I have one- from my bank- made out for a large amount of money- to my old boss.
Tomorrow at 8am- D and I will pick up a cargo van and drive four hours to where my old boss now lives- and be done with this whole thing.
By which I mean we'll both sign a contract- I'll give her money- and she'll give me a great deal of property (hence the cargo can).
The check isn't for the largest amount of money I've ever held in one hand- but it certainly is the largest amount of money I've given over without some certain guarantee of equitable exchange.
While almost half of these funds are for concrete assets worth a certain amount of money- the other half is for things much less easily accounted. What is the value of a name- a web address- a design- a way of doing things- a reputation???
While I'm certain I've calculated its value, to me, accurately- I'm still exchanging certain money for uncertain certainties in my head.
I'm certain I can effectively run this business. I'm certain I have ideas that will grow it. That I can find others who will work with me- to do the things I can't all do myself. And that the less obvious assets that I'm buying can be put to uses, by me, the products of which will far exceed the value of what I'm paying.
But those certainties in my head- are still, in the larger world- certainly uncertainties.
I've now certainly used the derivatives of "certain" far too many times.
All I need to do now is sign my name and initial where indicated.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
2:33 minutes
My brother called a short while ago.
Me- Hello
Brother- Hey- uh- is it your birthday today???
M-Yeah
B- Oh- uh- Happy Birthday then.
M- Thanks
B- Hey- I'm buying a Mercedes too
Then we discussed what kind- and that he was on his way to get plates for it. He asked if mine was "like drivable" (which it is). And then we parted ways.
It took an entire two minutes and 33 seconds.
It's the most I've talked to him in months- I felt special.
Me- Hello
Brother- Hey- uh- is it your birthday today???
M-Yeah
B- Oh- uh- Happy Birthday then.
M- Thanks
B- Hey- I'm buying a Mercedes too
Then we discussed what kind- and that he was on his way to get plates for it. He asked if mine was "like drivable" (which it is). And then we parted ways.
It took an entire two minutes and 33 seconds.
It's the most I've talked to him in months- I felt special.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Secondly-
I forgot to mention- Crested Butte also had mad huge Alpine Columbine- on crack (aka Miracle-Grow)- no pictures though...
and the last Harry Potter book comes out in three days...
and the business purchase is on hold for the moment as I wait to see if the old owner can handle a reasonable non-compete.
and the last Harry Potter book comes out in three days...
and the business purchase is on hold for the moment as I wait to see if the old owner can handle a reasonable non-compete.
Firstly-
Crested Butte was just as beautiful as I remember it. At first appearing quaint- until you realize all that charm is strategically staged- in a lot of new buildings being specifically built to coordinate with the older ones.
Still delightful- but a tidge out of our price range.
In comes Silverton. Everyone should move to Silverton- but only after I've moved there- so I'll still be able to afford a house.
As I explained it in an e-mail to a friend-
"There is nothing in Silverton- except some abandoned mines, pretty old buildings, and an extreme ski area (extreme mtn bike area a few months a year) and a few B and B's. The state of Colorado has actually declared it one of about a dozen "Enterprise Zones" where they'll give you tax breaks if you start a business there. It's the only town in the county- the county has a population of 540.
It's situated between two passes, both above 10,000 feet. So every once in a while you'll have a day or two between January-March where you can't leave the town in either direction. The average temperature in winter at night is negative 20 to 20 degrees. Winter day is negative 20 to 60 degrees. Summer night is 20 to 40 degrees and summer day is 20 to 80 degrees.
However- it's only 50 miles to Durango- which gives you someplace to buy groceries (tourists take an old narrow gauge train from Durango to Silverton- which supplies the town with tourists from 11:15 to 3:30 pm everyday during the summer months).
Oh wait I forgot!!! In good Colorado tradition- it does have it's own micro-brewery :)"
It also has a Barbershop Music Festival (Telluride's Bluegrass Festival can eat its heart out). And possibly best yet- its small newspaper has a snarky backpage called The Caboose where they quote articles from 1898 and the like.
So- why don't you all just e-mail what size place you're looking for and I'll start figuring out who's going to live where- and don't worry- there's no shortage of housing- 2/3 of the town is for sale. (Including their classic old stone hotel from 1882- the one on the corner, with shops on the ground floor- you know what I mean- there's one of these in every old frontier town... though not Crested Butte oddly enough... and it's only 3 million- What a Steal!!!)
Okady- well. Anyway- this is my favorite picture of the "War Council". We were sitting around camp- and all of a sudden one of the boys mentioned he was getting out a map to look at the race course- and next thing you know there are four ladies sitting by themselves, and five boys running giddy over to look at the map- this is the view the ladies had of the whole affair-
Still delightful- but a tidge out of our price range.
In comes Silverton. Everyone should move to Silverton- but only after I've moved there- so I'll still be able to afford a house.
