'Dr. Franken-Loyd' just KEEPS striking BACK!!

 

Once AGAIN-- yet another post-- with even MORE proof of my LIFE-long love-affair with (multiple-versions of) the Caped-Crusader's ride! --AND-- once AGAIN--the 'mad-scientist' in the 'ol Loydster has come out to PLAY! This time around, I've been tackling some LONG-delayed updates and mods to a few of my already HEAVILY-customized / completely original 'Bat-ride' models and toys! Keep on 'scrollin-and-readin' to see JUST which ones!

Things here at 'Ferrell Central' / 'The Cozy-Cottage', have been CRAZY-busy and just outright HECTIC lately! Lots of fix-ups and 'home-improvements' have been going on, around our property! Most of the 'hammer-swingin' and paint-brush-slingin', is being carried-out by just my lovely (AND hard-working!) wifey, Debbie and myself! So--- it's been BOTH a kind-of-exciting... yet also EXHAUSTING-- time!

Yet... somehow, and someway--- the 'ol Loydster has managed to carve-out some chunks of time here and there--- to do some MUCH-needed (not to mention MUCH-delayed-- these things have been in storage for nearly 4 YEARS, remember?) updates and mods to selected models and toys in the collection of 'miniature-Bat-rides'!

Before our move from our previous home, I'd planned on gradually doing some 'spiffying-up' on some of my collection, but the move (and piling up all of the 'Loydster-geeky-stuff' into storage!) forced that to be put on hold! Now that it's been a few months since the return of the 'Man-Cave', and I've been able to display all these things once again--- I've been diving into the 'updates-&-mods' projects with GUSTO!

I did kind-of 'ease in' to this whole effort, with a simple 'updated' paint job-- on one of the long-time (fully custom) members of my 'mini-Bat-ride' family. Still, I'm pretty proud of how even IT turned out! As ALWAYS here at the Bloggy-woggy-thingy-thang-a-ma-rang... I'll now cease with all the introductory jibber-jabber, and save most of the 'GEEK-TASTIC' commentary for the pics down below! On with the 'BOMBASTIC-BAT-RIDE-MODEL-BEAUTY-SHOTS'!! (Said in my best 'Adam West'-voice!)---

Ah yes! My completely original custom model of the early '40s Batmobile! I thrashed this one out-- probably well OVER 20 years ago! Based on a snap-together kit I'd snagged at Wally-World way-back-when. The original model seemed to be based on an already heavily-customized '40 Lincoln Zephyr. (That's the car a lot of Bat-fans say the early-40s Batmobile was based on!) This pic was snapped maybe a  year or two after I'd finished it.

The original paint I'd used was still in good shape, but I'd long been kicking around the idea of adding on the red-stripes, (like the comics-version!) and a bit of detailing-- to push it into the 'authentic-'40s-Bat-ride' zone! So... out came the masking tape, acrylic paints, and paint brushes!---

The 'first try', after I'd (VERY carefully!) added on the ('satin-finish') lower body-stripes to the car (as well as a red 'emergency-beacon', mounted to the 'Bat-Fin'-- donated from a bag of left-over 'Lego' parts, natch!). Cool enough! But... it was STILL  missing a little something! I dug around through my collection of 'Bat-classic-comic' reprints and (numerous!) images of the car, and soon enough discovered just what that 'something' was!--

'BAM"!! Yes! The stripe along the 'belt-line' was the 'vital-missing-ingredient' in the recipe, to making this a now just DARN-NIFTY model! The additional bit of 'detailing' around the 'hood-side' exhaust-pipes, also helped it become an 'authentic'-looking 'Bat-vehicle'!

The above-mentioned Masking-tape helped me get those stripes 'straight-and-true'! And, for those who are wondering-- yes, that is INDEED one of the fins--donated- from an old busted-up toy-version of the '89 movie-Batmobile... (More on THAT one later!) super-glued into place on this custom-- 20-plus-years-ago!

