tell a Model A related story

[woofa.express]

thankyou Katy for your continuous and ongoing support. gary

White gold from the Philippines.

Many years ago I saw current affairs programme about Australia donating power cable and ready to construct power carrying pylons to the Philippines. These were cutup by the reciprocant population and sold off as scrap. A gift of total futility.

Years later when I was working in East Malaysia I was offered gold. White gold. I inspected it and it seemed light weight and in addition I had never heard of “white gold”except maybe as platinum. I offered to take a sample back to Australia for analysis. Assay I think the process is called. I sent it to a laboratory of a large miner for analysis.

Well the report came back and stated it was 99% aluminium and 1% other product. I asked what the product would be used for and was told “almost certainly for electricity cable”.

Well of course the owners of this “white gold” were disappointed however it did not deter them from offering it to others at a heavily discounted rate. They are an enterprising and resourceful race of people.

Some time back I wrote about crashed cropdusting aeroplanes in Malaysia. The operator I worked for lost a number. Overnight the aeroplane skins were gone and in the morning only skeletons remained. It didn't take long before houses appeared with yellow roofs. Same colour as the aeroplanes.

[woofa.express]

Does Simplicity impede Well Being and Happiness.

We all strive to better ourselves. Mostly financially, it’s sort of an inbuilt goal. More money leads to almost everything we desire. Material items, pursuit of holidays or better education for our kids, the list is endless. If we have money we try to build upon it or at least protect it. When we succeed at this we are all pleased with ourselves but are we happy? Well that depends on ones definition of happiness doesn’t it.
I worked a few months each year in Sabah which is a Malaysian state in the north of Borneo. Basically Malaysians are a fairly weary lot and employ guest workers to do their lifting. These guest workers come from other Muslim countries namely Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia and the southern islands of Philippines and that’s probably it. My work buddies were Filipino’s and they were hard working, happy and personable. Us expat pilots lived in a palm oil company hotel / resort. Quite comfortable with good food for Asian diners. Short on vegetables.
Half a mile away was what was called the Filipino village. A shanty town where many of these guest workers lived. Mostly they were undocumented people which industry (mostly government industry) loved because they paid them very little money for their labour. These people were transported here by Philippine pirates, yes that’s fair dinkum. Sometimes the Malaysian police would intercept these boats and take a premium from these passengers.
The police also found their illegal liquor plant and confiscated it. A premium was added so the price went up but still cheap. The beer,a pilsener, San Magill was excellent and the rum, Tanduay was horrid.
In addition to people smuggling these pirates had fast and long boats that were powered by 3 times 150hp outboards. They would raid coastal towns and were regarded as merciless and fearless. The police and military would evacuate rather than face them.
Boy, I’ve really got away from the story haven’t I.
But back to the Filipino guest workers. As I said they lived in a shanty town, grubby with houses that looked like a kids fort or playhouse. However, they were so happy. The laughter, the camaraderie amongst themselves. The kids were so happy too. When I was a kid I remember boys books showing kids driving wheel outer rims or tyres by hitting them with as tick. I just looked it up on Wikipedia and it’s called hoop rolling, illustrated below except the Philippine kids were not comparably dressed. Well this was a standard toy there. No battery driven cars or trains and definitely no radio control toys. Just a wheel and a stick. Boy were those kids enjoyed themselves.
They didn’t have wealth on which to build and protect. Their houses were rough. They didn’t have innerspring mattresses they slept on the floor. No job security nor superannuation.

Do you think each of us could learn from them?

[Mikeinnj]

The year was 1964. Rick and I were 20 years old and we drove my newly aquired 1931 2 door sedan to Island Dragway, to watch the drag races, a 100 mile round trip.
On the way home we were driving down a long steep hill on NJ Route 46, a 2 lane divided highway.
Suddenly Rick yelled " Hey look, someone lost a wheel". I looked ahead and saw a wheel ahead of us going from the right side of the road and crossing into the left lane. I recognized it to be one of my wheels. I asked Rick to see which wheel it was. He opened the passenger door and stepped out on the running board and yelled "Its the front wheel".
The Lord must have been with us that day as I was able to slowly steer to the shoulder and coast to a stop. When we were almost stopped the car leaned over to the right and the backing plate dug into the grass. Rick retrieved the wheel and using one lug nut from each of the other wheels we put the errant wheel back and continued home..

