Good morning Susan, Paul, and everyone.  28 here so not to bad for March.  Have a snow squall coming through

tonight around 8 PM but should melt off soon the next day.  I did get back to sleep yesterday so was to late to take

the dogs out on the road but we will get out this morn.  I don't blame them for celebrating everything in life, their

lives are so short.  They don't have time to waste. 

I've had to rebuild the brakes over and over on the Baja.  Not as good of a system as your Honda Susan.  Many people

have had lots more problems than us with engine, transmission, electrical, etc...  We get a break because I went to auto

repair schools for years and worked in it also back in the 70s.  Not a good career choice but I wanted to race cars back

then, very difficult without being born into a racing family and wanting a family of my own.  I would suppose they will tell

you the brakes are going.  Wife's car has rear brakes failing much sooner at 21k and only 3 years old.  I have the parts in

the basement waiting to be installed.  Also' front pads are worn out.  This surprises me, Toyota went cheap on these parts.

It's not like either of us rides the brakes while we're driving.  3 year warranty on the new parts and I expect just after 3 years

these parts will be shot.  Will be anxious to hear about the Honda.  I believe we are very fortunate to have vehicles to get around

in, so many don't or they're broke down.  I have a sister in law that lost the transmission in her car years ago and only goes

somewhere when her sister comes and picks her up.  Her husband works on roofing lots and rarely goes back out after work

and his vehicles aren't usually much good.  They live 100 miles from us. 

Took care of everyone's garbage yesterday and got one of our daughter's garden tractors running, will have to change the oil,

sharpen blades on that soon.  Already started on ours.  Lawn mowing will be here in less than two months along with pool opening

here.  Then put thread lock on her porch door's lock set screws, keep coming lose for me to tighten.

Didn't get anything done on the radio that's down yesterday.  Wire came lose in a cable connector and burned out a relay, I think.  I

have two of the relays already on the way so can replace them quick if it's the defective part.  It's an expensive transceiver so need to

take my time in troubleshooting.  I have a backup so it's not like I'm off the air during the repairs anyway. 

Lot's of years are gone but we lived them well, mostly anyway.  Hard to define, any person's opinion is going to be different than the

next.  Human nature to question the past. 

The pups came out rowdy to greet me this morn.  They're so precious.  Hope Finn is doing well today.

Hope you all enjoy this day.  We are so lucky to have our lives and smoke free even.

Ernie

Hi Paul,

The sun is shining through the windows and even though there is ice on the puddles, it makes it seem warm!

Too cute of a story about the puppy sleeping in a tent.  What we pet owners do to keep our fur kids happy and we stay sane.   Finn has always been a sleeper and I am thankful for that.  Perhaps they adapt to their owner’s schedule ~ 

Have a great smoke free day.  I believe today is our first day of baseball for our home team….the Cleveland Indians (no longer pc) but the Cleveland Guardians.  It’s an away game which is a bit odd.

Susan

Hi Ernie,

Yes, new front rotors and pads and I have no clue about these kinds of parts…I do know I bought the Honda brand new and have adhered to all service requirements.  I have spent very little money except four new tires about six years ago and now this.  I will address the tire issue this Fall…And so, that is where this retiree’s $$$ is spent.

We may be flying to North Carolina soon as my best friend’s husband is in critical condition.  

On we go…….Susan

Good morning Susan, Paul, and all.  24 here this morn, cold.  Will be happier with warmer mornings but then we'll

be headed for another Winter. 

You've done very well on car maintenance expense Susan, doesn't get any less expensive.  Lucky you don't have

a different brand.   If you could stay off salted roads you would be set for life.  If I took my Monte Carlo SS out in

the salt and other stuff in their spray it would be a pile of rust in no time.  Have done that in past years when we

couldn't afford to take cars off the road in the Winter.  Don't even want to say what great cars I've been involved

in them being rusted away.  They sell for more than you could imagine now.  Your tires have become hardened

anyway even if the tread wasn't worn out.  You're gaining much better cornering and traction, less chance of

hydroplaning.  

Sorry about your friend's husband, same thing happened to us with high school friends a while back.  When we

were younger there was much less of this. 

My sister made it to the farm already, most likely went back home last eve.  She just came north from Florida last

Saturday.  Brother's friend is sick, that took him up to Sayre, PA for the shots in his eyes.  Heard him on the radio

and another ducked out.  He suggested he take a bus from there even with the wait for a ride back.  Brother should

be willing to wait instead of others putting in hours of driving.  It's many hours for me, about 7 hours plus the time for

the appointment, getting ready.  My sister just there so not needed to clean up down there right now.  Last time I was

down he said he likes to hang around Walmart watching people rather than being home alone so seems like a hospital

lobby wait wouldn't be that bad.

Have a great day all, warmer in the daytime.

Ernie

Good Susan, Ernie, and everyone else,

I went to a BBQ yesterday. A bit early and a little cool for some, but I like this weather. It was in Fort Totten, built during the Civil War, but never used. Hard to believe I was still in NYC.