Another LONG-time member of the 'full-custom-Bat-ride' collection! This was originally a 'Dollar-Store' toy I snagged (and saw a Batmobile-possibility in!)--- close to 30  YEARS ago! The pic on the left, is how it looked not long after I first customized it. Simple black primer and a few spots of 'bright blue' acrylic paint here and there! The 'Bat-fins' are actually made from cut-up sections of a hood from an old T-bird model kit!
 The pic on the right, is my (kinda GOOFY, I'll admit!) attempt to update the paint-job, a few years back! (In fact, if you 'scroll back' far enough, you'll see I've actually shown this model here on the blog before!) I broke out the sand paper and partially disassembled this one! I wanted to REALLY improve it THIS time out!

And-- HERE is the finished project! Some left-over Wally-world 'gloss-black' spray paint, additional 'swoopy-zoopy' 'Bat-panels' (cut from sheets of clear plastic, of COURSE!) mounted above the wheel openings, a bit of CAREFULLY-done pin-striping in just the RIGHT spots-- and... BAM!--Once AGAIN!! I'm thinking THIS Batmobile's looking a little DANGEROUS (in a COOL way, I mean!)! Oh, the wheels (complete with the center 'Bat-discs' already mounted-up!) were donated from another of the 'project-cars', that you'll see shortly-- IF you just keep on reading and scrolling on down, that is!

With it's 'Can-Am' racer-style body and 'bubble-canopy', this car looks like it's almost 'moving-fast-while-standing still', right??!?

Bad guys BEWARE! Batman's got himself a ZOOPY-Bat-ride, and he's ready to chase down ALL evil-doers... at a HIGH-rate of SPEED!

The next little number that I decided needed some tinkering, mainly needed an update-- or an upgrade actually-- in it's tires and wheels! Check out the pic below (which I've also popped-up here before on the 'ol bloggy-woggy-do-da!), and I think you'll agree.... that the 'rollers' definitely lacked the 'punch' that a car like the Batmobile NEEDS!--

This 'what if' / 'alternate universe' version of 'Ol Batsy's ride, is based on an already pretty wild-custom '53 Corvette model kit. My idea was-- 'what if Batman had based the early '60s (comic book) Batmobile on an existing factory-built car?-- like, say: an early 'Vette?
I looked through a LOT of my old Corvette mags and books, at images of the early 'Vette racers and prototypes for ideas-- before I dived into all the original mods and custom-Bat-touches. Also, I customized a little 'military-man' figure into a Batman, for placing behind the (cut down into a 'u'--like the TV series ride, of COURSE!) steering wheel!

A number of years later, I dug up some original '53 'Vette tires to pop onto the kit-- to replace the ones that came with it-- they were EXTREMELY wide, and looked a little 'out of place' on a car that was supposed to have been built in the early '60s! I retained the NEAT 5-spoke mags though, with the teeny-tiny center 'Bat-discs' I'd already mounted up to them in the original build.
The downside to the 'tire-swap'? Well, look at the pic again!-- the wheels & tires were just TOO skinny! They looked like wild-west-WAGON-wheels!!

           

So--- off I went, DEEP into a quest on E-bay-- for what I hoped would be the solution to the WAY-too-SKINNY-tires problem! This whole 'wheel-and-tire-swap' thing, would end up taking a MUCH bigger CHUNK of time than I hoped it would!----                      

This is the first set of tires & rims I ordered off of E-bay. A VERY cool set of 5-spokes with 'red-line' tires. Not 'til they arrived in the mail, and I sized them up alongside the car....did I realize--- they were the WRONG scale! The custom 'what if' Bat-ride is-- unfortunately -- 1/24 SCALE! Duh, Loydster!!

Back into 'deep-quest-mode' I went! Fortunately, after a good amount of 'searchin-&-scrollin'---I stumbled across the EXACTLY-right business! In fact, I'm gonna come to a pause here, and give these folks a special 'shout-out'!!---

                                         

THIS is the E-bay seller (they also have a VERY neat-o-nifty website!) that SAVED the 'ol Loydster's SANITY! Name the tire and wheel combination, (even the kinda odd-ball & weird!) and they probably HAVE it! Better STILL--- the prices are VERY reasonable too! Jay's will be my 'go-to' source, whenever I tackle any kind of model kit-wheel-&-tire swapping or updating in the future!

