Father's day gift review.

       My kids took fathers day a little over board this year. I now it was because I have been sick, so I didn't say anything like I normally would. Over the last 6 months I have not been prepping or even reading the usual web sites. It was like WHY I mite not make it. In the last few weeks I seem to have come out of my funk, depression. IT IS ABOUT TIME. Now I see my attitude was at bottom for to long.

    Ok for fathers day the kids got me camping/prepping gifts. One is a collapsible fishing pole . It is a foot long extends to 6 ft  and comes with a reel and accessories in a bag. The pole is a medium light duty combo perfect for blue gill or any up to a few pounds. A big bass or catfish would be no fun with this combo. I had been thinking about starting fishing again while camping but hadn't even mentioned it to anyone so I was pleasantly surprised.

    I also got 2 sets of these rechargeable batteries. I think the kids knew they had lost more than a few. EBL rechargeable combo 

They also got me a Yeti cup knockoff  and I tested it, half a cup of ice lasted 24 hours I was impressed.

    My wife got me a set of 4 LED lantern's that are awesome . awesome lanterns . The amazon page says they will light for 10 hours at full charge . I tested one last nite and after 6 hours I couldn't tell if it was any dimmer than one just turned on. Now after 10 hours it was still putting out 75% . Each lantern puts out 200 lumens = to a 25 watt bulb. They have a diffuser that softens the light. I love that these are solar rechargeable or wall plug . It has one feature not listed and that's a USB charging port that my phone mp3 or tablet could get a small charge from.

If we can pull it .

     With my daughter blowing the engine in my dodge me and the wife have talked about getting a larger tow vehicle. We hope to one day upsize our camper to a larger slide out or fifth wheel with slides model . While the dodge if fixed would pull a decent size camper it has limits. The wife's son told us his boss is selling our sons old work truck. T.J. has drove it for 11 years but got a new one last month. It is a 2003 ford F350 with a power stroke 7.3 diesel.
 I called Ken T.J.s boss and asked what he was going to ask for it he said he would let me know, if the price is right I am interested . 2003 was the last year for the 7.3 and there is nothing with wheels it can't pull. If it comes in under 5 I want it this is what it looks like.

   The pipe racks don't come with it but the Reading tool bed does .

My Kids and trucks don't mix

       I  have been slow posting lately but that doesn't mean life has been boring. I will be trying to catch up in the next few weeks. Since I got sick and have been sidelined a lot of stuff has gone unattended to. I was unable and the wife clueless on most of what needed to be done.

     One thing that has fallen into disrepair has been our vehicle's.  Not one but all of them need to have work done on them. Her car has a leaking valve cover gasket, drivable but leaking a quart every 2 weeks or so. My white truck has a rusted out freeze plug and runs hot after 5 miles so it is unusable. The black dodge had a leaking p/s hose that was spraying the exhaust and drops out of 4th

 back to 3rd gear at times.

    The dodge went to the shop first as it was the easiest and cheapest repair. I asked them to see about the air that didn't work to. Ok the next day it was fixed new hose and compressor clutch and Freon cost only 150$ . The mechanic had drove it and said the shift modules in the transmission needed to be replaced and would be 300$. Its a common problem in this model and I knew it but had to get my other truck fixed first. I had been babying it and would bring it back after the others were done. He gave me a price of 40$ on my wifes car +part and 100 to 150 on the freeze plug.

     Ok I  was lined up on getting our vehicles back in order. This week we were to go to the lake for a 4 day trip. Monday my daughter called and asked if she could borrow my truck I told her we were going to the lake . She had a coworker that was giving her a washer so she came by on lunch to get my truck. I was reluctant but told her to baby it and what to do if it revved up when it changed gears. An hour later she called crying . My truck was on the side off the road with a blown engine. It had downshifted on a hill instead of backing off the gas she had floored it so it would shift again . Yep it broke the crank and slung a piston oil was everywhere. Call a buddy to tow it (cost a gallon and half of shine)home. Called my mechanic he has a motor and will swap it for 1200$ and would have to be fill in work over 3 to 4 weeks.

Now I am without a working truck and a sick car.