Paul 

Good morning, Paul, Ernie, Kitty ~

A lovely picture of Fort Totten.  Thanks for sharing.  It looks very nice.

Seems like every other day has been “rain”.  Hoping for sunshine and spring flowers soon.

Enjoy the week-end everyone ~

Susan

Good morning Susan, Paul, and all.  Really strange to see the lightning flashes in the camera monitor beside me.

Slipped my mind to shut off all the antennas before I went to bed but they're off now.  Hope no damage, probably

not.  Didn't bother to set the alarm because of the rain forecast.  I actually slept a little late.  Only 7.25 hours so

not that much over.  No walk for the dogs and me this morn.

Pictures are great Paul, never been there but I haven't been down to the city much.  Glad you enjoyed the BBQ. 

We also have lots of rain coming with the warmer weather.  At least we're all burning less fuel to heat.  I was hoping

for a break this last bill after they didn't read the meter for 4 months but didn't get a break.  According to the chart we

used more therms of gas than last Winter, don't get it.  I would have thought would be more expensive fuel, not higher

quantity.  I did look at the meters, seems ok.  Should be less this coming week but don't expect a break in our bill.

Did a little more analysis on the transceiver yesterday but still no solution.  Just more ideas and more dead end roads.

Will get it eventually.  I don't think it's the relay that isn't engaging, somewhere in the circuit that drives the relay.  Have

a new one on the way and will probably replace it with a new one since I'm there. 

Wife and grandson went shopping yesterday for Easter place mats.  They couldn't get the ones they wanted because not

enough of them in stock but they did get some.  Will be nice to get together again.  Haven't been having our pizza nights

because the dogs are so rowdy together and daughter's dogs can't be left alone very well.  We got our Easter ham yesterday

along with some other stuff so our grocery budget blown out of the water for this week. 

Have a great day all.

Ernie

Grandsons at balloon rally.

Good sunny morning to all ~

Lots of thunder, lightning and rain during the evening and overnight hours.  Finn was quite disturbed by the thunder so he received a few of his calming chewies before bedtime.

Cute pictures of the boys and the hot hair balloons.   They would fly directly over our home during Hall of Fame week when we lived in North Canton.  You could hear the dogs barking prior to their arrival.

Enjoy the week-end everyone.  We are trying to prepare ourself for the death of our close friend and a drive to North Carolina.  Flights are few and far between because of Easter week and pricy a $600.00 per person.  I don’t look forward to the 10 hour drive but perhaps we will break it up into a day and a half.

Susan

A warm rainy day here. Should cool off tomorrow, which is good since I have a 4-mile run in the morning. 

Enjoy,

Paul

Good morning Susan, Paul, and all.  Snowing and windy here this morn.  Not sure weather to walk the dogs

or not.  Tomorrow is 55 and some rain, then rain most days this week but warmer.  Will be better to walk in

the warmer temps.  Won't need my heated gloves so much.  Think I might need the same surgery wife's mother

got some day.  Stents in the arteries that go out to my arms.  I've had a terrible time keeping my hands warm

for couple decades.  Especially if I'm in the cold and not exercising.  Her arms were actually in pain but that might

be coming for me.

I like the hot air balloons but don't think I will ever go up in one, not a fan of heights.  We have a balloon and speedie

rally here.  Speedie's are just chunks of meat they make sandwiches out of usually.  Somehow it's supposed to be a

big deal for our area.

Sorry you have a death in your lives now Susan.  Comes up to often.  If we ever get to traveling again, I would prefer

to drive since we're retired and not in a hurry.  Have thought about getting a RV and a truck to tow it.  Really no reason

for us to be in the north first 3.5 months of the year. 

Paul, my feet got to hurting and had to quit jogging again but was fun for the 3-4 months.  I feel fortunate I was able

to jog again for a time.  I can still walk fast so I don't get the impact on my feet, almost the same thing.  Just about the

same speed, it's just less exercise.  The dogs don't care one way or the other.  Are you in another planned run today?

I didn't have the speed to be in those.  Think it's a great thing to get exercise and usually raise money for a good cause.

Briefly got involved with our granddaughter but not much anymore.  

Just looking over schematics of current repair job yesterday, upstairs at the dining room table with a mag glass.  Looking

for the commands to enter the board I'm working on.  Received the relays so might put a new one in soon. 

Brother is in the hospital for his legs.  Says his cats will run out of food today so guess I will head down tomorrow.  He planned

on showing them his leg after his eye shots so should have dumped out a lot of cat food before he left.  Guess some older people

stop thinking and planning.  I have to try to put out enough food and water to last them a week.  Not traveling down there every

couple days.  To costly in time and money.  Supposed to have liter boxes cleaned every day or so but they never do.

Cost of flights has gone up lots, don't think we ever will again.  Don't enjoy it anyway.  Airlines are always in the news for one problem

or another.

Glad we're all smoke free, glad we didn't continue on feeding the addition.  So easy to let years pass in it.  The flower girl from our

wedding probably died from smoking.  So wrong to see your flower girl die.  My mom was gone at 61 from smoking.

Have a great day and stay warm all.  Look forward to Easter dinner.

Ernie