Anyhoo-doody--- after ANOTHER few days of waiting on the proverbial 'pins & needles' for the NEXT  'miniature wheel and tire' package to arrive--- the 'moment of truth' FINALLY came!--

'Jay's Resin Wheels' really knocked out a 'home run' with THESE little numbers! the scale was EXACTLY right, and the detail on BOTH tires and rims is AMAZING! Unlike in the above pic (which I shamelessly cribbed from their site!), the wheels and tires come completely unpainted. Painting both was pretty easy & straight forward though. Two light coats of acrylic was all they needed! I did sand-off the 'raised lettering' on each tire though-- for that 'Authentic-'60s-era' plain black look for the tires!

 

Just check out the pics below to see the results! I painted the wheel-spokes 'gun-metal', and the rim-edges silver. Another set of tiny photo-copied 'Bat-discs' for the center of each of the mags, added the finishing touch! As mentioned above, the original 5-spoke wheels from this kit, ended up being swapped over to the 'Can-Am' style custom Batmobile shown previous to this one.----

Outside of touching-up the paint on the body a tiny bit here and there, and painting the side-pipes with the aforementioned 'gun-metal' metallic--- everything else on the 'what-if' Bat-ride remains the same! Hey, why MESS with something that originally turned out as NIFTY as this car did?!? (Can you tell I'm pretty proud of myself here?)
 

Thanks once AGAIN to 'Jay's Resin Wheels'! The size and fit on these wheels and tires is pretty much Perfect! Now, this car REALLY does look like it just ZOOMED out of a comic book from around 1964!

The next-- and last (for NOW, anyway!) 're-do' / update project, was yet ANOTHER long-time part of the collection. Also like the others, it's one I've shown you before! In fact, the pic below is the SAME one I've previously popped-up here!---

This 'semi-custom' Batmobile, started out as a messed-up / busted-up electronic kid's toy-- that was 'sort of' based on the '89 movie car. Some of it's proportions were a bit off-- so it's kind of like a close 'cousin' to the REAL car! So I first customized it with the idea that it could be a 'hybrid / alternate universe' version of the '89 ride... or maybe an updated version that 'Ol Batsy (with Alfred's help, of course!) built after 'Batman Returns'!

 The rear fins were actually fashioned from parts of an old mid-90s Batman action figure accessory!
One of it's original fins, I utilized for the Custom '40s Bat-ride you just gawked at up above!-- the other one was mangled-up when I originally snagged the toy. Hence-- the OTHER need for it to be customized-- as it was above!
It pretty much remained in this state of customization for over 20-odd years.

At any rate, after a couple of decades-PLUS---it was practically SCREAMING for some updates and just general 'freshening-up'. So--- with a can of 'midnight blue' semi-gloss paint, and a NEAT-O idea for jazzing-up it's wheels--- I dived into good 'ol 'Mad Scientist' mode!---

I'm REALLY happy with how this one turned out! The 'midnight blue' paint really 'pops', those customized fins STILL look pretty WICKED, and--- the 'gun-metal' paint for the detail-areas around the body (as well as the outer-rims on the wheels!) make it look ready-and-able to go chase-down Gotham City bad guys!

I'll bet the Joker does NOT want to see this BEAST in his rear-view mirror!

That idea I had for the wheels? The 'Bat-symbols' at the center, STAY stationary when the wheels turn! (JUST like the 'Batman Forever' car!) It was SUPER-simple / easy-peasy to do! I simply super-glued the symbols to the flat-topped 'pins' that held the wheels to the chassis of the car. The pins had heads that were nearly 1/4 of an inch wide, so it was NO problem for the glue to hold, while not interfering with the free turning of each wheel!

It just so happened, I had an extra little 4-inch Batman figure to place alongside the car, when it went back on display with the rest of the collection! The Caped Crusader looks ready to jump into the cockpit-- and CHARGE into ACTION and DANGER! 'To the BATMOBILE, Robin!'