As I explained it in an e-mail to a friend-
"There is nothing in Silverton- except some abandoned mines, pretty old buildings, and an extreme ski area (extreme mtn bike area a few months a year) and a few B and B's. The state of Colorado has actually declared it one of about a dozen "Enterprise Zones" where they'll give you tax breaks if you start a business there. It's the only town in the county- the county has a population of 540.
It's situated between two passes, both above 10,000 feet. So every once in a while you'll have a day or two between January-March where you can't leave the town in either direction. The average temperature in winter at night is negative 20 to 20 degrees. Winter day is negative 20 to 60 degrees. Summer night is 20 to 40 degrees and summer day is 20 to 80 degrees.
However- it's only 50 miles to Durango- which gives you someplace to buy groceries (tourists take an old narrow gauge train from Durango to Silverton- which supplies the town with tourists from 11:15 to 3:30 pm everyday during the summer months).
Oh wait I forgot!!! In good Colorado tradition- it does have it's own micro-brewery :)"
It also has a Barbershop Music Festival (Telluride's Bluegrass Festival can eat its heart out). And possibly best yet- its small newspaper has a snarky backpage called The Caboose where they quote articles from 1898 and the like.
So- why don't you all just e-mail what size place you're looking for and I'll start figuring out who's going to live where- and don't worry- there's no shortage of housing- 2/3 of the town is for sale. (Including their classic old stone hotel from 1882- the one on the corner, with shops on the ground floor- you know what I mean- there's one of these in every old frontier town... though not Crested Butte oddly enough... and it's only 3 million- What a Steal!!!)
Okady- well. Anyway- this is my favorite picture of the "War Council". We were sitting around camp- and all of a sudden one of the boys mentioned he was getting out a map to look at the race course- and next thing you know there are four ladies sitting by themselves, and five boys running giddy over to look at the map- this is the view the ladies had of the whole affair-
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Humphreys
I'd like everyone to think really hard about just how large this flower is... my hands aren't tiny little girl hands...
They had superb bright yellow interior petals with stark, clean white outsides.
I think columbine are the only flowers that are as pretty from the back as they are from the front. Even when not talking about flowers- that's a hard statement to make about most things...
I liked the contrast of yellow and blue.
From our hike today.
They had superb bright yellow interior petals with stark, clean white outsides.
I think columbine are the only flowers that are as pretty from the back as they are from the front. Even when not talking about flowers- that's a hard statement to make about most things...
I liked the contrast of yellow and blue.
From our hike today.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Getting in gear-
Oh no- not in regards to Selma Lee- dear me- she's enjoying being neglected... I swear.
However- I did attend my first Spin class last night. Presumably the first of many as I begin my laze to blaze transformation for TransIowa. I guess since D outed me already there's no harm in admitting it... I intend to line up for TransIowa '08 or v4.0??? One of these days I'm going to have to start one of those insipid riding blogs, where I do nothing put talk about how much my legs hurt, and how my home trails are cooler than everybody else's- bonus points for pictures (but everyone who doesn't live in Alaska always losses the unannounced, but none-the-less important photo contests)... no really- neither are they insipid, nor am I going to start writing one :)
In more exciting news (does this demonstrate a bad priority list...) I've reached an agreement with my previous employer to purchase her business. There are some legalities that need to be worked out- but the price and assets have been settled on. Now to do the fun part- start the freakin' business.
Anyway- Dave can't make a joke of my non-existent company anymore- and I'm officially declaring myself Self-Employed- take that.
Thank you world- please come again.
However- I did attend my first Spin class last night. Presumably the first of many as I begin my laze to blaze transformation for TransIowa. I guess since D outed me already there's no harm in admitting it... I intend to line up for TransIowa '08 or v4.0??? One of these days I'm going to have to start one of those insipid riding blogs, where I do nothing put talk about how much my legs hurt, and how my home trails are cooler than everybody else's- bonus points for pictures (but everyone who doesn't live in Alaska always losses the unannounced, but none-the-less important photo contests)... no really- neither are they insipid, nor am I going to start writing one :)
In more exciting news (does this demonstrate a bad priority list...) I've reached an agreement with my previous employer to purchase her business. There are some legalities that need to be worked out- but the price and assets have been settled on. Now to do the fun part- start the freakin' business.
Anyway- Dave can't make a joke of my non-existent company anymore- and I'm officially declaring myself Self-Employed- take that.
Thank you world- please come again.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Vacation-
we just returned from a week of vacation. Some plans changed in the end- but for the most part is was all good.
Above is myself in the bucket of a digger that was left around a bit of torn up earth on Chamberlain Ranch (we speculate they're subdividing and selling off some land for vacation homes)- just north of Zion National Park- you walk through a bit of the ranch to access the Virgin River just above where it enters the park and slots up into The Narrows. Which we through-hiked in just ender 8 hours (the norm being doing it in two days with 10-12 hours of hiking total. It's only 16 miles- but those are river miles, which have you rock hopping and sliding around crossing back and forth across the river from sand bar to sand bar in search of easier hiking.
