The Portable Blog

The New Bar

2011-04-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

The new patio bar took its place on the deck this weekend. Have to say, I'm quite pleased. It started out as a gazebo frame we really didn't like - tacky flowers anyone? - and took down five years ago. I cut the frame apart with a jigsaw, and a test-fit the pieces on the deck to come up with the perfect proportions. (Which is one of the absolute best things about building custom - you get to build stuff to fit just where you want it to with no compromises.) Redwood top and shelves, with vintage enamel basins (eBay finds) inset into the prep shelf. Priced similar outdoor bars in a few catalogs, and $2,000 is a reasonable price. This cost less than $300 - redwood was the biggest expense so far. Tequila costs have yet to be calculated...

This Thing Old is New Again

2011-04-01T14:35:00.001-07:00

Here's our TV stand, old and new. It's the same piece of furniture - just cut apart and rebuilt sideways.

Needed to add new stain-grade oak trim and buy new hardware and a pocket-screw jig to build it, but that was under a $90 investment for a pretty big piece of living room furniture. I'm please with the outcome - what do you think?

Trying to Get Race Ready

2011-02-21T10:21:00.000-08:00

I have 12 days until Rally School and the season's first event, and it's going to be close.

Right now, you can see the tops of my raised-piano pistons. The head is at a shop in Modesto (new cam installed and valves done) and the instake manifold if on my workbench, getting ground and polished to fit the new Weber 38 carb and breath better. Can't do anything, though, until oversized eccentrics arrive, and the snowstorm/power outage/holiday means I can't order those until tomorrow. (Bad planning on my part when I placed the original order for the cam and springs.)

The new exhaust header is on another workbench, awaiting everything else to come together, then a visit to a muffler shop to get a larger exhaust system installed.

Seats are on sawhorses in front of the garage, awaiting cleaning, dying, custom bracket creation and mounting. And my distributor is completely thrashed.

And, oh yeah, it's cold outside...

The New Year's New Project Plans

2011-01-03T16:19:00.000-08:00

Come by the house any time in the next few months, and you'll likely see something that looks like this kayak taking shape on my front porch. It's not the ideal building spot, but it's out of the weather and I think the porch will be wide enough. (Taking over the dining portion of the great room is my other idea, but being less well received at the moment.)

Of course, if I build one kayak I have to build two, so I'm set for projects through the end of spring.

A 1960s Jaguar 3.8 S remains on my wish list, but probably won't go any farther than that this year. Engine mods to this car, my '76 2002, to get it into the 140-150 hp range are on the table for 2011, as is entering it into a few more rally-type events than I was able to in 2010.

There's more to do in the back yard - improving the picnic area, getting better seating and moving the BBQ off the deck to make way for a bar all come to mind, but may or may not make the cut this summer.

That's because the big goal is acquiring the lot next door and building a proper shop and apartment above. Which means keeping other project-related expenses to a reasonable level. Or finding a wealthy benefactor to fund the land/shop/apartment acquisition. Wonder if the state of California would let me run a temporary lottery?

With the state's own fiscal woes, it just might if I cut Sacramento in for 30%...

Exceptions to Every Rule

2010-08-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

When something breaks, it usually makes more sense to fix it than replace it. There are exceptions of course, especially when the repair would cost more than the replacement, but generally I'm a strong supporter of fixing what you've got.

But not always.

Our washer stopped cycling last week. (I realized it one afternoon when I came in from my shop/office and realized the whites I'd put in that morning were still washing five hours later.) That's a problem that can be fixed - a new timer mechanism is about $100. But the washer is 10 years old, and wasn't efficient even then. Today's high-efficiency models simply put it to shame, both in the amount of energy they use and the way they treat your clothes.

So, Consumer Reports gave us good direction, and sales and credit-card-cash-back deals kept the cost reasonable and a new washer came home Saturday. We've already saved $5 in quarters by being able to wash our comforter at home...

Just got the washer, though. New dryers aren't that much more efficient than old ones - there's just no efficient way to turn electricity into heat - so the old dryer will stick around until it dies a natural death.

Gotta Love Demo

2010-08-08T20:15:00.000-07:00

There's not a lot that's more fun than demo. Building my first real road race car, and the first step is taking out all the stuff that separate road cars from race cars - carpet, sound insulation, trim, AC, sunroofs, radio, parcel shelf, door panels - you name it.

Here's some of the stuff that came out of the '89 325i this weekend.

New Deck: Done and Done!

2010-07-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

Last of the finishing touches went up today. I built the stone planting area at the lower corner, which Diane will now prepare and plant. New hose rack and hose, dog bowls and the last of the pillows.

The hose you see in the second photo is for layout - that's where we'll level the ground a bit and install some kind of gravel or stone. The left-hand section of railing we installed is only a foot or so off the ground and is just for aesthetics. But it works - makes the whole deck look new and big (and connected), so was great bang-for-the-buck.

