Little Ruf Riding Hood...

 

OK, he isn't that little... and it wasn't a hood.  Joan likes to wrap him up in a blanket.  Being a good boy, he puts up with it (even though Joan says, "He likes it.").  I don't think so...

At the car wash, yeah...

 

If you said, "Rose Royce, 1976," you get 100 bonus points.  If you said, "Is Jim washing the Equinox?" you are, once again, right on, but no bonus points.

We bought some Rain-X car wash liquid - it is supposed to "dry without wiping down and no spots."  They lied.  It didn't just spot, it water-spotted worse than when I've used baby shampoo to clean our vehicles.  Instead of using a long-handled miracle cloth type scrubber and a rinse, it was a long-handled scrubber, rinse, then rinse some more, then wipe it down with a miracle cloth, then wipe it down again.

I was thinking I'd roll the scoots out and wash them, too, but after doing the Equinox, I was a hot mess.  Not the sexy kind.  Joan brought me out some ice water as I was finishing the car (I'm going to call this crossover SUV "a car") - just what I needed.

I abided by our policy of "one task per day."  I'll get to the scoots another day.  ;-)

It's National Cat Day...

 

... in the United States.  A day to give special attention to the feline in the family.  Or, as we call it in our household: everyday. 

Rufus this morning...

"It's your special day, Ruf!"  As you can see from his expression, he is less than impressed.  But... he is such a good boy!

:-)

A few minutes later (after a morning treat), he's very excited...

Vote to ride, ride to vote...

 

We voted today...

 An off-year election, so no need to choose between the two least competent candidates.  Today is part of our "early voting," and it was mostly about state constitutional amendments that would allow the state or local government to get more of your money... for your own good; three school district proposals to, likewise, get more of your tax dollars.

Suffice it to say, the polling office was not crowded... we were the only ones in there.

But, the main goal of the day was to get some scooter time in.  I checked tires and oil before heading out...

No 360 video today, just some riding around.  We stopped for lunch at Mahi Nic's...

Dining al fresco... that's fancy talk for: eating outside.  Joan likes their fish tacos, and I can get a decent burger anywhere.

Windy as we were riding across the causeway, but an otherwise lovely day: 79º, sunny, and low humidity.  That last one is rare here, so you have to get out and enjoy it when it happens.

Crap in a box...

 

No, this isn't about Rufus's private potty.  At my recent doctor appointment, he asked me when I had my last colonoscopy... "I've never had one."

"Never?"

"Pretty sure I would remember."

He suggested that he have a Cologuard kit sent to our house... "You mean the 'crap in a box' thing like on the TV commercials?"  I figure he and I are close enough that I can speak frankly.

Yep, that's pretty much what it is.  Well, you don't crap right in the box - you get a box with a container that you crap in, pour some magic elixir over the crap, then put the container back in the box, and send it back to Cologuard.

Being the person at Cologuard who has to open all those boxes sounds like a shitty job to me.  Someone had to say it.  Well, those more refined than I would probably think it but not say it.

Timing is important.  If this is TOO MUCH INFORMATION, feel free to skip to the next blog post.  You have to crap in the box, then get it to a UPS outlet so they can get your crap in a timely manner.  It (the box for crapping in) arrived late Friday.  I figured it would not be good to crap in it and wait until the following week to get it sent.  So, today is my official "Crap in the Box" day.  Apparently, Cologuard is my new best friend... I received something from them in the mail today... a reminder to crap in the box and get it sent back.  Then, this morning, I got an automated call from them... after confirming my birth date (maybe they are going to send me a card?), the automated voice said, "Did you crap in the box and send it in, yet?"... "Do you intend to crap in the box and get it sent in soon?"... "Would you like to talk with one of our representatives about crapping in a box?"

Frankly, I think they're getting a little personal.  I tend to be competitive, so I want it to be a good crap sample.  Monday, things were a little loose - hey, I warned you about TMI.  I didn't crap at all yesterday.  Today may be the day.  It isn't often that I hope I have a crappy day.

As you get older and deal with people in the medical field, any hope of decorum goes out the window.

For some reason, this box situation reminds me of the SNL skit with Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg, "Dick in a Box."  I may write a song. 

And for the record, I think this crap box they sent me may be defective: the box on the TV commercial has legs and it talks.  This box I received does neither. 

No photos... you're welcome.  No shit.

 

Everyone knows it's Windy...

 

If you said, "The Association, 1967," you get 30 bonus points.  If you said, "The typical weather condition in the Tropical Tip," you got that right, but no bonus points.

Yes, it's another windy day here.  I really appreciate the pedal assist on my e-bike when riding on a windy day: the effort into the gusty wind (21 gusting to 30 right now) is about the same as riding with the wind.  It makes for a consistent effort.

One of us, and I won't mention his name but it's Rufus, doesn't like the wind.  He especially doesn't like the wind blowing on his hind end.  And walking into the wind, he gets that dramatic "Nanook of the North" look on his face.  I made him stay outside long enough to get him off the landing at the front door and do a once around the house...

 

That is his "I'm not happy about this" face.  You can see where the fur on his side and neck is getting moved around in the wind.  But, the boy needs to get his exercise.  Me, too.

Riding along in my automobile...

 

If you said, "From the song No Particular Place to Go by Chuck Berry, 1957," you get 75 bonus points.  We took the Equinox to Harlingen today, under the guise of needing to run a few errands.  Mostly, I wanted to play with the various "safety features" of the Equinox.  I think we may have learned more than my allotted "one item per day."

The Equinox is comfortable and well-mannered on the highway.  The Lane Keep Assist does what it is supposed to do, in a subtle manner.  The Blind Spot Alerts works.  And, we messed with (um, learned) the navigation and audio options.  In all, a successful outing... Rufus got stocked up on food that Chewy's was out of; we shopped at a bigger H.E.B. than what we have in town; first "lunch in the car," and yes I was very careful.  We got to experience the "stop and start" that shuts the engine off when waiting at a red light.  No, you can't turn that "feature" off.  The speed limit sign reader works.  Cruise control actually lists the speed where I set it, so if I "boost it by a couple miles per hour," it is right there on the dash for all to see.

The phone features all seem to work well... but, when I get out of the car, it seems that it turns the ringer down on my phone.  Yes, I looked it up - I'm not the only one.  