There was some great red and yellow columbine in The Narrows. They grow out of the sheer walls, forming hanging gardens where various springs and seeps exit the canyon walls.
Unfortunately we didn't see any of the purple and white Rocky Mountain Columbine- which apparently haunt Boundary Canyon (around Zion)- the friends we visited, Ariel and Phillip, had pictures of some they saw when they did said canyon several weeks ago.
Above is myself in the bucket of a digger that was left around a bit of torn up earth on Chamberlain Ranch (we speculate they're subdividing and selling off some land for vacation homes)- just north of Zion National Park- you walk through a bit of the ranch to access the Virgin River just above where it enters the park and slots up into The Narrows. Which we through-hiked in just ender 8 hours (the norm being doing it in two days with 10-12 hours of hiking total. It's only 16 miles- but those are river miles, which have you rock hopping and sliding around crossing back and forth across the river from sand bar to sand bar in search of easier hiking.
There was some great red and yellow columbine in The Narrows. They grow out of the sheer walls, forming hanging gardens where various springs and seeps exit the canyon walls.
Unfortunately we didn't see any of the purple and white Rocky Mountain Columbine- which apparently haunt Boundary Canyon (around Zion)- the friends we visited, Ariel and Phillip, had pictures of some they saw when they did said canyon several weeks ago.
I'm pretty certain columbine are my favorite flower- you can't tell- but the ones in the picture are two and a half to three inches long from front to back with their long tails. They're intricate without being delicate- but they only grow in very wet places, the sides of stream beds, etc. so you don't often fine the density and profusion of them you do in The Narrows.
I'm also quite upset with Xanterra Parks and Resorts (the only concessionaires in many of the National Parks... I'm always upset with them about something- but this time even D thinks it's warranted) when we were at The North Rim Lodge- we quite clearly heard the hostess of their fine dining restaurant tell two twenty-something ladies that they had to have reservations (in the snottiest, drawn-out tone, I couldn't believe my ears). Then a thirty-something couple walked up not two minutes later and she told them she could seat them if they could dine immediately... (the ladies had not asked for a later time, they had simply inquired if they could be accommodated at all that evening)
excuse me???
I work in restaurants- I know how reservations work- and that sometimes someone gets up before you think they will, you can move a few things around, and seat someone on the spur of the moment that you wouldn't have thought you could... but this hostess didn't look around- didn't talk to any other staff between talking to these two pairs... if a table had opened up- she wouldn't have known- she was making a judgment based totally on what she thought they looked like.
Why must Xanterra make our parks cheap and trashy??? Why can't they step up their service and services to match the fact that they're located in some of the most beautiful, treasured, and historic places our country has???
Bah.
I'm also quite upset with Xanterra Parks and Resorts (the only concessionaires in many of the National Parks... I'm always upset with them about something- but this time even D thinks it's warranted) when we were at The North Rim Lodge- we quite clearly heard the hostess of their fine dining restaurant tell two twenty-something ladies that they had to have reservations (in the snottiest, drawn-out tone, I couldn't believe my ears). Then a thirty-something couple walked up not two minutes later and she told them she could seat them if they could dine immediately... (the ladies had not asked for a later time, they had simply inquired if they could be accommodated at all that evening)
excuse me???
I work in restaurants- I know how reservations work- and that sometimes someone gets up before you think they will, you can move a few things around, and seat someone on the spur of the moment that you wouldn't have thought you could... but this hostess didn't look around- didn't talk to any other staff between talking to these two pairs... if a table had opened up- she wouldn't have known- she was making a judgment based totally on what she thought they looked like.
Why must Xanterra make our parks cheap and trashy??? Why can't they step up their service and services to match the fact that they're located in some of the most beautiful, treasured, and historic places our country has???
Bah.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
More...
I'm finally getting around to the point of these last two posts... which was to classify the different flowers. Some of these pictures are from much earlier in the season, they're not all blooming right now. First we had the primrose come out. Then half the side yard turned purple with these bundles of little flowers I couldn't photograph well. Now it's primarily pink and purple thistles and big patches of the orange globemallow. Always with a few other random flowers tossed in. We didn't manage to have any Indian Paintbrush though... there were plenty of them growing in the empty lot down the street- but none of their bright red blooms in our yard.
Gaura coccinea
Scarlet Guara,
also called scarlet beeblossom, or butterflyweed
You can see our mailbox post on the right side. These grew in a sizable patch by the drainage ditch that separates up from the street (note the row of dark colored rocks that parallel the road), and were only in bloom for about a week... now they have little specks of rose that are the withered up blossoms still hanging on. They stand almost two feet tall.
