A little catch up with you guys.

The shop I am working at is a 3rd generation family run shop. Its big and I am in my second week and I am already doing a job that is right up my alley. I am doing an engine swap on a 68 Camaro convertible. I am taking out the 396 and installing an injected 502

Can you find me an LS6 and stick it in my MX-5 Mitch? lol

cool stuff Mitch.

Thanks guys. I edited down the long story this morning but Al reached out to me and I decided to post back the basics of what I originally posted.

Last year I sold the Nova in order to take a dream vacation with my wife of 29 years to Italy, France, England and Scotland. We were planning on going the first part of May. But about mid March I was let go by my employer. I received a severance and they kept my insurance going for an extra month but it made it where plans had to be changed. Fortunately I found a new job in April doing the same thing (managing a water restoration and mold remediation division) so I thought things were going well. I was making the same and had similar benefits so I felt like I had landed on my feet. Since I had just started a new job I didn't have any vacation time to take 2 weeks off and didn't think it was a good idea to be gone that long right after starting a new job.
We had already booked air fare, lodging and rentals and it was too close to get refunds. My wife was able to cancel some stuff but not very much so we changed it up and our son went with her on a shorter trip. The went to England, Scotland and Wales with a brief stop in Iceland and New York City. It was a great mom-son trip and they have lots of good pictures and memories. They didn't go to Italy or France. We hope to try again some day. I will need to get another car to restore and sell...

So even though I didn't get to go I had found a new job in about 3 weeks so I thought we would be okay. My wife isn't working right now because she went back to college a couple of years ago and is studying heathcare administration. She will graduate in May. One thing that she got to do last June is to go to Tanzania Africa for 5 weeks on a work study. It was an amazing trip for her. She got to work in a couple of hospitals and orphanages. She administered vaccines to newborns in the hospital and worked at the orphanages. She also got to see the Serengeti and wild animals in their natural habitat. It was quite a trip. We had never been apart for that long. With her being in a poorer part of Africa we had limited communication. Things were going well when in the beginning of the 5 week she got severely ill. She had gotten a stomach infection and it became very very serious quickly. She was hospitalized and I was so worried and couldn't do anything. She got better enough to travel and they sent her home 3 days early. The rest of the group stayed behind so she had to come home from Africa by herself with all her bags and still very sick.

She was able to get a little better treatment here and she recovered fully. But a few months later she started having pains in her abdomen again. The doctor determined that she had cysts on her Fallopian tubes and or ovaries. They scheduled surgery for mid December.

We thought things were going to be fine and even planned a short cruise for the first of January since I had accrued a week of vacation and since I didn't get to go to Europe with her.

On Monday December 4th my 30 year old son in law had a massive stroke on his way to work. He made it to work and then was taken by ambulance to the hospital. It was very scary. His throat was paralyzed and he could not swallow at all. It affected his left side and he could not stand or walk. He had ruptured an artery in his neck and it clotted and then a clot broke loose when he popped his neck. You know like when you twist your head a little to pop the bones. A freak thing. Our daughter stayed with us because she was scared and didn't like being home without her husband.

On Friday December 8th at the end of the day I was unexpectedly fired from my job. The owner had hired me because he wanted to grow the water damage restoration work but then decided he didn't want to invest anymore in growing that segment. He never even hinted that he had changed his mind. I was given no severance, they cut my insurance that day and didn't pay me my accumulated vacation. They are even fighting my unemployment benefits. He turned out to be a real tool...

Without insurance we had to postpone my wife's needed operation. Fortunately the pains had subsided and she was going to be able to wait until February when the surgery was rescheduled after we got supplemental insurance.

My son in law was in I C U for 2 weeks and ended up being in the hospital for 3 and a half weeks. Fortunately his employer held his job and even paid him while he was out. Super great employer. He started physical therapy and recovered his balance so he ended up being unable to work for about 6 weeks. He was able to go back to work but still has headaches but they are improving. He doing better every day.

In the mean time I was out and had a nonrefundable cruise already paid for. We decided to to go ahead and go on the cruise because we had already paid for it and it would give a week of meals. I had applied for several jobs and I figured when we got back I would have and offer or two and my unemployment would be starting up. But nothing like being unemployed and on a cruise... I ended up being off work for 3 months. No unemployment and not very much in the way of reserves. We have some great friend in our congregation and they helped along with some of our family. We got our tax returns and my wife has student loans and there was a surplus we got to keep. That has kept us barely afloat, and to say it has been humbling, stressful and depressing is an understatement.

My wife had her surgery in February and unfortunately they had to remove both Fallopian tubes but not the ovaries and no cancer. She has recovered and is doing great.

On the job hunt I widened the net and decided that going back to the automotive field might be good for me even though I have been out professionally for about 20 years. I stated taking my ASE tests to get some certifications because I thought that my show prospective employers I was serious. I finally got a job offer a couple of weeks ago and started my new job last week. I have passed three and am certified now. I just need to pass 5 more to be a Master Tech and I am going to go ahead and do that.

I am glad I made the switch. Restoration is emergency work and I was on call 24-7 365 days a year. I could never be without my phone and let me tell you after 10 years I was tired of it. I am under a lot less stress and the money is close. I have good hours now, 8 to 4:30 Mon thru Fri with no evenings or weekends. I used to get home between 6 and 7 now I get home around 5. My wife had to do an internship to graduate and unfortunately she has not been able to find one that meets the college's criteria and still pays. She has only found a non-paying one so I am still the only bread winner so far but I hope that changes this summer.

It has been a crappy year but all in all, my wife is feeling much better and is in good health, I am in good health. My daughter and son in law are doing well. And my son is in good health. So life is tough sometimes and I really don't have much I can really complain about. Anyway thanks for letting me vent.

You've certainly had a year to forget Mitch but you know, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger.

Getting it written down will also help as it did I when I wrote here when my wife Justine died last October.

Chin up geezer, things will improve. (and already are by the sounds of it)

Skid wrote:You've certainly had a year to forget Mitch but you know, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger.

Getting it written down will also help as it did me when I wrote here when my wife Justine died last October.

Chin up geezer, things will improve. (and already are by the sounds of it)

That was a bit of a roller coaster ride.

You're pulling the devil by the tail now though Mitch.

dublin boy wrote:Can you find me an LS6 and stick it in my MX-5 Mitch? lol

You get it over here to Kentucky Shay and I will get you an LS6 shoehorned in there..

Holly crap Mitch, what a year. Sorry to hear of the struggles, best of luck with the new job and life direction. Thing sound like they are on the up swing, good luck.

Damn. Things have to go up from there. A joyous, healthy, and prosperous life to you and yours.

I thought I had a bad year, but it pales in comparison to yours. The worst is behind you, so it can only get better from here.

Wow, just wow.

Speed Racer 65 wrote:

dublin boy wrote:Can you find me an LS6 and stick it in my MX-5 Mitch? lol

You get it over here to Kentucky Shay and I will get you an LS6 shoehorned in there..

I brought the Mazda down to the Post Office today Mitch, but nobody could find a big enough cardboard box!

dublin boy wrote:

Speed Racer 65 wrote:

dublin boy wrote:Can you find me an LS6 and stick it in my MX-5 Mitch? lol

You get it over here to Kentucky Shay and I will get you an LS6 shoehorned in there..

I brought the Mazda down to the Post Office today Mitch, but nobody could find a big enough cardboard box!

I guess you will have to ship it over in pieces...

How much do you think it would cost with a second hand engine and manual gearbox plus brakes and suspension etc Mitch, just as a matter of interest.