Ride!

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Steve Mays

Not much Hattie loves more than going for a ride/walk. She gets in on the passenger side and immediately goes and sits in the driver’s seat. When I open the door she moves over to her side. Every time.

The Mays Boys

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Steve Mays

Visiting my brother for a couple of days. He’s one of the nicest, most interesting people on the planet.

Brunei skyline

Posted on November 18, 2018 by Steve Mays

Brunei, officially the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace, is located on the north coast of the island of borneo in Southeast Asia. (Wikipedia) My sister-in-law, Tonya, shot this brief clip. She and my brother make frequent trips to southeast Asia and spent most of the last 20+ years in Indonesia and Malaysia. My brother make several trips to China each year and returns with wonderful stories. Some interesting facts about Brunei:

Much of Shell oil comes from offshore drilling platforms in Brunei.
The 2015 per-capita GDP in Brunei was US $54,537 — ranking them 10th in the world. The U.S. GDP in 2014 was US $54,629.
Citizens in Brunei receive free education and medical services from the government.
Brunei has one of the highest rates of obesity in Southeast Asia. An estimated 20% of schoolchildren are overweight.
The literacy rate in Brunei is estimated at 92.7% of the population.
Caning is still a method of punishment for crimes in Brunei.
Brunei is just a little smaller than the U.S. state of Delaware.
Brunei has one of the highest car-ownership rates (roughly one car per every two people) in the world.

RP’s 1971 Chevy pickup

Posted on November 11, 2018 by Steve Mays

Life-long friend Richard Peck (RP) with his 1971 Chevy truck. Almost certainly, at some subconscious level, this kindled the flame of my desire of an old truck. For reasons unknown, RP got rid of his truck. Like snipping off a couple of feet of your soul because you don’t need it anymore.

Forty Great Years

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Steve Mays

And we dated for six years before getting married. By my account, we never had a serious argument. (To her credit) If you’re only going to get one thing right in life, finding the right partner is at the top of the list.

Set your map app for “avoid highways”

Posted on October 27, 2018 by Steve Mays

I’ve become acquainted with some really great people thanks to the Land Rover project. A few I’ve met, most I have not but feel like I know them. Charlie has been encouraging me to take some road trips in The Truck.

I took my Rover on a 4 day road trip up north to VT a few weeks ago. Had a blast – put about 400 miles on her and she ran like a top. I use a windshield mounted phone holder (suction cup) and set my iPhone’s Google maps APP to “avoid highways” and see a lot of towns/back country that way. Takes a lot more time but way more fun that trying to keep up with traffic on highways (and a lot more safe). forces you to slow down and actually see things you would otherwise blow past on a highway. This year was my 4th time doing the trip – you meet some great people and I stay at some nice Inns along the way.

That “slow down” thing is big zen mojo for me. Here are a few pics from Charlie’s trip.

New iPhone camera flatters

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Steve Mays

When I look back at photos of my father, they tend to fall into two categories: solemn and goofy. His smiles often looked more like a grimace. The best photos of him are the the serious poses. Like pop, I’ve tended to mug for the camera for most of my adult life. I’m not one of those people who hate having their photo taken and readily concede that every one of them was “me” at that moment.

At 70, the camera shows me an old man that cannot possibly be me. The imaginary me that looks out of these eyes is a young guy. Who is that geezer in the mirror?! But maybe that will pass and the inner me will get comfortable with the guy walking around in this skin. Barb took this photo (with her iPhone X).