Parade Favorites

Just a few Power Wagons for you all.


We quite liked the following one. He went on a trail ride with us and just seemed to push all of the mud away from himself. Kind of reminded me of To'Mater from Cars.

C has an ambulance front end at home, but it is the earlier, more rounded style. This is pretty cool though - we definitely looked at some of these bodies at VPW.

The cream & green truck next to the ambulance won Best in Show. It was a very nice looking truck - don't ask how much he's got in it or could sell it for.

A Town Wagon. Lovely. Very cool. Why do I think so? Stay tuned for more information about Jill's PPE and our recent acquisition.

This is a good example of the iconic Power Wagon. Very nice.

Kerr Farms Mudding

C made some friends at the VPW Rally this year. He found the guys that live to mud, and since C really enjoys some good mudding, they invited him out to Kerr Farms to join them in a run. [I stayed at the campsites and read a book. I thought C might have more fun with just the guys.]

C did some upgrades and modifications before we left for IA, including, but not limited to: roll cage the length of the truck, canvas top (cut & stapled to fit), and a temporarily bolted in backseat borrowed from a Jeep. I think he did other stuff with carburetors and brakes, but I don't pay attention to that stuff.

Now, the guys weren't sure C could hang in his Dodge because it isn't built to be a mudding vehicle (that's what we have the CJ-7 Jeep for), but he held his own (as you will see if I can load some of the video footage he shot).

The mud crew. I think those other two are M-37s, and I'm sure C will correct me if I'm wrong.





I just want to point out how this truck was built for the mud. Note the tires. Which probably have disk brakes instead of drum brakes (like C's Dodge and yes, important in the mud). And the clearance height. And ask him what type of motor he's got in there.

I know that C had a blast hanging out on the muddier trails with these guys.

I Drove This

This part means a lot to C. He goes to the rally in IA to see all the Dodge Power Wagons, talk shop with the guys, mud a little, but another big component is getting advice on some of the quirks of these vehicles (you'll hear talk of the conversion of drum brakes to disc brakes all over the fairgrounds). So when C can catch up and engage guys that have been rebuilding these trucks, there are some awesome moments - feedback, advice, tricks, brainstorming. It's a very cool process.

This truck belongs to Bob. Bob builds Power Wagons for fun, and as far as I know HE BUILDS THEM - it's an important caveat, because that's opposed to paying someone to rebuild a motor and then paying another guy to do some body work. Guys that build their trucks are more useful to C because of their intimate knowledge of how these builds go.

C found Bob. They started talking, throwing around ideas, spoke of how Bob rebuilt this beauty and how C rebuilt his. Then Bob asks, "Want to go for a ride?" And C replied, "Sure."
C came back and told me that Bob let him drive it.
Oh, dear.

This is the front of Jill's Purple People Eater. It's a Town Wagon and so very cool. I can't believe that we didn't get a better picture of it, but we love it. Not just because we're KSU fans! Jill was nice enough to give us a ride to dinner on Saturday evening and afterwards we were itching to get on the road (I missed our dogs desperately, so we came home a little early), so Jill's husband, Jon, threw us the keys. I think C about choked. So we drove the PPE back to the campsite (all of a few blocks) and C said it was very similar to driving an old five ton grain truck.

PPE in the background. Keep reading in the following post to catch the another reason that it was so cool to drive the PPE.

Our New Project: The Carryall

The guys warned C not to go to VPW (located in Fairfield, IA, sponsor of the rally). He just needed some seals for something and we walked all over their acres of Power Wagon stuff, through their warehouses of parts and spoke to all of their guys LAST time we were here. But by Saturday afternoon, C just wanted to swing by and grab those seals. So we took a few guys with us and drove over. Mistake #1 was heading to VPW. Mistake #2 was bringing enablers.

