Independence Day

Happy Fourth Of July (well it IS the Fourth of July everywhere).  But in the US, that also means Independence Day.

I will do as I usually do.  Which means that I will stand on the deck and read the Declaration Of Independence out loud.  I'll have a rather "Americanish" dinner of steak, corn on the cob, green beans, and a tomato/cucumber/onion salad with ranch dressing.  And a pale ale instead of my usual red wine.

Later, I will watch (from home on TV) the fireworks display on the Washington DC Mall.


Whatever you all do today (celebratory or not) be safe!

New Car

Well, I spent yesterday transferring all the stuff from the old Toyota Highlander to the new Subaru Forester. 

The BEFORE pictures:

Cloth bucket seats.  The shift it automatic, but made to look like a stick shift.  I don't drive a stick, too much work...

Second row seats are split bench but effectively bucket seats.  Doesn't matter to me, I'll just fold them flat and leave them like that.

The back.  There is a moonroof, spoiler, and rails on the roof.  I have little use for those, but they came with the package.  

Corner view.  Never saw the rear lights split between the side and the tail lift before!  That little shark fin on the top is the antenna.  Good; I had to remove the Highlander antenna to go through car washes.

Driver seat view.  Overly complicated.  I do like that the sound system controls are duplicated on the steering wheel.  Cruise controls are there, too.  Also, I like that the headlight and wiper controls are virtually identical to the Highlander.  I also like that the display shows current MPG.  And there is a little display that shows compass directions ON THE REAR VIEW MIRROR.  But the A/C and fan controls are less convenient and the sound system selection is more complicated.

Front view.  The headlights are LED and adjust to turns.

Inside Back view.  

Enjoy the nice new uncluttered car.  It will never look like THAT again!

AFTER:

The bins are from a huge Daffodil order.  Excellent for loose stuff like bags of groceries.  I immediately folded down the rear seats and removed the cargo cover.  The gray carpet is from the Highlander.  I always cut an area carpet to fit.  Saves wear on the installed carpet.  It almost fits perfectly as is.  I will cut it more to shape later.

I keep plastic boxes on the floor behind the front seats.  They hold booster cables emergency kits, rope and bungee cords, gadgets (like powered tire inflator, flashlight, DC-AC power convertor,etc).

Passenger front seat holds useful stuff (tissues, N95 mask, coupons, and stuff I need to bring to a store).

I'll take a few more pictures soon when the car is in the driveway for better light and color.

Answer Mode "On"

1.  Planted the Fall veggie garden.

Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, pak choy, brussels sprouts for "cole" crops, carrots, radishes, beets, leeks, corn, beets, cukes, spinach.

2.  Got new checks.
Hurray, I can spend money the old-fashioned way again!

3.  Attached trailer ball on riding mower.
Cavebear's First Law Of Applied Geometry:  If you can bend it enough, it will fit.  Cavebear's First Law Of Physics:  The bigger the bench vise, the more you can bend stuff.

4.  Bought new car.
New checks burned a hole in my pocket.  Actually, it was a race to see if the checks would arrive before the dealer incentives ran out.  I deliver the check today after the towing hitch is installed and they drive the car here.  More about the new car tomorrow.  But it looks like this.  I like green.

5.  Figured out new edging better than that plastic crap.
Randomly-cut pressure treated wood 6-12" high, connected with stiff zinc-coated wire attached throgh screw-eyes at the top and bottom.  I'll show pictures when I do it.  I was going to do stackable concrete blocks but the neighbor beat me to it and I don't copy.
6.  Got non-subscription 2019 MS Office for Mac. 
MS demanded an annual subscription on $69.95 per year, but I found a site that sells it for $99 no renewal cost or expiration.  I'll be good for 10 years with that.
7.  Made a pizza from scratch.
Bread machine has a "dough" setting.  But their recipe sucks.  I used a 20 year old one taped to the inside of a cabinet.  But I screwed it up royally this time and had to add water during the process.  Amazingly, it came out perfect.  I won't ever be able to duplicate it.  On the other hand, I know what dough should feel like.  I make a loaf of bread* every couple of weeks.  Pizza dough can be a bit thinner for easy rolling.