These are the giant dandelions (three to four feet tall), which known they're in the desert, as they grew in this very shady spot next to the evergreen bushes- and would also close back up during the worse heat of the day, then open in the mornings and evenings.
Erigeron divergens
Spreading Fleabane
One of the hardest to pin down- and I'm not entirely certain it's not Eastern Fleabane (which took federalism to heart and is not located in almost every state). I eventually ditched my Field Guide to The Plants of Arizona and started through the USDA's Plant Database- which is super interesting, includes pictures, and should be visited by everyone.
Tragopogon dubius
Yellow Salsify,
also called moonflower, meadow salsify, or yellow goatsbeard
This one wins the odd name award for both it's common and scientific names... it's actually an early European immigrant who's made itself quite at home.
Sphaeralcea ambigue
Desert Globemallow,
also called sore-eye poppy, desert hollyhock, mal de ojo and plantas muy malas
The hairs on the stem are an eye irritant- which explains most of it's alternative names. We have bunches and bunches of these in the yard right now. I might take another picture later- as it's hard to appreciate the perfectly round little orange disks that are the blossoms. Most plants have blooms all the way up the stem, creating swaths of orange in the yard.
Gaura coccinea
Scarlet Guara,
also called scarlet beeblossom, or butterflyweed
You can see our mailbox post on the right side. These grew in a sizable patch by the drainage ditch that separates up from the street (note the row of dark colored rocks that parallel the road), and were only in bloom for about a week... now they have little specks of rose that are the withered up blossoms still hanging on. They stand almost two feet tall.
These are the giant dandelions (three to four feet tall), which known they're in the desert, as they grew in this very shady spot next to the evergreen bushes- and would also close back up during the worse heat of the day, then open in the mornings and evenings.
Erigeron divergens
Spreading Fleabane
One of the hardest to pin down- and I'm not entirely certain it's not Eastern Fleabane (which took federalism to heart and is not located in almost every state). I eventually ditched my Field Guide to The Plants of Arizona and started through the USDA's Plant Database- which is super interesting, includes pictures, and should be visited by everyone.
Tragopogon dubius
Yellow Salsify,
also called moonflower, meadow salsify, or yellow goatsbeard
This one wins the odd name award for both it's common and scientific names... it's actually an early European immigrant who's made itself quite at home.
Sphaeralcea ambigue
Desert Globemallow,
also called sore-eye poppy, desert hollyhock, mal de ojo and plantas muy malas
The hairs on the stem are an eye irritant- which explains most of it's alternative names. We have bunches and bunches of these in the yard right now. I might take another picture later- as it's hard to appreciate the perfectly round little orange disks that are the blossoms. Most plants have blooms all the way up the stem, creating swaths of orange in the yard.
Company...
some of the flowers that grow wild in our yard... they keep Selma Lee company while she's in the drive way.
Oenothera albicaulis
Prairie Evening Primrose
There are 21 species of Oenothera (primrose) found in Arizona- if you compare this to the last picture in this post- you have to look at the lobes on the leaves to see the difference (there's also a distinct difference in height if you could see a side profile of them).
Opuntia violacea
Purple Prickly Pear,
also called Blue Blade or Dollar Cactus (how appropriate)
We have maybe half a dozen of these on the sloping hill behind our apartment.
Cirsium neomaxicanum
New Mexican Thistle
We have two of these out front all by themselves- they're both about 3 1/2 feet tall, with such slender stems I don't see how they don't fall over.
Cirsium arizonicum
Airzona Thistle
There are many thistle species and sub-species in Arizona. The bloom on this is about four inches across- I think the picture makes it look smaller then it is. We have these all over the yard- this plant is now fully in bloom with five big pink flowers.
Oenothera caespitosa
Stemless Primrose,
also called Sandlily or Rockrose
We have seven railroad tie steps that go up the side of the building- for whatever reason these flowers love those steps- and earlier in the spring- probably early April- we had a dozen of these plants along the steps- which open up in the mornings, and by mid-day are closed and look like boring green weeds.
Oenothera albicaulis
Prairie Evening Primrose
There are 21 species of Oenothera (primrose) found in Arizona- if you compare this to the last picture in this post- you have to look at the lobes on the leaves to see the difference (there's also a distinct difference in height if you could see a side profile of them).
Opuntia violacea
Purple Prickly Pear,
also called Blue Blade or Dollar Cactus (how appropriate)
We have maybe half a dozen of these on the sloping hill behind our apartment.
Cirsium neomaxicanum
New Mexican Thistle
We have two of these out front all by themselves- they're both about 3 1/2 feet tall, with such slender stems I don't see how they don't fall over.
Cirsium arizonicum
Airzona Thistle
There are many thistle species and sub-species in Arizona. The bloom on this is about four inches across- I think the picture makes it look smaller then it is. We have these all over the yard- this plant is now fully in bloom with five big pink flowers.
