8.4.2026

Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, so hopefully you celebrated!  Jim and I will celebrate after dinner.  I've discovered the best sourdough chocolate chip cookie recipe - Jim said it's the only recipe to make from now on!

Jim did a little work on the shelf today, including more sanding...

Jim was able to get the air conditioner compressor loose and moved over to the side...

Next, he needed to get the hood off so that he had better access, so we got it off and onto the ground...

He moved it over to the wall so that it would be safe...

He had to tie the engine in place now that the compartment is emptying out and the transmission isn't holding it in place.  He took off the heater hoses from the back wall...

Jim had to take the dashboard apart to get to the onboard computer so that he could get to all the cabling.  In the picture below,  he was working on disconnecting the electrical cable from the bottom of the engine.... 

High 83.5/Low 60

8.3.2026

 While Jim's been busy in the shops and with the 4Runner job, I've been busy with a big fire school mailing.  Of course, Jim still does all the schlepping for me in between all that he's doing - carrying printing boxes and envelopes up the stairs, taking completed envelopes down to the pantry for metering, and finally to the car.  Thanks, dear!  Glad this job is done!

Jim did some sanding on the shelf today...

He spent the afternoon down in the auto bay, continuing to take things apart on the 4Runner...

Radiator is out...

Fan and belt off...

Spending all his time just like this...

Air cleaner housing out...

The engine compartment is starting to look empty...

He's tackling getting the air conditioner out - that's never been off and is hard to reach.

High 75/Low 68.2

8.2.2026

Jim started off working in the wood shop today - making the other stabilizing end on the shelf and gluing it in place... 

Drying...

Then it was back to work on the 4Runner - getting the transmission out was the goal today.

Two of the screws were on top of the transmission, making it even more difficult...

But success - the transmission is out of the car and on the jack!

Maneuvering it out from underneath the car...

It's out!

Next steps - this is the clutch assembly...

Success - the clutch disc, pressure plate and flywheel are off...

Draining the radiator fluid...

Checking out next steps...

High 79.8/Low 68.3

8.1.2026

Saturday's are always short days and Jim didn't want to start on car work, so instead he headed down to the wood shop to continue working on my new shelf.  Planing the glued wood...

Making the cuts on the end grain piece for stability...

Fitting the piece...

Gluing...

Off to get ready for church!

High 83/Low 61.4

7.31.2026

Jim's pole jack came so he worked on assembling it... 

Putting the pole through the tripod...

Final tweaks...

The pole jack is now holding up the back part of the transmission...

Jim was then able to get the cross member off...

High 77.9/Low 60.5 - on/off rain

7.30.2026

Jim has been working with the VA Administration to get  into their health system.  It's nothing we ever thought about doing before, but in dealing with my mom's situation, two different people encouraged him to do it.  It's been a process but today was his first meeting with the doctor at the clinic in Glens Falls.  It went well and it looks like it may be a good resource going forward, although he'll still keep his primary physician.

In the shop, Jim brushed off his wood working tools and did some planing of the new wood he bought..

Starting to glue pieces to make my new shelf...

Adding another piece...

Clamping them together...

Drying...

High 71.9/Low 61.6

7.29.2026

We got some much-needed rain starting yesterday evening and continued all day.  However, we did lose internet service starting yesterday late evening and it didn't come on until after noon.  

Jim is going to make a shelf for me in this bottom cabinet.  I've accumulated enough sourdough pans and supplies that they need a whole cabinet!  Jim designed it and then made a cardboard template to see if it would fit and could still come out...

Jim's pole jack was supposed to be delivered today, but he got a notice that it's now going to be delivered on Friday.  Unfortunately, he's kind of in a hold pattern until that comes.  However, he used his transmission jack with a block on top to sort of simulate the pole jack and he was able to raise the cross member up enough that he could get the catalytic converter out...

Out and on the ground...

High 66.1/Low 65.3 - rainy