[bdtutton]

My favorite Model A story happens every day. I get a call saying "Don't hang up...Protect your car from expensive repairs...stay on the line and talk to a representative about extending the warrantee on your car." When the representative comes on the line and asks I tell them I drive a 1930 Ford Model A to work every day and I am interested in their program. They usually ask why I am wasting their time asking about their services on my old car....I shut them up quickly by reminding them "You are the ones that called me!!"

[woofa.express]

Originally Posted by bdtutton

My favorite Model A story happens every day. I get a call saying "Don't hang up...Protect your car from expensive repairs...stay on the line and talk to a representative about extending the warrantee on your car." When the representative comes on the line and asks I tell them I drive a 1930 Ford Model A to work every day and I am interested in their program. They usually ask why I am wasting their time asking about their services on my old car....I shut them up quickly by reminding them "You are the ones that called me!!"

Nuisance Callers.

Like you I lead them on bdtutton. I get nuisance callers most days and they are a pest. Most callers, with thick Asian speech accents advise my internet has been compromised. I go into long discussion with them, questioning and questioning and when I feel the conversation is about exhausted I say, “there must be a mistake” and they enquire why. I say "I have neither computer nor internet." Their reaction is usually to hang up or swear and abuse me. I like wasting their time just like they waste mine plus they irritate me.
I used to say, “sorry, Gary was killed in a truck accident only yesterday”, but that didn’t stop them.
I occasionally get one telling me I owe the Tax Dept. money and I say that’s okay, simply post me a bill and I'll pay. Others say I am to receive a refund from our telephone carrier and ask for my bank details so as they can transfer. Obviously the transfer is to go the wrong way. As I’ve written this it has occurred to me that I should advise I am in the police credit union.

[woofa.express]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Following on from Nuisance Callers.

I was having difficulty with my computer and wondered if a virus had installed it's self. I called a Microsoft website and stupidly enough permitted them to remotely access my computer.
Yes they said, I did have a virus and to rectify it was simple. They would supply programs to counter my problem at the cost of 1,800AUD. This, along with the poor telephone reception and many phone transfers I began to think it was a hoax. My computer shop checked my computer and said no virus. Yes this was a phoney website and extortion. They became angry when I declined their product.
Next I had letters of demand from a debt collector. A simple explanation and reasoning didn’t change their insistence. I logged into our government setup web scam reporting site and lodged two reports. One of the scammers and the second of the collection agency. I advised this agency of my actions and did they back pedal and asked for a deal. If I retracted my report and they would do likewise with their demand.
End of story.

[woofa.express]

Re starter

I converted my Tourer to 12V. All except the starter motor. Each engagement was severe and I busted 2 shafts. I replaced the field coils to12V and the car started well but only once. The bendix would jam. I packed itand again got only one start, same problem.
Contributor to this forum “Synchro” sold and installed a serviceable half inch compotator and bendix. We struck other problems. After much time spent he had it going and tested on his car. This morning, when daylight arrives, I will install it back on my Tourer.
I must acknowledge the help I received from Synchro and this is an expression of gratitude.

[woofa.express]

xxxx’s follow up story of Simplicity and Happiness.

This story is from my friend and cropdusting mate who has read my story of 24th March of simplicity and happiness, number 503. This is his response.. This writer is an expat American who grew up in Colorado. His dad was always able to find a job of some sort and they lived a basic life with very little. Most of you can relate to this story as many of you were raised in simular style.
Should you not have read number 503 I would suggest you do prior to this because it is a follow on.
It is not a political story. I keep away from such.