Oenothera caespitosa
Stemless Primrose,
also called Sandlily or Rockrose
We have seven railroad tie steps that go up the side of the building- for whatever reason these flowers love those steps- and earlier in the spring- probably early April- we had a dozen of these plants along the steps- which open up in the mornings, and by mid-day are closed and look like boring green weeds.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Terribly off topic...
Why do I read the BBC???
They managed to use the phrase "primed athletic beasts" in reference to laboratory rats...
oh- and British birders are called twitchers... did you know that???
I did- cause I read the BBC.
They managed to use the phrase "primed athletic beasts" in reference to laboratory rats...
oh- and British birders are called twitchers... did you know that???
I did- cause I read the BBC.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Longer Hiatus.
Well the hiatus went longer as I returned home for a day before leaving again to support the Hubby at an endurance mountain biking event.
I'm waiting for parts to arrive and more progress to be made- in the mean time she gets driven around a bit and parked with cardboard under the oil pan so as we might get a bit of our deposit back when we leave our current abode.
Hmm.
I'm waiting for parts to arrive and more progress to be made- in the mean time she gets driven around a bit and parked with cardboard under the oil pan so as we might get a bit of our deposit back when we leave our current abode.
Hmm.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Hiatus.
Selma Lee's in the garage for a few days while I travel home.
She's got some parts on the way- her oil leak is actually worse since I played with the oil pan... she had a slight leak before, coming from what seemed like the drain bolt- but turned out to be some metal on the bottom corner that got pushed up and in the way of the drain bolt when some previous owner bottomed out the car... I filed off the offending bit of metal and replaced the bolt before putting the bottom of the oil pan back on the car- turns out you get a bit more leverage when it's attached to an almost two ton car, and it cranked almost another full turn this evening when I got home (I should have tightened it before, but I thought I'd done it as tight as possible...)- there's cardboard under it now so when I come back I'll be able to see if it was that simple of a fix.
It's also starting to get quite warm and the need to get the rest of the windows working is becoming acute. I need to dive into the vacuum system anyway- so- away I go... when I get back.
She's got some parts on the way- her oil leak is actually worse since I played with the oil pan... she had a slight leak before, coming from what seemed like the drain bolt- but turned out to be some metal on the bottom corner that got pushed up and in the way of the drain bolt when some previous owner bottomed out the car... I filed off the offending bit of metal and replaced the bolt before putting the bottom of the oil pan back on the car- turns out you get a bit more leverage when it's attached to an almost two ton car, and it cranked almost another full turn this evening when I got home (I should have tightened it before, but I thought I'd done it as tight as possible...)- there's cardboard under it now so when I come back I'll be able to see if it was that simple of a fix.
It's also starting to get quite warm and the need to get the rest of the windows working is becoming acute. I need to dive into the vacuum system anyway- so- away I go... when I get back.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
I guess it's alright-
I wrote them an e-mail... and they wrote back real quick and pleaded their case as a very small company and sent a picture of Namrita wearing the Argyle jersey as evidence of it's suitability to the female form... Namrita being a rider they sponsor/give gear to, who lives in Georgia with her husband- both of whom Dave showed around the Prescott area trails when they were out visiting in December.
Shall I break in to a chorus of "Small World"???
No- I think now. But I'm tempted.
Shall I break in to a chorus of "Small World"???
No- I think now. But I'm tempted.
Stealing...
A link from Davie's blog-
"Watch the hell out Project Runway."
Though it is disappointing that they have only two women's shirts and like six men's... I like that argyle one, why can't I have it in women's specific shaping???
"Watch the hell out Project Runway."
Though it is disappointing that they have only two women's shirts and like six men's... I like that argyle one, why can't I have it in women's specific shaping???
Monday, May 7, 2007
Selma Lee is consuming my soul...
is it weird that I got really excited when I saw this picture???
It's a set of gaskets for the lower engine... list $132.00 mine for only 51.21...
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Home on the range.
This is a quail running across our deck railing on the second floor. Then a roadrunner did a little hop, fly across the street- you could see the strips on it's wings distinctly- but it was too far away to get a good picture. Then a big bright yellow butterfly flew over my head and all the world was happy.
See that little bit of evergreen branch on the right- the quail then jumped into the tree and I can still hear it's distinctive call... there's another quail answering it a little ways down the street... ah- springtime in the dessert-
Friday, May 4, 2007
Turning off-
I pull into a parking space, I shift into park, I turn the key to the off position, and the car continues to run.
This is good.
It means I have a positive confirmation on the trouble with my car. I had been told it probably wasn't a vacuum leak and I had been investigating other potentialities... thought I had tracked it to a worn out preliminary fuel pump- which I might just change anyway- cause it's probably due...
the vacuum system is complicated though. Many parts- affects many other systems... lots of hoses and whatnot- lots of potential to mess things up.
Which is why I'm stalling- didn't start the work today- I have all weekend...
need to go procure a shop vac to help me test the system.
