Good morning folks,another hot day here at the foot of the Blue Ridge mt. but it is summer so no problem............... ...............................

Ken thanks for asking about Mom shes doing better but the Dr. is wanting her to got to a nursing home for a little while and this upset her big time, she can do everything just fine but is still a little weak, so I told her not to worry I would move in and stay with her till she gets her strength back and shes ok now but then the dr. came back in this morning with the same request again and got her upset and I assured her they wasn't anybody making her go anywhere she didn't want to go, with 4 girls and 2 boys and I carry the load most of the time anyway they will have to come through or over me to upset her again.

I know it won't be easy to do this but I promised Dad I'd do my best and until she's good with going to one of these homes I'll be her caretaker, cause I can and will try, sorry for the long explaination but needed to vent this morning just hate seeing my Mom upset.

And Ken I would be so proud of my granddaughter also that shows she has a good head on her, and good luck with that nap I know you need one............... ...................................

Well hope everyone has a great sunday and gets rested up and ready to roll on Monday............................ .......................................

hey gang, having some homemade black cherry ice cream & made me think about you guys, sorry to hear about Mom Mike, will be sending prayers for all of you, I remember all of us being really worried because Gran never wanted to go & then she fell and broke a hip in her late 90's & had to go for rehab, we all decided to let her think she was in a hospital, so everyone was in on it, she asked for a while when she got to go home and we would tell her soon, eventually she stopped asking... she was very happy there & gained a lot of weight even. Of course your Mom is much younger, I think that is awesome how you take such good care of her with very little help from the rest of your family.
Chuck sorry to hear about your friends, glad you got some AC at least to sleep, nothing worse at night--Snuggles is doing a little better, the vet gave her fluid pills, she stil has blood in her urine and is having accidents, still has a tumor on her belly--but she wags her tail and eats really well. Sounds like Kylie is having a lot of fun Ken! Susie, hope you are outta that funk, send us some of that 80 weather! I've been in a funk too, we found out the truck had injector issues, melted a piston & got it all, engine, turbo, injectors...at 130k on a duramax, we def didn't see it coming. Rick had just read an article about taking care of your tow vehicle & how it could really set a team back....checking into some insurance for the future wish we had sooner. Hey Allen. Dennis...hope you are both good. Floyd hugs If you guys were closer I'd share some of Rick's awesome ice cream

Mornin' all! I hope you all had a good weekend. I got to see my friends and their twin girls. They turned 9 last month, and are happy and healthy and smart and sharp. You'd never know they were born 2 months early, and in the NICU for almost 3 before they came home. Great stuff.

Ken, that is awesome of your granddaughter. I hope you are feeling better now. I'm sorry to hear about the pain and nausea. I hope you continue to feel better, and treatment goes well.

Mike, you're good people. Sorry to hear your mom was upset. Maybe some good biscuits and jam will help her spirits once she's home.

Michelle, glad Snuggles is doing better. Really sorry to hear about the engine on the truck. That hurts in a big way. The ice cream sounds awesome!

You all have a great day!

Good Afternoon Everyone;

Well, another one of those days.

First of all, I would like to clear something up.

After my first Y-90 treatment, I got pretty much sideways with the pain and nausea from the treatment. I wasn't being brave, strong, or stoic. I was being stupid. I was trying to get through all this with out using the pain or nausea pills. "Me and the Duke don't need no stinking pain pills". Well, I was dead wrong, but by the time I figured out I was in trouble, I had to get my doctor involved, and made things a lot more complicated than it needed to be. Not only that, but once things were under control, I almost did it again. Caught myself in time though, so not so bad the second time.

Anyway, the Doctors and Nurses at SAMMC took very good care of me. No one got upset with me for being stupid, and the Doc even said, "Well, I am very happy. You may not be, but If it is hurting that bad, we are slamming the tumors dead on, and that is exactly what we want."

So, he wrote me a few more scripts. One for a thing called Nexium. I take the scripts down to the pharmacy, and they tell me that because I am a VA referral, I can't get the Nexium at SAMMC, unless I hop all the way around the Fort Sam Houston Memorial Garden twice on one foot, and Fort Sam Houston does not have a memorial garden, so bottom line "GO AWAY". But, I can take it to the VA pharmacy and they will fill it for me, no problem.