Hello, Gary,

I have been many places where the people have virtually nothing, yet they are satisfied with what they have because that's all they have ever known. They've never risen above that level of "stuff," most of which is not acquired with money, which they little if any. They get what they want by bartering - you grow vegetables, raise a few chickens for eggs as well as meat, catch some fish, or anything you can think of and trade them for what you want. You might create something that people will trade for. That is a true free market, totally unregulated and available to anyone and everyone.

What those people do have that we don't have is the freedom and independence to do as they please and tolive however they want. Do you know of anything you can do without paying the government a fee - a license? You will soon find out how really owns your house if you don't pay your taxes. It is not YOU!

I have a huge problem with people, most likely in MASSIVE debt, who always say there are people who live on $1, $2, $5 a day. So what? That's what they are used to and they have tailored their lives around it. DON'T UPSET THE BLOODY APPLECART for anyone! You're disturbing a society that's been around for maybe thousands of years. They've figured things out. Who will be the happiest; the man who has figured things out, or the man who slaves his entire life to pay his self-inflicted debts and to keep up appearances?

And as far as I can tell, the people in the places I've been are happy and generous; they will almost always smile at you and they will always help you. They will take you in. They will feed you whatever they have. They have little, they need little, they want little. Who can argue with that?

When I was growing up we used sticks and hoops. We also wound ourselves inside a tire and someone would roll us around, pushing with their hands. It was fun and we all did it. And it was free, which was a big consideration during and after the Depression, but it allowed us to use our imaginations and to have fun with little. Do you see that today? There would be some know-it-all who would say it isn't safe or that you need to wear ahelmet.

Today's kids are little creampuffs compared to us. Who made them so? Their parents, and the feel-good bleeding hearts..

[woofa.express]

Bush hermit named possum.

It was about 1983 that I was asked to muster some cattle near lake Victoria which is on the NSW- Vic- SA border, some 264 miles (statue miles) directly north west of Tocumwal. It is remote country and the grazier who showed me where to muster pointed out a grave yard in the middle of nowhere. He said it was there that Possum had been buried. Who was Possum? He was a former New Zealander who was jilted by a lover and went into voluntary exile in the bush where he lived out his life. This intriguing fellow who is best describedin this short article in the blue print below.
https://visitwentworth.com.au/a-man-called-possum/

I took my 13 year old son to this job. He felt ill with all the tight turning so I landed on a smooth bit of dirt close to Lake Victoria and dropped him off where he spent the rest of the day perishing in the warm sun.
We overnighted in an old homestead which was in the process of being restored. An interesting situation. The owner had a service station with a business partner. One would work the business for a fortnight then walkout and leave the job to the other who would take over. They’d rotate shifts. Time to recuperate plus very little exposure to the partner and thus little chance of irritations. What a good system.
Back to the muster. We yarded a big mob, all Angus. Australians just love Angus beef. It was promoted as “angus beef is best”. Even McDonalds promoted it. It was only about 2 years ago we all wanted “grain fed beef”. You know that beef that eats like cheese without flavour. Now we all want pasture fed, it’s more environmentally acceptable apparently. We just can’t seem to makeup our minds. No one seems to have their own opinion these days . All influenced by publicity. Such a gullible lot we are. Are Americans the same?

Footnotes.
Many farmers and graziers have stickers on their utes and motor cars which says “Angus beef is Best”. Many found that some scallywag had written on them “when made into sausages”.
The picture below is simply a generic taken from the internet. The scene would be South Australia with the gibber (stony desert). The cattle will eat very well, yellow fat and very flavoursome.
My son is 50 this year and it was 37 years ago I dropped him off at the edge of that lake. These days he flys quite regularly Sydney-Perth WA. It takes him exactly over the spot he sat waiting for me. I must ask him if he recalls the incident. Bet he does.

[woofa.express]

You can't send Mountain Folk to Town.

