mechanic

My nephew, Barry Schulenberg has always been a hardworking man. Even as a young boy, all he ever wanted was to be a mechanic, just like his grandpa, my father-in-law, Walt Schulenberg. Barry was always very much like his grandpa. They were like twins…at least in their hopes and aspirations. Over the years, those hopes and dreams never changed. Of course, my father-in-law was a mechanic all along, but Barry wasn’t. He was a little boy who just wanted to quit school and go to work with his grandpa. We all thought it was such a cute thing that Barry loved his grandpa so much and wanted to be just like him.

Barry is grown up now, and he fulfilled that lifelong dream of being a mechanic. He has been working for the State of Wyoming for years now, and he loved his job very much. Recently, when his supervisor announced his decision to retire, Barry was offered the position of supervisor. Of course, he accepted and after some training, he is now the shop supervisor. It is quite a change for Barry, but it’s one that was really the logical next step for him. I don’t know how much mechanics work he does these days, but he is at least in an advisory position for the work that is being done in the shop. It is a big responsibility, because he is responsible for making sure the highways are open and maintained…at least opened, as much as possible in Wyoming’s winters. He would also be responsible for making the decision to close, I suppose. It’s all a big change from being elbow deep in the engine of a truck, to being elbow deep in paperwork, but Barry is a smart man, and he can handle either one.

When he’s not working, Barry and his wife, Kelli loved to go bicycling, hiking, skiing, and camping. They love the outdoors, and would happily spend all their free time outside, if the weather permitted. of course, most of the outdoor activity they enjoy works far better in the summertime, so the warmer months are probably the ones they favor. They also love to travel and go to concerts. They have attended many over the nearly twenty years they have been married. Barry and Kellie have a sweet dog named Scout. He is their second dog together. Their first dog, Dakota died before they got Scout. Scout helped with the grieving process, and now, Scout is just their baby. They are all a happy family. Today is Barry’s birthday. Happy birthday Barry!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

My nephew, JD Parmely is a basic workaholic, just like his uncles and his brothers. He works all day as a mechanic for Ken’s Auto Repair, and then goes home, eats dinner, and spends the next few hours working on cars in his garage. In fact, sometimes he might work into the “wee hours” of the morning, if he needs to get something done. Of course, that means he will most likely sleep in the next morning, so don’t look for him too early after an all nighter. Mechanic work is the only work JD ever wanted to do, and he went to school for it in Phoenix, Arizona…in what he said was the hottest place ever, and he couldn’t wait to leave. Still, it was a good school for him, and he got what he needed to land a good job in his career of choice.

JD is also a caraholic, and I don’t mean it the sense that he works on cars, but rather that he loves to “own” cars. He must have a dozen of them, all insured, and he is the only driver. Some people might think JD is crazy, but I say, “It’s up to him.” He loves his cars, and there is no law against the cars he has. JD drives all of his cars at different times, because, as any mechanic knows, you have to drive your car periodically to keep everything lubricated and in good working order.

While JD enjoys working on his own cars, he has a heart for other people, and is always there to help others with their car problems. And sometimes the help he gives has nothing to do with cars, but rather farm equipment on his brother, Eric Parmely’s farm. JD loves going out to Eric and his wife, Ashley’s farm, if for no other reason, to see his nieces, Reagan, Hattie, and Maeve Parmely, and nephew, Bowen. JD loves kids, and even babysits once in a while. JD is like a big kid, really. Kids relate to him, because he is really a big kid himself. He still remembers how to have fun, and what it’s like to be a kid. Nevertheless, JD is a hardworking man, who feels a sense of responsibility toward his fellowman. That’s why he is always so willing to help people out. Today is JD’s birthday. Happy birthday JD!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

Every year, around the time of my husband, Bob Schulenberg’s birthday and also around the 4th of July, Bob and I take our annual hiking trip to the Black Hills. We aren’t always there on Bob’s birthday, which is six days after the 4th of July, and so doesn’t always fall conveniently in the same week. Nevertheless, we celebrate his birthday too, with time together as a couple, doing one of the activities we both have loved to do for years…hiking. It hasn’t always been easy for either of us to hike some of the more difficult trails, and one year, Bob’s back was so out of place, that even the easiest of trails was more than he could handle. That was a rough year. We went to the Black Hills and spent a lot of time in a motel room.

