Chris,

Sons don’t know that they have older dads.  It is the older dads that put a guilt trip on themselves.  Stay off the couch and you will be able to spend just as much time with your son as if you were 20 years younger!

So, even though you are a full blooded cop, stay away from the damn donuts!  And even more important, do not do any more traffic stops of blonds in convertibles!   If you do, write the damn ticket!  Apparently, in spite of what you might have thought, you aint shootin blanks!!!

Good luck on both your projects.  This new one has the capability of providing both the most personal satisfaction and pride and also the most worry and heartache.  But don’t worry, both of you will do fine!

Bill B

Don't do this to me guys.  NO ACTIVITY for a couple of days now. I am about to have my progress slow to a crawl due to the City kicking us  out of my hangar during repair to the roof from Hurricane Ike.  It has been delayed but they are telling us now that we are out in ten days.  I need y'all to be making progress and asking questions so I can enjoy vicariously!!!

I may be able to wire my panel up on the dining room table.  Also,  I may still make some progress as well on the turbo manifold.  Can't complain much though, the engine, while still needing some tuning, is starting consistently and is getting tweaked. 

Also, this will allow me to spend time with my son.  He is 14 days old.  Charles David Barber...Charlie....I think it has  a friendly sound. Never expected to be a dad and now I am a single dad at FORTY-EIGHT years old. DOH! (if I have figured out what caused it....see, I should have been building more...well, unless it happened at the hangar <g>).  Poor kid, he will never know a young dad <sigh> The mother (I can't call her a mom) will be out of the picture for 3 to 10 years. <g>.  No joke she turned out to be a con artist and is in prison.  Sentencing is the end of this month.  She already took the plea. Kinda a Madoff "light"  She likely "got pregnant" thinking should could trap me, and as the judge said according to her mother, to gain sympathy in front of  a jury. A real bad apple.  Yeah, 20/20 hindsight and all.........

Yeah, I know and understand the comical elements of a cop/lawyer dating (on and off) a woman who was a con artist.  Uh, it would be much funnier if it were not happening to me. Must have figured I gave her credibility for her scams involving millions of dollars.  I did think she had some emotional immaturity but originally chalked this up to her being 15 years younger than I......not criminally crazy. I was not a financial victim, well, except kids are expensive <yikes>.  And yes, for those still reading, I took the paternity test.  15 of 15 markers are identical.

So, since I am a firm believer that it is not what happens to you in life but how you handle it,  I will make the most of this path that has been laid out before me.  Wow, a son...who would of thought?  Sorry if the last part of this post is not rotary related, but I consider you guys friends and I am all about sharing :-).

Hmmmmm, when I get back into the hangar (if the City does not play too many games) I wonder where I can place the playpen?????  The kid wll be able to tune a rotary by his first birthday....cheap help huh?   I hope I will be a good dad.

All the best,

Chris Barber

Houston