The cruise control buttons on the steering wheel have one button that looks like a car about to have an accident (the back end of a car/a star/your car)... I didn't want to push it to find out what it does.

 

Seems that it is Adaptive Cruise Control, where you set the gap you want between you and the car in front of you, and the car speeds up or slows down to maintain that gap.  How did I live without all this stuff?

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Nothing to do with the car - just another pretty start to the morning as I was getting my bike out...

 --------

I forgot to mention... we got our Moderna booster shots this morning.  We generally use Walgreens for our flu shots, and did the mass vaccination events for first two Covid shots (5 to 6 hours waiting in line in the car; fortunately, it was in February, so the weather was pleasant while we waited).  This was: call 15 minutes ahead to the nearby clinic; show up; get the shot; wait a few minutes to make sure we don't spontaneously combust; then bye-bye.  Fast and easy.

This booster is a half dose of what a single shot was in February.  A couple neighbors told us they had minor short-lasting effects, and then all good.  I'll let you know how we fare.

On and On...

 

If you said, "A song by Stephen Bishop, 1976, from the album Careless," you get 50 bonus points.  If you said, "The saga of the hail storm and all the dealings that have transpired over the last two months," you are right on, but no bonus points.

I think we are getting close to wrapping up one part of that insurance claim: the Honda CR-V.  We were finally told that someone will be picking up the Honda today.  We have sent the title for it to Progressive, taken more photos of the title and the FedEX receipt, and sent that to them.  Now, we have just been waiting to hear from a local towing business so they can take it away.  Well, that and Progressive can pay us for the claim.

Just now (1:30 am), we got a call from my new friend Francisco, that he is on his way to pick up the Honda.  Another hour and a half and we should be able to move on from that.  AND, I will be able to have my phone block numbers it doesn't recognize again. 

--------

Francisco called us from the parking lot at the entrance to our community (where I told him it would be easier to load); we took the Honda down to him and watched him load it on his flatbed truck...

In the grande scheme of things, this has taken way more time than it ever should have; I put 80% of that on Progressive and 20% on the dumbass they sent out to do the evaluation.  Had we not stayed after them, it would still be going on... and on.

Yes, I had a bit of sadness as the Honda (on the truck) drove away.  It has been a good vehicle and this is a sad way to see it go.  So, we have given up possession of the CR-V; the title has been signed and shipped to Progressive via FedEx; we have some space in our driveway again; and we'll wait to have Progressive transfer the funds... should happen relatively soon.  "Relatively" compared to how they've handled everything to this point.

We've had other stuff going on, so we haven't been driving the Equinox much, but we are certainly enjoying it so far.

Time to move on.

One per day...

 

I got out early enough on my e-bike to see the sunrise...

 

Warmish and humid, but still a good ride.  When I got home, I started in again with the owners manual for the Equinox on my laptop.  I am now up to page 315, so only another hundred or so pages to go.  Joan has joked about my preference to read dry things like this owners manual over the fiction that she enjoys.  I have picked up some interesting information in the manual, but some of the stuff, like the infotainment center, isn't exactly intuitive.

Oh, I could just start poking away at the touch screen, but with my luck, I'd manage to press the exact combination of touches that causes the car to become a locked-down paperweight.  So, as I come up with something unfamiliar in the manual, I make a trip to the car to see if I can figure it out.  While I did manage to remote start the car, I had some difficulty getting the current location in our driveway to be "home."

The mailboxes that our homeowners association installed a couple years ago simplified our "two addresses situation" as far as getting mail, but entering our address in the navigation system still puts it at our mailbox, not our home.  I have not become so feeble-minded that I can't find my way from our mailbox to our house.  Putting in our actual street address gets us right to our house... but the rest of the world (like UPS, FedEx, and the US Postal System) don't recognize the street we live on, since these are private streets.

In the meantime, I used the onboard navigation vs Apple Maps on the Apple CarPlay.  I sat in the car with the a/c keeping things comfortable and called Joan through the bluetooth in the car.  Sounds good.  She joined me in the car and set up the Sirius/XM with our favorites.  I went through a bunch of settings on the Driver Information Center (not to be confused with the infotainment center), to get the parameters where I think I want them (why would anyone want to turn off Traction Control and Stability Control?).

I learned that with the remote start feature, the car turns on the climate control, using the ambient conditions to decide if it should put on air conditioning or heat.  Steph and Dan have used that feature for years on their vehicles, so I can see how it could make the car more comfortable to get in on a hot day... and in south Texas and Arizona, there are a LOT of hot days.

Some of the features, like Lane Keep Assist, Front Pedestrian Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Zone Alert and others will have to be tried out when we venture beyond our driveway.

Yeah, that's more than one new thing per day.  But, I think I'm at the limit of what I can retain.

Studying and swapping...

 

I spent much of the evening last night reading the owners manual for the Equinox; it has so many safety and info features on it that are new to us.  Our CR-V is an EX-L... so, it has a nice leather interior and that sunroof (that I am less fond of these days).  The owners manual for that was pretty simple: "You go; you go now.  Put gas in car and drive it.  If your ass gets cold, turn on the seat warmers."  That's pretty much it.

The lawyers are more involved now.  The owners manual for the Equinox is over 400 pages; well, that's the PDF file for it, as I'm reading it on my computer.  About 1/3 of those pages are warnings: "Do not exit the car while driving.  Do not drink the battery acid.  Do not allow anyone to ride on the roof rack while the vehicle is in motion.  Do not drive while you are asleep."  Good to know.

Another 1/3 is typical car manual stuff.  The last 1/3 is all about how to use all the tech stuff: there is a "Driver Information Center" in between the speedometer and tach that appears to have about 40 pages of info and control.  Some of it is pretty cool, like tire pressure sensors that actually tell you the PSI reading of each tire.  You can scroll through this DIC (insert your own DIC joke here) to turn on/off things like: traction control, lane keeping assist, pedestrian warning, following distance warning and braking, parking assist, trip computer, and a bunch of other things that I'm probably forgetting.  (Really, I have read most of it.)  Not sure why you'd want to turn off any of those safety features.

Then there is the Infotainment Center, a screen in the middle of the dash that controls your audio selections and EQ, favorites, phone connections, Apple CarPlay (puts your phone screen up on that screen), duplicate controls for the climate control, navigation system, apps, rear vision camera, a "Report Card" (if you have a teen driver, you can set it up so the car narcs on the kid, giving all the driving statistics), an available hot spot with OnStar, and, again, more stuff that I'm probably forgetting.