This year was one of the good years…at least in how Bob felt. We weren’t hiking any of the real difficult trails, especially our favorite…Harney Peak (now Black Elk Peak), but we hiked every day, even though it was cold this year and rained almost every day. This has just been a strange summer, and one I haven’t exactly enjoyed to this point, but since the temperatures are moving up, so are the prospects of summertime fun. Now, getting Bob to take time off to from the work he does from home…that’s not so easy.

Bob is a mechanic, and when he retired, he really didn’t intend to “retire” exactly. He just didn’t want to go to work and be on someone else’s schedule. He loves being a mechanic, but he wants to work on the jobs he wants to, on his schedule, and from his own garage. He likes the idea of just going out there whenever he wants to, and taking a break whenever he wants to. Don’t get me wrong, Bob will take most jobs, provided he has the time and ability to do the job. Also, he will pretty much work a job until it is done, unless it is one that is obviously going to take several days. Still, he just likes being in control of his days, weeks, and life in general. And he is so much happier these days. He feels better, even though some days his back hurts from being bent over a car. And he is able to take some time and just go for an evening walk with me…which I like very much. The life of a semi-retired, self-employed mechanic suits him to a “t” so I’m happy. Today is Bob’s 69th birthday. Wow!! It doesn’t seem he is 69 at all. Happy birthday Bob!! Have a great day!! We all love you very much…but especially me!!!

Since buying their family farm, my nephew, Eric Parmely and his wife, Ashley have had a number of daily duties that are different from people who dwell in the cities and towns. Of course, there are the normal duties that go with a farm…everything from feeding animals, helping with births, gathering eggs, taking care of the land, and repairing fences. This year has been a little unusual in that like many areas across the United States, Wyoming has received an extra-large amount of snow, meaning that the rural roads, which are not always plowed by the county or state, are left buried in 3 to 6 feet of snow. That means that nothing is moving, and those people who happen to have tractors, will likely have to go out and help with the “digging out” process. That was the position Eric and Ashley found themselves in. One storm found them waiting for 3 days to get out, and then it only happened because Eric got out and became a snowplow. Of course, the whole thing didn’t totally hurt Eric’s feelings, because he loves his tractor, and this was a new way to use it. Men and their toys…right? The main thing is that they were finally able to get out and get back to the business of life.

Eric is a mechanic by trade and loves his work. That means that tinkering with anything mechanical is not really work. Getting on the farm equipment is that way exactly. When they bought the tractor, there were many evenings spent in the barn with his father-in-law, Albert Eighmy, son Bowen Parmely, and often Ashley and their daughters, Reagan, Hattie, and Maeve all watching as the work was done to this fantastic piece of equipment, so that it would be ready to be a regular piece of the menagerie of farm equipment necessary to run a farm. Bowen especially loves the tractor, because, being a boy, it seems to run in his blood. He is his daddy’s boy. The girls like to ride on it too, but they aren’t as interested in the mechanical side of things as Bowen is.