I have a pizza stone, that helps.  And a paddle.  I usually simmer crushed canned tomato until it is thick.  Spread some thinly on the dough, add sliced pepperoni (or hot italian sausage), green peppers, mushrooms, and onion.  More sauce, then add provelone slices and bagged "italian" shredded cheese.  Not too much cheese.  Baked on the pre-heated pizza stone at 500F about 10 minutes...

I can't understand why my pizza (with a tossed salad) isn't considered the healthiest food on earth.

* Use beer instead of water, and add a heaping tablespoon of oregano, crushed garlic, and onion flakes and friends will BEG you to bring bread to the party...

Resolved Issues

This past week...

1.  Planted the Fall veggie garden.
2.  Got new checks.
3.  Attached trailer ball on riding mower.
4.  Bought new car.
5.  Figured out new edging better than that plastic crap.
6.  Got non-subscription 2019 MS Office for Mac.
7.  Made a pizza from scratch.

Garden Equipment

I bought a John Deere riding mower in May.  It was highly recommended by Consumer Reports magazine and it had high ratings at a couple other sites.  Well, my previous riding mower was approaching 20 years old and more expensive to keep repaired every year.

I bought the previous one (and a cheap riding mower-that-came-before that lasted only 5 years) because I had been mowing lawns with the push kind since I was 12 and was damn sick and tired of it.  I mowed our lawn with a push mower and several local lawns with one for spending money.

I was the eldest son and so responsible for mowing the lawn.  The year I went to college, Dad bought a riding mower because my younger brother simply refused to mow the lawn. 

The immediately previous mower was good.  20 years is impressive.  But it was time for a new one.  I researched everywhere.  It's good, but the tires could be better.  They slip in damp grass a bit.  There are better treaded tires available, and chains.  I might consider that.

But this post is about ball and coupler towing.

My car has a trailer ball.  My 5'x8' utility trailer has a ball coupler.  My 2.5x4' yard cart has a pin attachment.  My new mower has a pin attachment.  I bought a trailer dolly that has a ball so that I could move the empty trailer back and forth to keep the grass growing under it and mow where it was previously.

I decided that was altogether too awkward!  So I found a ball receiver (the coupler the trailer ball goes into) that fit over my small yard cart.  I haven't installed it yet because I haven't needed to use it yet, but I made sure it fit.  I wil have to drill a second hole in the yard card handle, but I know it will work.  So I put a trailer ball in the back onf the riding mower to move the larger utility trailer. 

The trailer wouldn't go that low!  So I went online looking at ball mounting kits.  There are so many kinds.  Interestingly, none were returnable.  Well, I suppose buyers beat them up a lot and then want refunds.  Whatever.

There is a metal plate on the back of my new mower.  There are even some pre-drilled holes for various company attachments.  The farthest apart were 10". 

I found one I thought very stable.  It attached to the lower pin hole and raised about 10" with 2 arms near the top to attach to the rear metal plate (pictures lower down will help).  $70.  OK, fine, but seemed high for simple metal braces.  I ordered it.

I recieved it a couple of days ago.  Assembled it per instructions.  Remeber I said the predrilled holes were 10" apart?  These braces were designed for 14".  Not that they specified that...

I was about to try to pound the braces into shape, when it occurred to me I might get better leverage using my very strong metal bench vise.  I was actually able to bend the metal braces rather easily .  How far each time was a problem though.  I went too far at first and not enough back the second.  And each time, I had to clamp the braces to the hitch and measure the distance between the holes.

I eventually got them to 10".  Took a good 30 minutes.  But I went out to install it with various wrenches and vice-grips. 

That was tricky.  The gas tank is nearly against the back metal plate and it seems the purpose of the metal plate is just to protect the gas tank.  I wasn't try to put metal bolts in where the gas tnk would rub, and access to the back of the metal plate was very limited.