Mike (oh, you thought I wasn't going to name you?) was looking at some windshield frames and we were wandering the lot(s). C was looking at some boxy ambulance bodies that I was not a big fan of, but not seriously. We visited the yellow crew cab/utility bed truck that I love. And then C started digging around some Carryall bodies. I didn't think twice because he does that. Mike decides to get some price quotes on the windshields and grabs a VPW guy (very nice - his name is Matt). Then the boys start talking about what C could do with a Carryall body. Okay, not good, but talk like this still doesn't mean much. Except, Mike asks how much they might want for this Carryall body. You know, for C.

Yes, it's sitting between two other Carryall bodies. The VPW guy doesn't really know - could be anything from hundreds to thousands depending on quite a few factors, so he grabs the boss so he can look at it and give us a price. You all that know me know that I said no way to thousands of dollars, right? But we wait awhile and during that wait, C gets a little more serious.

See, he bought this 1940s Dodge PW ambulance front end (back of the cab forward) a few months ago. His idea was to pick up a 1990s diesel Dodge and make a cool crew cab frankentruck out of it. It'd be a lot of fabrication and body work, but it'd turn into a really cool and usable vehicle for us (modern drive train, diesel motor, modern frame, modern brakes, etc., but classic style). But if he bought a Carryall body, it'd cut out A TON of that work because he'd have more to work with. Not to mention, we love the Carryalls/Town Wagons/Panel Wagons. Just look at the light blue one in the parade post and Jill's Purple People Eater. So we wait.



Inside view. VPW has their eye on window mechanisms because they are rare. Most of the body is there and in pretty good shape. There is no floor because it was something akin to a piece of plywood even when the truck was made - much like the roof cut-out where there used to be canvas - just saying that it's not missing any metal body in those areas.

The boss came back out and made C an offer of hundreds, not thousands. I said yes, we'll take it, and go put some money down. Yes, that might have been foolhardy on my part, but it makes C so very happy and he really wants to make us this truck that we can use. Oh, and it will be massively cool - that part I'm totally on board with. It will be a lot of work - in fact, all C's PW pals said they didn't want to see this truck back for three to five years - so C would take his time and do a good job on this. So we bought a Carryall body. To graft with an ambulance front end. And place on a modern Dodge truck frame. Officially, this will not be called a frankentruck (my word) - it will be called a resto-mod (a restoration modification), but I will just refer to it as the Carryall. I get to choose the paint colors. Should be a fun ride.

If you look really close, you can see SOLD to C. R. above the door and first window. After I okayed the purchase, the VPW guys gave me a paint pen to mark the Carryall. And I did. We'll be back before the first snow to bring it home. What I didn't realize was that everyone at the rally was going to pile through VPW in the few hours before supper and see my artwork - and congratulate C. Or pity him. Or pity me. I'm not sure. :-)

Baby Quilt No. Four (In Progress)

This is going to be cool {insert squeal of glee}! Very excited for the little boy that gets this one! He's such a sweet baby and a blessing to his parents.

Sneak peak of the progress:





I can't even wait for this one to come together! Considering hand quilting the whole thing, but scared of time commitment, my ability, and the durability of the completed quilt. We'll see. I'm sure he'll love it all the same. I already love him!

*Posted from my mobile phone

The W List: May Books 2011

When I was ten years old, I had a wonderful teacher named Mr. Wolters. My family knew his family from church and he mentioned at a parent-teacher conference that he had shared with his wife that I was a voracious reader, which led her to continually ask what I was reading. Mr. Wolters told my parents that he would walk past my desk to see what book I had on the edge so he could report back to his wife. I remember how flattered I was upon hearing this: that my teacher noticed me and placed value in my taste in books. Even today, I hold this memory dear.

I haven’t read much early this year and about a month ago I discovered our library had made their website much more user-friendly, so I've gotten back into the hang of requesting books that I would like to read. The following is a list of what I have read in May with a brief mention of what I thought of each book or what it is about. This list is especially for those of you who ask what I am currently reading. You know who you are.