Eric has become a wonderful family man…a great husband and daddy. He and Ashley are doing the things necessary to raise responsible, decent, and well-rounded kids. Their kids are homeschooled, which is becoming more and more necessary these days, given the radical activities in the school system now. And the kids are happier too. Ashley teaches school, and Eric brings home the bacon…back to old fashioned values. Not every family is run this way, but it works very well for them. Today is Eric’s birthday. Happy birthday Eric!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

When I began dating my future husband, Bob Schulenberg, I didn’t have a brother or even a nephew. I had one brother-in-law, but he and my sister, Cheryl Masterson didn’t live here, so he had no influence on my life. Bob’s brother, Ron was just 6 years old at that time, and very sweet. It was interesting to suddenly have a boy in my otherwise girl-bound life. I had four sisters and no brothers. Ron’s boy ways were curious to me. I grew up in a very girly household, and Ron was all boy…a bit of a shock to my system. Nevertheless, Ron was a happy little 6-year-old boy, who often got to go with his big brother and his brother’s girlfriend to places like Dairy Queen. He was a good little boy, and the three of us always had a great time. As the years went by, and Ron became my brother-in-law, he seemed like he had always been my little brother, and he had…at least for most of his life.

Ron loved the same things his dad, my father-in-law, Walt Schulenberg and my husband did…mechanics, and like them, he was a natural. After his time in the Army, and then a recall for Desert Storm, Ron went to college for mechanics. He has been working on everything from big trucks to cars ever since. Ron is an excellent mechanic, and thankfully for my husband, Ron is very good at rebuilding transmissions. They sometimes have a “tag-team” way of repairing a transmission that Bob is working on. Bob takes it out, Ron rebuilds it, and Bob puts it back in. It works well for both of them. Of course, Ron is always working on vehicle is his own garage, where he has his own lift, as well as all the tools he could need to fix just about anything.

Ron has always tried to help people who need it. With the winter we have had, Ron has worked to help keep the roads cleared for the people out where he lives. The snow has been so deep, and people have needed the help. Ron is a good man, and people really appreciate him and his kindness. The past several years have been hard on Ron. He lost his wife, Rachel in early 2021. Ron has been working to rebuild life for himself and Rachel’s son Tucker, whom Ron adopted. He has also been there for Rachel’s other kids, Cassie and Riley, and their families. He is a good man. Today is Ron’s birthday. Happy birthday Ron!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

My nephew, Dave Balcerzak absolutely loves his hot rod. It must be a guy thing…well, ok girls like hot cars too. Anyway, Dave loves his hot rod, which is the muscle car he has dreamed of since he got his driver’s license. Personally, I don’t think Dave thought he would ever get such a car. Then to make matters worse, Dave is a trained computer programmer, not a mechanic, so working on such a car…well, it’s not really in his wheelhouse. Nevertheless, this story does have a happy ending, because dreams really do come true.

A few years back, when they were living on Coffman Avenue in Casper, Wyoming, Dave came home and told my niece, Chantel Balcerzak, his wife that he had found the car of his dreams, and begged her to come and see it. They didn’t have the money for a new car, but Chantel went with him. The car wasn’t far away…parked just a block over and down from their house. When Chantel saw the car she thought, “Are you kidding? It’s junk!!” Nevertheless, she kindly did the “Maybe someday, Honey” speech. I have a feeling Dave saw right through that and with a sinking feeling, saw his dream car sinking into the abyss. Dave and Chantel lived on Coffman for 4 years and Dave drove out of his way, at least every other day just to look at that car and mentioned it often. Finally, I asked him if he had ever asked the owner if they were even interested in selling, but he said he would when they had the money.

Five years and two houses later, Chantel decided, to go and ask the man if he wanted to sell. She tells me that she can’t remember the occasion, but remembers thinking it would make the perfect gift. The car was gone, and now it was Chantel who had a sinking feeling. She told Dave and he, rather “dramatically” told her that he was “giving up then!! That was the only one that he wanted!!” Dave didn’t mention the car again, but he did try finding one that might be close…even though he was “giving up” on the whole dream car idea. Unfortunately, every car he looked at was never “right.”

