It's been more than a month since I last posted to this blog. It would elate me to report that I have squandered the last thirty days on a Hunter Thompsonesque, cross-country bender or that I've been cloistered in the garage constructing an all-wheel-drive twin-turbo V12 VW Dasher. Alas, I have done neither. Truth be known, the last month has been a blur of child-herding, domestic insanity. See, my spouse has been working more, lots more, which leaves me in charge of the home front. Please stop laughing. Needless to say, between slinging huggies for the baby and arranging playdates for the over-involved-eight-year-old, I haven't had a lot of time to tinker in the garage or attend to this blog. Sorry. On the positive side, I bet I could pass a junior-high Home-Economics class without studying.

Oh, hey, here's a picture of my '90 Jetta in some snow. Check out the retro Nordman snow tires. I bought them used, two-years ago for $100 for the whole set and they're still rolling strong.

About this time of year, when the shadows get long and the nights are chill, there can be felt a certain sinister presence in the wood. For this is the season in which the latent spirits of the dead dance in the realm of the living. So beware. . .

. . . of those stone steps hewn from the living rock, for they may no longer lead home and deliberate . . .

. . . long before going down that dark path for the way may be blocked by something more untoward than a fallen tree and. . .

. . . never, ever, tarry where monuments mark the demise of the great beasts that have haunted man's past and above all. . .

. . . do not refuge in the eternal trees for during All Hallow's Eve they are wrought with the most sinister of intentions. . .

. . . heed these warnings and perhaps you may avoid the dark demise awaiting the foolhardy.

Nothing makes me feel as snug as a fresh set of ball joints, control arms and store-bought bushings. This ratrod is shaping up, but the work is far from done. As soon as I get the bread, I'll swap out the springs and struts and finish with a home-cooked alignment. Then, and only then, will I be ready to mount my new set of performance radials. Don't worry about the rusty brake rotors. They'll clean up once the car's back on the road.