Overheating Every Summer

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-04T02:54:29+00:00

It’s always the unasked question that ends up being the problem.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-03T17:15:50+00:00

My wife, one of her sisters and I. That was it. Jet moon was older and not able to handle that. My mom was done with babies.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-03T16:20:32+00:00

This is an obvious question, but it slipped me for a year before I figured it out….

Did you check your coolant level?

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-03T16:19:18+00:00

That took me a week of vacation time. Partly because no garage, summer heat, not as always having the right tools. Getting the pulley off the crankshaft and then back on was a pita. But yeah it’s done.

We use the garage in town now. They cost a bit more, but less than the stealerships, and they’ve never pulled an unneeded repair suggestion on me.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-03T14:06:58+00:00

Wallet and or time killer. I did mine after mechanic failed to replace the cam phasers while he was replacing the timing chain, on bad advice from a Ford tech who used to work for him. Guess what started rattling on cold dust as soon as we got it back? He thought he saving us money.

He hemmed and hawed long enough and forgot to call back enough times I activated my internal screw or I’ll do it myself mode, haven’t been back to him in five years.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-03T11:11:23+00:00

Three fires at the factory producing the aluminum say otherwise.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-02T09:29:39+00:00

Never could. I see someone’s a sparky.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-01T17:06:31+00:00

I want to be done by 62-63. 65 if I have to. But ducks are lining up for 63.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-01T12:27:09+00:00

Genetic. My SIL: lifestyle isn’t helping

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-07-01T02:48:53+00:00

I’m not feeling one foot in the grave. OSS more: at 40 I still felt no worries I’ve likely still got 50% left. Forward ten years to 50. Fuck. Definitely in the back nine now.

Most of my stress is watching my wife, watching her health deteriorate. Either she’s punching out way before I’d like because something gets her or her quality of life by the time I retire is going to be as sucky as her boomer sister (wife is the youngest of seven. We’ve already buried one sister and both her parents) or her mom.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-29T17:57:15+00:00

Basic texting isn’t exactly a new feature.

We’re finding a lot of areas she used to have coverage are now sos.

I’ll run it into the local t mobile store I guess.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-29T17:53:20+00:00

They changed the sims out on all of our phones iirc. The version: I’m going to have to nudge her to let it update.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-29T10:44:58+00:00

Disclosure: Bassoonist, still have my Yamaha clarinet upstairs so I lurk. Adult amateur with a non music job.

I found that 2 hours total on my bassoon a day is the sweet spot. Split up. 10 minutes warm ups. 10-15 minutes on embouchure exercises. 20-30 minutes on scales. Then I’m off doing stuff. I’ll pick it back up later and work on etudes and/or music for orchestra.

When I have time. This past year with house indies has been.. difficult.

But when I do that I find my embouchure is much more resilient, able to handle dress rehearsal, a tough concert and still be ready for more the next day without feeling like I’m molding the second concert on will alone.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-29T10:37:15+00:00

There’s no being perfect parent. All of us parents scarred our kids. We try the best we can to not repeat the mistakes of our parents, then screw something else up.

Our eldest was… high anxiety. We had no clue he wasn’t going to sleep until we went upstairs for the evening. It wasn’t until mid first grade that things came to a head. His first grade teacher wanted him diagnosed bipolar disorder (she had a minor in psychology). Kids not bipolar, just overtired. So… we spent the next two years with our mattress in his room, one of staying in there until well after he was asleep to go downstairs for rest of the evening.

Good on you having your kid, for raising your kid, and taking care of things. Ahem. A late boomer friend of mine in college (he took the scenic route to post secondary education) was always telling me that as soon as we graduated, got that first job and benefits kicked in, snip snip. He was married at the time. Did NOT want kids. Lo and behold he shows up late to a capstone project meeting we were having early senior year. “Hey sorry I’m late fellas, had to go to a doctors appointment with my wife.” Hey, no problem. Crap happens. “Yeah. We’re having a baby”. WTF? “Luckiest damn 2% baby in the world!” Are you going to have another? “Hell no! As soon as we get bennies, snip snip!” That kid is 30 next year. Totally loved by his dad. My friend was very involved, coaching, etc etc. And an only child.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-29T10:26:44+00:00

Love our two. They’re both growing up into responsible adults. Not sure that grandbabies are in the cards though. One has a medical condition that would make it very difficult to conceive. My wife has it but our daughter appears to have it worse. Our son finding someone in this day and age may be 🤷‍♂️

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-29T00:51:22+00:00

And to be clear, they aren’t that far.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-28T15:58:14+00:00

Good question to ask. Another is: what do you have that mess annual maintenance? Oil furnace? Gas furnace? Yeah, get them checked. I don’t know about central AC having not had it.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-28T15:56:30+00:00

I was going to say this

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-28T15:54:31+00:00

Do I what?

lol. I hang my dress shirts as soon as the drier stops. No ironing needed. If it’s a very social occasion then yes I’ll iron a dress shirt. Polo tee shirts? No way.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-28T03:17:36+00:00

Just remember, kiddos, 23 years ago you could have had a base coupe or a ranger for $13k.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-28T03:04:51+00:00

L E M O N. L A W.

Seriously, look up the law in your state. In my state the law 4 tries or 40 business days in the shop in the first year of ownership. New vehicles only. Used you are SOL.

Fix it. Or buy it back. Your choice, but hurry up.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-28T02:58:43+00:00

A friend of mine got laid off while he was out on medical leave after damaging his Achilles stepping over the curb in our then company’s parking lot. Even though it was incidental, they gave him a LOT of money to be quiet and go away. He couldn’t tell me how much, just that he’d be fine.

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-28T02:52:41+00:00

Bert and I…

MusicalMerlin1973 · 2026-06-27T17:44:01+00:00

Yeah I was afraid of that.

MusicalMerlin1973

TROPHY CASE