Are you ready to be a single car family?

We could be facing a MAJOR decision in our household. We both have cars - mine is 2019 with only 24,500 KM on it. DH's car is much older and has many more KMs. It's on its last legs, and one day, it will die, and then it will be towed. 

Now under normal circumstances, he would buy another car, and life would go on. However, we probably don't use either car to its fullest extent, so do we need to have two? 

Let's backtrack here a second. I took my car in several months ago to have the tires changed. It was an independent garage, and they told me the brakes were badly rusted because of the low mileage on the car. Low mileage occurring because the car has sat for periods of time without being driven. Yikes! What is this?? Yep - after discussions with people and some research, it appears that car brakes get rusty all the time. 

However, when you drive the car regularly, the rust is removed. Even if you drive every couple of days, the brakes will get rusty. If you drive fairly regularly, this rust doesn't get thick and is easily removed. 

If you don't drive the car for long periods of time, the rust builds up, and then when you drive, the brake pads wear prematurely as they remove the rust from the rotors. Hmmm --- this sounds like a no-win situation. And why can't they make brakes that don't rust??? That sounds like planned maintenance. 

Normally, brakes can last anywhere from 30,000 - 60,000 KM, which is a HUGE range, and I would say the ones that last 30,000 probably belong to those that jam on their brakes all the time. That is NOT me. So my brakes should have lasted until at least 50,000 KM. Guess what? I had new brakes installed on the rear of my car at 24,500 KM. 

I was MAD!! This just sounds preposterous, but it's true. OH -- I should say that my car was at the dealer for normal maintenance, and they called to tell me about the brakes. The front ones need servicing, which I declined to do as it wasn't going to really prolong the life of the brakes, which will need to be replaced in about another 10,000. I refuse to pay $250 to service them now and not get anything from it. 

Now in a normal family, it would make sense that when one car dies and you are debating moving to ONE car, you would just experiment with the existing car. But for some reason (and I KNOW I'm unreasonable), I do NOT want DH to drive my car. 

I drive a standard - he drives an automatic. It's not that he doesn't know how to drive a standard; it's that he drives it like he's 16. In his own car, I've seen him STOMP on the gas at a stoplight, trying to beat the other driver beside him. Well, I shouldn't go on, but there is NO WAY I can let him drive my car. 

I suggested that we sell my car and buy another one that we both agree on. OH -- that's so not going to happen!!! Well, we'll just wait and see as I don't know that his car will make it to winter. 

I know it's an inanimate object -- I get that - it's just his bad habits that make me cringe. And with a standard, it's only going to make those habits worse. He had a standard when he was 16. 

But could we manage with one car? YES -- we absolutely could. Why pay for two cars when one will do and look at how much money we would save, and then for sure between the two of us, the car would get driven. Cars were made to be driven, not sit around. They will just fall apart when sitting around. Sigh...........

Anyone down to one car? And how are you coping? 

I had a super productive day yesterday! But alas, I can't share anything with you - you'll have to wait, but I'm super happy with the results. I hope to have a repeat of that today. I'm not getting much done on the long arm, but that's OK. 

I managed to get five more pinwheels sewn as enders and leaders. 

More pinwheel blocks

And even more pinwheel blocks

I still have a bunch of them to press and sew, but they are at least all in pairs! 

I had to pull the yellow scrap box off the shelf this morning. I tipped it upside down. WOW -- that stuff has been so neatly piled in there for years that it stayed in a cube shape! 

A cube of yellow scraps!

So here are our girls. This is sweet Lexi, who was always a bit skittish, and you wouldn't find her in an enclosed room. Thankfully, most of our house is open concept so she's good. But she would NEVER go into either office. I'm not sure why. She's gotten a bit braver over the years, and now she has no issue going into DH's office. 

However, it looks like she felt it was her duty to protect him at this particular moment. No one gets past me!!! What a silly girl!!!

Lexi protecting her Dad

Murphy, on the other hand, is - well, she looks like Pigpen from the Peanuts. Remember, he was always surrounded by a cloud of dirt? That's Murphy. The cleaning lady was here yesterday and had NOT even left yet, when Murphy comes bounding into the house completely covered with dirt and leaves. And was quite proud of herself to boot!!!

Pigpen Murphy!

She just isn't happy unless she's in trouble or making a mess. Yesterday her issue was with other dogs. She's so enthusiastic that she goes crazy when she sees another dog. She was quite naughty yesterday!!

Although -- Lexi is no angel! More on that tomorrow. 

I was out walking yesterday and passed the local Tim's. Hmmm - the parking lot is filled with cones - no parking. What's going on? When I went out for the evening walk, they were filming a commercial. I didn't have my phone with me, so no pictures!

We're almost two-thirds of the way through the month, and that table still has boxes of paper crap on it. I'd better get myself in gear and get to work! Perhaps later today, I'll spend an hour and go through some more. I'm sure it won't take long, once I put my mind to it!!

Oh boy -- it's hard to keep up with Facebook. I set up two groups yesterday, and well -- I needed to set some parameters as anyone can join, and the groups are supposed to be closed. I think I've got all the settings changes, but it takes a couple of days to make that happen. Sigh...................

Here are the links to the virtual retreat this weekend. 

Saturday - August 21 from 6 PM - 9 PM

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89254233911?pwd=VGQrTnFybW1HMWpleHA4M2Q2NGVwZz09 Meeting ID: 892 5423 3911 Passcode: 982797

Sunday - August 22 from 10 AM - 8 PM

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87246635892?pwd=VGY1cUUyLzRaRi9VUVV2ZWFINXc2dz09 Meeting ID: 872 4663 5892 Passcode: 440473

On that note, I'm out of here!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!