The VA pharmacy tells me they can't fill the Nexium script because it is on the wrong form. But, if I take the script up to my Primary Care Physician (about 70 miles away), she can rewrite the script and then they can fill it. Well, I am thinking that I ain't gonna drive 70 miles each way when I can go to Walmart and have it filled there. I mean, how expensive can it be. So, we go to Walmart and hand the lady my script. Oh, and just in case, how much is this going to cost. $815.75. NO, NO, I don't want to buy the pharmacy, just a few pills. Yep, $815.75 for 90 pills. Then she asks me if I have insurance, and Well, yes I do. So she calls the insurance company and is told they won't pay anything unless it is "pre-approved". I don't know, isn't calling and asking something like "pre-approval". But I guess not. So, I am resigned to driving the 70 miles and jumping through more hoops when I turn around and guess what is on the shelf. NEXIUM. I asked the pharmacist what is the difference between the $10.00 a pill script Nexium, and the $0.50 a pill for the over the counter Nexium? Well, the script Nexium is twice as strong as the over the counter Nexium, so you would have take twice as many of the over the counter pills to match the script pills. So, taking twice the pills still comes out to $1.00 a dose versus $10.00 a dose for the script. Somehow, that just doesn't make sense to me, but then, what do I know.

So, after buying the over the counter pills, we go back to the VA pharmacy to pick up the two other scripts I had left to be filled. I asked the pharmacist, "if you can not fill the script for Nexium because it is on the wrong form, why did you fill the other two scripts that were written on the same form? Didn't have an answer.

So, after a long and interesting day, I did manage to get the pills I need, everyone is still friends, and I think I might be a bit smarter about all this, but then again, not really sure I understand any of it. All in all, I am being treated very well, so can't complain too much when a wheel falls off every now and then.

Gotta go

Ken Gasbarri

Good morning folks, got mom home yesterday hauled some logs and fed my sore throat and head lots of meds. and went to bed early and woke up somewhat better, now to battle the heat................... ...........................

Ken battling these med. companies in this new Obama med. makeover is tough everytime I turn around something changes in my meds. and moms well that's a WhOlE nother day........................................ ..............................

Ok hope you alls day is outstanding and that everything goes better than yesterday even if yesterday was great, may your day be greater...................... ...........................................

Good morning everyone.
Y'all have a good day.
See ya.

Mornin' all! Bit sticky out there today, might get some rain coming through. I'm just glad I figured out the AC unit in my bedroom. I thought it was broken, because I thought I was turning it to colder, when actually I was turning it to warmer. I found my artic setting last night, nice and comfortable. This was real nice after going to my friends' parents house right after work. Did a little work to help load up his truck with some brick from his dad's farm. Then we got a ton of wings to feed everyone, and sat on the back porch telling stories into the night, with the lightning bugs twinkling away in the fields and trees up and down the holler. Great stuff. I got home way late, but it was good to squeeze another visit in with my friends.

Wow, Ken, that's a lot of work, or something. I give you credit for keeping your composure in that frustrating of a situation. It doesn't make sense to me either, outside of price gouging by the drug companies.

Mike, I hope home is good medicine for mom. Get yourself some good medicine too. Careful with those logs.

Mouse, did you get the engine back from the machine shop? Any progress on the S10?

You all have a great day!

Chuck;

After thinking about it, it occurred to me that $815.75 just didn't sound right. Especially with the same stuff available over the counter for 1/10th that amount. So, I stopped at the pharmacy while at Walmart to check again. Sure enough, different lady, different Walmart, same price. And, I asked her to check twice and It still didn't change. Just can't figure why.

Other than that, life is good and I am getting better looking with each passing day. Don't get much better.

Ken Gasbarri

Good morning everyone.
It's Humpday!
Chuck, yes I did, and so far, the only progress I've gotten done, is getting the block on the engine stand. At this point, I'm not sure when I'll get it back together, and get it to the track.
Y'all have a good one.
See ya.

Good morning folks, we got a good old gulley washer yesternight(MT) so logging mite be a little slower today but my boys will try and getter done, they are the getting done kind, can't do a thing with old mt. men............................. ...............................

Mouse your motor sounds like my 355 it's had the machine work done and I've got new pistons and rods and all the parts to put it back together and it's still sitting 5 months later................. .........just seems to be no time for anything extra these days and with money tight I gotta do it myself............. ................. .......it's all good...........................

Ken I can see you're getting better looking everyday.................... ...................................

Chuck I like sleeping where I'm almost to cold and need cover up to my neck and man that feels fine........................ .................................

Speaking of cold, wonder how Christina is doing up the in the cold country, hope she and all our MIA'S are fine, and hope everybody has a awesome day............................ ..................................

Mornin' all! Over center day! Got some rain at the moment. Hopefully today is the last day for it, til Sunday, so we can go racing for 3 straight at PRP. Bob figured out my mistake on the SBO. I used my pushrods from my first version of the 362, but that was with my #5 SBO heads. This version, I'm using the C BBO heads, and I should have used shorter pushrods. Hopefully they make it to him today.

Ken, life sure is good, I'll defer on the issue of you getting better looking to Peg.