We have an infotainment center in the motorhome, so we have some exposure; this has more stuff on it.  The CR-V had bluetooth phone connection for making and receiving phone calls hands free, but we didn't use it.  The backup camera in the Honda was useful, but this bigger brighter screen in the Equinox (along with the parking sensors and side mirrors that lower the angle when you put the car in reverse) makes it even easier.

We've only taken it for a short drive since they delivered it, so there will be a learning curve.

Early this afternoon, we went out to move stuff from the Honda to the Equinox.  Not like we have that much stuff to move, but the neighbors came over wanting to visit while we were in the middle of the swap.  And by then, it was getting hot.  There are some things we had in the Honda that we won't need in the Equinox (like a stand-alone GPS).

 What I really notice is the difference in the paint: the Honda has a pearl white paint that almost looks a bit yellow when you see it right next to the Arctic White of the Equinox.  This should match the motorhome and cargo trailer even better.  Although I have to say that Joan was quite taken with a dark blue color available on the Equinox, but we couldn't find anything in that color with the options we wanted.

Interior: both vehicles have leather seats.  Both are comfortable.  The front seats in the Equinox are more "bucket" than the Honda.  The Equinox has some sound reduction technology, so it seems quieter.

Until the hail storm, we didn't have plans on getting a different vehicle.  We definitely considered keeping the Honda, and just doing some selective repairs (like replacing the hood).  When you see the Honda now, it doesn't look bad from a distance.  Plus, we know the condition and history.  We felt that Progressive offered us a decent evaluation for the Honda, but a much less so offering if we were to keep the Honda.  The decision was easy for us, considering their numbers.  The Honda earned our trust and respect over the years of ownership - I hope we'll be able to say the same about the Equinox.

Delivered...

 

The replacement for the CR-V arrived today...

 Now, if you weren't looking close, you might think it is the same white SUV.  If you are a Chevy person, you'll recognize it as an Equinox Midnight Edition (blackout grille, 19" black gloss wheels, black mirrors, black Chevy "bow tie" front and rear.  Leather interior, all the safety features the CR-V didn't have (lots of tech in the last few years), infotainment center, built-in navigation, Apple Car Play, and a bunch of other stuff that we're going to have to learn how to use (lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, collision alert, etc).

As far as those "big three features" mentioned in a earlier post, it has the 2.0 turbocharged engine, 9-speed transmission, and trailering package (including tow/haul).  The fact that it is white (a crisper white than the Honda, which will match the motorhome better) is a bonus.  It is a little longer in wheelbase and overall length compared to the CR-V, but it will still keep us at a legal length when double towing.

After all the back and forth with Progressive, we are satisfied with their final valuation.  If it hadn't been for the hail, I would have been content with the CR-V for years to come... but I have to admit this Equinox equipped like it is seems to be a nice step up.

One down...

 

Finally.  Almost two months after the hail storm that beat the snot out of our Honda CR-V and Winnebago motorhome, we have a settlement on the Honda.  Of course, it is a total loss... that was apparent to us before the hail storm ended.

Because the dumbass that Progressive hired to do the damage assessment on our vehicles only took some photos and didn't work up any kind of estimate, our files on each of these vehicles sat.  Only after we vigorously complained did anything get done.  I had to pull out the "not dealing in good faith" phrase before someone at Progressive realized the file had been sitting for 7 weeks with no one working on it.  In the end, I had to shoot photos of both the car and the motorhome again to get things going.

Today, Progressive settled with us on the Honda.  Nothing will happen as far as them paying us until the company they hire tows it away.  That should happen early next week.  Honestly, it seems like a less than dignified way to end the ownership of that great little vehicle.  The CR-V has been a champ: typical Honda reliability, comfortable, and easy to own and maintain.  Pretty sure that when we sign over the title, that vehicle will get scrapped for parts.

Finding something to replace it has taken up a lot of our free time.  The CR-V was the ideal combination of weight and capability for what we wanted with a vehicle to tow behind the motorhome.  The newer CR-Vs are not towable 4-wheels-down.  We would have to buy a 7 year old CR-V for that.  So, we have been looking and comparing.  We aren't looking for anything smaller than the CR-V, and have to keep an eye on the weight for bigger vehicles that are towable.  And, if we continue double towing, we have to work within a length that will keep us legal.

Spending time on Carvana, we pretty much narrowed it down to the Chevy Equinox and the Ford Edge.  Joan wasn't a fan of the Edge, so... Carvana showed us that there are some Equinoxes (Equini?) to be had.  Next came the narrowing down of what we felt necessary for equipment - three big things: the 2.0 turbocharged engine, 9 speed transmission, and factory tow package... that eliminated about 95% of the offerings.  Joan found one she liked and by the time we discussed it and looked back, it was already listed as sold.  That happened more than once.

Then, she found one at a dealer about 70 miles away.  She confirmed that it was still there, and we went to take a look at it and take it for a test drive.  It has "the big three" things we required and a lot of other niceties.  We put a deposit on it to hold it until we got the final word from Progressive... I just didn't want to commit to them that we'd take their evaluation on it and then have someone haul it away before we could take delivery on something else.

Now, we're lining up ducks and timing.

Oh, what a beautiful morning...

 

If you said, "From the Broadway musical Oklahoma,  by Rogers and Hammerstein, first performed in 1943," you are spending too much time on Google, but you still get 75 bonus points.  No bonus points for me, but I did get some lovely time outside this morning.

I started on my e-bike; this is the view of the canal as the first rays of sunlight were coming through...

Looking the other direction, the setting full moon...

I got my ride in, then put on some motorcycle gear to take the Vespa for the state inspection.  77º, beautiful blue sky, nearly calm for the wind.  Yeah, after getting the inspection done, dropping off something at the Post Office, I went for a ride.  No photo of the Laguna Madre (all I brought was the phone), but it was flat and a gorgeous blue-turquoise.  The traffic was light; just a lovely time for a ride.

I stopped on the bay side of the island to take a couple photos...

The "Pocket Tripod" I bought months ago lives in my wallet.  It is about the size of a credit card and lets me position the phone to get the occasional unaided photo.  Not a real tripod, it's more of a very small phone holder that folds flat.  I pull it out once in a while, mostly to justify having bought it.  ;-)

A fine day in the Tropical Tip; it will be warming into the low 80s this afternoon.