Years ago my wife Patsy and I went to Switzerland to ski. On route we met a Swiss couple who were most helpful in directing us where to go. The place name was Les Daibles and if I have spelt it correctly means "the little devils”.
We stayed in a Swiss hotel, a quaint little wooden 2 story building and we ate and drank with the locals. We were made most welcome and did enjoy ourselves. Only 1 guest could speak English and his name was Maurice pronounced as the French would.One thing Maurice taught us was when one offered “cheers” before a drink was to look at each other in the eyes, not look at the glasses as they bang together. I think that’s the way to do it and I do it every time I start a new round.
During our stay there was a motor car show on in Geneva and a local band was invited to play and entertain the public at that venue. Well according to Maurice they all got drunk. They were drunk for almost the whole show. Didn’t do a great deal of entertaining. Now here is the punch line from Maurice's account. “you just can’t send mountain folk to town”.
It was especially funny to Patsy and I for the very same applies in Australia. We have no mountains of which to speak but very vast areas of bush country is where towns can be hundreds of miles apart. Just isolated cattle or sheep stations between. And we know "you just can’t send bush folk to town”. 45 years on I still have a chuckle when I think of Maurice and what he said.

[woofa.express]

Weather at Lahad Datu.

Why Lahad Datu? Because I’m going to tell you something about working there. About the weather.
I spent several months each year working there. It is 5 degrees north of equator on the island of Borneo. Malaysia has 2 states- Sabah and Sarawak (East Malaysia) located here with principality of Brunei between.Weather was typically coastal and tropical. Basically day time air would heat, rise and be replaced by sea air which is cooler and heavier – relatively so. It’s called a sea breeze- an anabatic wind. By night the land would cool and then the air became heavier, sink, and flow out to sea. Thus the wind is a land breeze, a katabatic. Some may know it as onshore or offshore respectively.
When air heats and rises cumulus and cumulonimbus cloud would form- clouds that resemble big cauliflowers. These are thunderstorms of course and big ones too. They would remain stationary for two maybe three hours until they had rained themselves out. It could be raining on half of the airstrip only and the other half perfectly dry. Local houses were built without eves and with windows but no glass. Never a wet floor. Just no wind except land or sea breeze described above.
Why was this so. It’s called coriolis effect. At the equator, plus or minus 5 degrees there are no cyclones or hurricanes or typhoons which all are the same thing. Quite strange to most of us who are accustomed to high winds, sometimes extreme associated with these weather patterns because we live in higher latitudes.
Coriolis effect. When an skater is performing spins have you noticed that their rpm increases when they pull their arms in. Helicopter rotor rpm increases when the rotor dish cones up with g load. Both examples are when the radius (moment) is decreased. It’s intriguing. Open the link below and a simple explanation is given. Easy to follow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIyBpi7B-dE
The map is of Borneo and Lahad Datu is between Tawau and Sandican (in the north east), both of which are places were the death march occurred. Some 7000 Australian servicemen perished there towards the end of WW2.

[woofa.express]

Howard's Purchase.

I lived at Finley NSW and Howard lived 10 miles east. He owned a gyrocopter, had his own airstrip and lived in his hanger / house.
I had a Mooney aeroplane, now redundant and put it up for sale. Howard took a liking to it so I invited him to take it home and try it. Yes he wanted it and I told him to keep it in his possession and pay for it in the new financial year which was only a couple of months away. He did that. In between he twice flew into Finley where I gassed and washed it for him. All complementary.
When the new financial year arrived Howard decided he didn't want the aeroplane any more, his business partner / brother wouldn't agree to anymore spending on his unproductive toys. He returned the aeroplane. I accepted the cost of the gas, insurance and operational expenses. But it didn't end there.
A short time later Howard called on the phone to tell me he had left a map, ruler, pencil and rubber in the plane. And a few days later he called again asking for the return of same. He was starting to irritate me now. I returned the first three of those four and kept the rubber. Some days later he called yet again to see if I had found the rubber. I must point out to the American readers that here, down under, what we call a rubber is not a contraceptive devise but it is what you call an eraser.

My daughter in law tells me that Howard has a six pack that he takes to each party and leaves carrying that same 6 pack unopened. She says it has been to many parties.

Yeh my wife Patsy says I’m quite gullible.

