Eyes too big for my stomach...

silverbear · Jun 12, 2014

A long time ago I was a little boy picking at my food, avoiding broccoli, liver, brussels sprouts and all of the other things I didn't like. My poor mother and I would battle it out in a test of wills with me refusing to eat undesireables and her refusing to let me leave the table until I had cleaned my plate. Hours could go by with food long cold, darkness descending and bedtime offering the final solution. "Fine, then you can go to bed hungry!" Which made no sense since I wasn't hungry, especially for that stuff.

But there were other times I was plenty hungry and loaded an ambitious amount of mashed potatoes or something else I liked onto my plate... and then didn't have the appetite to finish it. This also drove my mother nuts and she would accuse me of "having eyes bigger than my stomach". Like lots of mothers who lived through the great depression, she hated to see food wasted.

I've been thinking about my unfinished bike projects and realized that my mother was right; I have eyes that are too big for my stomach, taking on too many projects without the appetite (money, time, energy) to get one finished before dreaming up another. Part of the problem is where I live, in a place with a whole lot of winter and not much time snow and ice free. First snow in my part of the world is in October and the snow pack isn't gone until mid May. If I had a great workshop to build bikes in that would be fantastic... With a wood stove burning and snow outside my window I could tinker to my heart's content. But, I don't have a garage. Don't even have a house anymore. I live in an old 8' wide trailer and building is pretty much a summer activity so that I do my bike work in fair weather on a picnic table with a vice attached.

Winter turns out to be my dream time, you might say. Like the gardener who spends too much time looking at seed catalogs with glossy pictures of tempting varieties, I do the same with our forum... following other's builds and admiring the abundant creativity of our members. And I plan a bike build in my mind, enjoying it come together in my imagination. Then I start gathering together parts and as money permits start ordering things. By then I have invested time, energy and money into a project and it is too late. And I've done this more than once. Several times more than once. If my mother was still alive she's shake her head and say that my eyes are too big for my stomach. And she would be right.

I really do need to get a handle on this. I had plans for working on a whizzer like build this winter and gave up my single bedroom in the trailer to become a little work room so that I could work inside... put a work bench in there and tool boxes and moved my cot out into the living area where the wood stove is. I had not figured on a heart attack, however, and ended up not making much progress on the "kindalikeawhizzer" build. It is still sitting there on the work bench. And now that summer has come I have managed to injure my leg so that I am supposed to stay off it and keep it elevated. I haven't even gone for a bike ride since last fall. Bummer. I keep forgetting that I'm an old guy and need to prune down my ambitions.

Anyway, I'll post some photos of projects underway as I make a resolution that I WILL NOT START ANY MORE PROJECTS UNTIL THE ONES UNDERWAY ARE FINISHED. Signed and notarized,
SB

silverbear · Jun 12, 2014

A couple of weeks ago I pulled a couple of bikes out of storage in my brother's cabin since he and his wife were due to arrive for the summer. Pictured is the Indian Hiawatha with tri-car front end sitting on the ground (minus a few parts yet). This is the bike first on the list of needs to be finished... hopefully during bike camp this July. The engine is a 2 speed Sachs motorcycle engine made in 1934.

Behind it is a 1934 Elgin Four Star step through bike with a Villiars midget engine and an SBP shift kit running through a 3 speed rear hub. That bike has a sidecar made from a baby buggy (for the dog). Clutch set up has yet to be made and rebuild the carburetor.

On the workbench is 1951 Schwinn with a 147cc Jacobsen 2 stroke engine set up to be reminiscent of an old Whizzer. I call it my "kindalikeawhizzer" Parts are all there, pretty much, but engine mounts need to be made and the frame needs alteration so the belt to the sheave has clearance... Make up the jackshaft... lots of stuff. This should be a fast and smooth riding bike.

In the wood shed is my 50 Panther which is my daily rider. Engine is a 99cc Predator and I changed the carb over this winter to a china girl speed carb... have yet to start it up and fiddle with the jet. Also need to reattach the canoe sidecar for the dog.

