2020 .. What are you doing today?

[Crosley.In.AZ]

If you dont watch much news about shipping problems with the holiday season..

Some small items I ordered off eBay 10 days ago have not arrived to me yet. Both items are inside the USA 48 states. USPS Tracking on one item went blank for 4 days.

My wife sent her brother a Christmas card, post marked 12-03 ... he received it on wednesday 12-16 in Sierra Madre Callifornia near LA.  Small amount of irony or something is he worked for 40+ yrs for the post office.

A card from my niece in CT arrived in 3 days to us in Aridzona yesterday

[WZ JUNK]

My neighbor across the street sent me a text message recently that took several days to go across the street.  I think I may need to string up some tin cans for communication.

We order a lot of stuff off Amazon.  I ordered some solar Christmas lights, wire ties, and a wire tie tool late Thursday.  They arrived today(Saturday) will the regular mail.  Amazon service has been incredible these last few months.  It would be much harder for us to be here at home in lock down without Amazon, Walmart, and Sams Club with their online shopping.

[idrivejunk]

Yesterday I made these tiny scribbles as holiday greetings / cheerups for my "patron". Posting them because woohoo, they were done sans reference and I normally trace when accuracy matters.

It got up to 53 in the sun yesterday, took the 455 for a spin. Had to prime carb and top off oil, brakes, and steering then ignore the rest. Looks like now is another chance for a ride.

But I have bombed on gifts for family through birthdays this year and like every year, Christmas gifts are a stumper and impending doom is the prevailing mood. However I did sieze a few minutes to tack some scraps at work into a rusty metal picture frame Mom has been hinting at. Needs more work but I need more sleep. Favorite snacks and cash are sounding more and more like IDJ style gifts. Giving is wonderful but guessing at gifts and having them go directly to garage sale table later just don't seem right.

[phat46]

Yesterday I made these tiny scribbles as holiday greetings / cheerups for my "patron". Posting them because woohoo, they were done sans reference and I normally trace when accuracy matters.

It got up to 53 in the sun yesterday, took the 455 for a spin. Had to prime carb and top off oil, brakes, and steering then ignore the rest. Looks like now is another chance for a ride.

But I have bombed on gifts for family through birthdays this year and like every year, Christmas gifts are a stumper and impending doom is the prevailing mood. However I did sieze a few minutes to tack some scraps at work into a rusty metal picture frame Mom has been hinting at. Needs more work but I need more sleep. Favorite snacks and cash are sounding more and more like IDJ style gifts. Giving is wonderful but guessing at gifts and having them go directly to garage sale table later just don't seem right.

Nice sketches, sometimes it's fun just to go at it and not worry about it!

[idrivejunk]

Yessir, thats what the artist is in it for. At least this one. If blank page syndrome is not present, just sitting down to draw is strong medicine. I intend to do some of that today after groceries and a rip snort off the Pontiac.

FWIW, I know several people talented enough to at least do as good as I with a pencil but I guess it seems like work to some of them. By the way, with high hopes and inspiration I dug out my old paints and supplies yesterday. In doing so I recalled gouache was my favoritest favorite. Cut my teeth on watercolor. Liked acrylics but oils seemed a much finer choice for working opaque. Very limited experience with oils but plenty with the rest. Gifted boxes of colored pencils are plenty at my house but after digging around I realized / remembered that mostly car models filled my art hiatus and therefore...

there ain't a good brush in the house. So I'll make that a chore... getting some. Think I'll pick up an inexpensive medium size set of acrylics while I am there. My inner child is thrilled to have art in my world again. World just gets in the way sometimes. Picking up a pencil is how easy it is.

[phat46]

Yessir, thats what the artist is in it for. At least this one. If blank page syndrome is not present, just sitting down to draw is strong medicine. I intend to do some of that today after groceries and a rip snort off the Pontiac.

FWIW, I know several people talented enough to at least do as good as I with a pencil but I guess it seems like work to some of them. By the way, with high hopes and inspiration I dug out my old paints and supplies yesterday. In doing so I recalled gouache was my favoritest favorite. Cut my teeth on watercolor. Liked acrylics but oils seemed a much finer choice for working opaque. Very limited experience with oils but plenty with the rest. Gifted boxes of colored pencils are plenty at my house but after digging around I realized / remembered that mostly car models filled my art hiatus and therefore...

there ain't a good brush in the house. So I'll make that a chore... getting some. Think I'll pick up an inexpensive medium size set of acrylics while I am there. My inner child is thrilled to have art in my world again. World just gets in the way sometimes. Picking up a pencil is how easy it is.

Many, many talented people in the car art world. I am on several automotive art sites on FB, and am simply astounded at the talent. I just stumble along, doing what I like and being happy about it, but wonder how I could ever get as good as some. I just finished a commission that I am actually happy with. A '69 Fairlane GT, for a local young man, hope he likes it.