[woofa.express]

The cost of capital.

I started my business in 1980 with the capital raised by the sale of my house.
I needed more capital which the bank and finance brokers provided. Lease interest was 20% and so was my bank overdraft until I exceeded my limit then interest rose to 24%. Not on the amount exceeded but on the entire amount.
If you wish to know how long it takes to double your borrowings divide 72 by the interest rate. That is 72/24 which doubles in 3 years. Many of you will remember the 80’s and that high interest.
In 1995 I sold my business and worked as an itinerant. Still doing so today but will retire when my current medical expires this year and I will be 72.
With the capital from the sale of my business I lived too high on the hog (a great American saying) buying fast aeroplanes and invested on the stock exchange with mixed results. No longer do I buy stocks for I think the world financial system is precarious, and my savings are in the bank earning interest. Namely 2 ½ %.
I borrowed at 24% and now earn 2 ½ %. I guess I’m not Robinson Crusoe. Borrowing money today is 6 ½ %. I see new aeroplanes and trucks new industrial plant and buildings. New everything. No, I’m not jealous or even envious but I do wish that opportunity prevailed when I was in business. I might not be grey.
I am not dark on the bank for that high price was a world phenomenal. The bank manager was good to me, I kept him posted on things he needed to know such as money owing to me and my current debts. This relationship changed about the mid 90’s when the bank removed the manager and a short time later closed the branch. They appointed an agency which has since being closed too.
I moved to Tocumwal which is 10 miles south of Finley and started an account with the National Australia Bank or NAB. My next story is of their arrogance and you won’t believe it.

[woofa.express]

Treated with Contempt and Arrogance.

I had shifted to Tocumwal and opened two accounts with the National Australia Bank (NAB). One a personal account and the second a business account. Things didn’t get off to a good start when they couldn’t locate my business account. They called later to say they had found the account, it had been transferred to Deniliquin, a branch some 50 miles west because business was more inline with their expertise. That pissed me off because they hadn’t consulted me. Well I got to know the business staff at Deni but it was only a few months later and they too couldn’t find my account. A search revealed it had been transferred to Finley because it was closer to where I lived. Again no consultation or advise. Some months later it was missing yet again but found to have been transferred to Cobram, some 9 miles south of Tocumwal and again without consultation. I don’t recall the reason but by now my tolerance was exhausted. Then the local branch holding my personal account bounced a cheque. That didn’t worry me greatly apart from the hefty fee because it was to the ATO (tax office). But when I pointed out to them I had a significant amount in my business account I was told to manage my money better.
I opened an account with a banking society and it’s now been15 years of trouble free banking. Impersonal but trouble free.
A recent “Royal Commission” into banking found the whole banking system was grubby. Some charging fees to accounts where the holder was dead. Many of them charged for services never provided. Repossessions where the amount seized was grossly- grossly in excess of what was deemed to be owing. Some changing the conditions of a loan after it was granted and running.
The old days of banking where there was a manager who had integrity are now history.
Do you think I was treated well by NAB?

[woofa.express]

My lovely Beechcraft Bonanza.

I bought it about 1990. Fast and easy to fly, popular with those who rode in it because of its high speed and large windows. Great to do a beat-up in and spectacular to watch doing so.
I sold my business some years ago and found running private aeroplanes on a salary eroded savings rather rapidly. The aeroplane went into storage followed by an upgrade with a new engine, a new prop, new paint and upholstery, new glass and the repair of a messy past repair on the leading edge. I spent a considerable amount of money and lost a considerable amount when I sold it. But that’s aeroplanes and yachts and holiday homes when the economy is not booming.
This is a sad story and not a whinge. It went to a farming family only about 100 miles away and that was pleasing. They now had a nice aeroplane plus a helicopter. That was until late January. The biggest storm front I can ever remember, stretching more than 1,500 miles passed across eastern Australia. I saw it on internet radar and mentally noting not only the length but the depth and ferocity of this front. Well it blew in the new owners hangar doors in and crushed the aeroplane plus cut their helicopter in half.
You would have to feel for them wouldn’t you. Also for my son Dennis who spent 3 months preparing it in fine detail both mechanically and appearance. Gary felt like he’d lost a member of his family.
I haven't heard whether it is to be written off or to be rebuilt. Dennis tells me they will build a new hanger, one that could stand the force of an A Bomb.