Sitting in the snow is a trike project using a 63 Schwinn American Deluxe. It will be a hybrid with an electric front wheel and in the far back will be a 98cc Villiars midget with kickstart and a dog clutch from a 1950's British Atco mower. Rear axle is a differential type put together from two riding mowers so that the span from rear wheel to rear wheel will be 35" This project is for when I'm more of a geezer and may have trouble with my legs (am partly crippled with Guillane Barre Syndrome)

There's another not pictured which is for my son, an AMF roadmaster frame with a 2 speed Tomos engine. Way on the back burner.

So, you can see what I mean about having too many unfinished projects. Not good having eyes too big for my stomach.
SB

xseler · Jun 12, 2014

Silverbear, it sounds like we need to have an old-fashioned barn raise'n at your place!! Sounds like a 12'x12' would do wonders for your soul and space.......been a while since I've been to Minnesota (even when I type it, it sounds like "Minnas-ohhhhhh-ta"

).

Greg58 · Jun 12, 2014

Silver bear the way I see it a person has to set a few goals that are hard to reach and sometimes unattainable. This I think keeps our mind in check so we don't go crazy. I myself have a few that I've been working on, one is my old ford that has been on going for years, I work on it from time to time. One think is I don't let projects bother me, I try to apply something I read years ago. Don't sweat the small stuff. If you don't get even one done this summer let the body heal so you can have a better " next year".

fasteddy · Jun 13, 2014

Silverbear,

I had those same battle with my mother over the same things except liver. That's a personal favorite. Years later I heard the perfect story that described the many dinner table battles we fought.

A young boy never spoke. He was the right age to be talking but he never uttered a word. He was taken the best doctors at the best clinics world wide and always the answer was the same. He should be speaking and we can't understand why he isn't because there is no medical reason he can't.

Years went by and no change, then a family friend suggested a vegetarian diet. His parent asked the cook to only prepare vegetarian meals from then on and she applied herself to the task.
The first meal was brussels sprouts. broccoli, lima beans, cauliflower, tofu and parsnips. Each one cooked to perfection.

The little boy's plate was set down in front of him and as his parents watched with great anticipation his lips quivered a little and he asked what the H**L this was. The elated parent hugged each other and then the boy and when the joy had subsided they asked him why he has never spoken before.

He looked at his parent in disbelief and said, "Well I've been perfectly happy with every thing up until now and never had a reason to say anything until you served me this s**t.

Steve.

Mr.B. · Jun 13, 2014

My advice-

Choose the easiest project to finish, put nose to grindstone and knock it out as just as quick as possible!

It will make you feel good to get something done and likely leave enough time this season to finish something else.

In the mean time look for a old camper, shed, whatever- Something small and inexpensive- EASY to set up and then easy to heat. Use as a dedicated winter workshop. Put it right next to your camper for convenience sake.

You can’t pass by a tear down with out seeing mounds of insulation being tossed, seems it doesn’t have any recycle valve = Cheap!

Of course considering how long my projects take, my advice probably isn’t worth the typically advertised 2 cents...

Ha!

-Kirk

CTripps · Jun 13, 2014

I don't know how far east it's spread, but one of the latest trends in storage is buying (or leasing/renting) a "decommisioned" shipping container. There are a few companies doing it, they'll bring it to your site and set them down where you want them. I'm sure there are a number of US-based companies doing it, but as an example have a glance at BigSteelBox(.com). Scroll down about half way on that page and you can see example pricing (Canadian $) for new or used units.

I realise that this option doesn't 'fit the budget', I present it merely as food for thought.

fasteddy · Jun 13, 2014

The Hiawatha tri car needs a solid day of welding which means a couple of days in bike camp time. This allows for breakfast, plenty of creative staring, stories being caught up on, lunch, a little beer drinking, lots of dog petting, a trip down to the lake, visiting the neighbours and if the day is right and the town dump is open, a trip to resupply the metal pile for future builds.

Bike camp. Only for the fearless and the brave. Being an old fart helps as well because we've learned to go with the flow.

Many of the projects are nearer completion than they are just started. This year should see at least one of them finished and some mocking up of the trike done with luck. There is also a houseboat off in the wings just in case things get slow or we need a change of pace.