Road Trip...

 

Well, on a small scale.  We drove into the Rio Grande Valley today; first time we've been west of Harlingen in a couple years.  There is a car dealer mid-Valley that has what we are looking for in a vehicle to replace the CR-V.

We got a call from a Progressive rep yesterday to tell us what they're coming up with on a value for the CR-V.  We're discussing options.

For the last week or so, Joan and I have both been perusing Carvana.  While we ultimately won't likely be buying from them, it was a boost to the doldrums that have surrounded our "next vehicle" quest... Carvana showed us that there are vehicles available.  They seem to get sold fast on there, but I do like their "no haggle" way of doing business.  The dealer we visited with today operates in a similar manner.  In fact, the whole experience there was a pleasant change of pace after trying to deal with Gilman (where we bought the CR-V) again.

Things are moving along.  Finally.

 

So, the doctor said...

 

Yeah, a doctor's appointment today.  Fasting before I went in, so they can do blood work.  I was there early, they took me into the exam room right at my appointment time.  The nurse came in, took my blood pressure, and asked me all kinds of personal questions.  She left, a few minutes later, the doctor came in.  He looked, poked, listened, looked some more, we talked about the prostate cancer/surgery situation (he is my internist, not the surgeon/urologist - that visit comes up again in December), and when he was done, he said, "Well, you're in good shape."

I waited.  No, he did not say, "For a man your age."  I'll take that.

A few minutes more and they were taking some blood for tests so they can bill Medicare.  In terms of most of my medical appointments, this was kinda like you think they should go... not the way they usually go.

From there, we had some errands to run since we were in "the big city."  The other big task for the day: out to our storage unit to stick down more FlexTape (yes, up on the roof of the motorhome), and shoot photos and videos for the insurance company (since the adjuster they sent out in August couldn't find his ass with both hands and a funnel).  With that done, we took the motorhome to a shop for the annual state inspection - yes, it passed... they don't look at damage; mostly just make sure lights work.  From there to the gas station, where the motorhome swallowed up over $100 of fuel.  Gas is now $2.99.  Makes me grit my teeth.  If we need to bug out in a hurry, the motorhome is reasonably ready to go.  

I, on the other hand, am worn out again.  Pretty sure I'll be having ass cramps again tomorrow.  When I was done with the additional taping, I had to stand slowly and get feeling back into my legs again before climbing down the ladder.  A lot of kneeling.  Just another chore to get done... "for a man my age."  ;-)

I think we are making progress.

 

Comfy...

 

I wish I could stretch out and get comfortable like this...

 

Ten minutes later, he is still in that stretched position.  If I tried that, pretty sure I would pull something.  The big furry boy knows how to relax.

Another delightful start to the day.

G-L-O-R-I-A...

 

Glorious!  But, if you said, "The song written by Van Morrison and performed by his band Them in 1964," you get 50 bonus points.  If you said, "That song made famous in the United States by Shadows of Knight in 1965 (yeah, same song)," you get another 25 bonus points.  If you said, "The song that every garage band played in that era," you don't get any bonus points, but I'm giving you a head-nod.

It is a glorious day in the Tropical Tip.  It was 72º when I got up before 7:00 am.  The north wind is down to the mid-teens.  The humidity is 57%; that is considered "dry" here.  I put on a long sleeve shirt for my morning bicycle ride; didn't even work up a sweat.

Later in the morning, I took the Vespa for a ride; got to wear one of my armored mesh jackets.  Back in the Tropical Tip, I wore the one with high-vis yellow/green.  No one cut me off, pulled out in front of me, or passed me in my lane... one in a row!

Joan didn't feel like a ride today.  What?  No, I don't understand that, either.  She was geared up to clean off the gummy residue left on the roof of the CR-V when the dealer pulled all the Gorilla Tape off to replace the sunroof.  $6 worth of Goo Gone, some elbow grease, and then a follow up with soap and water made the roof look... well, I was going to say "Good," but it is still dented, just doesn't look like the car was being held together with tape.  Another step towards less embarrassing.

Early afternoon, it is all the way up to 75º - we may do some time on the deck.  Like real people.  Real people and a big furry cat.  Rufus enjoys deck time, too.

 

To quote the Beatles...

 

"You say it's your birthday... We're gonna have a good time..."

Every year about this time, we celebrate a family birthday.  Not mine; that's July.  Yes, it's the Blonde.  No. I don't know how she gains a year without looking it.

A quiet day around the house for us.  Joan wouldn't let me make her breakfast... something about "wanting it to be edible" or some such.  She made a fresh pizza for lunch.  I'll make steaks tonight.  Cake and ice cream in between.  Snuggling with Rufus.  Years ago, I liked having "a birthday season."  We're a bit more low-key these days.

Lunch on the water...

 

We got our flu shots without much of a wait - I made appointments for both of us on-line.  Jab and go.  We stopped at Isla Blanca park to get a new tag for the car... the other one didn't survive the windshield replacement.  Instead of a little electronic tag for the windshield, they now give you a card that you have to give to the guy at the entrance, he runs it through a scanner, hands you back the card, then the gate opens.  Much slower than the tag on the windshield that opens the gate with no need for person-to-person contact.  Progress?

We stopped for lunch at Mahi Nic's at Sea Ranch Marina.  Joan got to have the fish tacos she was craving, I got a burger, outside seating with a view of boats at the docks...

Another alternative that keeps us outside for dining.  Still hot and humid, though, with not much breeze.  A tropical feel to the experience.  Good food, too.

Then a drive through the beach park to try out the card.  It was blissfully uncrowded...

Then back home and a fun surprise.  Remember when you were a kid and the Sears Christmas Catalog came?  This is the grown-up musician version...

The Sweetwater ProGear catalog!  Everything a musician could want and so many things you didn't even know you needed!  This will take care of my "office reading" for quite a while.

Good morning, Sunshine...

 

If you said, "That's what Joan says to you each morning," you are incorrect, but you get 50 bonus points for major sucking up.

I took the day off from making a post yesterday.  Hot, humid, and windy, it was mostly cocooning.  This morning, while out for my bicycle ride, I got this photo of the sun coming up...

 A pretty start to the day.  Warm, humid, and not windy.  One in a row.  Nice to not have grit in the air.