New furniture is the couch (which is really a chaise lounge - double duty!) zinc-topped table and the surprising comfy directors chairs. The nice thing about visiting an actual store that sells these items is that we got to sit in them there so knew they were comfy, then drag them around the store to see how they looked with the other pieces. (Not every place I shop welcomes me back, it must be said...)

We're really happy with the railing stain. The gray we started with looked so wrong, but adds and incredibly nice undertone to the dogwood stain I applied over the top. It's a lot lighter than most railings you see up here, and really did come out nice.

Diane repainted the Adirondack chairs we already had, and I liked the upside-down party bucket as a side table. (And yes we have another for actual parties.)

All in all, a very successful summer project!

New Deck is Almost Done

2010-06-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

The new deck is almost done. Added 128 square feet - a 16-foot section extended out 8 feet.

Still have to stain the railing and install the stairs, but this gives you a good idea of how it came out.

I overbuilt it - deeped footers, heavier posts and beams than codes require and screws everywhere rather than nails. Costs a little more - but not that much more - and I think it's worth it.

Old School Cool

2010-03-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Took Hoodlum, my 1976 BMW 2002, to autocross school on Sunday. Autocross is a timed race against the clock in a course of orange cones set up in big parking lots or old airstrips. And it's a blast. No special safety requirements necessary, since there are no other cars on the course to hit, so no big bucks to try it. (Visit the SCCA website, click the "Find Your Region" button and navigate through to find an event near you.)

Anyway, my boxy little 35-year-old Bimmer ended up in a group with two new BMW M3s, two Porche Boxters, a C06 Corvette, an AC Cobra, a Pontiac G8 and a race-prepped Honda CRX. On paper - and on straights - an obvious mismatch.

But autocross courses are twisty little things, and in the corners the '02 more than holds its own. Learned a lot, improved as the day went on, and posted respectable lap times (and quicker than several much more powerful cars.) The fastest time of the day did belong to one of the instructors and his 'Vette, a pair who made an absolute mockery of the course and us mere mortals trying to find our way around it...

Just goes to school, Old School knew a trick or two, too.

Which One Doesn't Belong?

2010-03-01T10:16:00.000-08:00

Hint: It's a trick question...

Storage Solution #6: I'm Tired!

2010-01-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the pun.

Anyway, I needed storage for an extra set of tires for the Hoodlum car, and floor space is at a premium in my shop/office.

So I used part of my rainy holiday on Monday building and mounting this adjustable tire rack on an unused bit of wall.

I had the wood and the pipe, so the only bits I had to buy were the lag bolts to attach it to the wall studs, heavy hooks to support it from the ceiling joists, and steel straps that connect the arms to the hooks.

There are no plans for wall-mounted adjustable tire racks in The Portable Dad, but the chapter on hardware stores does come into play when trying to make something like this. I had the frame built yesterday and knew the arms needed strong support, but I didn't know what that was going to look like - cable, chain or something else - until I wandered around the hardware store looking for the perfect solution. Saw the steel straps and knew that was the ticket.

I'll paint it white to match the walls and nearby shelves, and move on to the next thing!

Plugging the Power of Paint

2010-01-18T09:36:00.000-08:00

As anyone who has read The Portable Dad knows, I'm a big fan of paint. The ability of $50 worth of paint to absolutely transform a room is still amazes me.

I was reminded of that again this weekend when, unexpectedly, it suddenly became time to paint the spare bedroom. Here's the funny thing - painted it almost exactly the same color and it still makes a huge difference.

Just patching all the little nail holes, covering up the marks and scuffs that accumulate over time and giving everything an even, smooth sheen makes a room look newer, cleaner, nicer and brighter. So even if your apartment is white and you just repaint it white, it'll still make a big difference.

The painting chapter in the book covers the how-to steps pretty thoroughly. (If you don't yet have a copy of the book, click here to order your very own.) Even if you've never painted before, it's worth trying. Start with a small room without a lot of obstacles, be sure to use drop cloths, and see what happens.

I'm betting that when you're finished, you'll be a big fan of paint, too.

Happy Trails, 2009!

2009-12-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

It's a remarkably pleasant day today, and I think I'm going to wind up outside by the creek bed, getting a way-early start on spring cleaning and planning ways to really bring a Japanese-garden element to it. My in-laws gave us pruning sheers and loppers for Christmas (very Portable Dad of them!) and it's a good chance to try them out.

But before I head out, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who made 2009 such a great year - family, friends, colleagues and book-buyers. No resolutions, but I will try to update the blog more frequently (and with a greater variety of projects than just transforming a wreck into a race car....)

Anyway, thank you all, and Happy 2010!

Some Things Change...

2009-11-24T14:49:00.001-08:00

Some things don't.

Wild dog beasts are apparently in the latter category.

Painting: Always a Lot of Work, Always Worth It

2009-11-24T09:46:00.001-08:00

Got the bedroom back together last night after a weekend paint job. Big room and a fairly big job. (I still have brushes to clean today.)