I had always liked the idea of a shipping container as a workshop. Of course CTripps and I live near one of the busiest container sea ports in Canada so we are surrounded by companies selling containers. Another container that has often interested me was a refrigerated truck box. Already insulated and maybe 18' long. Something like that may take some searching for but would be worth it I would think.

Put a wall in just behind the roll up door with an entry door in it and some windows and your good to go. Roll the door down and lock it and you'll have some protection and it should meet the counties movable shed laws if they exist.

Steve

silverbear · Jun 13, 2014

Thanks for all of the creative ideas on a workshop... Lots of good thinking. Perspective will change of course when the tri-car is actually done and I'm tooling around on it. Same with the Elgin which is not all that far from being done either. Still, I think it would be prudent to hold off on loading up my plate with any new dishes until then. There's also the practical matter of how many bikes does a guy really need? Once they are all "done" it is time that one of them needs or wants anyway a different engine or a sidecar or a new paint job. And there is that pontoon/houseboat that needs doing.

My bum leg is mending and now I'm able to get some more firewood cut and split. Got a couple of hours work in today so being productive lifts the spirits some. Where those logs are is where Fasteddy's camper will be sitting in early July, so that last cord of logs needs to become stacked firewood. Then it's time to fire up that welder and make some sparks Bike camp 2014... woohoo!
SB

bluegoatwoods · Jun 16, 2014

I'm pretty good at making sure that I'm only working on one project at a time. My trouble is that I don't finish them.

I'll abandon one halfway through because I chase off after some new idea.

Yes. And I fought with my parents (two more children of the great depression) over eating my veggies. To this very day there aren't many that I'm willing to eat.

I can remember sitting at the table until bedtime, many times, rather than eating maybe 3 oz of some green stuff.

Today I suppose I'd just eat the stupid broccoli instead. But nowadays no one is forcing me.

fasteddy · Jun 16, 2014

My mother used to tell me that children were starving in mythical places, to my eight year old mind, like Ethiopia. One night I told her to give me their address and I'd mail it to them. It didn't go really well for the young lad but it was worth it.

Also I used to hear that when I grew up I could have dessert first. The old dear was certainly right but it's not nearly as much fun as it would have been when I was a kid.

Steve.

Mike B · Jun 16, 2014

Veggies are really pretty good as long as you don't "cook the crap" out of 'em. With exception of stuff like acorn squash they don't need much time. Should be firm "to the tooth"

Veggies cooked to mush taste bad (no flavor) chew bad (like baby food) smell bad and lose the nutrients that you are eating them for in the first place.

I love veggies, have them with every meal. And I'm cooking for me only. Nobody is making me go to the groster and buy all this stuff, I do it myself.

My wife was a classic example. I says to her, let's have spinach. Uugghh, I hate spinach. Really? Why? It's that disgusting grey stuff my mother made me eat.

I later found out that her spinach came out of a can.

Fresh spinach. Easy. Buy bag (or bunch) at store. If bagged, wash once. If bunched 3 times (more sand) Put leaves in big pot cover and medium heat until all wilted down. Fork into bowl, butter and eat. Wonderful.

You do need to wash even if it's the pre-washed bagged stuff. The water that sticks to the leaves is needed or the spinach will burn. Ask me how I know this -

Eat your veggies, they are good for you!

fasteddy · Jun 16, 2014

I am of the very firm opinion that vegetables are what food eats.

You are right about vegetables really and I do eat them but there are some like parsnips and turnips that I couldn't stand being in the same room they were being cooked in. Mom put a cube of turnip about an inch square in a stew once and told my dad I'd never know.
When I got in from work and supper was ready I started to make a sandwich. Of course this got mother going and I told her there was turnip in the stew. The look on dad's face said it all.
Thank goodness time and 50 years of noxious chemical have pretty much killed my sense of smell but I still can't eat those two vegetables.

Spinach is food from the God's. Cooked as you said with butter and a dash of vinegar and salt (personal preference) and make it a large bowl. Any vegetable from a tin is iffy at best.

Steve.

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Eyes too big for my stomach...

silverbear

The Boy Who Never Grew Up

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The Boy Who Never Grew Up

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