Thinking about shots today.  Tequila?  Rum?  Well, it is a bit early... but I was thinking about getting a flu shot today.  Looks like Moderna is about to be approved for the booster, so I need to do some research about how much time to allow between those shots.

Finally!

 

Seven weeks now since we were pounded by hail.  Repeated calls and on-line contacts with Progressive, promises from them that someone will call back in "24 to 48 hours," and today - finally - I got to speak with a claims adjuster.  My new friend Cindee is handling both the CR-V claim and the Winnebago claim.  She gave me the news: "the CR-V is totaled."  No big surprise there.

She apologized for the delay in response, citing the massive number of claims from Nature's wrath this summer.  She also apologized for us having to deal with people when we did call who were not trained to properly handle our situation.  She said, "If it has wheels or floats, I can handle the claim."  Finally, someone who seems competent.  And, concerned.  She apologized that she needs a few more photos of both the car and the motorhome so they can finish the evaluation.  She immediately sent an electronic funds transfer to cover the windshield and sunroof replacement.  They need some interior photos of the CR-V to determine any salvage value.

She was quick to tell me that we have replacement value on the motorhome, and that she will definitely be working with Winnebago on the repair.  If, for any reason, the repair comes to more than half the value of the motorhome, we will have the choice to repair or take a payout to buy another.  She has no issue with delaying dealing with the motorhome until Winnebago has the chance to thoroughly inspect it.

I asked about timing on dealing with the CR-V... they normally give you the fair market value on the car and then arrange to have it promptly towed away.  She said we can take the time we need to shop for another car... these are unusual times.

Right after hanging up with her, we went out to the Honda to get the additional photos they need.  I received a text from her a couple minutes later: "Thanks - those photos are perfect."  The interior of the Honda is in good shape, as is the motor and tires.  We'll see what they offer for value on it.

I'll get the photos of the motorhome next time we go out to the storage unit.  I am relieved that we are finally getting this all dealt with.  

The wait begins...

 

Sitting in the waiting area at the Honda dealer where we originally bought the CR-V.  The replacement sunroof glass was supposed to be in Friday morning.  We didn't hear from them.  I called them Monday afternoon - yes, the sunroof is in.  Made the appointment for this morning at 9:30.  As usual, we were about 15 minutes early, and my service advisor, Tony, got me checked in right away.  The time for the job: "An hour and a half.  Two hours at the most."

We'll see.  I did offer to bring the car in by myself, but Joan said she wanted to come along... something about not wanting to leave me without adult supervision.

I joke.  I am prepared for this taking longer than 2 hours.  We had breakfast before we left home.  We have our devices for entertainment.  I'm not concerned with them accidentally putting a scratch on the car.  Yep, another joke.  Someone from the dealership (Tony said it is his boss) looked at our car and said, "That must have been some pretty awful hail."

"Yep, baseball size," I told him.

"I have never seen a car beat up that bad by hail."  No point in telling him that some of the vehicles at Hart Ranch were in worse shape.  At some point, it doesn't matter how bad it is... the car can't get more totaled than "totaled."  Someday, we may even hear from Progressive about this.

Fortunately, the waiting area isn't a place that people want to hang out... I've seen furniture in better shape sitting alongside the road.  There is a TV (on CNN) for some background noise.  I think I'll watch some videos about "how to buy a car in these times" - there are plenty of them on YouTube.  The gist of it: if you can find a car, buy it.  I just overheard a salesman say, "I counted this morning - we have 4 new cars on the lot."  

If you don't hear from me by this afternoon, send a search party.  Be ready to help me out with bail money.  Again, another joke.  I am cracking myself up this morning.

--------

The words you don't want to hear: "Um, there's been a little glitch."  A bunch of things went through my head, then Tony continued, "It's taking a bit longer to clean out all the little bits of broken glass, so it might be a half hour to an hour longer than we first thought."

Whew!  I was concerned he was going to say the mechanical stuff on the sunroof was damaged... but, no.  So, it took a bit longer, but he stayed with the price he quoted me.  There is a lot of gummy residue from the 150 pounds of Gorilla Tape we put on there, so I'll have a project to work on.  Maybe in a few days, 'cause right now it is hot, humid, and windy (gusting above 30mph).

Of course, they do a "1,000 point check" and tell you what you need to spend more money on.  When we got out of town on the way home, we both noticed that the hood wasn't latched tight... must have been from their "10,000 point check"... and apparently "make sure the hood is latched" wasn't one of those checks.  I got out and closed the hood, came back in the car and said, "Well, that would have really sucked if the hood popped up and this nasty wind flipped it back, breaking our windshield and sunroof!"

Joan looked horrified.  I was only kinda kidding.  On the bright side: we're back home and don't have to go back out in this hot, windy weather.  I feel like we have a bit of "breathing room" with making another car decision.

I am not a fan of this dealership's sales tactics.  I chuckled to myself while in their waiting area, surfing Carvana and some "How not to get taken advantage of at a car dealer" videos.  ;-)

I like to be in America...

 

OK by me in America.

Everything's free in America,

For a small fee in America.

If you said, "Leonard Bernstein, from the 1957 Broadway musical and the 1961 film West Side Story," you get 50 bonus points.  When I was in the Flippers, we did a West Side Story set; always got a good reaction.

Out for my morning bicycle ride this morning, the sun was out for a short time...

 Humid and overcast by the time I got back to our house.

This morning, I called the body shop in Brownsville where I had stopped last week to inquire about getting a sunroof.  After talking with Progressive this weekend, apparently we need to get a written estimate on the damage... even though they did send out a dumbass independent adjuster to look at (and photograph) the damage.  They found the photos in our claim file, but seem unable to figure out the damage from those photos.  But, I digress.

When I called the body shop, the person answering the phone did not speak English.  She handed the phone to another guy who spoke very broken English.  Between my broken Spanish and his broken English, we managed to communicate that I need to speak with Kevin (the guy who came out to look at our car last week).

"Kevin not here.  He be here in half hour.  (the time was 8:40)  Maybe an hour.  Maybe like 10:30."

And that's the way things get done on the "edge of America."

--------

My buddy Kevin called me back.  We set up a 10:30 time for me to come to Brownsville and have them do an estimate.  I was there at 10:28.  Kevin wasn't.  I got turned over to Kevin's dad, who also spoke broken English.  He came out and took a half dozen or so photos of our car.  I pointed out a bunch of other stuff that he missed.  Just looking at the car, he wanted to send me to another place to get the work done.  We picked this place specifically because they use the same estimating software as Progressive.  I am pretty sure Kevin's dad is more concerned about repairing the CR-V as cheaply as possible, rather than getting a realistic estimate.