Fortunately, I had my copy of The Portable Dad handy, and the instructions were really clear....

Couple of additions to the book:

1) Don't use a plastic broom handle as a roller extension. They're not strong enough and break. A wooded extension is only $5 to $10 depending on length, and you can always use it as a hiking stick after.

2) If you wonder whether you need another coat, you do. This ceiling took three coats because we were covering a darker color with white, and because the recessed fixtures put light out right along the plane of the ceiling and made any variation show.

I'm not sure how it'll work at your house, but around here I know a job is done when Gus sleeps on it.

More Fun Photos...

2009-11-13T10:59:00.001-08:00

Hoodlum Happenings

2009-11-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

Not all the graphics I ordered came in yet and Diane has the good camera at work, so this still isn't the final "after" picture.

But it's close.

Quite a change since George and Daisy gave me the car back in June...

Save Your Friends!

2009-10-26T13:15:00.001-07:00

After having a second friend take a header off of our bottom step after an evening gathering, I knew we needed to do something. Finding more nimble friends seems like a lot of work, so instead I painted the deceptive bottom step a nice bright orange.

I suppose it wasn't absolutely necessary to include the little victim-counter icons, but that's the thing about our friends - what they lack in balance they more than make up for in their senses of humor...

When to Get Rid of Old Parts?

2009-09-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

Always a problem.

When I bought my first 2002, it came with a few boxes of spare/old/who knows? parts. And I added to that collection when I replaced the interior and did other work. Then I got Hoodlum and have been taking bits off of it at a fairly rapid rate.

So I am awash in old BMW bits, some good, some not so good. Some I'll want to keep for spares, some might bring in a buck or two, some are just junk. The problem is, it'll take me a full day or two to do a decent inventory and figure out which is which, and who wants to spend a who day doing that?

Telling myself that winter is fast approaching (despite yesterday's 98-degree high) and it'll make a good rainy-day project. In the meantime, thank goodness for storage space!

Old Car vs. New Car Crash Test

2009-09-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Early in the cars chapter of The Portable Dad, I wrote about how much more reliable new cars are compared to old cars. And they are - better built, better engineered, more reliable, more fuel efficient, less polluting - the list is long and impressive.

Of all the ways cars have gotten better through the years, crash safety has to be one of the biggest improvements. Watch this video of a 1959 Chevy Bel Air vs. a 2009 Chevy Malibu for some pretty dramatic visual evidence.

And buckle up.

Vintage Racing - Looks Fun & Expensive...

2009-09-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

Ever since George and Daisy gave me Hoodlum, their old (and wrecked) 1976 BMW 2002, I've been plotting toward building it to be a vintage race car.

As part of that research, I went down to the VARA races in Buttonwillow over the weekend. Learned several things:
1) Damn glad I don't live in/near Buttonwillow.
2) Vintage racing is far more expensive than I feared.
3) It looks damn fun.

I knew it wouldn't be a cheap sport to get into, but when I met a guy who spent $60,000 on his car and trailer and assorted sundries this spring, I knew it wasn't going to be in my budget anytime soon. (Unless sales of The Portable Dad really take off...) Yes, it can be done for a lot less, but a lot less is still a lot.

What the trip helped me decide were next steps. My original plan was to build the car for autocross now and try not do do any upgrades that would have to be redone for full racing - so, for instance, don't install lowering springs and sport shocks now and have to replace them with a full coilover suspension later. This weekend showed me to worry less about later.

I'll build the car to be a good autocross and track-day car, but still street legal and enjoyable.
If the budget ever allows for a full-on race car some day in the future, (like this '02 in the photo) I'll build another car or rebuild Hoodlum then.

In the meantime, I've got work to start...

Progress!

2009-09-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

From this...

To this...

To this.

I Love it When a Plan B Comes Together...

2009-09-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

One of the things I've learned over the years is that the right tools make jobs a lot easier. Projects go faster and often come out better when you have all the right tools.

But there are times you won't. The tools listed in The Portable Dad are the essentials that'll get you started, but there will always be that one dang tool you'll need that you just don't have or can't afford.

For me right now, that's a mig welder.

Some of the work I'm doing on Hoodlum, my project BMW, is filling in big holes, the kind where welding in a new steel plate is the best fix. In the absence of a mig welder, however, there have been a few Plan B's.

In the nose of the car, one Plan B was a good epoxy - two-part glue that holds the new metal plate to the existing sheet metal. (These are 3-inch patch plates, not whole fenders or anything. Although, as an aside, large panels of many new cars are held together with similar glues.)

A second Plan B in the nose - which was mashed in in a low-speed accident, was rivets. There was a ridge of crumpled sheet metal just beneath the hood that looked bad. Because I decided not to replace the whole nose - or weld in a clean section cut from a different car - I cut and shaped some new steel to cover the old and present a clean line. Can't epoxy that in place, but aluminum rivets (which don't rust) hold it in just fine.

