Sept. 28, 2007 - During the past few weeks several projects have been consuming my time and I have been very happy working on all of them.  Barbara talked me into starting a web site for our church, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, and that has been a challenge.  Unlike the last church web site that I worked on, where most of the members did not have computers and they didn't pay much attention to the site, these members love to look at themselves and they know what they want to see on the site.  I have enjoyed working with them to produce something that they are happy with, which includes sound and videos.  Check it out:  http://shilohportallen.org .  They are looking to put in a state-of-the-art multimedia sound and video system, and they have asked me to work on that project. 

The work on the backyard is moving along, and unlike before, I am now the holdup on moving forward.  Phillip Saizon has been very good, and he has built up my back yard to promote better drainage and to serve as a better foundation for the slab and the building.  It took 4 loads of dirt to level the yard and bring it up to where the other neighbors are.  Now we are slightly above everybody else.  We had to remove the neighbors fence to get the truck in the back yard.  We have the drawings for the building and the delivery is scheduled for mid-October.  I have to go and get the building permits, which is the next step before we form the slab.  I would provide photos, but my camera is broken and won't be back until Monday of this coming week.

The front and rear bumpers arrived yesterday for the car.  I am still waiting on the Lexan for the windows.  I am going to order a wing for the rear, so the OEM style spoiler must come off and I have to get a new trunk lid to accept the wing.  I spoke with Brandon about getting the car in his fab shop to put the required bars so I can get the chassis certified.  I am looking to upgrade to a funny car cage and get the car certified to 7.50 sec. (SFI 25.4).  It is a chrome-moly caged car and Brandon is going to look at the underside of it to see how much work (and money) it would be to make it  SFI 25.1E.  I need to get the chassis work done before I put the fuel system, dashboard gauges and wiring in place.  I have got big plans to make this car, safe, good looking and everything is going to be placed in the right spot for the drivers convenience.    

Sept. 27, 2007 -  Willie, Tate, Reggie, Johnell and Skip met with Gary Carter, Manager of State Capitol Raceway last week to discuss all the details of the Holiday Helpers Race on Nov. 10-11, 2007.  Gary will take the comments from this meeting and pull the flyer together which Skip will post on the web site. Gary had several good ideas about how to take advantage of the new two-day format.  Gary suggested that we have Pro-Mods and a Quick-8 for this event.  
During the last team meeting it was decided to have a band on Sat. night after the day of racing and qualifying.  The band will start around 8pm, after the racing.  The admission for the Saturday race will cover the entry for the band, or you can just come out and enjoy the band.  

Sept. 9, 2007 - I got tired of waiting on the man that I had hired to start the work in my back yard and got rid of his services.  I have made arrangements with Phillip Saizon, one of our teammates brother, to pour the 25' x 30' slab in my back yard.  I have also put a down payment on a metal building.  I should be getting my approved plans, which will allow me to get my building permits within the next few weeks.  The city will allow me to be my own general contractor, after passing a test.  Wish me luck and pray very hard for me.    

Sept. 3, 2007- Rough week, lots of family business.  Barbara and myself took a trip over to Pensacola, FL to visit my Great Granddaughter and her mother.  Little Olivia is a cute baby (what else would you expect from my stock).  We got the kids back in school and had a birthday celebration for Barbara.  We just had a few family members over.  She enjoyed herself.  Barbara goes back to work tomorrow.  I was getting use to having company each day.  I am counting the months before she retires and we can do a lot more traveling and having fun.

I have not done anything with the 1968 Camaro.  I am still waiting on NHRA to classify the 2002 Focus, but after this long, I have all but given up hope.  It would seem that NHRA would want to get more variety of cars into their stock classes.  Especially newer models.  The only Fords that are classified for Stock, 2001-2007. are the Mustangs and Lincoln LS RWD.  Something is very wrong here.  Maybe the new management, with the new alignment of divisions will help us little people.  I started my quest at the division level and went up to the NHRA national office.  Maybe I should have started with Pat, the owner of No Problem Raceway Park.  He is a Stock racer and track owner.     

August 23, 2007 - I just completed one of the most rewarding projects that I have worked on in years. 

My son Glenn Holbert, of Vacaville, CA, is enrolled in a Masters program at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA.  This semester he is taking a Communications class that is assigned to produce a multimedia project.  The only book for the course is Dreamweaver, which is the best web design HTML editor software in use today by professional web designers.  I do not use Dreamweaver! 