We drove by a couple car dealers (Chevy and Ford) to see if they had anything in inventory that might be towable behind a motorhome... OMG, they have almost nothing.  Well, for sure nothing that is towable.  But there was one vehicle for every 10 parking spots.  Looks bleak for finding something to replace the CR-V.  For now.

Progressive sucks...

 

Apparently, I must have looked like I needed some recurrent training in frustration: Joan had been dealing with cancelling the insurance on the boat, when she handed me the phone and said, "This is Jillian from Progressing about the claim on the car."

Truth be told, Jillian had no idea about the claim # or anything about our situation.  It took a while to get out of her that she is not assigned this claim.  I said, "Why are we talking?  Can you transfer me to someone that IS assigned to our claim?"  She went off on a tangent.  I lost patience.  She interrupted me 4 times.  I lost my temper and handed the phone back to Joan.  Joan had more patience for Jillian, bringing her up to speed.  It took more time than should have been necessary.  By the end of the phone call, nothing was resolved.

Most of the blame should be placed on the dumbass who came out to our site to assess the damage - it was an independent adjuster who was hired by Progressive (for $250) who couldn't find his ass with both hands and a funnel.  He sent photos (taken with a cheap camera), but gave them no estimate on the damage.  So, rather than follow up on the claim, Progressive just let it set... for two months.

In the meantime, we have been driving that beat up CR-V.  We replaced the windshield and have a sunroof glass on order (was supposed to be in two days ago, of course no word from the dealer).  There is no question that the car is totaled; we are just trying to get by with it until we can get some kind of resolution from Progressive.  We have contacted them several times since the hail storm; each time we are told "Someone will get back to you within 48 hours..." but no one does.'

Frustrating.  The Honda is beyond repair.  We are just trying to patch it up to be safe until we can get the claim paid by Progressive, and we'll get another vehicle.  I thought maybe we'd just do whatever buy-back from Progressive, but the paint is cracked in so many places that it is going to be a rust bucket in a matter of months.

Jillian told Joan she would forward the claim to someone at Progressive who can handle it.  We'll see.

 

Those "2 happiest days"...

 

I mentioned that title in an earlier post.  We sold the boat today.  A guy in his 30s and his parents are the new owners of Cool Change (the 16' pontoon).  This is their first boat... and should be a good one for learning; the boat is pretty simple and straight-forward.

We took the boat from our storage unit to the parking lot at Bass Pro Shop in Harlingen.  I took the guy on a walk around, explaining everything, while Joan went over paperwork and the financial part with the parents.  In all, we spent about an hour and a half, trying to give these new owners as much information as they could digest.

He committed to buying it yesterday, but nothing is a done deal until the money exchanges and all the paperwork is signed.  Joan had copies of a Bill of Sale, titles for the boat, motor, and trailer, and all the boat information in a nice pouch for them.  We gave them some life jackets, fenders, dock lines, throwable flotation cushions, paddle, boat hook, covers (boat, motor, helm), chocks for the trailer tires, and the hitch extension (to make launching easier).  There isn't much they should need to get going.

We wished them all the best, told them to take a Safe Boating class, and bid them good-bye.

It wasn't a particularly "happy day" for me.  I'm not sad to be a former boat owner again, but I hope the boat brings them a lot of pleasure.  Our interests have changed.  It is the fact that we are on a canal that made this place so attractive to us - it's a great place to have a boat.  A friend asked if this means we will be moving away... no plan for that.  It just means we won't have a boat (that needs regular looking after) at our dock. 

No, I didn't take any "good-bye photos"... although Joan did take a photo of their vehicles with the boat.

Rufus - Walking with Pops...

 

Seems that some of the kids in one of Stephanie's classes didn't believe that Rufus walks on a leash.  Steph asked if I'd shoot some video for proof.  Well, I can't just shoot 10 seconds of video and call it a day.  So, here's Rufus, starring in his own video...

 The "review" that really counts is from my kid: "It’s adorable!! I didn’t mean for you to have to “produce” a video…but it’s purrfect. 😻"

Anything for my kid.  Plus... Rufus... 'cause he's a good boy!  ;-)

 

That was fast...

 

The boat sale?  Yeah, but I'm talking about the scoots.  Joan and I took the scoots out for some exercise today.  Since the riding here in the Tropical Tip is a bit less "interesting" than in the Black Hills, we find other ways to entertain ourselves on them... today, we did a few more speed runs.  But first, a photo of our cute selves...

 We were waiting for a barge to go through our bridge, so I had time to kill.  Once through town, the next town, and the next town after that, we had open highway; Joan suggested we do a few roll-on speed runs.  "I'm in!"  If you remember what happened last time we did that: the Xmax walked away from the Vespa.  Well, now I have more miles on the Vespa, the engine has opened up, and I don't have the weight of that front fender (yes, I'm still waiting on word from the dealer)... The Xmax is still faster, but it is much closer.  She never got more than one scooter length ahead of me, and they were quite equal on the initial roll-up.  Joan says she wasn't easing up on the throttle (until we got to 60mph), so I'm trusting her competitive spirit wasn't slacking off for my manly pride.  I'm happy with "close."

We topped off fuel tanks on the way home: she got 104.5 mpg on the Xmax; I got 84 mpg on the Vespa.  That isn't close.

Now, you were asking about the boat - thanks for asking.  Plenty of interest in the ad.  A gentleman I spoke with today said he will take the boat (sight unseen) to buy for his parents.  He seems legit (yes, we did a bit of checking).  We will meet him and his parents tomorrow in a public place to do the deal.  If it all goes as planned, they will be boat owners and we won't.

There is an old saying about "the two happiest days in a boat owner's life: the day he buys the boat and the day he sells it."  We'll see.  I am not feeling any remorse.  There are other interested parties if this doesn't go through.  I guess I have "moved on" - not that I didn't enjoy this boat, just that I don't care to do the work of being a boat owner.  Driving commercial boats was the highlight of my third career... but it left me with wanting to do other things with our free time.  Yes, even after not working for a few years.

We'll see how it all plays out.

