At each step of reassembly I kept thinking, Wait, do I DO that step yet? And I'd stop and think about it, and realize that yes, I was in fact ready for that step, and when I kept taking steps I didn't have to stop and go undo something I'd previously done, either.
The only stalling point was when I realized that the bolts I'd bought to connect muffler flange to cat flange were about twice as long as I needed, so I had to undo the nuts I'd started in order to remove them and cut them shorter--and they're the kind that are crimped so they can't rattle loose. Dealing with that part of the thing was literally the most tedious and frustrating part of the reassembly.
I started assembly from the back and worked my way forward, and after checking that everything was hanging right and aligned right, tightened down the muffler clamps.
--I had, by the way, found the two muffler clamps that came with the kit, so I only needed to buy one--
Checked everything over, shoved it around to make sure it wouldn't hit anything, and then--Moment of truth!--started the engine.
It was so quiet I almost wept. I took it for a victory lap; no bumps or clunks from the exhaust system, and other than a slight "sssss" leak from somewhere, it's like new. And I'm not even sure I care where it's coming from, because NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE IS LIKE NIGHT AND DAY.
With the exhaust finished, I changed the oil. Jeep's gone about 7,000 miles since the last oil change, which is not bad at all. Then I changed the oil on Mrs. Fungus' car, which has gone a bit more than 6,000 since its last one. With the oil changed, I attacked her car's fender liner, and got that installed. And so here I sit in solemn joy, having accomplished everything this weekend that I had set before myself, save one chore: cutting the grass.
Hopefully I can cut the grass next weekend.
* * *
SpaceX is planning to send Starship SN-8 to the stratosphere and back, hopefully sometime in the next week. They're intending to test the "bellyflop" maneuver and of course to see how the thing performs with more than one engine (I think they were planning to use three?) and this and that and so on. They will learn almost as much from a success as they will from a failure, and they're really not too concerned about which it is because of that. Naturally they want a success, because losing a test mule is expensive, but the way SpaceX does things is the way the entire aerospace industry used to do it--and it's faster and cheaper (and yields a better product!) than spending ten years on design and simulation before building any hardware.
* * *
I know what he means. I find that I cannot just muscle off oil filters any longer; I need to use tools to remove them. Used to be I'd grab the filter and just exert force until it moved, but now?
Still: I can go outside and spend hours working on cars, and not be totally wrecked the next day. I'm basically healthy; just out of shape. But the older you get the less physical prowess--might and stamina--you have. That's just all there is to it.
* * *
All right, let's address the Democrat attmept to steal the presidency again.
The press declared Biden the winner as soon as Pennsylvania manufactured enough votes for him. Mind you, that's not a function of the press--the press has no actual constitutional role in government--but one they have apparently arrogated to themselves.
Last night, Joe Biden gave a victory speech, as if the elections had been certified in all the states, which they have not, since there's a lot of obvious fuckery going on. I sat through the thing because I figured there was a nontrivial chance that a sniper in the ever-so-deniable employ of the Democrat leadership would put a bullet through the cottage cheese he's using for a brain, thus providing a hugely dramatic example of why we must stop the recounts and certify the elections! For Joe! ...and not incidentally solving an upcoming issue they'll have if the elections are certified as-is.
I was relieved that he did not, in fact, get assassinated. I bet if he went off the rails, though, and started stammering about freeing the country from another four years of George
The celebration to which he spoke was 100% manufactured. The press mentioned that the celebrants were "on call" in case he won. It was a drive-in thing, and the celebrants were all in brand new Jeep Gladiators--red white and blue ones--which have to have been provided for the campaign by someone and which were carefully parked so as not to interfere with camera angles.
The whole idea behind this celebration was to present an image that Biden has won the election. He hasn't, but with the press carefully avoiding the evidence of election fraud the general public likely does not realize that THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER YET. And thus, should Trump somehow surpass decades of tradition wherein the government in general and the GOP in particular lets the Democrats win when they cheat, a lot of people will be wondering: "What? I thought Biden won!" And don't expect the press to explain it to them.
"Now we know why Joe didn't bother campaigning. He knew he didn't have to." Why spend all that money on a campaign when you know the election is fixed?
And, by the way, what happens to Biden's "war chest" when he is forced to retire?
It's not something you hear about, but it's why politicians that go to DC get so f-ing rich: when you are a Congressman, you have a campaign fund that you continually seek donations for. You can't use it for personal reasons unless they coincide with a campaign effort, and the rules for this are very clear-cut and unambiguous. But eventually you retire...and when you do, you can convert that campaign fund into personal wealth.
How about Presidents? Senators? Do you think they don't have the same kind of deal?
That is why Jill Biden would go along with a plan that leaves her maybe twenty minutes of being First Lady before they chuck Joe out of the White House and install Kamala Harris: Joe's war chest becomes their personal wealth...and because Joe is non compus mentus you take just one guess who ends up with his power of attorney and handling all his financial affairs.
Getting a sudden (and likely tax-free) payout of tens of millions of dollars, leaving you set for life and able to live a life of extreme luxury until you croak, and then allowing your kids to live lives of extreme luxury--I don't know anyone who would value personal dignity over that.
* * *
There are a great many statistical problems with this election which, by themselves, ought to be enough to prompt manual recounts.
There is a hell of a lot of fakery going on out there.
Tweetle is blocking posts with this information, so it must be accurate.
* * *
Biden's speech was 100% bullshit, by the way. There was so much bullshit, I had to stop reacting to all of it and only hit the highlights.
Biden asked Trump supporters to give him a chance? My reaction is, "NOT A CHANCE, bub. Because I remember how Democrats treated Trump."
Nope. Biden's not my President. Neither is Harris. Their election is not legitimate; the Democrats cheated on a massive scale.
* * *
The Democrats told us they were going to cheat in this election. Now they are telling us that they will punish anyone who supported Trump.
The most chilling words: "We have a list."
Other lovely quotes: "These people should never ever live another day in peace."
"Twitter screenshots will be ending careers & sealing prison sentences on the right."
"The brainwashed ones need help from govt to intervene"
This is what the left does. Once it gains power, it eliminates enemies. Socialism always demands a mountain of human skulls from its adherents.
* * *
So, with that done, let's lighten up a bit. Here is a raven from Game of Thrones:
That is from today's Oglaf.
* * *
I have, so far, resisted the urge to go back outside and start up the Jeep and revel in the quietness. Heh.