http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com What life is really like for a professional juggler and yo-yo man. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:50:16 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Every maintenance saga starts off the same way: someone says something like, “Oh yeah, that should be an easy fix.” This time at least it wasn’t me who said it. When I first got the engine running on my 1930 Model A Ford Sport Coupe I noticed that there was ... http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/08/19/manifold-woes-with-my-model-a-ford/ I got a call as we were driving home to Pittsburgh from the Midwest for a last-minute gig for the Sheetz Company. They have a big meeting coming up and the CEO wanted to have a fun video as an introduction to his big speech. Since the theme ... http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/08/16/fun-gig-for-sheetz-inc/ Three days after the giant fur wad, I brushed this pile out of my dog. I could've gotten more too if he hadn't been so interested in those stupid squirrels. Also in the picture is the rake that I use to brush him. http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/08/11/i-guess-that-wasnt-it/ This is from just one brushing. No trick photography or fur-fluffing here either. That wad of fur really is bigger than his head. I am astonished at how much fur came out of my dog in the course of an hour. Normally he takes several days ... http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/08/06/vader-is-finally-losing-his-winter-coat/ Zephyr, Wylie, and Vader This week I'm house-sitting and dog-sitting while I'm in Milwaukee performing at the WI State Fair. I always stay with my mother-in-law for Milwaukee gigs. It's awesome. Partly because I can bring my dog (he gets along really well with Lynn's dog), but also ... http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/08/06/my-first-night-with-three-dogs/ Maybe I'm just getting bitter, but I used to really enjoy flying. Admittedly I have flown a lot, and anything loses its luster when you do it too much, but I really think something has changed with the whole experience of getting on an airplane. I recently took a trip ... http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/07/28/flying-has-become-very-unpleasant/ There is a new Service Plaza (and maybe several) on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Hwy 76), and on my recent trip from Pittsburgh to New York I noticed the sign pictured above. Not only is there extra-special parking reserved for "Low-Emitting Fuel-Efficient Vehicles" but it is also right up front, ... http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/07/09/super-special-parking-for-my-prius-on-the-pennsylvania-turnpike/ My birthday was a few days ago, and it was a great one. I met the 3 Rivers Model A Ford Restorers Club at Kennywood (the local amusement park) early in the morning, and we all drove our antique cars onto the park grounds so that the patrons could ... http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/07/05/i-had-a-great-birthday/ For those of us who have to pay quarterly estimated taxes, this is a big day.  Well, really it's big only if you forget.  I didn't.  So it's cool. http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/06/16/happy-quarterly-tax-day/ This week I replaced the head gasket on my 1930 Model A Ford Sport Coupe using the instructions from page 1-123 of The Model A Ford Mechanics Handbook Volume 1, by Les Andrews. I thought this would be an easy job, and while it wasn't easy, it is definitely ... http://www.markhaywardismyhero.com/2008/06/09/replacing-the-head-gasket-on-a-model-a-ford/