This picture from March ‘74 has us in front of the old shop downtown Melbourne. The 1960 Mercedes was given to me. It had been sitting for some time and the engine had siezed up. Really siezed up! When I removed the head there was water in the cylinders. We fought with it for days trying to get it loose, and the time to leave for Nova Scotia for our wedding was quickly approaching… My friend Fred went out one day and hooked up a lonnnnggg cheater bar to the flywheel on the engine and by hanging on the bar with one hand and hitting a remote switch to the starter, worked it for about three hours and was finally able to get it free! We got it put back together two days before we left for Nova Scotia. It wasn’t a trip without some small trials but that will have to wait for the long version.
About 1983 when Hannah was in kindergarten, I made a pair of clown shoes. Ruth is trying them on for size here.
After I made these shoes and took them to Hannah’s class, I became an instant celebrity and was sought out for my great oratorial skills. A couple of teachers that asked me to speak to their class, put together a book of thank you notes from the kids. There are some priceless ones, but my all time favorite is this one from Scott B. who missed the class due to illness…