The rear was tougher. I had three holes to fill, pockets where the bumper used to mount, but no way to position a plate behind them. With a welder, it would have been a simple job of cutting patches to fit neatly in the holes and carefully welding them in place.

Instead, I ended up making fiberglass plugs to fill the holes, then glued those inside the pockets and covered them with Bondo. Still have final sanding to do, then I can start the whole-car sanding to prep for paint. Pix to come when things look neater...

What's the Street Value of a Cat?

2009-09-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Turns out, there is one.

Got a call from Frankie last evening, who was in a BART parking lot trying to get home. But his truck sounded loud. VERY LOUD.

He'd already looked under it, found a couple of bolts, and noticed the foot-long gap in his exhaust pipe just before the muffler. He wanted to know what was going on, and more importantly, what to do about it.

I felt like Click and Clack, listening to his described the engine sounds and other details, and this one made sense pretty quickly: Some jackass stole his catalytic converter.

Cats are anti-pollution devices and they're made with platinum. They get super hot and burn off exhaust pollutants before they leave the tailpipe. I'd never heard of them being stolen and sold for the platinum before, but I also live in a sleepy mountain town where we don't have a lot of cat thieving.

He'll be out $300, and I told him to have the muffler shop tack-weld the bolts after installing the replacement so it won't be so easy to steal next time.

Before and During

2009-08-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

Can't say "Before and After" because there's a lot of work yet until this car is done - if it ever is fully done.

If you remember, back in early July, an older couple saw me driving my tan 1974 '02, chased me down the highway and offered me this car - a 1976 '02 the gentlemen bought new. As you can see, he wrecked it.

I got the fender and hood for $20 each, and gave up trying to find a nose for less than $300. I pulled the dents out pretty good with a come-along and a tree, and it works pretty darn well. I'll lead over the damaged section eventually, and with the hood on it'll be all but invisible.
The hinge brackets are no longer anywhere near the same plane anymore, so the hood is now attached with pins. I've upgraded the front and rear brakes (but still need to install a bigger master cylinder to handle the bigger brakes) and upgraded the wheels from rusty 13-inch steelies to 14-inch alloy bottlecaps .

Have to fill holes, get rid of some rust and do some bodywork, then I'll respray it - Sahara with a black hood and deck lid. It's the kind of two-tone look popular in motorsports back in the day with these cars. After that, lots of suspension and driveline upgrades, then autocrossing and, eventually, vintage racing.

Big Storage, Small Space

2009-08-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

One of my never-ending challenges is keeping my land functional as hobbies, possessions and projects change. Here's the latest update - the overhead shelving above the desk.

Two feet deep, 10 feet long (wide?), suspended 20 inches below the ceiling; space that was absolutely wasted before. I could close it in and make it look more like a cabinet, but I don't dislike it the way it is. Once I painted it. it looked pretty organic to the room.

So there's a Portable Dad top tip: When in doubt, paint it!

Quest for Storage

2009-08-07T10:59:00.000-07:00

In the never-ending quest for storage, I built a heavy-duty shelf over my desk this week, reclaiming wasted space beneath the 9-foot ceiling. 2-feet deep, 10-feet long, suspend from the ceiling with 4x4s.

I could sleep there, if so inclined. Pictures once it's painted and looks nice!

More TV Time Upcoming

2009-07-31T14:12:00.000-07:00

Before I started writing useful stuff like how to check the air pressure in your tires for The Portable Dad, I wrote less useful stuff, like how to kill your whole family for a multi-million inheritance, for The Fresno Bee.

That particular triple-murder-for-hire case has been the subject of one TV documentary already, an episode of "Power, Privilege and Justice," and will be the subject of a new one airing Monday. (It's the new episode of the Discovery Investigations Channel show "Solved.")

I covered the case for six months and was interviewed on-camera for both shows. Haven't seen the new one yet, and if I look slightly bluish and my teeth chatter, it's because they filmed it one morning in early spring and it was maybe 40 degrees inside my office at the time!

Love the Sales Pairings

2009-07-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

I think the best thing about having The Portable Dad for sale on Amazon.com is the "frequently bought with" and "other customers also bought" features. For a while, my book was frequently bought with Steve Harvey's new book, but now it's paired with the more logical How Your House Works.

For a couple of months, the recommendation Amazon gave through the "other customers" feature was Santa Claus 3: The Escape Claus. Now, I don't have anything against Tim Allen - who after all did star in a show called Home Improvement - but seriously folks, a little finesse in the algorithms goes a long way.

Today that's all changed. Other customers are now buying Muay Thai, jiu jitsu, and MMA training guides. Not sure what it means, but I like it!

Rather Than Buy a Truck, I Built a Trailer

2009-07-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

One problem with driving the car that I do and liking projects as I do is that my car doesn't haul plywood worth a damn. I've been looking for a cheap truck for dump and lumberyard trips, but ended up buying a trailer kit instead.