The bottom was open, but the holes were 8" up and I couldn't get my hand up that far holding a bolt.  There was a 1" hole in the side but neither my finger nor tools could reach.  Time to stop and think...

Well, I collect weird tools.  I have a funny flexible grabber.  You press the top and 4 small stiff wires open at the bottom.  I tried that holding the bolt in the grabber part and bending the flexible spring around.  It took 10 minutes of frustration, but I finally got the screw-on part of the bolt through the hole in the mower plate.

The nut has a nylon inside that holds it on.  Which made it nearly impossible to screw on because of the resistance.  I had to use a weird very long-necked plier to finally grab the hex head bolt  while I used a ratcheting wrench to tighten it.  The plier kept slipping off.  It took 20 minutes to tighten that bolt!

So, I went to the right side.  It was worse!  first, the brace hole didn't match the mower plate hole by 1/2".  But I did a "Hulk" and just squeezed until it matched.  And I paid for it later with a muscle cramp.  But you have to do what you have to do sometimes.  There wasn't even a hole in the side.  But, I discovered I could get my head under the metal plate if I held my ears flat.  I did plan that approach.  All my tools were laid out in a line next to me. 

I'm far-sighted.  So my close-up vision is not good.  I had to remove my reading glasses to get my head under the mower and then get the glasses back on.  And it was dim light under there.  But once under there, it was actually easier to get the bolt in (facing outwards) and clamp the hex head bolt with the vice-grips.

The difficulty was that I had get a washer on the outside part and tighten the nylon coated nut with the ratchet wrench by touch.  It kept slipping off, which drove me nuts at first.  Then I realized that I was thinking of the direction to turn it backwards.  Yeah "lefty loosey, righty tighty", but I was looking at it in reverse. 

When I figured that out, things went a bit better.  Got every tightened and scraped my head out from under the mower.  The slight scar on the ear is healing well, thank you...

After that, all I had to do was attach the trailer ball.  Naturally, I had taken the big wrenches back into the house thinking that I wouldn't need them any more.  Fortunately, there was enough friction on the ball attachment so that mere hand twisting tightened it beyond any natural loosening.

The entire assembly is as solid as a rock.

The ball is at a good height for attaching to the utility trailer and the assembly comes with a pin hole attachment at the bottom.  But I probably won't need it (I also bought a ball receiver for my small yard cart as I mentioned above). 

So now I can haul anything around with trailer hitches.

I mowed the lawn today and tried out hauling the utility trailer around.  It worked great!

Garden

Between one thing and another, I got SO behind on my gardening this year.  But I'm hoping to catch up.

I only got my tomato seedlings planted last week.  Granted, they were in large pots after 2 transplantings and 18" tall, but I can only hope there is time for fruits to grow and ripen.  They should.  Most take about 85-90 days and I have 120-150 days before first frost.  But this will not be one of the great tomato years for me.

I also planted corn, and that will be "iffy".  I planted pole beans and cucumbers, and I'm not sure how they will grow.  All the cucumber seeds came up.  The pole beans are about 50%.

But for once. I am on a Fall planting schedule.  That is best for some crops.  They grow faster on the Summer heat and mature in the Fall coolness.  The cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts prefer that.  Root crops are protected from early frosts, bein underground, so I may finally get carrots and beets larger than a single bite, LOL!

I need to plant more carrots, beets, radishes, celery, and lettuces

I would provide pictures, but a 1" corn plant is not very impressive.

Lost The Checks, Part 3

In the previous post, I described the frustrations dealing with Walmart's Check Printing Service.  I messed up the first order because their website was confusing.  The checks arrived short 4 digits of my bank account number and therefore unusable.

So I called them and an agent helped me get it all entered correctly.  Walmart sent me an email several days later that the checks had been shipped.  Then they emailed me saying they were recalling the package due to "security reasons" that they would not explain.

But I kept getting tracking data say that the package was moving in my direction.  So I thought maybe the email was in error, that they had changed their minds, or that they couldn't get it back from the US Post Office.