Glenn asked me to help with his project, if I thought I had the time.   I was very happy that he asked, and I agreed to help.  Glenn thought he could make a very good presentation using Bracket Masters Racing Team's community service as a subject for his project.  The assignment was given on August 10, 2007, and is due on August 24, 2007.  The class met Aug. 10-12, 2007, where the professor gave instructions for the project and a few demonstrations on how to use the software.  The requirements were:  There must be hyperlinks, photos, video and sound.  The subject of the web site was up to the student.  They were given the option of working with other members of the class or as individuals.   We decided to use Dreamweaver to complete the project, which dictated that I learn how to use the software and try to teach Glenn at the same time. 

Glenn had decided to fly down to Baton Rouge and work with me to get information to complete the project.  We also enlisted Mr. Willie Beathley to help with the project.  Early is the first week, that plan fell by the wayside as Glenn's wife had to fly to Washington, DC and Glenn had to take care of the three children.  Lucky for us the BMRT web site is available, and Dreamweaver allows input from anyone that has the software on their computer.  Email, the Internet and the telephone are great!  The Gonzaga University server is in Washington state, Glenn is in California and I am in Louisiana!  Glenn and I purchased the Dreamweaver book, "Dreamweaver CS3, The Missing Manual", by David Sawyer McFarland, at our local Barnes and Nobel Booksellers (996 pages). 

Glenn's job was not easy because of the overload of information that we have on the BMRT web site.  He had to decide what to leave out, while constructing his site.  He decided to use the Jr. Dragster Program, Glen Oaks High School Auto Tech Program and the work BMRT has done for Katrina hurricane evacuation and it's aftermath. 

There were many challenges and some tense moments, especially when we thought we were done on Tuesday, Aug. 21st, and Glenn discovered that the slide show, with music, credits, transitions and everything, was too big for the web.  We had to consult more books and review photo and audio software.  Glenn had to download new software that would do the job.  We learned how to insert sound and video into the site, along with how to make the files small enough to run in a reasonable time.  

Today, Thurs. Aug. 23rd,  we thought we were finished again, when we got everything to run on our home computers.  When Glenn went to the URL on the server, he could not get his Katrina Hurricane Assistance Video to run.  He called me in a panic!  After trying everything I could think of and making a few calls, we finally got the thing to work.  Glenn asked one question, that he really thought was a stupid question, but the answer was the key to solving our problem (we should all ask more stupid questions when we don't understand something or have a problem).  We had put a percent sign, which the server saw as a special character, in the name of the Katrina file.  Once that was corrected, everything worked.  Some servers don't like % signs in file names. 

The completed project can be viewed at: http://www.barney.gonzaga.edu/~gholbert2  . 
Make sure you look at the video slideshow that Glenn produced: http://www.barney.gonzaga.edu/~gholbert2/BMRT_Katrina_Video.wmv  

Maybe his next project will involve using Flash.  Then I would be forced to learn how to use Flash, and we could get some nice animations, cool sound and good graphics on our BMRT website. 

August 19, 2007 - Grandson, Jeremy Herbert, was Baptized at Rose Hill B. C. in Baton Rouge, LA.  All of his sisters, brother and many other relatives were on hand to witness the great event.  Also on hand was Jeremy's first love, Ms. Terika Dillard, who also belongs to Rose Hill, B. C.  Jeremy is a sound and video technician at the church.
See the video (very, very long download on dial-up)  This file was not intended to run on the internet, but to be put on a DVD.  I apologize for the long download. 

August 9, 2007 - I went and picked up my engine and transmission today.  It is now on the engine stand in my workroom at home.  It feels soooo good to have the engine here with me.  Sometime in the next week I plan to remove the pan and take a look at a few bearings. 

August 7, 2007 - I removed the cover from the Camaro and washed it for the first time.  I also took a very good look at what was left after telling the previous owner to take anything you want off of it before I came to get it.  That was back in April.  I have a lot of work! 

The car has a very old style fuel tank that I plan to remove and put in a fuel cell.  I need a new fuel pump, after selling my old BG 400 setup to Arnold Jordan.  After looking at the wiring, I came to the same conclusion that I did with the purple Camaro, it needs a complete rewire job.  I have to put all my gauges into this body so that will be a part of the rewire.  The dash in this car is real nice. 
I inspected the new disc brakes (Wilwood) that were just installed.  They don't have all the recommended lock wire installed.  I will have to remove the front brakes and put the lock wire on the bolt heads. 