It's small - 40 x 48 inches - and light enough to pull with my little BMW. I painted it to match the car, added black angle aluminum around the deck edges to keep water out and built the sides from heart redwood. (Haven't sealed or stained that yet.) The back is easily removed.

I'd say for about $300, it should prove pretty handy!

Parking Pad, Plus the Pic-i-nic Platform

2009-07-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

Not sure what's going on with the alliteration, but it has to stop sometime. Soon. Supposedly.

Anyway, here's the new stuff. As you may remember, I started digging out parking area on the side of the garage back in early June because I it seemed like a better idea than going to the gym. Working most nights, I got eight inches of crushed gravel and hard-ass dirt dug out, then put four inches of rock back in and built forms. Then it sat around and waited for the budget to catch up to the work. Got the truck in today and with the help of Friend Dave and Diane, we got it poured.

There are, I will admit, some random neighbor dog prints in the concrete. It's the way of things. And Gus approves, which is key.

The dirt I dug out of the parking are was re-purposed into the pic-i-nic area. (I'm not sure why we're using the Yogi Bear pronunciation, but Diane and I both have been since it was built.) The rocks came from the yard (if you use an expansive view of "the yard" which includes the vacant lot next door!)

I think it came out nice.

Next up: Deck Expansion!

Stole My First Car Today

2009-07-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

Well, I stole it back, anyway.

Gina's car got swiped at a park-n-fly in South San Francisco about a week ago, then found yesterday in San Bruno. I guess The Portable Dad thing (and The Portable Mom thing...) is literal because Diane and I drove in today to get the car. (And it's not just because we're nice - the car is in Diane's name and they would only release it to her.)

Anyway, stops at the SSF PD and San Bruno PD and then to the towing yard that hauled it. The guy said the ignition had been punched, which didn't surprise me too much. My plan, based on nothing more than wishful thinking, was that if the thieves could punch the ignition then start it with a screwdriver, then so could I. I brought a few tools.

The tow guy pulled the car out to the street, then we were on our own. The key didn't work. A screwdriver didn't work. A smaller screwdriver didn't work. One of the nice things about messing with something that's already seriously broken is that you don't really have to worry about breaking it more. So I tried a few more tools and hit on the magic combo - the car started right up.

Gina and Ben got it back home, where they will deal with real repairs later. (Or carry screwdrivers on their key rings - who can say?) Fortunately the damage wasn't much more extensive than that so the car should make a full recovery.

But What Will I Do With All My Time?

2009-07-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

I don't understand people who worry about retirement or even put it off because they don't know what they'll do to fill their time.

I'm not judging said people, or criticizing them; I'm just a bit baffled by them.

The holiday weekend really brought it home. We had friends over for a barbecue on Friday and brought the two chairs from the front porch to the back and ended up with four chairs in the back in a circle. Our back deck is too small for that arrangement, so it can't be permanent. But when Diane and I both went out on Saturday morning, we noticed how nice that setting was. So the back deck will be expanded - not the full wrap-around-the-side-of-the-house-and-connect-to-the-side-deck master plan, but a 160-square foot addition will go up this summer and we will have four chairs in a circle in the back yard where we can sit with guests.

The dirt from the parking pad is being recycled into a flat, raised picnic area in the back, complete with rock wall. (The wall went up this weekend - rest should be finished next weekend...)

The toilet broke and needed fixing. The screen door needs replacing. The bedroom needs painting. The carpets need cleaning. The gift car is a battery-charge away from running (I hope!), but there's a lot of stuff it'll need before it's the dedicated autocross and track car I want it to be.

Basically, I realized that if I had unlimited time and money, I'd have no lack of stuff to keep me busy.

Chased Down the Highway and...

2009-07-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

POW!

Somebody gave me a car.

Happened yesterday as I was driving my 1974 BMW home from working in Stockton. A white minivan that was pulled to the side of the highway honked as I went past, then apparently spent about 10 miles trying to catch up. (My car drives nice...)

At the stop sign in Farmington they finally got along side and the woman driving yelled that she wanted to talk to me about my car. It seemed pretty important to her, so we both pulled off.

Here husband George had a 1974 BMW 2002 since 1991 and loved it. Six weeks ago he turned into a stopped SUV and caved in the front corner. (And shortly thereafter ended up in the hospital.) It depressed him to see the hurt car, and even more to think of it being crushed or parted out.

Then they saw mine, which really does look pretty nice for still wearing its original paint. Long story short - they offered me the car. I took them a copy of The Portable Dad and a nice bottle of Chianti this afternoon and followed a tow truck home with my second tan BMW 2002.

Daisy and George, thanks. You're a class act and I will get the car back on the road...

My Kind of Optimist!

2009-06-23T15:07:00.000-07:00

Went and visited some friends of ours over the weekend and saw the house they moved into a little over a year ago.

Dave was showing us all the planting they had done, including a little maple tree outside the bedroom window. A young little maple tree - trunk was maybe an inch thick.

"It'll shade the bedroom well when it gets big," Dave said. And he's right - it's the right kind of tree in the right place for summer shade.

