Monday 30 October 2017

Sunday Night Catch Up

I feel like it has been a whirlwind two or three weeks. So here's what's been occupying my time and energy lately.

We were down one vehicle due to an unfortunate accident in a parking lot. (The "kids' car" got badly damaged while it was parked in a highschool parking lot - the insurance company declared it a write off, so it got taken away and we were paid what the car was "worth" which wasn't a whole lot). We decided to let the kids (and I say kids, but they are 17 and 21) use my vehicle which I've been driving forever and is still a reliable workhorse of a vehicle, and I would get something different and "new".

New doesn't mean new. New means different. We like other people to experience depreciation of brand new vehicles. I also prefer someone else to put the first scratch in the car, so it doesn't have to be me. For three (?) weekends now, my husband and I have been driving around going to various car dealerships looking for the right car for me. I like SUVs. We have brutal winters here and I like to be up off the road with four wheel drive below me. I wanted a slightly smaller SUV than I've been driving and was partial to Kia Sportage, or Kia Sorento. We just couldn't find the right combination of all wheel drive, the correct colour, heated seats (a deal breaker for me!) and price.

Again, I remind you, we do not live in a city where there are great numbers of car dealerships to search through. We drove a lot! In one way, it was kind of nice, just the husband and I. We'd eat out, chat a lot, look at cars, test drive some, it was kind of like dating, except more stressful because I really needed to get a new vehicle!! It has been exhausting for him, as he's been dealing with his own health problems, but that's a whole other story.

Anyway, finally, on Saturday, we drove to yet another town (maybe an hour and a bit away) because I had found a couple of vehicles on the website of a Toyota dealership that looked promising. I am now the proud owner of a Toyota Rav 4 that I will be picking up this Thursday (more driving). I'm very happy. It is a "limited" which means all the bells and whistles (leather seats, yay!!) and it was still in our price range. We do not spend big money on our vehicles but we have yet to buy a "lemon".

As well, I have  been working Monday to Friday as always with extra work commitments. I've had a long overdue dentist appointment and now have lovely clean teeth with no cavities. I FINALLY cleaned up my little vegetable garden and packed away stakes and tomato cages and dug out the last of the potatoes and thrown bean plants into the compost. I cut back more perennials and cleaned out the last pots and window boxes of their faded summer flowers. One cat has been treated for worms and probably fleas and I have to remember to take care of the other cat. That's the dilemma with cats who go outdoors. They hunt and get parasites, you treat them for said parasites, then they go out and hunt some more. Yechk!!

When I was cleaning out my garden, I discovered two lovely not-too-big zucchini, so I made a batch of my regular chocolate chip zucchini muffins for this week's lunches and snacks. I also made a ham for supper. We haven't had ham for quite some time and I'm planning on making split pea and ham soup with some of the leftovers. It's becoming home made soup time!

We have been very fortunate and have not had hard frosts or snow yet. Hallowe'en is in two days and there have been Hallowe'ens of the past that have been cold, snowy, rainy, mild, windy, any combination of those... We don't get a ton of trick or treaters, but some years we get a fair amount, especially if the weather isn't horrible, so I purchased some treats to be ready.

People at work dress up for Hallowe'en and I'm a bit of a straight laced party pooper, but this year I decided , why not? So I found a costume at Value Village which was not some kind of suggestive sexy vampire get up (why are they all like that???) and instead I'm going to be a giant banana (and no that wasn't meant to be suggestive in any way).

A couple of weeks ago, we celebrated my mother-in-law's eightieth birthday. We took her out to dinner at a nice place in a nearby town and then brought her back home for cake. She is in a retirement home due to her dementia, but she's very healthy otherwise. Generally she is in good spirits, but maintains that people have been in her room and moved things around. This is a common theme. She wouldn't remember if she had put an item in a different spot, or even what she had in her room, so it might just be easier to believe that others are doing things. Being around someone with virtually no short term memory is a very good reminder to live your life NOW, not put things off, and not worry about the little things.

I've been watching Outlander on Sundays (Diana Gabaldon's novel). I've read her whole series and enjoy the tv shows, but some are quite borderline pornographic in spots and I always have the remote in my hand ready to switch to something else if my son should walk into the room. Not that I think he doesn't already know the whys and whereabouts of human sexuality, but more that he should say something along the lines of, "Mom!! What are you watching?!?!"

Well, there you have it. There's the Sunday night review. Have a great week, everyone.

18 comments:

  1. Good Morning Canada. Another most entertaining post.
    Glad
    -you found your jeep
    - have clean teeth
    - are enjoying choc zucchini muffins which will taste even better with clean teeth. Dont forget to make your next appointment lol
    - a banana. How easy is that to wear?