A package did arrive.  It was the extra check register I had requested...  Whoop-de-doo!  I fired off an email to Walmart telling them how angry I was about the whole thing in the strongest language I thought might avoid a defamation suit and telling them I would mention my unhappiness at every oppurtunity.  I'm sure Walmart is quaking in their boots...

So I called my bank and threw myself on their tender mercy.  I knew getting checks through the bank would be expensive, but at least surely they knew who I was and would make sure the checks were printed correctly.  And it occurred to me that my blank checks might be out there" in some stranger's hands, so I assumed I needed to get my account number changed and that required a personal visit.  I made an appointment.

An hour beforehand, a bank representative called to ask exactly what I thought needed to be done.  I exlained, and she said she thought she could help me without a personal visit.

First, she said I didn't need to change the account.  That it would take some effort on my part because I had automatic deposits and payments.  She said she could just put a hold on the missing checks.  Since I didn't know the exact check numbers, she said she would just put a stop order several hundred numbers ahead.  I asked about the fee and she said she would waive it.  Wow!

So she asked about new checks numbered after the stop range.  I asked the cost.  She said $36 for a box of checks (100?).  I said "Wow, Walmart only charges $3.95".  She said she understood that, and was waiving the cost of the checks as well.  WOW!

I used to buy theme checks.  Pale ones so that I could see what I was writing.  Landscapes, hummingbirds, cats...  Some choices are positively psychedelic.  I don't understand how anyone can even write of those.   But checks are barely used these days.  And I have no personal need to impress my water/sewage company, the IRS, or magazine subscription companies.  I opted for a pale blue.  I use black pens.

I got a shipping confirmation from the bank's printer.  It said delivery by July 4th.  Pretty darn slow considering they are coming from only 200 miles away (New Jersey), but free is free.  But I received a delivery update changing that to June 29.  And since they are being delivered by the US Post Office, I bet they arrive sooner.

Funny afterthought...  The check printer is in "Mountain Lakes, NJ".  To my knowledge, NJ is almost as flat as a pool table.  I can't picture either a mountain or a lake in NJ, LOL!

Today is the 1 month anniversary of trying to get replacement checks.  It has been an adventure.

Some people have car problems that get fixed.  Some people have appliances that need to be replaced.  Some people have leaky raingutters that get fixed.  I never have normal problems.  On the other hand, my strange problems are never all that serious, just oddly frustrating.  I am satisfied to have only odd but non-serious problems.

So in that sense, they are almost funny to have and write about...

Lost The Checks, Part 2

I mentioned 2 weeks ago that I couldn't find my shoebox of old statements, old check registers, and unused blank checks.  Well the situation has become both a comedy of errors and a source of anger and frustration!

First, I have become convinced the shoebox is no longer in the house.  On 2 different occasions, I have searched the house square foot by square foot for anything resembling a shoebox.  This morning, considering the possibility that I decided to dispose of the old statements, I looked for any spot tat could hold just a single pack of checks. 

Nothing...

Second, Several months ago, I did some rearranging  and cleaning.  Mostly, moved a bookcase into the bedroom and boxed up a 100 out of date science/nature/information books (what use is a 1960s astronomy book?) and recycled them.  I suspect that somehow, my check shoebox got included by accident.

My shoebox search started in late May, I wrote the last of the checks in my checkbook and went to get the next.  I know I had some because the last book of checks always has a "reorder now" note on the top.  I would have reordered checks.  The first time I couldn't find them, I decided to just order more and I went to Walmart Check-printing Services online.

I messed up my account number.  The form offerred 9 digit and mine is 13, so I assumed the last 4 weren't important or that somehow they knew what they were for my bank and would just show up on the checks.  I can be very stupid sometimes.  But when I received the checks and the 4 digits weren't there, I called my bank.  They said the last 4 digits were essential. 

So I called Walmart.  They said the form offerred 9, 11, 0r 13 digits.  So it was my fault.  I accepted that, and the Walmart agent took a new order for checks (and corrected where I had entered my address 2x on the previous order.  I paid a fee for rapid printing and delivery. 