Dave is 80 - and my kind of optimist!

A Father's Day Checklist...

2009-06-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

[x] Clear bathroom sinks so they drain freely.

[x] Replace 11 chipped switchplate screws.

[x] Build second compost bin (attached to first.)

[x] Fix gearshift lever on BMW. (OK - Attach gearshift lever the way it should have been attached when I replaced the transmission...)

[x] Clean up around the shed.

[x] Call dad and wish him a Happy Father's Day!

Almost Sold Out in Canada and the U.K.!

2009-06-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

According to Amazon, there's only one copy of The Portable Dad left in Canada, and two in the U.K. So if you're in either one of those places, act fast so you don't have to wait for the next shipment.

Also, if you're in Romania, welcome! Looking at the web traffic stats, www.theportabledad.com seems to be popular in Romania. Not sure why, but who cares? Bun venit!

It's Been 10 Years Since...

2009-06-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who participated in the poll. The majority did get the right answer, which either means they know me pretty well, or I do a lot worse job cutting my own hair than I realize!

Modern Car

Although I currently drive this 1974 BMW 2002 (and it is my only car at the moment) I have had more modern vehicles in the past decade, including a 2005 Toyota Tundra.

Paying for Haircuts

Sometime in the late '90s I started getting my hair cut short. When it got short enough that the stylists started using clippers, I decided a drunk monkey could do that and stopped paying for haircuts. I have had one professional haircut in that time - before Diane and my wedding in 2003 - but Diane's stylist who did it is a friend and gave us the haircuts as a wedding present.

Doesn't look that bad, does it?

Shaving
Yes, I do. Picture prove it.

Breaking Bones
I actually haven't broken that many bones in my life, remarkably enough. Did break three in 2001 or 2002 at the Sea Otter biking festival in Monterey. Short-track mountain bike race and I crashed hard and ended up with compression fractures in three vertebrae. Painful, but no lasting ill-effects, I'm happy to report!

New poll soon - thanks for playing...

Fully Dug - Now to Refill!

2009-06-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

I'll post answers and explanations to the "How well do you know The Portable Dad?" quiz tomorrow, but did want to take a moment to share progress on the parking pad - it's all dug out.

Now I'll put four inches of rock back into the hole, then some reinforcement, then call in the concrete truck. So yeah, more to do. But the digging's done!

Pick and Shovel Progress

2009-06-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

The new parking pad - OK, the new hole in the ground where a parking pad will be - is coming along.

Most evenings I'm able to get out there for a couple of hours and get another three to four feet (of 20) dug out, and that should even start to move faster toward the end because the packed-rock top layer (which I already dug out) was deeper on that end.

Just wish I had taken a photo every evening from the same vantage - would have made a great time-lapse filmstrip!

New Poll: How well do you know The Portable Dad?

2009-06-08T11:55:00.000-07:00

Rather than wait for TMZ to dig up dirt about The Portable Dad, we'll spill a little here by means of the new poll. One of these answers in the sidebar to the right is true - can you guess which?

And while we're on the topic, how does one get those TMZ folks to dig up actual dirt? I could use a hand in the driveway if I'm going to make my self-imposed deadline of pouring concrete by July 4...

2009-06-06T09:57:00.001-07:00

Testing this mobile-posting setup between Blogger and my Blackberry Curve.

If this shows up - in English, mind you - we have success!

Cheaper Than a Gym

2009-06-02T10:08:00.000-07:00

May was a busy month with a lot of deadlines and a lot of desk time and by the time it was winding down I was feeling decidedly out-of-shape.

I realize that perhaps a normal response would be to go to the gym, take a few more runs and generally try to return some desk-world balance to the equation.

I am forced to admit I am not normal.

The Portable Response was to decide to expand my driveway and pave a 20 x 12 area that until now was just packed gravel over dirt. So about a week ago I started digging out the top eight inches of rocks and dirt in that 20 x 12 space. Been spending a couple hours most evenings out there.

Now, there's no chapter in The Portable Dad about pouring concrete parking pads, and believe me, most landlords are going to take a pointedly negative view of you paving their property without permission. But I do have to say, taking on a big project like this is great exercise. It's cheaper than a gym membership, and nothing keeps you motivated like a big damn hole in the ground where you'd like to park a car!

Gotta Love This

2009-05-23T19:22:00.000-07:00

Check out the link:

http://www.facebook.jp/pages/The-Portable-Dad/59131869707

Pomp. Circumstance. Moving Vans.

2009-05-20T14:23:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a graduation to remind you that move-out season is here. Chapter 5 in The Portable Dad covers moving pretty thoroughly, but here are a few more tips and tricks:

Rope and ratcheting straps hold things in place better than bungee cords.

Look into self-storage places if you're subletting for a summer or studying abroad for a semester. That can be an easier option than hauling all your stuff home for just a month or two.