Before I sign-off on this here post-- I just thought I'd share some 'Loydster-statistics' with you-- my faithful-few readers! Just for some GOOF-BALL grins-&-giggles, I recently took count of the 'Bat-vehicles' in my collection. In fact, instead of rattling all of that stuff off in boring old type... I'll just pop up pics of the actual half-an-index card that I scribbled it all down on!!---

The numbers tell the story folks! The Loydster just keeps on LOVING the Caped Crusader's set of wheels! AND-- some of his other vehicles too!

There are STILL one or two other vehicles in the miniature-Bat-ride collection, that I'm definitely going to be 're-vamping' / refreshing / sprucing-up! Of course, I'll most likely be posting updates right here on the bloggy-ma-thang-a-rang... as those 'mad-scientist' projects are finished-up! Take that as a promise, or threat-- your choice!

Meanwhile--- 'til NEXT time--stay SAFE, SANE and HAPPY everybody!

A lifetime of STOOGE-watching!

An appropriate image, if I've EVER seen one! The choices for watching the original 'Knuckleheads' (Moe, Larry and Curly, natch!) and their  ALWAYS funny shorts / episodes, are almost TOO many to keep track of! Coming from ALL kinds of different directions and sources! Keep scrollin' & readin', to see just how much time & effort I've put into saving copies of those shorts over the years!

 Ok, so this post is ABSOLUTELY going to prove what an 'old TOOT' (a term coined WAY-back--by my mom, of course!) that I am! Mostly... because I'm gonna kick it off by saying how AMAZING technology has become in recent years!

If you've been following along with me any length of time here on the 'ol bloggy-woggy-thingy-thang, you'll know that the 3 Stooges were (some of) my absolute HEROES growing up! (Heck, they STILL are!) The story in THIS post, is just how MANY ways (not to mention how MANY years!) I've been chugging-along at trying to SAVE (and RE-WATCH, many, MANY times over!) the adventures of these MASTERS of the art of slapstick!

Never could I, as the wee-lad-Loydster-- around the age of 8 or 9-- have imagined having access to practically EVERY 3 Stooges short... ANY time of day (OR night!)! AND the numerous ways / choices in HOW to watch them all! Back then, I simply looked forward to my time spent with them--- weekday afternoons around 3 o'clock (after school).

In those days, ANY show that you watched on a regular basis, was 'appointment TV'! meaning, if you wanted to watch a favorite show.... you had to be parked in front of the 'ol 'boob-tube' at EXACTLY the time it was scheduled to come on! This was before ANY sort of recording devices were available to the public. So, if you missed your show--- well... you just MISSED it!

Of course, the 'Stooges were NO different than ANY of the other programs I parked my little grade-school-aged-booty in front of every weekday--- in that the episodes were shown OVER and OVER again! So--- if I missed an installment, a few weeks down the line... I could count on it turning up again! Still, it WAS a bit of a hassle keeping up with my 'Knuckleheaded'-buddies!

The household item my pops sometimes referred to as 'the ONE-EYED monster'! Many weekday afternoon-hours were spent by the teeny-Loydster, parked in front of one VERY much like this example!

Fast-forward to my late-teen years, when some of my more 'well-off' friends' moms and dads  started getting another sort of WILD gadget in their living rooms---usually it was parked on top of their TV sets!---

Ah yes! The EARLY 80s version of the VHS player / recorder! Something that pretty much BLEW the then 19 - 20 year-old Loydster's mind! Just to think ---I could watch 'Stooge-shorts (and other COOL movies and stuff!) OVER AND over-- on something called 'video-tape'! It just twisted my BRAIN into a pretzel!

Yes... it would be another handful of years, (the mid-80s -- when they FINALLY went down a bit in price, so average joe-blows could actually AFFORD them! They STILL weren't exactly cheap!) before my folks actually snagged one of the last 'top-loader' types of VCRs, but man-o-man! I became a VCR-video-recording-FIEND! (Even MORE so, after mom and pops eventually bought one of the later 'front-loading' tape machines!)

By then, the 'Stooges were being shown around midnight, and only on weekends. So, I'd stay up 'til the wee-hours-- recording what shorts I could. Several VHS-tapes were filled-up with not ONLY the 'Stooges, but LOADS of movies, favorite TV shows, and OF COURSE-- Looney Tunes! I still had MANY of those tapes-- even after the wife and I got hitched, MANY years later!