Two days later, I received an email from Walmart saying the checks had been shipped.  Two days after that, I received an email "acknowledging" that the order had been cancelled.  That was confusing.  Before I called them the next day to see what I had done wrong THIS TIME, I received an email saying the order was cancelled due to "security concerns" and that they would not answer any questions because "it might reveal information about their security system".  And, they said, they were taking the shipment back.

I called anyway.  When I entered the order number in their initial automated system, they terminated the call.  I called again and chose to speak to an agent.  I told the agent that I didn't want to know anything about their security system, but if there was any information I could provide on the phone or by email I would be happy to do so.  The agent said he had no information on the cause of the "security concern" and was not permitted to forward my call to the security office.

I suspect it was because their security system detected 2 orders for the same series of check numbers.  The first one that I messed up and the second that the previous agent had helped me with.  That would have been easily explainable, but I was refused the chance to do so.

But there was the email saying the checks had been shipped.  How could they stop the delivery?  I had the tracking number and checked it.  It gets weird here.  The tracking data showed that DHL had gotten the package to Maryland and then missent it to Louisiana and was resending it to Maryland via the US Postal Service.  Well, who can take back a package from the USPS?  So I expected to receive it anyway.  It bounced around in Louisiana for 2 days, then showed up as arriving in Maryland again and scheduled for delivery June 19.  Hurray, at least I would see what was wrong with the checks (if anything).

It arrived.  Only it was just the "extra" check register I had requested.  Walmart actually did grab the package of checks back.  And then it occurred to me that there were blank checks "somewhere" out there (unless they are still lost somewhere in the house).

Third, so Saturday morning, I accepted the inevitable.  I needed to have the bank cancel my checking account number, establish a new account, and THIS TIME order the new checks through the bank so there could be no errors or "security concerns".  I have an appointment with them on Monday to do all that.

I vaguely suspect that someday I will find that missing shoebox of old statements, registers and blank checks in a weird place in the house (and suddenly recall why it is there).  I will be amazed.  And I will just burn them.  But for now, I can't imagine living without checks.

And BTW, HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all the dads out there.

Busy Days

I've been slacking.  Distracted and sad, really.  I started staying up late and getting up late.  Laying in bed for 10 hours.  Bad weather, Covid-19, not shopping, Iza's departure, repetitive news, clutter, ignoring my veggie garden, 2 crazy neighbors, no sports on TV, etc.

Suddenly, I feel a bit back in control.  I got the bike and air pressure charger and 2 trailer tires sold (less clutter).  I finally purchased a new riding mower to replace the 25 year old one that had been limping along and getting worse.  Still missing Iza so much but accepting that she is gone.  Laz was really difficult the first month, but is doing better (though I am learning he was poorly socialized when young).  I watch science and nature DVDs and listen to CDs more than the news (I understand the importance of current events, but 2 weeks of "Breaking News" on the same 2 subjects wore me out), no longer much worrying about dying everytime I had to buy food, and watching previous sports games.

Friday, I finally had enough of just laying in bed and got up at 7 am.  Which may be late for some, but I spent 35 years getting up at 5 am and I'm not recovered from that yet.  I got up and made breakfast.  For me, that is a weird meal when you normally get up at Noon.  But I make a very good 2x-folded cheese and minced bacon omelet  or 2 soft-fried eggs on a pancake breakfast when I feel like it.

So I was outside by 9 am Friday.  So many things to catch up on.  I had planned for it, charging up all the battery-powered tools.

First thing was to use the electric mower to cut the lawn 2 rows along the property line and around the utility boxes on the property line.  I mentioned recently that the next door neighbor has little concept of property lines and LOVES his big gas weed-whacker.  And I saw him cutting around shrubs and trees IN MY YARD.

He said he didn't know where the property line was So I yelled at him (he wouldn't shut his gas weed whacker off) to stop and I pointed out the property line.  And as I walked back to the house, he went FURTHER into my yard and started whacked one of my trees.  Some people are just clueless.  I ran back out and demanded he never step foot in my yard.  He was offended.  This is the same family that started burning bruch under dry low branched trees last Fall next to my wood fence and only put it out when I said I would call the Fire Department.  Having only a small child's bucket from a wading pool...  I was ready with a hose.

