing it was slipping. But I liked but wasn't sure who to get to fix it.

Dwight

Dwight

Yes the trucks mostly have a great service record. I have had several Chev/GMC trucks and good experiences. One of my GMC's had a real ****** seal that NO ONE could fix. Even one of the best transmission shops in the area. It always leaked when the truck was parked on a slope.

Thanks for stopping in, I appreciate your visit.

Best Regards
Herb

 

[HSpencer]

Hey Herb, just trying to catch up on some of my my old friends here. Flipped back five or six pages, and see you've been busy with raccoons squirrels and mice. Sounds like you could use a good hound dog. My hound, Elvis, does a pretty good job of keeping the squirrels raccoons and possums away. Problem is whenever he makes a catch, he buries them and then a couple weeks later digs them up and rolls in them then comes home all smelly and proud.
The shop and house are looking great, as expected. And the Silverado is looking grand too. My '03 has about 150K and has been costing me quite a few bucks upkeep lately but certainly not as much a new truck payments. She'll be my last truck I am sure.

Lamar

Great to have you stop in. If you missed it, check out this page: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=183123&page=88
Post #1745.

Best Regards and don't be a stranger!!

Herb

 

[zmotorsports]

Truck looks great Herb. I love seeing people take proper care of their vehicles and keep them on the road vs. buying new. Even if I could afford a brand new vehicle I still think I would keep my older stuff on the road. To me it demonstrates a person's true passion for their rides.

I don't think I will ever sell my current truck either. I love my 2006 Chev Silverado CCSB/Duramax. Mine too is in mint condition with just shy of 90k miles. I do need to put it on the lift sometime and re-black out the undercarriage though. It has been about 8 years since I blacked it out last and I need to freshen up the frame and axles a bit.

 

[HSpencer]

Truck looks great Herb. I love seeing people take proper care of their vehicles and keep them on the road vs. buying new. Even if I could afford a brand new vehicle I still think I would keep my older stuff on the road. To me it demonstrates a person's true passion for their rides.

I don't think I will ever sell my current truck either. I love my 2006 Chev Silverado CCSB/Duramax. Mine too is in mint condition with just shy of 90k miles. I do need to put it on the lift sometime and re-black out the undercarriage though. It has been about 8 years since I blacked it out last and I need to freshen up the frame and axles a bit.

Mike

Sounds like you have really nice truck. Yours is more "hoss" in the truck field than mine, but wife and I use ours more as a car mostly. We love to take a long drive through the mountains in our Chevy. It is a 4X4 but it actually rides very much like a car would, and there is no vibrations or looseness even at 88,000 miles. I have thought of putting on some nice Gas Shocks later, but for now the OE ones do very well.

thanks so much for your visit!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[BBChevro]

Nice pick-up Herb.

 

[HSpencer]

Mark

I was very pleased you stopped in, and thank you for your nice comments. I am pleased with my Chevy Stepside, and I plan on keeping it for a long time.
I think my next up project on the truck might be a really nice sound system.

thanks and
Best Regards
Herb

 

[HSpencer]

Playing Carpenter in the Heat!

Last few days were rebuilding the well house (Sewage Lift Station). I built this well house in 1996, and while it held up well, some of the siding and framing was beginning to wither and rot. I stripped it all down, and rebuilt it again with treated lumber, and put on two coats of Olympic Exterior StormCoat. It should hold together as long as I do.

Same deal on the fence, it was built in the 1980s, and needed many new boards and a new post. It was beginning to look pretty shabby so I decided to redo it and it has pleased the wife. She likes planting her Hostas and other shrubs in there.

Sort of an "*** kicker" for a 72 year old guy in 90F high humidity. Anyway I got to sweat a little.

It should hold up for the Spencers for a while.

Best Regards
Herb

 

[drivesitfar]

HS: your projects always look good and your little pump house remodel is right up there with looks and quality. WELL DONE!!

do birds live in your birdhouses?

I haven't heard anything about a raccoon so guessing they are just a distant memory now. GEESH that was a battle wasn't it?

all packed and ready to catch a few fish?

cheers

 

[rmalkow2]

Nicely done on both jobs Herb! You even make home repairs look like the work of a craftsman. I'd say you now deserve to go fishing after sweating over those two jobs.

 

[Joe-R]

Hi Herb,

I just had to comment that your place looks pretty idyllic!!! Good job!

Joe

 

[HSpencer]

HS: your projects always look good and your little pump house remodel is right up there with looks and quality. WELL DONE!!

do birds live in your birdhouses?