Skip a few more years ahead, to the early and mid-90s. VCRs by then were a LOT more streamlined, simple to use, and a TON of material was available on tape for 'collector-types' like yours truly! Sadly--- there weren't any 'complete' collections of 'Stooge shorts that I remember ---though there WERE a few 'best of' / 'mish-mash' / odd-ball collections around, like THIS--- 

The Knuckleheads on home video! NO 'complete' collections of their shorts were around, back in the 80s OR early 90s! (At least that I knew of!) But--- there were plenty of 'random' / 'mixed-bag' collections around---like the example above!

So--- I was STILL recording stuff from both late-night local 'Stooge-programs, as well as cable channels. It took AGES, but I eventually collected / recorded-- EVERY short featuring 'Curly' Howard! Now THAT'S dedicated-stooge-fandom for you!

You can PICK your nose, you can even PICK the noses of your friends! BUT-- in the 8os and 90s-- the ONLY way to 'PICK' - up the adventures of my HEROES, the 'Stooges-- was to relentlessly RECORD late-night showings of their shorts-- mostly on weekends! It was though, TRULY a labor of love for this LIFE-LONG 'Knuckleheads' fanatic!

Not that I disliked Shemp Howard---some of his early appearances, after he took Curly's place -- are indeed VERY funny! BUT-- Curly was ALWAYS my all-time-FAVORITE '3rd stooge', PERIOD! (STILL is!) The team just was NOT quite as gut-bustingly-funny, after his departure! (Just this fan's opinion!)

So, it was ALL 'the Curly shorts' (plus a handful of the 'early Shemps') that I went after, in trying to build-up my 'Stooge-video-library'! The 8 VHS tapes That I eventually compiled, were my 'go-to' source for repeated 'Stooge-entertainment' for QUITE a few years.

Eventually, the old VHS tapes began to gradually wear-out--- from not ONLY the passage of time.... but ALL of those MANY repeat-viewings! Then came the WONDER that was the arrival of the Digital Video Disc! 

Again, it took another handful of years-- but I eventually was able to snag & add THESE little numbers to the 'Loydster-video-library', to replace those nearly worn-out old video cassettes! (-- Not ONLY the 'Stooges tapes-- but LOTS of my favorite movies, and of COURSE-- hundreds of hours of Looney Tunes cartoon-collections, are STILL being gradually 'changed over' to DVDs! It's a SLOW, on-going project!)---

FINALLY! there was a source / media-type, that offered the opportunity to watch PRISTINE-copies of ALL of the Boys' CLASSIC shorts! It took a a bit of time & patience-- but eventually, DVD-sets of EVERY 'Curly-episode' were at LAST on a shelf in my house! BUT-- that didn't end up being the ONLY way I've watched the 'masters of mayhem' since then!
That doesn't mean these discs are going anywhere though! Nope-- these collections are staying with me--- for however long I stay around and kicking!

Which brings us back around to the present day and time, folks-- and ALL those 'viewing-choices' I referred to up above! Now, there's numerous ways a 'Stooge-fan can get their 'Knucklehead-fix'! Streaming-video platforms are about the most convenient. 

YouTube is the one that's my 'go-to' source, here at 'Ferrell-Central'. As also stated above-- ANY time, day OR night-- I can plop down in my old faithful easy-chair, pull-up the YouTube 'Stooge-channel on my Roku device---and let those AGELESS, always FUNNY shorts put a BRIGHT-spot into my life... for 17 to 20 minutes at least!

Oh, there's 'smart-phone' aps and other 'digital-down-load' sources I could be utilizing too, for my 'Stooge-watching'.... but, right now-- YouTube is the easiest and most 'user-friendly'! Especially for an 'over-the-hill-type' like ME! I'll also occasionally pop in one of the DVDs, when I want to watch the boys 'commercial-free'! (One of YouTube's down-sides!)

I just know, that no matter HOW I've managed to watch them over the years.... these SPECIAL funny-folks have ALWAYS brought me a LOT of happiness and PLENTY of belly-laughs-- in ALL the ups, downs, and other CRAZY times in my life! That's one thing that will NEVER change!