Birth Day: A Pediatrician Explores the Science, the History, and the Wonder of Childbirth by Mark Sloan ~ Interesting coverage of the history of childbirth. This pediatrician walks the fine line between the arguments surrounding the c-section rate, circumcision, and midwives. Good read. NF

Found Style: Vintage Ideas for Modern Living by David Butler ~ Too many glass bottles for my taste, but this book did feature an old International Scout. Both the Scout and some of the cool “found” flair made me think of the E family, AM specifically. NF

Great Houses on a Budget by James Grayson Trulove ~ Lovely pictures, but Trulove’s idea of a “budget” is quite different from ours. This book had some excellent ideas that we can take away. NF

Handmade Beginnings: 24 Sewing Projects to Welcome Baby by Anna Maria Horner ~ If you look up this book, the cover has a hexagonal quilt in the background of the cover photo and I totally want to make that quilt. Beautiful book and good instructions for making this quilt I’ve been thinking of for months. NF

Tiny House by Mimi Zeiger ~ A small book with a large impact makes you think about the space you really need to live and how close you want to be to nature and what exactly constitutes a building material. Great book to flip through and marvel at. NF

Atlas of the Unknown by Tania James ~ From L, C’s mom, who actually received it from C’s aunt C. Interesting storyline: essentially about sisters and family, secrets and what one has to do to get through. Ended short. F

The Commitment: Love, Sex, Marriage and My Family by Dan Savage ~ All about trying to figure out the marriage thing in the midst of America coming down on gay marriage/civil unions. The story of Dan and Terry trying to figure out if they should be married and what it means to them. Loved it – also own and love The Kid: What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant: An Adoption Story by Dan Savage. NF

Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process by Irene Pepperberg ~ Not perfectly written, but I appreciated the sentiment of this book. Irene has been working with African Greys for decades to see if there is an intelligence beyond their vocalizations. She made amazing progress with Alex and the comprehension his "bird brain" displayed. Great information. NF

Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born by Tina Cassidy ~ Good read that I definitely recommend to anyone curious, pregnant, or you know, wanting to propagate. Some similar information to Birth Day (at the top of this list). NF

Midwest Modern: A Fresh Design Spirit for the Modern Lifestyle by Amy Butler ~ David Butler's (from above) wife. She designs beautiful bright colorful fabric and clothing/items. Again, their taste and aesthetic aren't quite mine, but I appreciate her ideas and thoughts as a talented style-maker. NF

Blankets by Craig Thompson ~ a graphic novel that follows Craig's life: childhood, drawing, church, camp, one special girl, tough decisions, etc. Very cool format and subject matter. I've definitely witnessed similar battles within self that the author/artist draws. NF? Memoir?

Porches and Other Outdoor Spaces by James Grayson Trulove ~ Again, not exactly C and my style, but there were a handful of porches we enjoyed looking at. This book definitely showcases the diversity of porches. NF

Fire by Kristin Cashore ~ Awesome YA literature, a borrowed Christmas present from me to sister B. Also loved (and own) Graceling, by the same author: lots of strong female characters and good endings - I still appreciate those. A little bit of monsters, magic and men, and lots of fighting, while still having a positive message to present. YA F

I finished Fire an hour short of midnight on May 31st, so it counts! I'm hoping to keep us with a monthly list to keep all of you in the know and to have a handy list for myself! It'll be fun to tally the total next May - 13 books this month is a great start. Let me know if you have questions about any of the books I read: as a (hopeful!) future librarian, I would love to answer them!

*Posted from my mobile phone

Thank You for C

I very very much love this boy.




He is so special. And you know what? More than anything, his mom and dad deserve a thank you today. Thank you for having C and loving and cherishing him, instructing and guiding him, instilling him with morals and values, and for teaching him what it means to be a man, both in strength and weakness.

I highly value his heart, which began with you two. Thank you G & L for this man I so love.

Happy birthday, C.

*Posted from my mobile phone