[idrivejunk]

That is a sharp car, it has my preferred luxo coupe shape.    I believe you did it justice. Nice effect down the side of the car. );b(

Failed to achieve the brush chore today but did barely remember to give the GTP a vigorous garden-hosing just before dark, rinsing off the underside and behind the rocker claddings and what-not because of snow and ice last week. And the monster mud glove print over the wheel on the left fender from tire shop during the muck. Taco run to dry. Plus knocked the bird gift off the trunk of the 69 which served GG duty, leaving the GT cold in street this week. Yes I disconnected the hose.

There IS a painting to post, if I get to it here shortly, that is my favorite one. Found during art supply excavations. I think its from the 90s and know I did it during a long art drought. Has some patina at this point but I figure if I'm gonna do the file transfer anyway I can punch it up a bit to compensate for fade. You might dig it.

Heres something I rarely can say: I will be doing the project switcheroo in the morning...

to a blasted n epoxied square Bronco on a roto with front pans done but fiberglass rust repair artistry present on the remainder. FYI in shop talk, that is a break. :?  I'll be the guy singing the "Ford country! Looka them boots...." jingle while the family guy in the next stall does carols on earbuds fixing a Chevy and Pontiac.

[idrivejunk]

Here it is. Just an imaginary spot I'd like to be.

[phat46]

Here it is. Just an imaginary spot I'd like to be.

Nice panting, watercolor?

[idrivejunk]

I think so, probably kiddie cakes even. Its on sketchbook paper. Looks like I may have used something else for the yellow in one spot:?  Slept since then.  

[phat46]

Interesting, the USPS is so far behind in deliveries, here in Mich there is a huge backlog sitting at a distribution center in Allen Park, trucks are lined up waiting, up to 20 hrs, to UNLOAD. They have said to expect not to have packages by Christmas, we are waiting for two, from N.C. that our daughter sent, about ten days ago. She messaged today and said the tracking showed them not moving for days. On the other hand, I ordered ignition parts, a distributor and wires, from Jegs Sunday night, about 11:30 p.m. and they were dropped off here, on Tuesday, about 9:30 a.m.....34 hours later, during the Chrstmas rush...by Fed Ex! 🙄😃

[58 Yeoman]

I ordered a 4 piece coffee table set from Wayfair on Dec. 15, it arrived the 17th by FedEx. Wow, that was quick, as it wasn't supposed to be here until the 21st. On the other hand, I sold an oil filter on ebay on Nov.12 and sent it out on that same day, on its' way to Florida. It never left Peoria, IL. According to the PO, it's in limbo-land somewhere. Gave a refund to the buyer, but I"m out the money, as I sent it First Class, and there is no postal insurance on FC.

[phat46]

I ordered a 4 piece coffee table set from Wayfair on Dec. 15, it arrived the 17th by FedEx. Wow, that was quick, as it wasn't supposed to be here until the 21st. On the other hand, I sold an oil filter on ebay on Nov.12 and sent it out on that same day, on its' way to Florida. It never left Peoria, IL. According to the PO, it's in limbo-land somewhere. Gave a refund to the buyer, but I"m out the money, as I sent it First Class, and there is no postal insurance on FC.

Seems like the USPS is on the verge of collapse, Covid seems to have hit them hard. Their prices have also greatly increased, I sent a package to my brother in southern Alabama a few weeks ago, it weighed under four pounds, it cost $55 !!!!!!!! That was the cheapest rate they offered. A week later I sent a package to our daughter in Raleigh N.C., it was just under 20 pounds, the box was actually larger than the one I sent to Alabama. That cost $22....by UPS. The one going to Ala. took eight days, it was supposed to take four. The one to Raleigh took three.

[Beck]

I was supposed to get a package of 4 bolts and 6 nuts today. All 14mm stuff. The bolts were short, so a little package or padded envelope. I was going to do some machine work to the bolts tonight... No delivery, so no machining. My best laid plans, down the tubes with the USPS.

[Beck]

It seems my family thinks I am a good negotiator when purchasing new cars. I had to go with my sister-in-law to make a deal. We went to the local dealer so she could just check out a model and trim level. They only had 1 in the trim level. She test drove and liked it. I was ready to move to another big dealer to make the cheapest purchase. NO, she liked that one. This place has a good day if they sell 3 cars, so overhead is higher. The other place is the #1 dealer in the country, so moves a lot of cars and the prices reflect that. GM currently has an "employee pricing" for everyone. Plus the GM rebate adds out. I did the best I could and think I saved her some pretty big money. I think I got that dealership as low as they could go on the sale. She's happy, so I guess I should be too. She didn't want to take the time to do more shopping. I guess she has more money than time. I'm tight, so it takes me days to negotiate a purchase when I buy for myself.