This post is dedicated to both of the Arnold brothers, Tim and Jeff! We spent countless hours watching (AND belly-laughing at, of COURSE!) the Stooges together! 

3 Stooges (AND cartoons too!) lovers and fellow GEEK-A-ZOIDS! Circa 1987-or-so! Tim, Jeff, and (a MUCH-YOUNGER) Loyd! (AND-- yes, I know I've put up this old pic once before! But.... SO WHAT!? It's ALWAYS been one of my FAVORITES of the 3 of us!)

When I watch the classic Stooge-shorts even now, I STILL think of you two! You guys are TRULY my BROTHERS! Then, now, and ALWAYS! Love you BOTH!

Some updates on the 'Man-Cave-Annex'!

 

Once again, let us venture into the 'Second-Secret-Sanctum' of the Loydster! MORE stuff's been added!

This is one RARE occasion, folks! Both--- that I'm actually OFF of work in the MIDDLE of a work-week (you can thank Oklahoma's ODD-BALL / ULTRA-cold-FREEZING-winter-weather for THAT!! The wife and I are 'sheltering-in-place', 'til most of this BRUTAL-cold-spell is past!!)-- AND-- that I'm popping up yet ANOTHER post in the SAME month as the previous one!

BUT-- I've been pretty active, these past few days especially-- in putting up additional items out in the 'Annex' section of our little 12x20 storage building! As well as getting all (or at least MOST) of my tools and 'necessary stuff' moved in there too! 

I know I put up a shot of some of the stuff I planned on 'finding a home for' last time--- but, I figured-- why NOT just SHOW you-- the 'faithful few' readers out there-- the places / spots where those 'just-TOO-COOL-to-leave-in-a-BOX' items wound-up!

So--- without any more chitter-chattering from yours truly--- here's some updated images of what's been happening out there!!--(along with the REQUIRED 'Loydster-comments', of COURSE!)---

Another 'over-all' pic of the lay-out of the 'Auxiliary-Crime-Fighting-Headquarters'! It's REALLY starting to look like not ONLY an 'extra-GEEK-out-zone', but a useful 'SHOP-type area' as well! At least I'm feeling like it is!

Just like before-- I searched through some of the goodies that've LONG been in storage, to find NIFTY items to frame and hang in various spots! The '78 Supes' movie trading cards are some extras / 'doubles',(yes indeed-- I have BOTH of the sets that came out back then, stashed elsewhere!) that I stumbled across and figured-- 'Hey... these two would look REALLY neat-o in a frame! A 'Wally-World' 2-buck frame was PERFECT for the job!

An additional couple of framed items, as well as the small collection of model aircraft in my possession,(what you see here is IT-- eight planes! But, they ARE very COOL 'war-planes' INDEED!) are now on display near and above the large 'swing-out' door!

The 'swing-out' door-- now sporting a couple of 'just-TOO-DARNED-COOL-to-leave-in-storage' images of 'Supes and 'Bats, as well as an old 'cut-out' of the '40s Bat-ride I created well OVER 10-plus-years ago! (Again, just something that NEEDED to be displayed--SOMEWHERE!)

As is usually the case, my photography is NOT so great! But-- if you SQUINT just right-- you'll see that a framed Elvis trading card (that's it on the far lower-right!), a 'Hot Rod' image, AND the 3 stooges,(lower middle!) have joined the other framed items and signs near my supply-shelf and tool-box! You can also see (though just BARELY!) the 'Hot Wheels' metal sign to the far upper left, lurking near Captain Marvel's head!)

By the way, the framed 'Danger: no entry' sign, is something that I've had since just before HIGH SCHOOL! That would be nearly 45 years ago, folks!

FINALLY, after a number of years being scattered around various places in our previous shed--- what remains of my old tool-box is at least now sitting on SHELVES-- and ALL of it in ONE location! Another trip to 'Wally-World', yielded the plastic 'garage / storage' shelf-set-- that I customized, of COURSE! (I cut down the 'tubes' between each shelf, for 'tighter' fitting-spots for the tool-box drawers to sit on!)