It's in the book but worth repeating: Move-out week is a great time to score killer deals on furniture. Keep your eyes open in the next few weeks in any college town and you can outfit a two-bedroom apartment for next to nothing.

Correction #1 and a Big Apology

2009-05-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons I wanted a blog on theportabledad.com site stems from my journalism background. When you write for a daily newspaper, you have the obligation and opportunity to correct any mistakes you make and get them in print the next day.

Books are different. If I got something wrong in The Portable Dad, there's no chance to fix it until the next printing comes around some months or years down the road. If I did get something wrong, or technology changes, or a reader suggests a better way to do something, I wanted a way to get that information out there. That's a big purpose of this blog.

Well, I did get something wrong. I didn't thank my sister Sonnjea for all her time and effort proofreading the manuscript before I sent it to Running Press. Sonnjea is an excellent writer (and a lot funnier than I am) and an amazing proofreader. She's read and improved several screenplays, The Portable Dad and many other things I've written, and to overlook her in the acknowledgements was just a dumb mistake on my part.

Not the only one I'll ever make, rest assured. But one I can correct and apologize for here and now, and I do.

Thanks, University Bookstore

2009-05-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

Had a chance to visit the University Bookstore at CSU Stanislaus today for a signing. What a great place - the bookstore back in my time on campus was crammed into a small space beside the dining hall. The new standalone store is classy on the outside and very hospitable inside.

It was great fun meeting people buying The Portable Dad and hearing about the next steps in their lives - public administration programs, new majors and new places to live, art degrees, a new restaurant and grad school in Delaware.

Whatever that next step is, my fondest wish is that the book helps on the journey is some small way.

Not Necessarily the Pairing I Expected...

2009-04-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

So today I noticed that - according to Amazon - The Portable Dad is "frequently bought together" with Steve Harvey's new book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment.

Who knew?

What I'm geeked for now is a double-booking on Oprah or Ellen. He'll teach people how to act like ladies and think like men, and I'll spackle.

Now that's good television!

To Repair or Replace?

2009-04-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the toughest call to make when something breaks is whether to repair it (or have it repaired), or to replace it.

Usually it's not hard. In many cases, whatever broke can't be fixed (a window, for instance) or can't be fixed for less than the cost of replacing the item. (Many electronic devices fall into this category.) In an equal number of cases, the repair is cheap and easy and getting the thing fixed is the only logical option.

One of the reasons I wrote The Portable Dad was to make the point that things can be repaired instead of replaced. Repairs can be cheaper, equal or better in quality, and are the ultimate form of recycling.

Every now and then, though, it's tough to know which option is the better choice.
Had that happen recently with my old BMW. A failed nut let a bolt come loose and tear up my transmission. I took the transmission out, and thought the damage could be repaired and had a welder have a go at it. That cost $60.

I put the transmission back in and it leaks. The welder reattached the bit that broke off, but the bolt had done other damage as well that he wasn't able to fix. Unfortunately, there was no way to know that for sure without reinstalling the tranny and trying it out.

The problem with that is that installing a transmission is a damn lot of work, and because the repair isn't good enough I'll have to do it again and install a second-hand transmission I bought for $310. The $250 savings made the repair attempt look like the better option, but given the amount of work involved and the fact I knew leaks were a possibility it probably wasn't. (I hadn't priced the replacement transmission before I had the first one repaired. I should have.)

So here's some factors that will hopefully help you make the right choice in similar circumstances:

Never compromise safety. Tires are a good example. Most punctures in tires can be repaired, and the repair is as strong as the rest of the tire. Cuts or punctures on or near the sidewall, however, aren't as strong, and your tire can fail. That can put you into a ditch (or the path of an oncoming big rig.) If the repair to anything isn't as safe as replacement, replace.
Compare the cost of repair vs. replacement, and get more than one repair quote if possible.
Factor in your time and effort.
Consider any deadlines you may have. Sometimes buying new stuff is the only way to get a job or assignment done on time.
Remember that old does not necessarily equal inferior and new isn't always better.
And finally, realize that every once in a while, no matter how well you consider all your option, you'll probably still make the wrong choice. It's life, it happens.

Next Up - Television

2009-04-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

Being interviewed for television is something I've done a few times now. If you stay up late and watch the right cable channel, you can see me in a rerun of the Dominick Dunne's Power Privilege and Justice episode "Tailspin" talking about a triple-murder-for-hire case I covered.

Not long ago, Discovery Investigations drove up to my office to interview me about the same case. (If I look oddly blue in that episode, it's because my office was about 40 degrees that morning and I couldn't turn the heater on because it's too loud...) Bay Area viewers also may have caught Diane and I on a episode of "In Wine Country" a couple of years ago. That was fun - we got to take the host on one of the Calaveras County Wine Country bicycle tours we led back then.

Being an in-studio guest, however, will be a brand new experience.