Weed whackers strip the bark of trees.  Diseases and insects get in (that's what bark is FOR).  So, since he is only there on weekends (none of my business to know why) I mowed the lawn and trimmed around the trees with sheers to avoid his temptation Friday...  And I keep my ears open for the sound of him mowing.

And then I used the electric mower.  Trimmed under all the shrubs and around stuff the riding mower can't handle.  That was a lot.  Recharged the batteries.  Powerful electric but the 2 batteries only last 10 minutes each.  But I got a lot done in the 20 minutes.  Used and recharged them 3 times in 2 days.  Lots of trimming needed.

My garden is mostly unplanted.  I think the pH is all out of whack.  So I scooped some soil and added some distilled 7.0 water and shook it thoroughly.   I can use pH strips to check the pH, AND as the soil settled over 2 days, it will tell me what my soil components are.

The soil has settled around Iza's grave.  I will lift all 3 memorials and rake the soil level, put down a cut-up heavy cardboard from a bookcase, and smother all the weeds around the area.  The memorials should show up better.  I don't want weeds around them.

I cut down all the weeds between my garden frame boxes.  I tried te string-trimmer, but the weeds were so tall, they just wrapped around the trimmer head and it was difficult to remove them.  I tired the electric mower, but it won't turn the corners between framed beds and lifting it around the corners was damn hard.  I finally discovered the hedge trimmer worked best.  I will cover the paths in packing paper.  That should smother the weeds.

I carefully mowed the daffodil bed.  There are some pavers there, so it took a while.  I also have briars and weeds between the daylilies, but again, the hedge trimmer worked best.   Stuck it in between the daylilies and moved it back and forth carefully to not cut the lilies.  And it doesn't kill the brambles and wild blackberries, but after I see what turns brown and pull those out,  I can use the razor hoe at the roots of the weeds after that..

I discovered the new riding mower gives a great even cut on 4" grass but fails at 5"  so I will be diligent.  I like tall grass becaus tall leaves mean deeper roots.  But there are limits.  3' is right fo my fescue grass.

The other crazy neighbor is the same guy who was here several years ago having screaming matches with his girlfriend and taking off with their toddler late Summer nights.  But so far they are quiet.  If they are peaceful, I'm fine.

Buying A New Car

Car salesmen are amusing.  I used to find them scary, (purchased my first new car at sticker price as if I was at Walmart wanting to buy a shirt) but after the first couple cars, I discovered Consumer Reports detailed dealer cost "by option package".  For $11, I got the actual dealer cost ad it saved me about $1,000 to $2,000 each time for 3 cars.  Sadly, CR ended that service several years ago and now they just send you to Truecar, which merely gets you nearly instant offers from most local dealers (which turns out to be useful).  But I learned enough about discussing costs with dealers to still do pretty well.

This time, I demanded each dealer provide an emailed breakdown of the cost basis.  That's the various categories of costs for dealer prep, each option, delivery charge, etc.  Here's the cool part...  Each have different categories they try to get their profit.  For exaple, one dealer wanted $1,100 for a towing package, but another offerred that for $700 but wanted more for dealer prep.  I took the lowest in each category added it all up, dropped the total a few $100, and offerred that back to each.

I didn't expect to get my price.  Never try to negotiate down from their price.  Make them negotiate up from your own informed one.  Some salesman somewhere is having a bad month and feeling desperate.  If you are lucky, you find 2 of them.  And always do it by email.  You have it in writing!

So "Bill" at dealership X sends you a breakdown of costs at $28,000.  So does "Fred" at dealership Y at $29,000.  Let's say it is the towing package that differs most.  So you email Fred that you have a $28,000 offer and it is the towing package at $1,100.  Can he do something about that because another dealership is offerring $800?  AND the local trailer company will do it for $485.  And you email Bill and ask about the dealer prep fee because another dealer is $400 less than his charges.