Right now, boats are about as scarce as new and used cars.  There is certainly a market.

Boat for sale...

 

Yes, our boat.  I listed it today on our local Facebook classifieds.  No, there is nothing wrong with either of us... Joan asked if I wanted to put the boat back in the water, and I had to think about it.  I may regret this on one of those gorgeous weather days when the dolphins are being especially playful, but I have decided the work/pleasure ratio is getting a bit close.

So, if you know anyone who is looking for a clean, small pontoon, I know a guy...

Here's the ad...

2016 SunTracker PB16 for sale. The "PB" stands for "Party Barge." Well, it would be a small party - Tracker Marine says it will hold 7, 4 is as many as we've had on it. This is a rare model - most of the 16s were Bass Buggys (fishing boats); this one is built for comfort, with 4 seating areas. It also includes a bimini, a boat cover, Mercury 40hp Command Thrust motor, Raymarine GPS/Fishfinder (depth, speed, water temp). Boat is kept in indoor storage when not at our dock (in Long Island Village). Approx 300 hours on the motor. Also includes a Tracker single axle trailer (only used to move the boat to and from our storage unit); bunk slicks on the trailer. The trailer has steps on the front to board the boat. Fresh bottom paint and new battery this year.

 

Price: $10,200. Message me here on Facebook for contact info (we live in LIV) and any questions you may have. Boat is owned by a retired professional boat captain and his admiral... this has been our personal sight-seeing platform to enjoy the dolphins, birds, and great views in this lovely area.

Already a number of inquiries, with it posted just a couple hours ago.

I really don't like this process...

 

We need to do something about the Honda CR-V... fix up the bad stuff and keep driving it, or trade it and replace it.  The poor car is cosmetically trashed, but still very funcional.  Except that big hole in the roof where there used to be a sunroof.  Joan put a piece of plexi over it and taped it in place.  It has mostly held together, but this needs to be addressed.

I called around to get prices on replacing the sunroof, so we decided to check out a couple places in person.  One place is the Honda dealer where we bought the CR-V.  The service guy said all the right things, so I felt good about that place.  That dealership also had a vehicle that Joan was interested in as a replacement for the CR-V.  Yeah, that meant having to deal with a car salesman... and that really hasn't been a good experience for us in the past.  Today turned out to be no different.  Maybe worse, because the supply of cars is low and the prices are high.  Joan wasn't believing my estimate of what the Honda is worth in a trade... they came in $500 over what I predicted.  We kinda liked the other car we drove, but the CR-V just works for us: right size, right weight (for towing), and comfortable.  I would consider replacing it with another CR-V, but the newer ones aren't towable 4-wheels down behind a motorhome (change in transmission).  The SUV we drove didn't move us enough to want to make a trade.  As expected, the dealer came down in price, but not enough to be swayed on doing a trade.  I went ahead and had the service writer order us a sunroof and we'll see what we can do for the CR-V.

Of course, any car shopping situation seems to take way longer than necessary... trying to "wear down" a potential buyer?  

 

It's Rufus's world...

 

And I'm just living in it.

As I got ready for my bicycle ride this morning, Rufus ran to the door with that sweet, expectant look on his face.  Yep, he wants to go outside.  The boy and I do communicate.  So, we put his harness and leash on him, and I took him out.  He walked around a bit, munched a bit of grass, did a tour of the driveway, and was ready to come back inside.  He knows the routine: he get some kind of small treat after going for a walk.  Today, it was a bite of pumpkin in a catfood form.

That taken care of, I went out on my bike.  It was 75º (humidity 81%); cooler than it has been the last week, and it was a pleasant ride.  When I got back from my ride, I was greeted with enthusiastic meows from my furry buddy...

He cracks me up when he puts his head through the railings on the deck; it looks like he is in "stocks" (as in the Pilgrim days), and he calls to me like he hasn't seen me in days.  Our storage area is under that deck, so he is above me when he is calling out.

Joan was out on the deck, and had fruit smoothies ready for us; Rufus gets his morning treat when we do smoothies, and he knows that routine.

Later, when we came inside for breakfast (he has his breakfast when I first get up), Ruf went into my shower while I washed up...

He likes to sit in there while I am in the bathroom.  

The boy makes me smile; he brings joy in all he does.  I wish I had his always positive attitude.  Well, I also wish I could nap like he can.  ;-)

Time to take on the day.

A quiet start to the day...

 

I was out early(ish) this morning, treated to a pretty sky view that didn't last long...

 As you might imagine from the clouds, it was a bit humid.  Still, a good bicycle ride.  I like getting out before the rest of the world is out and about.  Some people walking dogs, a few out getting their morning exercise, but mostly just quiet.

A few minutes later, the sky was mostly a monotone gray.  Gotta enjoy it while you can.  A good metaphor for life?

--------

Well, that was weird...

More on the weird in a moment.  I got out on the Vespa today, for a pleasure ride.  I did stop to get mail, as I had a notice that some guitar picks I ordered were marked "delivered."  When I came out, heading for my scoot, there were two ladies looking at it... one was telling the other, "These are the best scooters ever."  I was still wearing my helmet, so it was pretty obvious that the bike is mine.  The one who was enthusiastic about the Vespa asked me, "What size is this?"

"300cc," I told her.

"Oh, I didn't know they made them that big - it is so beautiful!  Sexy Italian!"  She told me she had a 50cc Vespa when she was younger.  She was wearing a mask, so I had no idea of her age range, but I did compliment her on her good taste.  ;-)  She was a little bit of a thing, and said, "This is way too big for me - my feet would never touch."  Yeah, I could see that (she was definitely on the short side of 5').

No, that wasn't the weird part - people frequently comment about the Vespa.  I went on my ride - over the causeway, up and down the island, then back across the causeway, and back to our island.  I put the scoot away and brought in the mail.  I was looking forward to trying out the new picks.

Before I changed out of my riding jeans, I took a guitar off the way and strummed with one of the new picks... "Oh, my goodness - that is incredibly bad!"  My lively X7 sounded like it was full of old socks.  I tried one of the previous models of the "same material" - it sounded great.  I tried one of the new picks on another guitar - totally dead sounding.  I came out to the kitchen where Joan is cooking up a storm and said, "Listen to this - tell me if you can hear a difference."  I dropped one of the old picks (supposedly the same material) on our Corian® counter; then dropped a new one.  She said, "Yes, they sound different."  I brought out a guitar and played one, then the other - she could definitely hear a difference.