I'll be doing that on Monday to promote The Portable Dad on Sacramento & Co., an ABC 10 morning talk show. (Kristen will be back from Disneyland then, so I'll have both regular hosts!) The cool thing about a how-to book is I get to do stuff rather than just sit still. (It's a good thing, too: My sister's dog Molly sits better than I do, I'm afraid....)

Anyway, it should be fun. 9 a.m. Monday if you're in the Sacramento area.

A 20-20 Car

2009-04-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

Spent my birthday today trying to restore some life in the paint of my 1974 BMW 2002. The last 35 years haven't been kind to the original paint (or bodywork, for that matter) but it never hurts to try. With old and faded paint, you'll never get it back to showroom new (no matter what the ads promise), but with the right goop and a lot of elbow grease you can achieve a 20-20 paint job.

What's that? Paint that looks good 20 feet away on a car going by at 20 miles an hour.

Here's about 20 feet away standing still - what do you think?

A First Top-25 List!

2009-04-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

So The Portable Dad just made its first top-25 list: the latest Reader's Digest "Book Titles to Die For."

Look for it down at number 20, just between "Slinging Doughnuts for the Boys" and "Mona Lisa's Pajamas."

Just Like Playing with Blocks

2009-04-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

There are few things I like more than an easy, free project. This qualifies.

My backyard has quite a slope to it and a couple of different levels. It also has chunks of granite strewn about.

Chunks of granite + changes in elevation + a little work with a pick + a bit of carrying and stacking = a decent-looking retaining wall. The original idea was to build a raised bed planter there (which would have been less easy and free), but it doesn't get enough sun.

Best part? It has the Gus Sleep Spot Seal of Approval!

Let's Get Social

2009-03-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

As the countdown to the official publication date of The Portable Dad approaches (April 6, for those of you playing along at home), the book has been very busy doing a little social networking. You'll find TPD on Facebook and Twitter (and who knows what's next.)

You'll find those links permanently in the sidebar, along with upcoming appearance and very soon a new poll. Happy hammering!

The Book Exists!

2009-03-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

I know it won't be in bookstores yet for another week or two, but The Portable Dad does indeed exist in printed form. Here's proof.

A lot of steps in this process are fun (and a few aren't), but so far nothing has been quite as fun as getting my first copy of my first book.

Here's hoping folks find it as useful as I think they will, and it's the first of many! Thanks.

In Praise of Clean Tools

2009-03-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

Today I finally got a chance to clean the shop.

The old BMW has been up on jackstands for a couple of weeks (and still is as I await one more parts shipment), and typically when I'm in the middle of a job I don't get too particular where I set down tools. So my shop has been a mess for a while, with wrenches, ratchets, an old transmission mount and various other greasy bits scattered across both workbenches. Which, when you're in the middle of a job, is fine.

But clean tools - put away where you can find them - are so much better.

Clean tool are nicer to use and safer since they're less likely to slip out of your hand. So at the end of a job (especially a messy one), I'll put a little mineral spirits on a rag and wipe everything down before I put it away. (Let the rag air dry in the open when you're finished, then throw it away.) It just takes a second, but in that second you can see if anything is damaged or notice the empty slot in your socket organizer (and then go find the missing 12mm socket before it escapes for good.) Then the next time you need your tools, you'll know they're ready.

Good Help is a Good Thing

2009-03-08T22:37:00.000-07:00

Here's something to remember about all this fix-it stuff - nobody is born knowing how to do it. At some point, somebody taught us and we learned. We learned by watching, by reading, by taking shop classes, by getting yelled at by foremen, by doing.

My favorite way to learn is to read and try. And it usually works. Sometimes it takes me a little longer to get a project done than it should, and sometimes it costs a little more, but I'm stubborn and almost always get it done.

Sometimes, though, the best thing to do is to ask for help.

I had a bolt break bad on my 1974 BMW and tear up the transmission case. Getting the tranny out and to the welder's to get fixed I could handle, but getting it back in - that was kicking my butt. (You have to line it up just so with the engine and it's just not a one-guy job.) So yesterday I called a buddy and knocked on a neighbor's door and asked if they could come over this morning and help. Didn't really know the neighbor that well, but I know he works on cars. It made all the difference. The transmission fought us for a while, then we took a break, regrouped, and came at it from a slightly different angle and it came right together.

Later, I enlisted my patient and wonderful wife to help reinstall one of the transmission mounts because it takes one person under the car and one in the car to get it done. (From the coveralls, I bet you can tell where she was...)

So if there's any advice here it's that even if you like figuring stuff out yourself, there are times when asking someone to lend a hand is the only way to go. And who knows - maybe they'll look cute in coveralls, too...

A Pre-Publication Post

2009-03-04T18:24:00.000-08:00

So it's less than a month until The Portable Dad hits bookstore shelves, but since the website has gone live, the blog better, too. If nothing else, posting gets me out from under my 1974 BMW 2002 which needs to have its transmission reinstalled.

However, it apparently doesn't want its transmission reinstalled...

Anyway, welcome! There's a new poll on the right, and I'd love to know what brung ya here.