There is one larger problem. At the moment it doesn't malfunction All the time- which means testing it will get fairly complicated.
Updates tomorrow.
This is good.
It means I have a positive confirmation on the trouble with my car. I had been told it probably wasn't a vacuum leak and I had been investigating other potentialities... thought I had tracked it to a worn out preliminary fuel pump- which I might just change anyway- cause it's probably due...
the vacuum system is complicated though. Many parts- affects many other systems... lots of hoses and whatnot- lots of potential to mess things up.
Which is why I'm stalling- didn't start the work today- I have all weekend...
need to go procure a shop vac to help me test the system.
There is one larger problem. At the moment it doesn't malfunction All the time- which means testing it will get fairly complicated.
Updates tomorrow.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
At last...
I've taken all the pictures I took during The Trip and put them online-
you can now view them with some random commentary Here.
I will say- all the exciting things that happened- I was too busy dealing with to take pictures of... I wish I had a shot of Norman and I doing paper work in his little shop... the friendly folks at the Tire Store... the hotel parking lot where I changed my fuel filter... but alas- I don't. Certain memories will have to remain solely in my mind.
you can now view them with some random commentary Here.
I will say- all the exciting things that happened- I was too busy dealing with to take pictures of... I wish I had a shot of Norman and I doing paper work in his little shop... the friendly folks at the Tire Store... the hotel parking lot where I changed my fuel filter... but alas- I don't. Certain memories will have to remain solely in my mind.
Friday, April 27, 2007
How or Why...
did I end up with Selma Lee???
Dave and I moved to our current location for a job he'd accepted, after being essentially itinerate for some nine months- since the fall after I graduated college. By my count we traveled through 15 states in that time including a longer stay at his parents house in Ohio at the end, as a home base while Dave solidified job offers and we planned for a more permanent move.
Before we left on this adventure we sold Callie, the fuel efficient VW Jetta, and bought and modified Josy- the XTerra. Josy made fine living conditions during a number of those months when we weren't semi-settled somewhere else (like our two month stay in St. George, Utah- home of the one hundred foot tall retaining walls, but that's another story).
So we lived a blissful life with only one vehicle for quite some time. I like being able to live somewhere with only one car and not have it be a nuisance... when we lived in Moab we still had two cars, but more often then not we would drive neither of them and either walk down the street to the grocery store- or- if we were in a real hurry- we'd ride our bikes, as during Jeep Safari you could actually get around town faster on a bike then in a car... now that's my kind of town.
Anyway- when we settled in the current area- The Tri-City Area... it seemed like we were going to need to get a second vehicle. As the Tri-Cities are twenty minute drives away from each other, and no one city has everything you need... plus Dave's work was thirty minutes out of even the closest of The Cities. However- Dave's work provided some transportation that was a good bike ride away and I started working in our town and could take the bike path in front of our house half the way to work, with a nice big shoulder along most of the rest of the way. We were living a fairly blissful one-car life again... sort of... except when one of us needed to make a run into an adjoining town for anything... and then winter set in- and Dave's work transport became more complicated- and after a month of waking up early to spend an hour driving Dave to work and back, getting home with barely enough time to get myself to work... we decided to stop talking and actually get a second car.
Now in the mean time, one of our neighbors, several blocks down our street, had had a car parked out for sale. It was an amazing car- a mellow but happy shade of pale olive green, older and boxier... but with just enough curves to be truly pleasant on the eyes. It was old, but was still an automatic- with only 120,000 miles, a sunroof, and an adorable old factory roof rack. And it was a diesel- how charming, and what options for fuel use!!! I was in love.
The car was a 1979 Mercedes-Benz 300D.
Well they were asking $2,100- with both the A/C and power windows broken. I was charmed by the car- but we hadn't been in town all that long and hadn't totally decided about getting another car. I put it on the back burner... but every time I drove that way down the street I'd check to make sure it was still there. I did a little research, found that really- the price was reasonable... except Dave kept joking that I'd have to pick up the car at 4am, once the interior had cooled down with the evening air- and drive it immediately to a repair shop, because you can't drive a car with no A/C- windows up- around the desert in August.
I finally decided just to call- ask a few more questions about the vehicle... and was told it had been sold- $2,000...
At this point I was heart broken... my car!!! My perfect car!!!
So I started stalking eBay. And the discussion of whether or not to get a second car continued... and the more cars I saw sold on eBay- the more I realized I should have grabbed that beautiful green hunk of metal when it was just steps away from my house- but so be it.
Eventually it became obvious that we wanted another car. I won't say necessary and I won't use the term Need- because perchance those terms don't apply... but the convenience factor was too high and we gave in.