It is important that you not lie, BTW, they KNOW what everyone else charges... You are just trying to get the best combination of the lowest prices by category.  The salesmen are looking to get $1,000 profit clear, plus incentive bonuses from their dealership and the manufacturer you are trying to get them down a couple hundred.  The whole advertised car-pricing s a massive kickback and bonus game.

I was pretty much settled on final negotiations with one dealer, then discovered a another dealer's bid was based on a higher trim model.  So we discussed that by phone today.  The salesman apologized and is redoing their price for the base model.*

So right now, I have one salesman trying beat another's offer.  I will have more information Monday about that.  Actually, they will come out nearly the same, and quite frankly the difference won't matter much to me.  It's more about the fun of playing with THEM for a change and who can get me the car first.

* I could easily afford a high trim package.  I just don't want it.  Features have changed.  It used to be that if you wanted and adjustable seat and steering wheel, those were "options".  Now all that stuff is standard.  Now, options or the improvements to the base model are fancier infotainment systems, fancier navigation systems, 16 speakers, cameras, etc.  I have a cordless phone and a desktop computer.  In the car, I listen to the all-news or the classical radio station.  I don't even WANT that distracting fancier stuff.  

And another note.  I am negotiating for a new 2020 Subaru Forrester. #2 in Consumers Report small SUV rating.  I would have preferred the Mazda CX-5 (#1 and having some parts of the ratings I valued).  But I discovered the local dealership closed and the nearest one is 25 miles away.  I fear Mazda is on its way out...

So, right now, I have a written offer for a Base model Subaru Forrester, all wheel drive, a calm green, no options but towing package.  The best current offer is about $26,800 (depends on towing package) from an out-of-state dealer.  The salesman I spoke to today at the dealership practically across the street from me is trying to match it (and you know he COULD).  

Now here is the part about why car salesmen are funny.  I have the money they desperately want.  Yet they pretend they are in charge of the price.  And they try to upsell so desperately.  You tell them you want the base model and even explain why, and they come back with a higher trim line price.  Maybe you'll go for it!  You remind them that you wanted the base model.  They extoll the virtues of the moonroof on the higher trim line.  You tell them monroofs always leak.  They say they give a 3 year warranty on the moonroof.  You tell them you are more concerned about years 10-15.  

So they drop the price of the higher trim line.  You decline, saying you positively DO NOT want the additional features.  This baffles them.  They expect every one want EVERYTHING they can possibly afford.  

If you are in a showroom (never buy a car face-to-face in a showroom), you suggest a price and they nearly cry, but have to go discuss it with it the Manager, leaving you to sit there for 30 minutes while they laugh and tell jokes and come back and say "maybe possibly if you agree to the wire spoke stainless steel alloy wheels".  

It's all a scam.  It SEEMS to me that these guys started by playing craps in back alleys, graduated to sidewalk 3 card monte, went to selling used cars and finally proved they were talented enough to sell new cars to suckers (Iike me on my first car purchase). 

So we will see what happens next week. 

Soothing Cats

I swear, sometimes I walk around telling The Mews "its OK, nothing's wrong, just relax".   I collect laundry to wash when they are napping on the bed, they leave.  Marley won't use the litterbox if he can see me but Iza would use one while I was cleaning the one next to her.  When Ayla wants to go outside, she circles away from me at the door before she goes out...  If I reach out a hand to scritch Marley, he flinches at first and then loves the attention. 

They love me when I am not moving...  It's not like I step on tails or paws.  I'm careful.  Its not like I pick them up unwanted (well Ayla likes that and I do it when she asks).  They come to me when I'm not moving.  I understand I'm way bigger.  But I am SO careful around them.

On the chair as The Lap, fine.  In bed trying to fall asleep not moving, fine.  Sitting at the table eating lunch and TRYING to read the newspaper?  They are all over me then.  They love me when I don't move. 

Cats are endlessly strange and inexplicible.  Is that why men love women and women love men?  Not really understanding what to expect day to day?