2012 Holiday Blog

[Jason Edge]

I'm sitting here waiting to leave work and thought I would post a  note to just say hello and wish everyone a pre Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Years wish.  If you want to share your Holiday Plans or perhaps Holiday Cadillac Projects, feel free to jump in and share with everyone.

I've started my holiday season out on a sad note having to put one of our 6 cats down yesterday due to cancer (Click Here for pictures of my Mr Flash), but am now looking forward to some fun and relaxation during the next few days.  Me and my wife Cheryl decided a week or so ago to just grab pooch (my Miss Lucky) and head down to the beach for Christmas. We will be at Atlantic Beach from Dec 23 to 25th at a quaint hotel and villas she found.   Cheryl and I  just took off for the beach a few years back and had a blast taking a break from family holiday tradition, and just traveling the back roads and taking in the Christmas lights at our own pace. We thought with this would be a good year to it again since we didn't have any plans with her family or mine. We love our families but sometimes spending time with just the "immediate family" can be just as rewarding!...or more! 

Around the garage I've been working on the valve covers to go back on my 64 CDV and starting to look at repainting the metal interior pieces ...at least a few scratched pieces.  I had posted pics of the valve covers and now debating if I want to clear coat with the Rustoleum Clear Engine Paint. I'm well past the sweet spot to top coat so need to probably wait a few days to top coat with clear.  My "make sure it doesn't wrinkle" rule of thumb is 7 days and not the 1 to 2 days most paint can instructions say to wait to top coat if not top coated within the hour...but I've seen it still wrinkle if painted 1 to 2 days after the base coat.  I've also cleaned the valve cover bolts and washers, and primed and top coated and baked in the kitchen oven to cure, and could install the valve covers now, unless again I decide to top coat.

On the interior I noticed that the metal dash pieces that are scratched are all pieces that unbolt from the core dash (i.e. lower instrument panel cover, upper inst cover over the column and dash try door, glove box door, right side ash tray door,) and other items I can remove such as the upper door panel covers, seat trim, and steering column. If the bahama sand interior paint I bought some time back matches the core dash close enough I can just unbolt and take to local paint shop.  Before I start unbolting things I am going to run the car down to paint shop and let my guy see what he things. If I have to bite the bullet and remove the entire metal dash I am of course up to it and it would actually probably be a good time to also go through the Comfort Control system.

Last year I put a lot of pressure on myself to go through the engine rebuild and engine bay clean-up process and now with the 2013 GN in Boston just 8 months away will start pushing to make more progress.   Speaking of the Boston GN I would love to see as many of our Chapter Members at the event. I'm a self-professed GN Junkie and plan to make all that I can weather I have to drive the 64 Caddy, the Escalade or hitch a ride on a Grey Hound Bus. 

I was also recently elected VP of our Eastern NC CLC Region and look forward to help move our local club forward. We have our next region meet-up on Jan 10 and really looking forward to a great year.  I've also recently joined the  Carolina NC CLC Region (based in the west part of the state) and will also be participating with meet-ups, and other club affairs with them. We have our next Carolina Region meetup on Jan 12 in Statesville NC, and will probably just drive the Escalade this time.  We have a very scenic state with the outer banks on one end and the Blue Ridge Mountains on the other, and that's definitely a perk of belonging to the both the Eastern and Western Based CLC Regions!...although it is a long drive out to the Western Region meet-ups ...bu well worth it! 

As always, if you have not joined the Cadillac LaSalle Club, and our chapter and a local region, be sure to join and participate by going to region meets, attending CLC Grand Nationals, and participating with the 63/64 Chapter here on the Chapter hosted 63/64 Cadillac hosted website.

Well, that was a good little ramble but wanted to just wish everyone a Merry Christmas and chat a bit about some of my goings-on. If you have Cadillac related or other Holiday Plans let us know what you will be up to.  Jason.  

[Jason Edge]

Beautiful pictures!  Nothing like a White Christmas.

When you copy and past a picture in a message reply you can double click the picture and it should bring up an edit button in lower left of picture. You can then resize the width, etc. I usually resize to about 750 wide or less for message board replies.

[David Thomas]

LOL....Indeed, home it will be! Sorry the pics are so distorted, I need to learn what size fits best on this site, obviously not this size.

[David Thomas]

We had a pretty big snow for our area yesterday afternoon and through the night. I measured 17" out in the driveway, earlier today. Chuckle....I'll most likely be home until the thaw. David

[Jason Edge]

ps...I think this was my favorite picture from this morning:

[Jason Edge]

Thanks David, We are having a nice quite time at the beach. You can check out the tranquility on the coast in this short video clip:

 

I've loaded some pictures from daybreak this morning at this link: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151382188450883.543984....

Would love to see what some of you guys did for Christmas. I saw an early 70's Cadillac (I think) in the corner of my eye about 20 miles from the beach and hope to stop by and see it on the way back. 

[David Thomas]

Jason, sorry you lost one of your pets, Mr Flash. Through the years Deb and I have had to do the same with a cat and a dog, it is never easy.

Enjoy your vacation. Merry Christmas.

David

 

[Jason Edge]

You can see some of the sunset pictures with my new Canon Rebel T4i at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151380432780883.543727....

and some sunrise pictures this morning at:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151380944790883.543798....

 

For any of you on Facebook be sure and Friend me.... and Like our 63/64 Cadillac Facebook page.  Here's one of the favorite sunrise pictures in link from above:

[Jason Edge]

We are settled into our room right on the ocean, and have to say Atlantic Beach is really cool in that since it is a South facing beach on our crystal coast, we get to see both sun rise and sun set over the ocean. Here is a picture as sun was setting of me and Lucky:

 

[Jason Edge]

Thanks Tony, Don and Robert. Our cats range in age from about 5 to 18 years old and Flash at 13 was the 2nd oldest and the first to lose like this.  Cheryl took him to vet and held him while they put him to sleep and thankfully our niece showed up to go with her and I could stay at home and  tear into some front suspension parts and not think about it. On stuff like this I'm a big tender heart. I watched my dad taken off life support in 2005,  and don't want to watch any planned death, human or animal, ever again.

The good news is that me and Cheryl are about to head out for Atlantic Beach with our yorkie "Miss Lucky" for a quite, different kinda Christmas at the beach!   I hope everyone has a great Christmas. I will have limited email and website access but will try to jump online as I can.  Jason.

[Robert Alan Shannon]

My sincere condolences to you Jason and Cheryl on losing your Mr Flash.Looks like you gave him a good life.My wife and I also have no children,but have many (too many) cats.We've lost many;6 this year alone and each time it's hard.Love em while U got em.