We started looking locally for a car. I still wanted one just like the one down the street- which meant a 300D sometime between 1976 and 1982- but I was open to other possibilities. However- this was a golden opportunity for me- we weren't going to spend much on the car. It just had to get me to work and back- as anytime we left town we'd want Josy for her sleeping capabilities and her four-wheel drive. This was going to be my little around town car- and as long as it ran I could get what I wanted. Now you'll have to consider that I've never really picked out a car before... my first car was handed down by my parents from my sister (that's the one that caught fire being driven through Nebraska at 2am by friends while we were several states away...) but we still had Dave's Subaru (which was lovely and I liked, but I also killed it against a highway barrier driving back from cross-country skiing in Minnesota). At which point we needed a car, fast, with great gas mileage as Dave's commute from our little college town to his work wasn't small my senior year- so we got the first thing that fit in our price range- Callie the Jetta. Then we needed a vehicle with four wheel drive and enough space in the back for us to lay down- plus we were shopping for this vehicle in Iowa- not out west- so the options were a bit more limited in the used market (not so many 4WD anythings). In the end, I wanted this Isuzu Trooper we found as it had a bit more room in the back- Dave wanted an XTerra which I thought looked utterly pompous and ridiculous... we have Josy the XTerra now- so you know who won that debate... so- when an opportunity arrived to pick out a car- and it just so happened the the car I really wanted was also totally within the price range and other requirements... how could I not take advantage of this most fortuitous occurrence.
But Dave was getting frustrated with my day-dreaming and lack of results- so I made a deal with him- in the next five days there were four Benz that met my qualifications closing on eBay. One in our state, one in a nearby state- and two on the other side of the country- South Carolina and Georgia. The one in Georgia closed last. I told him- if I didn't have a car via-eBay in the next five days I would buy the first local car I could find- which was most likely going to be a Very-ugly Volvo station wagon (there are cute ones- but this was an ugly one) for $1,500 that I passed every day on the way to work.
The first two were in great condition and quickly cleared my budget... in the last 36 hours I had a decision to make- of the two cars- South Carolina and Georgia- South Carolina looked like it was going to close somewhere Very close to my limit, probably a couple hundred dollars over- Georgia was harder to call- it closed 12 hours later, but knowing the eBay market at this point, my gut said it would finish within my range... adding to this the procurement cost of Georgia being quite a bit less then South Carolina I had a difficult decision to make. Should I bid South Carolina above my goal but guarantee myself the car I want... or take a chance on Georgia and possibly end up with the Very-ugly Volvo if it exceeded what I was willing to pay for it. Considering Georgia wasn't in as good of condition as South Carolina- and the limit I was willing to pay for Georgia was not the limit I could possibly spend- I knew I might end up wanting to spend more then Georgia was worth because I could- but if I was going to spend a couple hundred more than I wanted to- wouldn't it be wiser to spend more on South Carolina and get, potentially, the better car...
In the end-as you know- I followed my gut and let South Carolina slip by- Georgia closed for about four hundred dollars less then I would have been willing to pay for her- and Georgia became Ms. Selma Lee Suiby (pronounced SUE-bee, for all those who haven't heard my pronunciation rants in person...).
Not knowing more about the condition of the Original Green Car- I don't know whether, in the end, I wish I had just bought her- but I do know I would have missed my 102 Hours of Adventure, retrieving Selma Lee... and in the end- Experiences are what it's all about- right???
Right.
Dave and I moved to our current location for a job he'd accepted, after being essentially itinerate for some nine months- since the fall after I graduated college. By my count we traveled through 15 states in that time including a longer stay at his parents house in Ohio at the end, as a home base while Dave solidified job offers and we planned for a more permanent move.
Before we left on this adventure we sold Callie, the fuel efficient VW Jetta, and bought and modified Josy- the XTerra. Josy made fine living conditions during a number of those months when we weren't semi-settled somewhere else (like our two month stay in St. George, Utah- home of the one hundred foot tall retaining walls, but that's another story).
So we lived a blissful life with only one vehicle for quite some time. I like being able to live somewhere with only one car and not have it be a nuisance... when we lived in Moab we still had two cars, but more often then not we would drive neither of them and either walk down the street to the grocery store- or- if we were in a real hurry- we'd ride our bikes, as during Jeep Safari you could actually get around town faster on a bike then in a car... now that's my kind of town.
Anyway- when we settled in the current area- The Tri-City Area... it seemed like we were going to need to get a second vehicle. As the Tri-Cities are twenty minute drives away from each other, and no one city has everything you need... plus Dave's work was thirty minutes out of even the closest of The Cities. However- Dave's work provided some transportation that was a good bike ride away and I started working in our town and could take the bike path in front of our house half the way to work, with a nice big shoulder along most of the rest of the way. We were living a fairly blissful one-car life again... sort of... except when one of us needed to make a run into an adjoining town for anything... and then winter set in- and Dave's work transport became more complicated- and after a month of waking up early to spend an hour driving Dave to work and back, getting home with barely enough time to get myself to work... we decided to stop talking and actually get a second car.