Before placing it in the new shed, I also re-painted my old supplies-&-paint shelf! This was a BLACK paint-job, over 'factory-original' YELLOW paint! 'WHEW'!! 4 1/2 cans of paint (and LOTS of stooping, squatting, and crawling around on my 'not-a-KID-anymore'-knees!) later--- it now proudly sits near the tool-box, in it's NEW home!
The wifey wants to utilize the 'roll-around' cart for another purpose--- so I'm just using it temporarily, 'til I figure out something else to put all the remaining 'odds-and-ends' stuff into!

Now that I've got it all set-up-- and ALL the 'heavy-lifting' and 'arranging-of-stuff' is complete--- I'm feeling pretty much like the guy above! (Meaning: TIRED, but extremely HAPPY!) Now the 'ol Loydster has not ONLY a WAY-COOL little room in the house... BUT, also an ADDITIONAL area for his EXTREME-NERDINESS-- on the SAME property! Thanks yet once AGAIN, to my number ONE gal, Mrs. Debbie-- for all the help, suggestions AND-- inspiration! You are simply THE BEST, my FOREVER-SWEETIE!

                              See you NEXT time around gang! Stay SAFE, SANE, and of course--- HAPPY!!

A 'Man-Cave-Annex'! for the Loydster!

Already (more or less!) FINISHED!! And-- at a MUCH quicker pace than expected! The additional 'Loydster-GEEK-out-space' is ready for it's OFFICIAL launch! The home-made / 'lettered-with-my-lap-top' sign means it's READY! Though some 'tinkering and fiddling' with stuff is STILL happening! (See more details below, as you're 'scrollin' and Readin'!!)

Once again, I have my SPECIAL little lady, Mrs. Debbie-- to thank! -- For BOTH-- helping me do all the HEAVY grunting / lifting / hauling-- AND-- the encouragement to get this additional little space out in our new storage-building all set-up and ready for use!

I actually didn't think it would be for another few months or more, before we would figure out exactly how our recently constructed, 12-by-20 foot storage building would be used! Just what we would stash in there, where it would all be situated, etc.... SO-- I didn't make any mention of it in my previous post.

But--- after discussing it with my 'BEST-girl-in-the WHOLE-WIDE-WORLD', we agreed there was PLENTY of space in there, for not ONLY my tools, paint-supplies, and other 'working-around-the-house' stuff (not to mention all of Deb's goodies and doo-dads!)--- but ALSO ample room for MOST of my remaining NERD-kingdom-related stuff! 

It was late last month, when we started hustling most of my remaining gee-gaws and doo-dads here to our 'TINY-Ponderosa'! Our additional goal, was to clear-out completely from the larger of the two storage units (where my remaining stuff was still stashed away.) that we'd been renting for the past nearly 4 years! After MUCH sweat, and the aforementioned grunting and HEAVY lifting / hauling --- I'm proud to say-- mission: ACCOMPLSHED! We're also TICKLED SILLY to be saving quite a CHUNK of change each month, now that we're only renting the MUCH smaller / CHEAPER of the two units!

Much like the 'Man-Cave' in the 'Cozy-Cottage' itself, the 'Annex' (as I've decided to call it!) isn't a very large area, but it's just the size I need! Heck, I even had enough 'wall-space' in there, to once again be able to put up ALL of my stand-ups! (John Wayne and Mr. Spock included!!)

 I spent a good chunk of a day, just gluing all the super hero characters back together (they'd been cut into smaller segments, for easier storage)! But, now that they're all 'standing guard' there in my little 'auxiliary-FUN-zone'--- I can truly say it was WORTH all the effort and work!

Guess I've dribbled-on enough for an intro for THIS post!! As is USUALLY the case here at the bloggy-woggy-wang-dang-thang--- you can check out my USUAL nerdy-ramblings that accompany all the pics below!----

Deb and I figured out that the space I'd need-- basically would take-up about half of the east wall on one side of the building, the 'back-wall' (where there's a large 'swing-out' door), and about 6 square feet of space in the west corner (where eventually my toolbox, a shelf containing painting supplies & stuff, and a few other tools will also reside!). Hey, ALL the comics, magazines--AND those above-mentioned stand-ups-- ALL fit in that space! SO-- the Loydster's a HAPPY-geeky-camper!