     
I don't care for the Plexiglas side windows and they will be replaced with new no-mar Lexan and the front windshield will get new no-mar Lexan too.   I don't care for the no-bumper look on this model Camaro, so I will order fiberglass bumpers.  I will also get 4 new rims to hold the new slicks and front runners.  There are a lot of other things that must be done to get the car certified, as I have mentioned in the past.  I can see $3-4 thousand dollars before I am satisfied with my project.  There is no time limit.  Since I have not been racing for the past 8 months, It is not the priority that it once was.  I still want to build the workshop, which is close to the top of my priority list.
Tomorrow I plan to take the trunk to the paint supply house and get a pint of yellow paint to do some touch-up.  After cleaning the car up some, the yellow is not half bad.  I may wax it to see what it looks like at its best!

July 28, 2007 - Today we finally got the yellow Camaro out of the trailer and loaded all the "junk" out of my wooden storage shed into my enclosed trailer.  Now we can demolish the shed and get ready to build my workshop. 

July 25, 2007 - The car is inspected, no "Check Engine" light, and the car is totally legal with plates and insurance for the kids!  The Plymouth Breeze also has 4 new tires!

July 19, 2007 - Barbara is doing an excellent job of making things happen.  We have had many good things happen during our quest to smooth the road for the kids.  Glenn Davis, of Glenn's Auto Repair, is working on getting the kids car back on the road.  He solved the "Check Engine" problem with their car and that will allow us to get it inspected.  For all of those people that are helping, we thank you.

My computer was down from July 7-15, 2007.

July 15, 2007 - Barbara is still not back at work, and will not go this week.  She is doing..., as well as can be expected.  I feel like the father of triplets that was not expecting to ever have any children, with a wife that was well past child bearing age.  The paperwork is mind-blowing to get the kids in school.  Change of  addresses, legal custody, and a thousand other things that must be done RIGHT NOW!  Almost nothing is cheap or free, but thank God for providing, so we are able to take good care of these children.  We also thank our good friends, relatives and Barbara's understanding supervisor's and co-workers.  We see the light at the end of the tunnel (hope it's not an approaching train).  School starts in a month and I think we will have them ready. 

July 4 -6, 2007 - Jeremy drove the truck to New Orleans to pick up my oldest daughter from New Orleans Airport.  This was the first time he had driven the F-250 on the interstate highway.   He had to contend with the traffic around the airport on a holiday to boot!  Jeremy handled it quite well.  I was very proud of him, and more important, I was very comfortable allowing him to make all his driving decisions.  I only gave him a few little driving hints to make his trip a little smoother in the future. 

Cynthia arrived right on time and we picked her up at the baggage claim area, without having to park.  She had just returned from a week in Venice, Italy, where she and her husband visited his son.  Barbara and I were very happy that she would come down here on very short notice too attend Linda's funeral. 

Son Glenn and his wife Cynthia arrived very late Thursday night after many delays coming from Vacaville, CA, outside of Sacramento, CA, to Baton Rouge.  Again, for them to come from the West Coast on short notice was very touching to Barbara and the kids.  Glenn & Cynthia and my daughter Cynthia always felt close to Linda, although they had only spent a short time with one another. 

The service was outstanding!  Everything went as well as could be expected, but the people that were on program and the pastor were exceptional.  Linda was put away very well.  We were supported by the kids friends and teammates, teachers, my racing teammates, the EBR Constables Office had a brand new DARE Car on hand to lead the processional to the cemetery and all of Barbara's co-workers, along with her supervisors, managers and close friends, were on hand.  Our church members of Shiloh MBC and Jordan UMC, along with many, many other members of the community helped this to be a monumental day for the kids and our family.

After the service and internment, the repast was very uplifting, both at the church and at our home.  Bracket Masters Racing Team provided the food for visitors that came to the house after the service.   Little Barbara made a speech, accompanied by her brothers and sister, thanking everyone for all the support they had received.  All week, many neighbors and friends have provided food, cakes, drinks and many other things for us during this time of need. 

I (Skip) would like to personally thank everyone for the outpouring of support we have received from everyone.  The calls, cards, letters, emails, $$$ and visits from all of our friends has been..., overwhelming.  Thanks!

July 2, 2007 - The Funeral Services for Barbara's daughter, Melinda Herbert Gardner,
have been set for this coming Friday, July 6, 2007, at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church,
Port Allen, LA 70767. There will be one service at 10 am on Friday.
Internment will be at the Shiloh Cemetery in Port Allen.
The Repast will be at the church following internment.

The body will be handled by Hall Davis & Son Funeral Services,
9348 Scenic Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70807. Ph. No. 225-778-1612.

Thank you for every wish and concern.
Sincerely,
The Holbert, Gardner & Herbert family