OK, it's not just me.  I picked up the phone and called the guy who makes these picks; told him I was not happy with the sound of this "new process." (He is able to mold the picks instead of cutting them out by hand, reducing his labor and the price.)  He said, "I really appreciate that feedback - everyone else who has tried them thinks they're great.  I will give you your money back."

I thanked him and told him I'd put these picks in the mail back to him tomorrow.  He said, "Just toss them if you aren't happy with them - I'm processing your refund right now; Paypal is real good about getting this done right away."

I thanked him and told him, "I wouldn't feel right about that - I'll get them back to you in the mail."

"Really - please don't.  I don't want you to spend time and money returning them.  I just want you to be satisfied."

I said, "You understand, there is no satisfaction in throwing these away, and I won't keep something I didn't pay for."

He said, "There - the refund is done.  Feel free to leave a review."

"You want me to review a pick that sounds bad?  I've been buying picks from you since you started business 10 years ago.  I like your picks - I don't like this new molded process pick - it really doesn't sound as good as the ones you cut by hand."

He said, "I just spent $40,000 on a machine to do this new process, so this is the future of what our picks will be."

I said, "I have been paying $20 to $25 apiece and these new ones are $9 - and they really don't sound as good as what you have been making.  How can you make them so cheap if they are 'the same material'?"

"No labor costs.  It is the same material."

I said, "They don't feel the same or sound as good.  I don't think you want me to leave that as a review."

He said, "I have had nothing but good reviews on this new process - people love them.  Some people have questioned 'nothing but good reviews' - your opinion will show that the rest of the reviews are real."

Yep, that was weird.  I'll put the picks in an envelope and send them back tomorrow.

Powerball win!

 

While out on the scoot yesterday, I stopped to get a lottery ticket.  Well, 5 tickets.  Well, one ticket with 5 picks on it.  No, I don't usually play the lottery - I've heard all the same things about it "being a tax on those who are bad at math."  But, the jackpot is big right now, so I figured I'd give it a shot.  While nobody won the big jackpot, I did get the Powerball.  And one other number on that same ticket.  Which pays the same as just the Powerball: $4.  So, I'm only down $6.  Or, as my sweet late Aunt Bessie used to say: "I won $4."  She really was sweet, just not good at math.  ;-)

A bit of good news, though: I heard from Rusty this morning - no water got into our storage unit, and the house that they recently gutted and redid got no water in it.  Pretty sure Progressive has blocked my number, so I'm relieved at this bit of good news.

And the beat goes on.

 

A short ride...

 

Yes, I got the Vespa out today to run an errand.  The predicted rain didn't happen today - I guess Mother Nature felt she dumped on us enough yesterday.  A new situation: the cargo trailer had water on the floor.

While Joan was out running errands, she picked up some FlexSpray and FlexSeal.  I got up on a ladder, inspecting and sealing around the top of the cargo trailer when... yep, there it is: a slice in the metal that I didn't see before.  A sizeable divot in front of that, making a "basin" that could fill with water, allowing it to leak into the trailer as it continuously filled with the pounding rain.  Yep, I sealed that (and a bunch more).  We'll see how that holds with the next rain... a big chance of that tomorrow.

I did get out for a bicycle ride this morning, dodging giant puddles.  Rusty, our friend that has the storage units, waved me down as I rode by his place.  He told me that he got a call from a friend that had driven by the storage units... and there is a LOT of standing water in that area.  Rusty thought there was a good chance that water may have gotten above the door sills of the storage units.  He was going to out there with his Jeep later today, so we'll wait for word.

I'm not concerned that it would get deep enough to be an issue for the motorhome, but we do have other stuff stored in there, including some stuff on the floor.  This may wind up being the impetus for getting rid of that stuff.

I thought Mother Nature was cutting us some slack after that long drive home.

It's like thunder, lightning...

 

If you said, "The way you love me is fright'ning, guess I better knock, knock, knock - on wood,  Eddie Floyd, 1967," you get 50 bonus points.  And, you have good taste in old R&B music.  Yeah, that song has been covered by a lot of people since that time.

This isn't about that song, even though it makes me smile.  I was getting ready to go out for a bicycle ride this morning, when Rufus trotted to the door and said, "Walk?"

"Sure, buddy," and I went to get his harness and leash.  We weren't out more than a couple minutes... when I felt a drip.  Yep, it's starting to sprinkle.  We were on the south side of the house, and it was coming from the south.  I said to Rufus, "Didn't your Momma teach you to come in out of the rain?"

With his thick fur (a lot thicker than what's left of the hair on my head), he wasn't feeling the rain.  Yet.  He wanted to walk down to the dock and around the other side of the house.  The rain was starting to come down more, but we had some protection on this side of the house.

About that time, we saw Susan and Tessa (Rufus's big dog friend).  Rufus has been quite tentative around dogs after the incident this summer, but he marched right up to Susan and Tessa... and the big furry boy and much bigger furry K9 girl got nose-to-nose.  Then, we all realized we were getting wet.  Ruf took a second to munch some grass, then headed for our front door.  The boy is, apparently, smart enough to come in out of the rain.

Seconds after we got inside, the first clap of thunder.  Ruf may have less worry about dogs, but the thunder still brings back that ugly hail storm.  Kitty hugs ensued.  And, no, I didn't get in a bike ride.

Looks like it is going to be a Netflix kinda day.

--------

The rain never let up.  At 5:30 pm, there are now 8 local Flood Warning Alerts in effect.  Not much of an issue here on the island, since the water can flow off; but for streets in the coastal towns, I would expect plenty of flooding and standing water.  Local weather is showing it worse a bit inland (from Brownsville to Harlingen).

A really odd occurrence this afternoon: looking out into our canal, you could see the water moving in opposite directions on either side of the canal vs down the middle; water flowing into the canal (in the middle) and water being pushed by wind on the sides of the canal.  "Football Friday" will be impacted around the Rio Grande Valley (you know it is nasty when local high school football gets postphoned); there is a night-time Air Show that is supposed to happen over the Entertainment District on SPI - that isn't going to happen.

Rain totals for the day in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are between 2.5 and 8" so far; about 3" here.

On the local news...

Street flooding...

It's an issue with the flat terrain in the Valley; heavy rain fills the storm drains and the water has no place to go.