While sorting through / unpacking some odd-ball boxes of stuff, the wifey found the VERY cool US flag pictured above! I figured -- what better stand-up to place partially-overlapping 'Old Glory', than The Duke himself! Mr. Spock hangs out nearby, partly behind the 'Supes figure. (AND-- the 'Annex' sign too, natch!)

spread around between the figures along the walls in the 'Annex-area', are some just downright FUN framed items and goofy-geeky images / signs! Most of these-- like the 'Knuckleheads garage' sign above-- (AND-- the 'Busted-Knuckle' sign & the 'Gotham City parts and Service' one below!) are images I found on the web, printed up and, in some cases-- partly hand-colored myself! (OR-- simply printed the images on colored construction paper!)

And, by the way--- don't you think those 'Supes and 'Bats figures figures, which I created / put together nearly 30 YEARS ago-- are holding up GREAT? 'Cap and 'ol Shell-head aren't looking too bad either, considering just how MUCH time they've all been piled into cut-up sections inside a dusty old storage unit (they WERE covered in a big plastic bag most of that time, of course!-- Or they probably would NOT have survived!)

MORE 'fun-framed-stuff'!-- As well as an ULTRA-GROOVY 'Bat-logo' (cobbled-together from corrugated plastic sheeting, poster-board and spray-paint, by yours truly, of COURSE!) modeled after the Bat-symbol from the door of the '66 Batmobile!

NEAT-O items, mounted to the 'swing-out door'! The 'not old... I'm a CLASSIC' sign (featuring The Green Hornet's 'Black Beauty'!) is another collection of images found on the 'net, with lettering done-up on my trusty 'ol lap-top!)

Captain Marvel / Shazam, watches over the space that will--hopefully in the NEAR future-- be where my toolbox and a shelf, with various paint-supplies & other tools will reside

Yet another 'Fun-Framed-item'! A 'Gotham Garage' sign! I love the small notice on the right side of the sign, stating that the business is-- 'Bat-family' owned!

The west-wall / corner area, where the toolbox and paint / supplies-shelf will be sitting--- will be watched-over (besides by the good Captain, of course!) by these NIFTY framed items and metal signs! the 'Dad's garage' images are taken (once again!) from the 'net, and printed on brown construction-paper.
The 'Black Beauty' images are some of the box-art from my 1/32-scale model kit of the 'Hornet's SLICK ride! (Hey, us 'collector-types' hardly EVER just throw ANYTHING away!-- You never know when you might be able use images from an old model-kit box, after all, RIGHT???)

Now, in the weeks and days that I've been putting together this here post, (I put'em together SLOWLY-but-SURELY folks!) I of COURSE have been coming up with and tinkering-on a few more small framed items-- and even snagged yet ANOTHER nifty-NEAT-O metal sign! Not-to-mention digging some WAY-cool model aircraft out of a couple of storage-totes! 

Having not exactly nailed-down just WHERE they're all gonna wind-up, I figured I would just snap a 'group-shot' of them, so you-- the teensy-weensy few who follow along with me here-- can at least check them out! Trust me, though... they WILL find a home soon, in my 'secondary-GEEK-out-ZONE'!---

Even MORE goodies to put-up on the 'ol 'Annex' walls! Can you not tell I'm having a BLAST just setting this little additional 'Secret Sanctum'-space up??!?

I guess I'll finish-off this post, much like I started it off!-- with another BIG shout-out and MUCH love, to the SPECIAL lady in my life, Mrs. Debbie! On February 17th, this AMAZING gal and I will be celebrating 35 YEARS of a pretty GREAT life together! Thanks for ALL your encouragement, my BESTEST friend--AND support! Your help with all the 'reconstructing' & revival of my little 'NERD-zones'!--AND-- for being SO understanding and yes, long-suffering with your 'ol GEEK-O-ZOID hubby! Love you now and FOREVER, wife-o-mine!

'Til next time--- stay SAFE, SANE, and HAPPY  everybody! See you here next month!