Last month I had an opportunity to sell my 2004 Infiniti G35 coupe for a very attractive price. I purchased it new and really enjoyed the automobile…but the offer was too good to pass up. So I didn’t.
Reflecting on my options, I looked at Mini’s, the new Ford Fiesta, Mazda’s, and browsed Craig’s list for used BMW’s and Audi’s. In doing so, I discovered two things:
(1) used BMW’s and Audi’s were still a lot of money
(2) Would I be paying a lot for someone else’s problems?
Right then I decided just to search out a beater and expect some issues. The magic is to have the right mix of a low price and manageable repairs over time.
Returning to Craig’s List, I searched for “cars under $2500”. Perhaps in California this would return well-used Hondas and Toyotas, but in addition to that in GA, it returns bizarre vehicles with mis-matched wheels, the tops cut off, and luxo Caddies where none of the electrics worked. And also some middle-aged Saabs.
I hadn’t really thought much about a Saab, but have friends (and relatives) who own and love them. A Saab. I liked what that said about me…if if it was a beater. Hmmm. I adjusted my search to Saab’s and found some really nice “sounding” ones (at least in ad-speak). I spoke to nice people by phone who apparently loved their cars, but needed to be rid of it for one reason or another. Hmmm…a Saab. Continue reading “SAAB Story”→
So I’m happily writing and posting stuff on eatsforone and it is Wednesday evening and Brian calls, “Natasza and I are getting married on Saturday. Do y’all want to come?”
“Well… yeah.”
on the road again...
So Carol works it to get off work on Friday and we leave for Reno at 9:20, grab lunch at Jack in the Box and get to Brian’s a little past two. Immediately, they are all over us. Natasza wants Carol to go hair and nails and cake and stuff with her. Brian wants me to go suit shopping with him. He wants a linen suit, preferably cream, and Men’s Warehouse is having a sale.
Finding Men’s Warehouse was not exactly easy, even with Brian’s superphone. We walked into the largest mall I’ve ever seen and asked questions until we found it at the exact opposite corner of the Mall. Along the way, Brian stopped at an AT&T kiosk to say his phone wasn’t acting right. Guy rebooted and everything was fine. Except this Men’s Warehouse was a tiny tuxedo rental place. There was one linen suit hanging on the wall. The nice lady directed us to a real Men’s Warehouse in the strip mall across the road. Not a great start.
We came out of the mall at the same time as a short woman with pigtails (and very large bazooms, I noted). He asked her about Men’s Warehouse. She said she used to live around here… didn’t know about Men’s Warehouse, but there’s a Joseph A Bank at The Summit – south on Virginia, past where I-380 crosses over.
Men’s Warehouse is in a concrete block, stand-alone building off to the side of the strip mall. It has a modest storefront and inside a rack of six or eight Calvin Klein linen suits. They were very white and none in Brian’s size, we learned. The salesman walked Brian around and showed him other suits, but nothing remotely interesting. B asked where else we could go and the salesman mentioned Burlington Coat Factory.
So we headed to The Summit, WAY south on Virginia Ave, a large outdoor shopping center with Macy’s and Dillard’s and generally upscale stores.
Carol: Natasza and I are plying the strip centers of Sparks. We go to the Bakery closest to the house that Brian mentioned to check out a wedding cake. Oops, $48 and probably wouldn’t be ready by Saturday noon.
Picture this: Natasza doesn’t drive, so she hasn’t done much shopping in Sparks or Reno. I have driven around, but never shopped for bakeries or had my hair done. Hadn’t even thought about it. The Internet isn’t much help in dealing with neighborhood bakeries and hairdressers.
Working our way across town to a bakery recommended to Brian, we found a wonderful little Austrian bakery with all kinds of tempting pastries. And yes, they do wedding cakes and can have one ready by Saturday noon. Natasza described her dream cake, white and light with whipped cream and strawberries between the layers. The price was a bargain $20.
The cake deal done and while ‘the boys’ were away, Natasza showed me her dress and asked me to help her with her veil and head dress. The dress laced up the back with broad silk lacing through fabric loops, quite lovely and the current style in wedding dresses. Natasza had made the veil and it was to go on her head with a circle of flowers. She had yet to try fitting it to her head. Continue reading “A Wedding Story”→
Last year an actual pig was actually roasted. Pig ca. 2009
The Hales, as I know them, are centered in Lancaster, Ohio and like as not they celebrate their Haleness annually at a reunion wrapped around a Pigroast at Alan’s farm, Hale Hollow. A pig wasn’t actually roasted this year, but as a celebration – and it was a celebration – Pigroast is such a better name than picnic.
Picnic: A basket brought to a field somewhere, maybe under a tree… booooorrrrring.Pigroast: A rollicking good time by a bunch of folks churning around farm-like terrain. Flames and smoke are involved.
Pigs made a contribution by way of two of the meats of choice – keilbasa and pork tenderloin: “the other meat” in this case was brisket, and all were expertly smoked over the preceding 24 hours by Alan with an assist from Eric and Tillie.
This year was special. In addition to filling up on pig parts and other goodies, we were celebrating the life of Edward E. (Bus) Hale, the patriarch of the family who died in March. A service was held at Grace Church where scores of friends and family gathered to pay their respect. Son Mark spoke a tribute called “Dad” and grandson Brian read “Ode to Bus.”
For me, the highlight of the celebration was all those folks mingling in the church lobby before and after the service. Continue reading “Pigroast, 2010”→
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