Chantel decided to take a different approach, because she really wanted to make her husband happy. So, she asked the Lord to make it available somehow and then pretty much forgot it. About six months after “giving up,” Chantel was driving to her mom, my sister, Cheryl Masterson’s house. To get there Chantel always take the road past Highland Cemetery, through the light, and up the hill. As she was heading up the hill, there it was!! And incredibly, with a for sale sign!! Chantel pulled over and called the number listed. For an absolute steal, she bought the car for Dave for Christmas. Oh, and it ran!! Chantel was definitely impressed with that part!! The car is a 1967 or 1968 Pontiac Lemans. Funny that she bought it, and still doesn’t know the year!! Hahahaha!! Chantel is not a car girl, that’s for sure!! As I said, Dave never really trained as a mechanic, so apparently he spends more time cussing it than driving it, but he still says it’s “his favorite” next to Chantel, of course. Chantel says that he has to say that to her, but I think it’s the truth, because Dave has loved Chantel since they were kids. Today is Dave’s birthday. Happy birthday Dave!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

My nephew, JD Parmely is a very busy guy. He is a mechanic by trade, but in reality he is a mechanic for life. I can’t say that I know of anyone who spends as many hours in a garage as JD does. I thought my husband, Bob Schulenberg, who is JD’s uncle spent a lot of hours in the garage, but he doesn’t even come close to JD’s time in the garage. JD owns at least 15 vehicles. Some are classics some are daily drivers, and he is always tinkering on one or the other of them…that is when he isn’t working on someone else’s car.

JD has many friends who need work done on their cars, and JD is their go-to guy. JD’s specialty is Hondas, but he can work on most types of vehicles. He also has two uncles, Bob and Ron Schulenberg, and two brothers, Barry Schulenberg and Eric Parmely, all of whom help each other on jobs needing a second set of hands. They also share information when one or the other has a difficult job. Sometimes a job needs two minds to get it done…a fact that every mechanic knows.

While JD loves mechanic work, there is one thing that he just might love more…yep, I think he loves his nieces, Reagan, Hattie, and Maeve Parmely; and nephew, Bowen Parmely more. JD doesn’t mind rough housing with them, swinging them around, riding bikes with them, and whatever else they might dream up to play with their Uncle JD. In most ways, JD is a kid at heart. He can totally relate to his nieces and nephew, and doesn’t mind playing with them one bit. They love hanging out with him and hanging on him…another thing JD doesn’t mind.

JD can always be counted on to help with any job, from mechanics to loading and splitting wood. The boys have cut a lot of wood in their lifetimes. A couple of weeks ago, while having a family picnic on Casper Mountain, at JD’s mom, Jennifer Parmely and her partner, Brian Cratty’s cabin, the boys loaded a trailer full of wood for Eric and his wife, Ashley’s house. It works out well that the landowners on the mountain need to mitigate the downfall to protect to mountain from fire. It gives the guys wood for fires, and also something to do while loading it, hahahaha!! They all need something to do with themselves when they are not “mechanic-ing.” Today is JD’s birthday!! Happy birthday JD!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

As with anyone, there were many sides to my uncle, Bill Beadle. It really depended on who you were and what you were looking for in a friendship/relationship with him as to what you ultimately found in him. That is exactly why people say, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Of course, Uncle Bill would laugh at that statement. I doubt if he, like most men, don’t think of themselves in the “beauty” arena, but there are many beautiful people, who are men. I always remember Uncle Bill as being a humorous person. He liked to joke around, and many of the kids were able to witness his funny side. I think that is the main reason that when his mind started to slip and he didn’t come to family events anymore, it was just so sad.

Uncle Bill led a busy life for most of his life. He worked for years in pipe yards, and later had his own rathole drilling company with his sons, Forrest and Steve. He was an excellent machinist and mechanic. He could fix just about anything. Nevertheless, his favorite pastime was hunting and fishing with his son, Steve. He had always loved the outdoors, and going out in it. I think, like most outdoorsmen, Uncle Bill just felt like he could breathe outside, like he was free. Since he was born and raised in Wyoming, I’m sure he knew many of the best places to go camping, hunting, and fishing. That would make for some great memories for him and his family.

