Cold Cheeks by Gil Elvgren

Burr. And that's a good way to get chapped lips.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Rod Builders.

Posted by Bob

Happy Halloween From Rod Builders

I think we've gone through four pounds of candy this week. Check out our Knuckle Head pumpkins. Grew them ourselves.

The Super Freak pumpkins

It's Called The Best Potato Salad - And It Is

Bob will be making his version of The Best Potato Salad today to take to friends Dick & Mary's annual July 4th barbecue, (Dick does authentic barbecue, you know, meat cooked slowly over a wood fire. OMGosh, it has awesome flavor!) The skirt found the original potato salad recipe in Country Living magazine last year. Bob tweaked it just a bit, as he does all recipes, and everyone who tastes it agrees it is the best potato salad.

Try it.

The original recipe

In large pot, cover 3 pounds unpeeled red potatoes with salted cold water and bring to boil over high heat. Cook until they're easily pierced with a skewer, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, combine 3/4 cup each, chopped white onion, red pepper, and celery, 1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickles, and 3 chopped, hard-boiled large eggs in a large bowl. Drain potatoes and cut into half-inch pieces while still warm. Transfer to the bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice and 1 tablespoon cider vinegar. Toss salad with 3/4 cup mayo. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Chill before serving.

P.S. I am not at liberty to pass along Bob's alterations.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY USA - A POWERFUL FORCE FOR GOOD

Citizens of the United States of American, this Independence Day weekend, sometime between eating the macaroni salad and lighting the sparklers, you should read the Declaration of Independence. Our Founding Fathers and the people they represented wanted to get the world back on proper course and create a government that protects, by law, people's rights to be free, to pursue happiness and prosper. This is what humans are here for. This country was to be a shining example to all others. The document our Founders sent to King George, defining man's God-given rights, was and still is one of the greatest ever written. Another one is our Constitution. (That came later) Read the Declaration of Independence and you will know the word of God reasoned by a group of the smartest men on the planet at the time, maybe of all time so far. The governmental structure they put in place and approved by the citizens, set free a powerful force for good. People around the world, who understand and promote these inalienable rights, celebrate with us today. This powerful, loving force has done more to improve the lives of humans and all living things on this planet than any other method. We must stand proud.

Living In The U.S.A.

This weekend is a three day holiday for Americans. If the weather cooperates most of us plan a short trip or picnic. In Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho Memorial Day is usually wet, so a lot of us use the time to finish home improvement projects before summer. Home Depot and Lowes probably turned in good numbers last night. The stores were filled with couples, the wife leading the charge with a list and paint samples, the husband pushing a cart loaded up with supplies. No one was really smiling. As we came through the door the first such couple we saw, we knew. We all had a good laugh. Us gals were sort of apologizing for having to put our foot down, the husbands commiserating over their fate.

Hey, in The Skirt's ideal world, this weekend would be for doing something more like what you see these gals doing. What about you?

Ladies In Red For Valentine's Day

Pin Ups by Gil Elvgren

Chinese New Year Sunday - Get the Chop Sticks

(Pictured: Menu from former Mandarin Cafe in Spokane)

Only a few things will get Bob to venture down a dark alley (he shuns anything city-like) one thing, hopefully, would be to rescue The skirt if she finds herself abducted by sex traffickers, another is the hunt for authentic Asian food. Sunday is the Chinese New Year, and to capture any incoming good luck (doesn't hurt to try, right?) we'll probably go eat at one of the small restaurants in the Spokane Asian community that cook for Bob the way they like it, you know, not the way the round-eye likes it. Be sure to check out the prices on the old menu below, maybe from the mid-40's.

We wish a happy and prosperous new year to all our Asian friends!

Happy Thanksgiving Day In USA

We are thankful customers still walk through our door and pay us to build stuff for them. I write "to build stuff for them" because to survive in a down economy sometimes you have to diversify. Custom car builders have a unique skill set. What are you thankful for?

Gone Trick and Treating

Hope you're having fun this Halloween instead of looking at this blog.

Not really, we love it when people read our blog,

no matter what day it is.

Pfeffernusse For Santa

Here at Rod Builders we see beauty in old cars, but today we see beauty in a plate of perfectly baked Christmas cookies. We don't link to blogs very often, but Everybody Likes Sandwiches has pictures of the loveliest holiday treats you'll will ever find on the world wide web! The Skirt has been a lurker for years on this blog and it's time she came clean. We like spicy sweets, so we made the pfeffernusse. Merry Christmas to all!

Bubble Lights Bring Smiles

It's a cloudy, dreary day in Spokane, WA with on and off light freezing rain. So to add a little cheer to the shop office The Skirt decorated our little fake tree with a string of traditional-style bubble lights purchased at our neighborhood Ace Hardware last month. We decided not to add any other adornments for now which might compete with the lights except a vintage star topper. The history of the bubble light is an interesting one. Click here.

Thanksgiving Drive to Rockford & Hurd Mercantile

We took the advise of Inland NW Homes and Lifestyles magazine, and drove our folks out to Rockford, WA and the Hurd Mercantile the day after Thanksgiving. Bob and his Dad told us they would wait in the car while my mother-in-law and I looked around. An hour later, they finally came in to see what was keeping us. There was just so much to see. This amazing gift shop consists of 16 different themed departments, a vintage country, shabby-chic, cowboy, 40's - 50's, American primitive, modern kitchen gadgets, seaside stuff, kids stuff, up-scale clothes and accessories, bed, bath and more. You really can't take it all in on your first visit. The men ended up ordering coffee and doing a little looking around on their own. The 8,000 square foot shop is housed in a century-old building that is a tourist attraction in it's own right.

Saturday, December 6th is their holiday open house. It should be enchanting. Go!

So Much To Be Thankful For

Admittedly trying to make a living from a hot rod shop in beautiful, but off the beaten path Spokane, Washington hasn't always been a romp on the beach. But sensible business practices, a terrific crew, dreamy customers, and trusted suppliers has brought us to this place where we have a solid little business, and we are thankful. We know for some people money is tight right now, some experts are predicting the economy may take a sharp nose dive next year. But if you're in a financial position to have work done on your car project, give us a call. We're here, we're staffed up, we're really good at what we do, and we are fair and square on our pricing. If you have found this blog entry via a search and you would like to see our work, check out our web site. Thank you for taking the time to read our blog and Happy Thanksgiving, USA.

Slice the pumpkin pie already, will ya!

Read 100-Year-Old Halloween Post Card

The Skirt loves vintage post cards. This card from Brooklyn, New York has landed 2560 miles away in Spokane, Washington 100 years after it was posted. I got it on E-Bay. Just love everything about it, especially the note. I wish someone living at 166 Russell St, Brooklyn, New York would see this post and send us a photo of their building. It could happen, right?

Norman Rockwell is Freaking

Took this shot on the drive to work back in October 2006.
Happy Halloween!

Halloween 1930

"Halloween at my first school"

From Grandma Siers scrapbook.

Somewhere in Glacier County, MONT.

Pumpkins - For The Taking

If you're in the neighborhood, stop by the shop

for a free pumpkin.

Happy Birthday USA

It's been so hot around here the strawberries are slipping off the molded Jell-O salad faster than you can say cheese. We're off to find some water to play in and celebrate Independence Day! Blog at ya Monday.