Mouse, at least it is there for you. I hope you get some time for it soon.

Mike, that's what I like too, cold enough to need a sheet at least to cover up.

I wonder how Christina is doing up there too. I was thinking of her Monday night, my buddy and his dad were telling stories of their hunting trip to Alaska. Also wondering about our other MIA's and lurkers.

You all have a great day!

Good morning gang.
It's my Friday, and I am so ready.
I don't know if it will happen, but I am hoping to get to put some of my engine back together. I need to give it all a good bath first.
Y'all have a good one.
See ya.

Mornin' all! Hope you all are up and kicking! Have a great day.

Mornin' all! Supposed to be a nice day today, I sure hope so. Ordered the pushrods about 6:30pm Tuesday, Summit had them to Bob yesterday, and I got the engine from him last night. Hopefully get a lot done tonight before I run out of daylight.

Mouse, happy long weekend to you. I hope you get to work on the engine, and make some progress.

Nice to see you stopping in, Jamie!

Forgot to mention something very cool. The Pittsburgh Penguins Charities gave the Thinking of Nikki Foundation a grant of $2,500, and Karen, Ashley, and Bob accepted it on Tuesday. I'll try to remember to post the pic up. Or maybe Mark will.

You all have a great day!

Good mornin' all! TGIF!! Looking like a nice day, hope the pop up showers stay away today and tomorrow. Got the engine back in the Cutlass last night, thanks to my friend Steve. We had to take the passenger side motor mount off to give us the wiggle room we needed. I went back to put the motor mount on, and I don't know what I did with 1 of the 2 bolts. Also missing one of the bolts for grounds to the block. I know I had them. They'll probably be sitting out as plain as day when I get there after work, after I buy new ones. It was nice to see the crowd last night, lots of cool cars. Running for $1k tonight, and our Night of Fire is tomorrow.

Here is the pic I mentioned yesterday:



You all have a great weekend! Ice cream time!

Good morning everyone.
Sitting here again with my daughter at the dentist. She's not happy about it, which I can understand.
Y'all have a great day.
See ya.

Good afternoon folks, had to get at it early this morning so had to break my routine and leave before having time to post but got the week made early and back in the air............... .....................

Well hope everyones weekend is aok Manny and I are going to see the new Transformers movie at the what we used to call the walk in movies we used to have a drive in but they tore it down but I still call the walk in the walk in...................... ..............
Ya'll have a great weekend.................................. ................................

Getting up early to head to Globe, to visit with some family. Went down south a few weekends ago to look at old slides of dads family was good for a lot of laughs.

Sure hope we get some of the "sky water" it has been 180 plus days with NO rain

Good Morning Everyone;

Mike; How's Mom doing? Hopin she is doing fine and getting stronger.

And, hoping everyone is doing well and racing when you get the chance.

I went in for my second "mapping" procedure Thursday, but things didn't go very well. For what ever reason, they decided I was having heart issues. At one point, I must have had 10 different doctors working on me. Had me hooked up to so much stuff, I looked like an old steer that rolled over in the barbed wire pile.

As it turns out, I was having a "flutter". Not quite "A-fib", but they cancelled the procedure and kept me in the hospital for two days. No big deal, but they were being very careful anyway.

As I understand, I will be on baby aspirin and some other med for the foreseeable future. Very small risk, so I will jump through the hoops, and go along with the program. I can do two pills a day. Won't like it, but then again, I don't always get my way.

Good news, is I go back for the "mapping" tomorrow morning. Hopefully, they will be expecting a small glitch, and things will go smoothly anyway. I really want to get through this and get on with what I jokingly refer to as my life.

Hopefully, I can get this done, and be feeling good enough to make the races on the 11th and 12th of July. I think I still remember how to get from the starting line to the stripe. If not, I will just follow the other guy.

OK, gotta go. I am taking Peg shopping and see if I can somehow pay a little back for all she does. I know I can never fully pay it back, but I want her to know how much I do appreciate her.

Ken Gasbarri

Good morning folks,looks to be another hot week in the big woods again but that's ok it beats not doing anything, well you know what I mean...................... .........................................

Good to see ya Jamie, we've been hot here but not that hot for sure the humidity is tough here it's like you're hot from the inside out and I push out a lot of sweat that is boiling, I think of my friend Guy all the time, they are things I see around the farm and the race track that reminds me of him a lot................................ ...........................

Ken, thanks for asking about Mom she's doing ok she is pushing real hard and sometimes it hurts her but I'm really proud of her for trying so hard, I stay out of her way and watch to make sure shes fine if she catches me watching she is still Mom and mite pinch me even at 55 I watch them pinchers...................... .............................

Well hope everybody has a good Monday and thanks for all the prayers for Mom and me we sure need them...................... ................................