Now in the mean time, one of our neighbors, several blocks down our street, had had a car parked out for sale. It was an amazing car- a mellow but happy shade of pale olive green, older and boxier... but with just enough curves to be truly pleasant on the eyes. It was old, but was still an automatic- with only 120,000 miles, a sunroof, and an adorable old factory roof rack. And it was a diesel- how charming, and what options for fuel use!!! I was in love.
The car was a 1979 Mercedes-Benz 300D.
Well they were asking $2,100- with both the A/C and power windows broken. I was charmed by the car- but we hadn't been in town all that long and hadn't totally decided about getting another car. I put it on the back burner... but every time I drove that way down the street I'd check to make sure it was still there. I did a little research, found that really- the price was reasonable... except Dave kept joking that I'd have to pick up the car at 4am, once the interior had cooled down with the evening air- and drive it immediately to a repair shop, because you can't drive a car with no A/C- windows up- around the desert in August.
I finally decided just to call- ask a few more questions about the vehicle... and was told it had been sold- $2,000...
At this point I was heart broken... my car!!! My perfect car!!!
So I started stalking eBay. And the discussion of whether or not to get a second car continued... and the more cars I saw sold on eBay- the more I realized I should have grabbed that beautiful green hunk of metal when it was just steps away from my house- but so be it.
Eventually it became obvious that we wanted another car. I won't say necessary and I won't use the term Need- because perchance those terms don't apply... but the convenience factor was too high and we gave in.
We started looking locally for a car. I still wanted one just like the one down the street- which meant a 300D sometime between 1976 and 1982- but I was open to other possibilities. However- this was a golden opportunity for me- we weren't going to spend much on the car. It just had to get me to work and back- as anytime we left town we'd want Josy for her sleeping capabilities and her four-wheel drive. This was going to be my little around town car- and as long as it ran I could get what I wanted. Now you'll have to consider that I've never really picked out a car before... my first car was handed down by my parents from my sister (that's the one that caught fire being driven through Nebraska at 2am by friends while we were several states away...) but we still had Dave's Subaru (which was lovely and I liked, but I also killed it against a highway barrier driving back from cross-country skiing in Minnesota). At which point we needed a car, fast, with great gas mileage as Dave's commute from our little college town to his work wasn't small my senior year- so we got the first thing that fit in our price range- Callie the Jetta. Then we needed a vehicle with four wheel drive and enough space in the back for us to lay down- plus we were shopping for this vehicle in Iowa- not out west- so the options were a bit more limited in the used market (not so many 4WD anythings). In the end, I wanted this Isuzu Trooper we found as it had a bit more room in the back- Dave wanted an XTerra which I thought looked utterly pompous and ridiculous... we have Josy the XTerra now- so you know who won that debate... so- when an opportunity arrived to pick out a car- and it just so happened the the car I really wanted was also totally within the price range and other requirements... how could I not take advantage of this most fortuitous occurrence.
But Dave was getting frustrated with my day-dreaming and lack of results- so I made a deal with him- in the next five days there were four Benz that met my qualifications closing on eBay. One in our state, one in a nearby state- and two on the other side of the country- South Carolina and Georgia. The one in Georgia closed last. I told him- if I didn't have a car via-eBay in the next five days I would buy the first local car I could find- which was most likely going to be a Very-ugly Volvo station wagon (there are cute ones- but this was an ugly one) for $1,500 that I passed every day on the way to work.
The first two were in great condition and quickly cleared my budget... in the last 36 hours I had a decision to make- of the two cars- South Carolina and Georgia- South Carolina looked like it was going to close somewhere Very close to my limit, probably a couple hundred dollars over- Georgia was harder to call- it closed 12 hours later, but knowing the eBay market at this point, my gut said it would finish within my range... adding to this the procurement cost of Georgia being quite a bit less then South Carolina I had a difficult decision to make. Should I bid South Carolina above my goal but guarantee myself the car I want... or take a chance on Georgia and possibly end up with the Very-ugly Volvo if it exceeded what I was willing to pay for it. Considering Georgia wasn't in as good of condition as South Carolina- and the limit I was willing to pay for Georgia was not the limit I could possibly spend- I knew I might end up wanting to spend more then Georgia was worth because I could- but if I was going to spend a couple hundred more than I wanted to- wouldn't it be wiser to spend more on South Carolina and get, potentially, the better car...
In the end-as you know- I followed my gut and let South Carolina slip by- Georgia closed for about four hundred dollars less then I would have been willing to pay for her- and Georgia became Ms. Selma Lee Suiby (pronounced SUE-bee, for all those who haven't heard my pronunciation rants in person...).
Not knowing more about the condition of the Original Green Car- I don't know whether, in the end, I wish I had just bought her- but I do know I would have missed my 102 Hours of Adventure, retrieving Selma Lee... and in the end- Experiences are what it's all about- right???
Right.
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