Munday Mosings

Uncategorized

What do you call a cow that has just given birth?

Decalfinated…

My wonderful wife and I watch The Incredible Dr. Pol and Heartland Docs on Nat Geo Wild. The joke that begins today’s post was shown on the latter, posted on the marquis outside of the vets’ office.

******************

I think the Internet gremlins have punished the 365 Days Of Motoring website for not being secure as the site is no longer accessible. Although I wasn’t using the site as often as I had been as a source for blog material, it’s a little disappointing that it is not available.

Sometimes, I have toyed with the idea of writing an idiosyncratic history of the automobile industry, at least of the US. The fact that automotive reference books are not updated anymore tells me that’s not a good idea. Of course, the publishing industry has undergone a sea change away from big publishing houses and toward individuals and e-publishing.

Speaking of automotive reference books:

 

 

I wanted to acknowledge the book that is the core of Threes And Sevens. While information in that post series comes from multiple sources, this is the source that provides the most.

******************

I am supposed to pick up the Buick Cascada tomorrow. Of course, a snag has occurred. To be safe, I thought I would wire the money today. Wires are usually received on the same day. Well, this is probably the first time that our brokerage company of almost 15 years has let me down.

When I went to initiate the wire instructions, the little message on the screen indicated the wire could not be sent today, but that tomorrow was the first available day. I hope the dealership receives the funds before our scheduled pickup, but who knows at this point? (PS, apparently today is a federal holiday. I had no idea.) Once again, a picture of the car:

 

 

I have still not perused automobile listings on the Internet since agreeing to buy the Cascada. However, I am still looking at real estate listings for houses with at least a 4-car garage.

The number of homes with exactly a 4-car garage in our desired areas and with a few other criteria is usually about 30. However, many of those are actually in an unincorporated part of Maricopa County and the homes do not have public sewer or city water. The reason they appear in a search is that they are in a zip code where we would consider living. We would never consider living in a house without public sewer/water, though.

The de facto number of desirable and affordable listings is usually only two or three. Believe it or not, I have found homes with a 5-car or 6-car garage that are affordable and in a desirable location. Recently, I even found an affordable house with a 7-car garage. This exercise is not about an imminent move. I am simply trying to reassure us that when the time comes and we make the move to a single-level home we will be able to expand our garage space as well as our lot size. Those “deficiencies” stick in my craw.

To those of you who say I am ungrateful about having a nice house in a nice neighborhood and conclude that I must be a “glass half-empty” type of person, I remind you that I don’t even see the glass. Life is short and I think we should do whatever is possible to make ourselves happy as long as it’s legal and doesn’t intentionally hurt others. Oh, we shouldn’t bankrupt ourselves in the process, either.

 

As always, I welcome thoughtful comments.

 

#MundayMosings

#TheAmericanAuto

#TryToBeHappy

#somanyCARSjustonelife

#disaffectedmusings

If you like this blog please tell your friends and share the blog URL (https://disaffectedmusings.com). Thanks.

 

Advertisement

Published by rulesoflogic

Empiricism over ideology!

Published

10 thoughts on “Munday Mosings”

  1. Keep watching those listings! The real estate market is changing rapidly with more new listings coming to market in the last 28 days than in any other 28 day period since 2011, according to local real estate expert Michael Orr. They are also staying on the market longer. It is still a hot seller’s market, but definitely cooling.

    Like

  2. The Federal Holiday is the latest addition pushed by Joe Biden and the Democrat controlled Congress, Juneteenth. It commerates the day in June 13, 1865 when the slaves in Galveston, TX learned the news that the Civil War was over and they were at last set free. It was celebrated in Texas for many years prior. Many States and businesses have chosen to not add it to their list of paid holidays, yet. It adds to the reduction in productivity and adds to the cost of doing business and government if it is added as a paid holiday.

    Good luck in your house hunting. Our primary requirement in our house search in 2009 here in Tucson was that there be a single level and NO stairs. The two other requirements were on the far East side of the area and in the county not the City of Tucson. Most of the area including us is on the County sewer system and the City Water system down here. Fire service is provided by Rural Metro and garbage service is by contract.

    Like

    1. Thanks, Philip. As I wrote in the post, any move is not going to happen in the immediate future. Of course, some unexpected financial windfall could change that, I guess.

      Like

    1. Thanks, Eileen. That line once elicited howls of laughter from our “broker.” I put the word in quotes because he doesn’t make investment decisions for us, but is the “broker of record” for our accounts.

      Like

  4. “Life is short and I think we should do whatever is possible to make ourselves happy.”

    Amen. I have pursued that philosophy for as long as I can remember.

    I’ll echo what KK said, the real estate market IS cooling. I’m only receiving 1 or 2 offers per week to buy any of my properties. I suspect inflation, and the related increase in mortgage rates, has a lot to do with that. And the downturn in the stock market doesn’t help. I know my net worth has shrunk recently and I’m sure most folks are like me.

    I dropped off my dually this morning to see what’s wrong with the transmission. It’s an Allison, adapted to the Ford engine, and has a reputation as a “tough” transmission (which is why I had it adapted). Owner of the shop says he will have me an answer by Wednesday. I hope so as I want to get to a race in Kentucky this coming weekend and due to the work load of our company, I really won’t be able to use a company vehicle. I now wish I had kept the older Dodge dually I had as a “backup” tow rig. Coulda, shoulda, woulda.

    And I found the lighting that toasted the router and modem in my house, ALSO got the equipment in my shop. I had “piggy backed” a system out in my shop and the lighting got the router out there. Also the dvr and monitor on my camera system.

    Some days it doesn’t pay to chew thru the ropes. 😦

    Like

    1. “Some days it doesn’t pay to chew thru the ropes. 😦”

      Great line with a hint of poignancy. By the way, KK (AKA K Squared) would know about the real estate market as she has been a very successful realtor in the Phoenix market for a long time.

      Like

  5. The new holiday surprised me as well. I initiated an online transfer of funds on Saturday expecting the funds to be moved on Monday. I need to look this morning to see, but I expect they are now in their new place.

    Like

Comments are closed.