Leaves can suck it

Our backyard on Sunday, after having mowed all the leaves on Thursday:


After 5 minutes with the mighty Craftsmen mower:


I intend to keep on the leaf removal this year, since two winters ago I didn't, and our backyard became a soupy mess of awesome.

Leaves and Tools pretty much sums up my Thanksgiving.

C'

Beers and Tools

Despite sitting on my ass for the past four days, I managed to do a bit of tool organization and sorting. I pulled out all the hand tools from from three different tool boxes, and sorted them on the living room floor. Thank you Susan, for letting me keep them there for a few days.



Good grief. My tool count included:

9 - needle nose pliers
11- slip joint pliers
7 - wire cutters
12 - 12mm wrenches
32 - phillips screwdrivers
40 - flat screwdrivers

and on and on and on. I have since found homes for everything, including making some little drawer dividers to keep all the sockets and wrenches in their own little home. Properly labeled of course.


And speaking of home, that's where I was today when Susan surprised me with my first Christmas gift. My comment "Man, I'm jealous of Sean's beer a day advent collection" was apparently taken as a hint. So look what showed up today!



Susan made her own beer advent box. Hand picked singles from several sources around town. Mmmm, can't wait to start on Tuesday. Week 1 is already in the fridge.

C'

More Macau

Just a few more snaps from Macau, mostly of random pit action as I sort through photos:

What does a Formula BMW look like underneath?


Expensive step ladder


Crews were very active just before first practice session


Crew pushing the Bufori to the scales. This was a funky little car. Looked like a home built GT using a Toyota 4-cylinder Turbo engine. In a class dominated with Porsche GT3, Lamborghinis, and Ferrari F430s. Alex Yoong (former F1 pilot) was driving.


Even the support races were using full slicks, as shown on this Honda RSX


These guys were checking for leaks, while it was running in gear on jack stands


Everyone was prepared for rain. Luckily the Chinese government sent up 27 "weather rockets" a few days before the event and made it rain to rid mother nature of any moisture the days following


We couldn't resist the American Iron


How many Hong Kongers does it take to work on a Lambo?


Pretty simple method of adjusting the rear wing on the Lada WTCC


C'

Macau!

I'm back from Macau. I'm rolling on about 30+ hours with no sleep, so bare with me if this blog doesn't make any sense. Overall, I had a blast. Macau is an interesting place. The day-to-day look and feel is Chinese, but with a strong European influence thanks to the Portuguese rule up until 10 years ago. All the street signs are in three languages, and even the Police cars/motorcycles say "Policia" on them. Pretty much everyone spoke enough English for me to get by, and those that didn't understood to type the prices into a calculator to show us white folk.

Now, onto the races. We spent 4 days wandering around the entire track, with full "press on course" credentials. Meaning we could essentially stand right next to the track and take pictures. Pretty much wherever we wanted to go. And speaking of photos, here's a bunch to show what we were doing:

Motorcycles at the hairpin corner


At Maria bend

More hairpin action. We would be able to touch the bikes on corner exit if we were dumb enough


Formula BMW at Hospital Hill, one of our favorite shooting locations


Formula 3 car at the hairpin


F3 car lifting an inside front at the hairpin


Ginetta GT car


Gaggle of World Touring Cars through the hairpin after a mess of oil dry was laid down


Chinese Formula BMW driver retired at our photo station. He was hit by a wandering Petronis car. After e helped him over the guardrail, and gave him a bottle of water to drink, his comment was "I'm ok, but the car is fucked." Classic.


Alan Menu's hood lifts open on the Chevy WTCC


Ferrari F430 driver hit a TON.


They had about 30 cranes all around the track, so they could quickly lift the crashed cars off the course to avoid full course yellows. Note the Ferrari in the air about 50 feet, and the Lamborghini racing underneath.


Craig standing in one of our photo locations.


Corners workers assembling the pads for the guardrail for when the motorcycles took to the track.


After I sort through some photos, I'll post tomorrow. for now, I'm just glad to be home.

C'

Christmas Lights!

I got busy today and put up the Christmas lights, both inside and out. Outside consisted of three strings of LED lights running around the top of the fence in the front yard, both inside and outside of the courtyard. In the back we ran some small globe LED lights around the pergola.

Front Courtyard Pics:




Chris H.