Well - Hello Everyone.  It's been awhile since I've posted - but things have been pretty busy here.  It is currently 12:05 in the morning here, and I just finished typing the newsletter to get sent out in the next couple of days.  I decided to stay up tonight and write about something that came to my mind earlier this evening.

    I was off work today and helped my dad with the propane business.  I picked up the kids a little early and decided to fix supper before the wife got home.  So - I let the kids run around in the garage while I fired up the grill for some burgers.  By the time supper was ready - and Courtney had gotten home - the kids were filthy dirty.

    We sat down and ate supper together.  I decided to go out to the garage and try to work on the new Cockshutt for this coming summer.  She just kind rolled her eyes and never said a word.  I went out at 7:00pm.  I worked for quite ahile.  I ventured back in at 9:30 to wash my hands before putting the vehicles back in the garage.  After washing my hands and asking Courtney if the keys were in her car - she volunteered to go out in the cold and pull the car in her self.  So - I went out too and pulled the truck in.  After coming in, I noticed that the she had given both the kids a bath, got them ready for bed, cleaned up all the dishes and mess from supper, and folded a bunch of laundry.  That's just what I noticed.  In the 2 1/2 hours I spent out in the garage - and mind you only got another 18" of my steering shaft put together - she had done all this, and never once came out and asked for my help.  Above all - she took the time to come out and see what I had accomplished.  Then - she put the kids to bed while I came dowstairs and worked on the newsletter.

    My point is this - Here I've been out working every night - and hardly getting anything done in the house.  I don't even know the last time I put dishes or laundry away.  And she does all this without saying a word.  Folks - we had better be thanking our spouses!!!  We take many hours out of our lives and our family life in order to enjoy a hobby.  We are not in this to make money - or to become famous.  It's something we just have to do.  Nothing beats the smell of exhaust at that first pull in the spring - or the noise of raw horsepower going down the track.  And if my wife did not do the things she does for me and my kids, there is no way I would be able to get take part in the sport I love!  Thank You Courtney!