[katy]

Do you think I was treated well by NAB?

You were well thrashed by them, not well treated.

[DKnapp]

Knapps' original 1931 Model A Station Wagon

Dick and Mary Knapps' station wagon story began in 1968, a couple years before they acquired the '31 Woody. It was at the 1968 Hershey Swap Meet that Dick spotted a set of accessory wood wheels for a '30-'31 Model A. He recognized them from an ad that was published in a 1929 Ford Field and Service magazine. The vendor wanted $125 for the four good wheels, special hubcaps and incomplete set of special lug nuts. The parts for the broken fifth wheel would be thrown in free. The price was not negotiable because the vendor had a check in his pocket for the wheels, but they would have to be shipped to Dallas. Too good a deal to pass up??? Not in 1968. Dick thought a lot about the wheels and how well they would go on a Model A Woody. He also knew that they must be really rare because who in their right mind would take the more modern wire wheels off and pay extra to have the going out of style wood wheels. However, he left the meet with only a business card from the vendor.

It was a long trip back to Omaha from Hershey and Dick spent a lot of time in the early part of that trip wondering about his choice of passing up the wood wheel deal. Dick directed the conversation in the car back to the rare accessory wheels at every opportunity and he carefully laid out all the logic on why they should buy the wheels. Mary did not have to twist his arm for him to make the decision to try to buy the wheels. They detoured north of Pittsburg to see if the vendor still had the wheels. As luck would have it he did and he still had the guys check for $125. A discussion of the trouble of crating and shipping had no impact on the price, but he would sell them for $125. So, the wheels were tied on top of the station wagon and the family was again headed off to Omaha.

Back at Omaha Dick showed off the wheels at the Model A Meeting and told them how nice he thought they would be on a Model A Station Wagon. Soon after that a member of the club spotted an ad in Hemmings for an original 1931 Station Wagon. It was in Marblehead, Mass. The owner, Mr. Wilson, described the wagon in great detail and followed up with a multi-page letter with an even more detailed description. The wagon previously belonged to a painter, who, when a job was finished, gave the wagon another new paint job. This may explain why the wood was so well preserved. Mr. Wilson stripped all that paint off and got the wood back to the original beautiful varnish finish. Well, all this sounded so good that Dick negotiated a token $200 deposit to hold the wagon for a personal inspection.

Another trip east, even further than Hershey, required some planning. Many things had to happen more or less in sequence to make the station wagon transaction scenario happen. Not the least of these things was $2500 to pay for it. Dicks' restored 1929 Fordor that was shown at the Hot Springs Arkansas National meet was advertised locally, then nationally and finally sold for $2500 to a museum in Colorado. Dick had to arrange for leave from the Air Force and Mary made arrangements to take the kids out of school for a few days. Another conflict was the wedding of Mary's brother, which meant another trip to Wisconsin. Mary wasn't all that thrilled about a trip straight out and back to New England just to look at a station wagon. Dick promised her some time in New England to take in the scenery and some antique shops, although they both knew they would only have a day or two if they were going to attend the Wisconsin wedding on the way home. All the planning was falling in place and they were off to Marblehead with a borrowed car trailer.

Mr. Wilson lived only a block from the ocean in one of the neatest little fishing communities one could imagine. The kids played on the beach while Dick inspected the station wagon and covered all the details with Mr. Wilson. The wagon was just as described in his letter.

The station wagon was unloaded in Wisconsin, decorated for the wedding, and was waiting for the surprised bride and groom as they came out of the church. Back in Omaha the wood wheels were installed and a club member machined a set if the special lug nuts. Another club member found a NOS wood wheel, still in the crate, at a local swap meet.