I haven't heard anything about a raccoon so guessing they are just a distant memory now. GEESH that was a battle wasn't it?

all packed and ready to catch a few fish?

cheers

Drives

Thanks for stopping in. On the Raccoon, they are long gone, and my "fortress Spencer" should not be again breached by them. (Unless they have a tool box that is).
The birdhouse on the fence is for Bluebirds, and the narrower box is a Butterfly house. They probably will be vacant until the paint and stain fumes are gone.

Thanks as always for your visit!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[HSpencer]

]

Nicely done on both jobs Herb! You even make home repairs look like the work of a craftsman. I'd say you now deserve to go fishing after sweating over those two jobs.

Thanks

These were on my "gotta do" list for the fall, and it feels good having them gone. Now to the garage, where things have become quite "disorganized" during all the outside work.

Thank you for visiting me!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[HSpencer]

Hi Herb,

I just had to comment that your place looks pretty idyllic!!! Good job!

Joe

Joe

Thanks for reading! It has been awhile since I posted much, but I am hoping to get some garage stuff in the works. I have the paint for my garage, and (except for taking everything down) I am about ready to start on that on rainy days.

Thank you for stopping by!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[BuickFarmer]

The MOGAS (MOWGAS in my case) can is done. I chose USMC colors to honor BuickFarmer and all other Marines on this site.
I also put one of my old Brigade Artillery Decals on it, as we supported Marines quite often.

HOOAH!!

Came out pretty well and I did find some new gaskets!

Best Regards
Herb

and I am indeed honored sir, well done!! Brigade Artillery eh? How's your hearing? My hearing loss first started when my motor transport group delivered supplies to an artillery group in training at Mt Fuji Japan. Been down hill ever since.

 

[HSpencer]

and I am indeed honored sir, well done!! Brigade Artillery eh? How's your hearing? My hearing loss first started when my motor transport group delivered supplies to an artillery group in training at Mt Fuji Japan. Been down hill ever since.

Lamar

I got a 40% hearing loss on my outprocessing physical. I was told I could get a hearing aid through the VA, but at the time I was ignoring that. I hear ok, except "furriners" on the telephone during Robocalls (telemarketing), which is ok with me as I just hang up anyway.
In the car I can hear my wife's voice but not her words. That is unless we are on smooth blacktop. I don't do much in that instance but shake my head yes or no.

Glad you liked the MOGAS can!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[drivesitfar]

HS: how's the trout fishing??

I just finished my cedar mailbox stand and more pics on the Get Healthy thread. just for a little help sizing it the posts are 6.5 foot tall 8x8's.

cheers

 

[Grumblebum]

Good to see you are still busy Mr Herb.

Now did I miss the trout photos

Truck looks great. A bit of TLC goes a long way with vehicle longevity.

Cheers GB

 

[HSpencer]

HS: how's the trout fishing??

I just finished my cedar mailbox stand and more pics on the Get Healthy thread. just for a little help sizing it the posts are 6.5 foot tall 8x8's.

cheers

Drives

The mailbox stand looks great. Good work done on that!

We will be leaving mid week on our Trout fishing trip. We are looking forward to the getaway.

Best
HS

 

[HSpencer]

Good to see you are still busy Mr Herb.

Now did I miss the trout photos

Truck looks great. A bit of TLC goes a long way with vehicle longevity.

Cheers GB

GB

Thanks for stopping by. No fish photos as yet. Thank you for your kind remarks as always!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[drivesitfar]

HS: I haven't played this card game since i was a teenager, but thought it was appropriate. GO FISH!!

 

[jbmatth]

Herb,
Nice to see some of your projects still, and glad the raccoons are in the rear-view mirror now. I'm now back to "normal" and trying to catch up for the last 3 months being out of touch.
JB

 

[drivesitfar]

Herb: so are you back from your vacation and got any FISH STORIES to tell?

cheers

 

[HSpencer]

Herb,
Nice to see some of your projects still, and glad the raccoons are in the rear-view mirror now. I'm now back to "normal" and trying to catch up for the last 3 months being out of touch.
JB

JB and DRIVES

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for keeping me in touch. We are having a really great fall, and have hardly been home except a couple of weekends for the last five weeks. We have been hitting it hard on the road. (That is NOT my bike in the picture with my wife, (Yet), but the bug has hit and we are LOOKING at one possibly next spring. Yep we got the hots for a nice touring bike (Goldwing or something). STAY TUNED!

Anyway glad to hear from both of you--Sorry Drives no fish photos but here are some fall colors for you. If I get the bike I might take the "Wrong Way" road as in the photo!! LOL

Best Regards
Herb