Uncle Bill took his position in the family seriously, and not just with his own kids, but any of the nieces or nephews found themselves heading in the wrong direction, and Uncle Bill heard about it, he took it upon himself to “sit them down” for a heart to heart talk. I think that just knowing that he cared about the direction they were heading made them decide to do the right thing. That is a great legacy to have. Today would have been Uncle Bill’s 92nd birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven Uncle Bill!! We love and miss you very much.

My nephew, Steve Moore loves to go camping in the Big Horn Mountains, and takes his family up there often. They hike the area in search of rocks and artifacts. Steve is an outdoor kind of guy, and is in his element when he is in the great outdoors. It’s not that Steve can’t do other things, but the great outdoors is just where he feels most at home.

Steve and my niece, Machelle Moore have two sons…Weston, who is 20 years old; and Easton, who is 16 years old. Of course both boys drive these days, and anyone who has ever owned a vehicle knows that they need occasional maintenance and repair. Most of the time, a vehicle can go a long time before needing repair, but for the Moore family, lately it seems like every vehicle needs something. Steve has been quite busy with multiple maintenance projects of the various vehicles. Unfortunately, while Steve can work on vehicles, he really hates working on vehicles. He has fixed brakes and rotors on the truck he and Machelle own. Then Weston’s new truck needed so work done. After that Easton’s car needed a power steering pump. And just when he thought he was done, Weston’s truck needs work done on the steering and tie rods, because the tires are wearing fast. Then, Steve and Machelle’s other truck needs some work in that sale department, because it’s a little squirrely on the road. Their Tahoe needs the same things as Weston’s vehicle. It’s not as bad as Weston’s, but they need to get it done before they have to get new tires too. They fully understand that vehicles need work, but it would be nice if things to happen one thing at a time. Thank God, that has been the way it was, or Steve might have been worn out completely.

In between all the mechanic work, Steve and Machelle have been able to get fire wood this summer. They have been getting wood for Machelle’s parents, LJ and Debbie Cook too. This year they were able to get everybody enough wood to get through the winter, even enough for LJ to hang out in the garage tinkering on his projects; and for them to hang out by their fire pit too. Steve is a great son-in-law, a great husband, and a great dad to his family. Today is Steve’s birthday. Happy birthday Steve!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

My nephew, JD Parmely is a hard-working man. He is a mechanic at Ken’s Auto Repair. Like most mechanics shops, there are busy days, and slower days, but there is almost never a dead day. People’s cars have to be maintained. We all have places we need to be, and if our cars don’t run well, we have a problem. That is where the mechanics of this world really shine. JD comes from a long line of mechanics, including his dad, Keith Parmely; grandpa, Walt Schulenberg; uncles, Bob and Ron Schulenberg; brothers, Barry Schulenberg and Eric Parmely. Together these men have helped each other with more vehicles than any of them could ever count. There is never a problem that one might have that one of the others doesn’t know how to fix. It is a blessing that mechanics share.

JD works long hours at his job, and then goes home, eats dinner, and…you got it, works on his own cars in his garage, or helps our his uncles or brothers on their projects, or works on cars for friends. Sometimes, he doesn’t quit until late in the evening…when he finally wears himself out. Then he goes to bed, so he’s ready to start all over again the next day. JD really is a 24-7 Mechanic. It’s my guess that he even dreams about working on one of the vehicles he has lined out to work on next…planning just what he needs to do on it. Still, JD is so dedicated that if someone called him in the middle of the night, JD would go and see what he could do to help. It’s just his nature.

There is one other thing that JD is all about, however, and in reality his 3 nieces, Reagan, Hattie, and Maeve Parmely, and his nephew, Bowen Parmely are at the top of his list of priorities. JD loves being and uncle, and playing with the kids. He sees them as much as he can. He really enjoys playing with the kids, and they think he’s great too. When JD is around, the kids have a great time, because JD like many men, is a big kid at heart. Today is JD’s birthday. Happy birthday JD!! Have a great day!! We love you!!

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