The Knapp family made three trips with the woody from Omaha to Colorado Regional Model A Meets. The chassis was completely rebuilt and the wood was varnished several times. The original top and Bass Wood top slats were replaced before the last Colorado trip. Dick & Mary drove this Model A for over 40 years with the wood wheels before giving it to their son David. Now David, Barbara and their two boys are enjoying this Woody in Southern California. So, if you see a '31 Model A Woody with wood wheels, it likely is the one you just read about. Dick Knapp, Lt Col, USAF, retired

[woofa.express]

Now that’s a pretty good story Dick and I’m sure the vehicle gives your family much pleasure. I have never seen an A with wooden wheels and reckon it is totally unique.
It’s pleasing to see another contributor use this thread. It is not solely for Woofa.Express and I encourage others to write their stories too.

[woofa.express]

East Hastings Street, Vancouver.

My wife Patricia (Patsy) and I had an overnight in Vancouver. As usual Patsy made the hotel booking, choosing “Patricia Hotel” in East Hastings St. Choice made on the strength of the hotel name.
It turned out to be a very tired hotel but we had a nice dinner and the beer was brewed on premises. Really nice beer.
It only takes 2 beers and I have difficulty sleeping. Well I sat on the end of our bed and was entertained by watching the street below. Drug dealing. A woman was approached by buyers and they’d disappear out of sight for a couple of minutes then the visitor would depart.
A prostitute in light and flimsy clothing on this cold breezy night waving to cars passing by. Some stopped and picked her up. I suspected the hotel was infact a brothel and the internet confirmed this. Next day we took a bus around the town. This street was home to the homeless and druggies. We were told the cops allowed it because it kept them altogether and made it easier for them to keep surveillance on. The reason for higher than usual homeless people in Vancouver is that this city is the warmest in Canada. I’m not knocking Canada for we all have our homeless and that of course includes Australia.
Canadians we spoke to asked why the hell would we stay on East Hastings Street? Well it’s reputation was unknown to us. Besides it was a new experience to us country bumpkins and yes we too have frost out on our pumpkins.

[woofa.express]

Pilot health. I wish I could change history. (story #1)

Pilots are limited to flying 900 hours max each year and 100 max each 30 days. Fortunately for us our aviation authority has no skill in agricultural operations and would look the other way. We all enjoyed the peace. I used to get the usual old 2 year audit. Aviation would come and have a cursory look at my base then I’d take them home and Patsy would have made them a nice lunch. However my base was smick. Clean, orderly and surrounded by trees and scrubs. It did look a picture and I’d been runner up on tidy towns industrial site one year and winner another.
In 1983 I flew 1900 hours between May 25 and the end of January '84. That included 7 months without a single day off. In addition I ran the business, with limited capital and paying interest of 24%, yes you read that correctly, twenty four percent,operating with cheap and unreliable trucks and it goes on. That year was my biggest but I did continue to fly at times for 3 or 4 months without a day off. Days off weren’t great because by mid morning no adrenalin had kicked in and a headache would develop. Withdrawal symptoms. I found the best way to address this was once or twice a week finish early and get home in daylight hours. During spring and early summer I would work in excess of 100 hours each week and sometimes more than 110. There are only 168 hours in a week.
Stress. Yes continuous. Only because I always took on too much work and was continuously running late. Cropdusting was always relatively easy except in high winds which were a factor in spring with frontal systems passing. Management and administration was tiring, getting home endeavouring to have dinner with incoming phone calls. Binge drink to get to sleep and coffee in the mornings and during the day to keep awake. Well something had to give, my heart began to beat out of rhythm and now I’ve lived with that since 1987. The symptoms are both less energy and stamina.
Some years back I had surgery for a hernia. The surgeon asked me how I got this out of rhythm condition. I told him I wasn’t sure. It was either work and whiskey or stress and scotch. He grinned and said in all the years he had practised it was the first time he had an honest answer.
When we are young we figure we are 10 foot tall and indestructible. Symptoms of abuse sometimes don’t appear until a considerable time later.