    Do you have any time to start on your 'serious' writing. Hope youve made a start

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  2. Hi Jenn :) Congrats on the "new" car! I would love to have heated seats...that would make life so much more comfy! I laughed at your giant banana costume. Enjoy Halloween!! :)

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  3. Jenn... I feel for you when it comes to kids cars. Both my girls were involved in wrecks in the school parking lot. During this trying time for my Mr. I backed out of our garage into my daughter's car. Those high school years were not a lot of fun. Have a great week!

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  4. Jenn such a lovely catchup. Yeah to new/different car for you. I have a friend that drives a RAV4, well her last new 3 have all been RAV4s & she likes a lot, they drive Cambridge to Grand Bend a lot & she has 100% confidence in the vehicle for winter drives. For work I was once a Royal Blue crayon; let's hope no one will want to peel you (col). ... Mary-Lou =^..^=

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  5. I figure that would happen to my car, its totaled and I'd get maybe 1500...

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  6. I always buy mine second time around, too. Glad you passed on the Kia. That was my rental car when Laura crashed my front end. It was too light to stick the road, and you know I expect a car to behave when I drive fast. A Toyota is good.

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  7. Jenn, Car shopping is and expensive bore. When I was young it was kind of in...especially to get my first ever brand new car...a short bed Chevy four wheel drive truck. Wish I had bought two of those. LOL Now I am driving a 2001 Jeep...because I have no interest in car shopping...as the prices go higher and higher...gaaaa. My children love leasing...but I am old school and would rather own...but with sky high prices, I may be leasing in the future. I still can get my G.M. discount , when I buy or lease a G.M. product. My husband trade for this used Jeep...I am not going anywhere in nasty weather, if I can help it. You have been busy though. Hope things quieten down there. Good you had time to bake. ;):) It's feeling very winter like here. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  8. Sounds like a very busy week! We think the same about buying vehicles here...although maybe for slightly different reasons! :) We figure if it's going to be a farm vehicle and get dirty (we don't change our clothes every time we hop in the car!) why spend a lot on a "nice" one? I would love to have a RAV 4 some day...I hope you enjoy yours!! We have had Toyotas forever...and our experience is that they last about that long!
    And...you ARE going to post pictures of your Halloween costume, right? ;)

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  9. The Outlander series does make good watching but it is a bit raunchy, or perhaps I'm just getting a bit strait laced in my old age. As Alica commented, you ARE going to post a photo of your costume aren't you?

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  10. A great post to catch us up on what's been going on.

    We feel the same way about vehicles. Our newest one we got a year ago is a 2003 (4-wheel drive) Chevy Tracker. And ya know what? If you shop well (and maybe have a little luck thrown in), they work just as well and reliably as a brand new vehicle which we would never buy anyway!

    No matter how careful and good a driver you are, there's always the possibility someone else will plow into you. (Like in a high school parking lot.) And let's face it, most of us need a vehicle to function in daily life . . . even if we don't go out and away from home often. (Bike riding in northern Minnesota during the winter just doesn't cut it.)

    Such a strange turn of events when first it was the teenagers switching channels when mom or pop came into the room. Now it's turned completely around and we feel compelled to hide things from our kids!

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  11. Sounds like a LOT has been going on for you!
    I hope your husband finds some relief from his health issues. It's awful when one partner isn't feeling well. Sending healing thoughts your way.
    Yay for a "new" vehicle!

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  12. Thanks everyone for the comments. We have had a number of Toyotas over the years and have always liked them. Up until now I've been driving a Toyota Highlander (bought that used, too) and it's been great. Yes, I will have someone take a picture of me in my banana costume. -Jenn

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  13. Congratulations on the new car! Toyota Rav 4 is an excellent choice. It is on our list for our next car. We are either going to get that or another Honda CR-V. We've had our CR-V for 14 years and it has turned out to be a gem. Rav 4 has a similar reputation. One of our friends is on her 3rd or 4th (or 5ht?...we'll lost count) Rav 4. She swears by it and says she'll never drive another type of vehicle. Enjoy!

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  14. That is a great car! I would never buy a new car - for the very same reasons you gave. I have the added pressure of finding a manual transmission, smallish SUV with four wheel drive. I did, however, find one and got a great price. A Toyota Rav is on my list for my next car. Isn't it a pity that film and television producers feel that no one will watch a program without sex permeating it? I cannot wait to see you in your banana costume!

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  15. Car issues - yuck! Glad you were able to find one that suits you. I enjoy the way you write.

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  16. Toyota’s are always a good buy. Mine is 21 years old with 263, 000 km. on it.

    I hope your husband is going to be okay.

    I had to stop watching Outlander for the same reason.

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  17. What a good catch up. I love my Toyota (a small Corolla). Very reliable. And I'm glad you found one at a good price. Hate car shopping. Sounds like a full but good week!

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  18. Quite a nice catch-up post! I agreed with all your comments about car ownership and that's why my next vehicle will be a broken in by someone else "used" one. That said, I have no immediate plans to replace my 2007 Jeep Liberty until it becomes necessary. Car shopping is always an experience, but yours seemed rather like dates as you described.

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