Just wanted to have a proud papa moment and share it with y'all.

My daughter Carolyn is comming up on her 14th birthday on Tuesday and the itch to drive has already set in (argh..only a year to go before she gets a learners permit)

Here'* 12 years ago... "righty-tighty, lefty-loosey"



Today, as prep work for owning/operating a car, she got to do a bunch of maintenance tasks on the the '90 Bonneville and my '94 Camaro. We did oil and filter changes, along with cleaning out the air filters, topping off the radiators and power steering fluids.

She managed all of the tasks reasonably well. Even got the oil pan plugs and filters off without my help (funny feeling, just leaning on the fender while someone else did the work..kinda like going to the SEBF meet )

There were some hilarious flub-ups. While shuffling the cars around in the driveway and yard she managed to stuff the nose of the Bonneville into a pile of woodchips. Then proceeded to pull the Camaro up the ramps...and right over the ends ("Crunch") No serious harm done, no damage to the Bonneville and only a busted tab on the bottom of the Camaro'* fender, which needs bodywork anyways.

I hate even thinking about that. I almost had my girlfriend drive up the ramps herself when I was changing her oil, but at the last second, I decided I should do it

Well, the way I see it, they gotta learn sometime...even if it means a little sheetmetal damage in the process. I knew it was going to happen when I heard her gun the throttle partway up the ramp...it was all I could do to keep a straight face as I saw the wheels go over the end. Then it was "nice shot ace...now, lets get these ramps out from under the car and try that again"

I do miss living on the farm back in PA...there I could just toss her the keys to the tractor and let her go play in a field till she got the hang of it.

I love that picture! I had my friend'* daughter pull her '89 bonneville up the ramps some years back...she did the same thing. Once I got the ramps out, she didn't want to try a second time

I got in beaucoup trouble over that picture...check out the duds she is wearing (dressed to go to a Christmas concert at church..perfect attire for spinning wrenches on a TPI motor )

It'* what makes it such a great picture. Besides the cuteness of her wrenching on that engine at her age, but toss in that outfit, and you know that there is quite a story behind it.