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

7.28.2026

Jim is waiting for a pole jack that he will use to jack up the transmission off the cross over bar - everything has to be done in a certain order.  So he's doing what he can until that arrives - hopefully tomorrow.

The exhaust system is all disassembled now and he's continuing to work - starter is next...

Showing me how the exhaust is all loose and the cross over member...

It finally started raining later in the afternoon - we sure need it!

High 78.6/Low 63.4

 

7.27.2026

 I was gone a good portion of the day, between a doctor appointment and working with Staples for some work.  

Jim continued to work on the 4Runner, today working on disassembling the exhaust system.  It's hard to believe, but this is the original exhaust system so it's almost 30 years old!  

Replacing some screws on the transmission jack...

High 83.8/Low 62.5

7.26.2026

Jim officially pulled the trigger on starting the engine work on the 4Runner today.  This is a 1997 but the body is in great shape and it's actually in high demand because it has a manual transmission.  Jim has been wanting to do this job for a while and now's the perfect time!

He had bought this transmission jack in Vermont four years ago from a guy on Craigslist.  He did some clean up work and it's just been waiting to be used...

He first removed all the inner gear shifts...

He is draining the transmission fluid and got the first drive shaft off...

Working on the second...

Both drive shafts off...

7.25 - High 83.7/Low 54.5
7.26 - High 81.6/Low 56.7

7.24.2026

Yesterday, we spent all afternoon down near Albany for an eye appointment.  The cornea specialist couldn't see Jim until September and recommended we go to a walk-in urgent eye care center.  The doctor we saw there was wonderful - did a lot of different tests and spent a lot of time with us going over everything.  While she agrees that Jim has issues with the tear film layer in that eye, she doesn't think it's the primary reason he's seeing ghost images, and she agreed with seeing the cornea specialist next.  She did prescribe a new eye drop that's supposed to really help with the dry eye issue.  We felt good after the visit and actually canceled his appointment with the other ophthalmologist for this coming week.  We'll go see the cornea specialist as soon as we can.

This afternoon, Jim went to Northern Hardwoods to pick up more soft maple, along with a piece of white oak that he wanted to experiment with.  Unloading...

Stacked up for now in the shop...

Jim thinks the owl is helping keep the birds out of the pavilion; the floor didn't show any big messes like before.  So he decided to hang it up from the peak...

Now it moves around and looks more realistic - it would scare me for sure!

7.23 - High 76.8/Low 51.1
7.24 - High 81.4/Low 51.2