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Post by hondobrode on May 19, 2017 18:34:13 GMT -5
It happens
Car repairs can be a bitch.
Just went to a body shop to get a quote to fix my driver's rear door where my wife turned too sharply and crunched it on a concrete pole at the c-store after fueling.
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Post by The Captain on May 19, 2017 18:49:40 GMT -5
I've been blessed in the car repair department. One of my brothers-in-law is a mechanic who owns his own shop, so whenever we have anything that needs to be taken care of, he usually does it at cost or with the smallest of margins. Just before Christmas one year, I needed to have my front brakes replaced entirely, and he comped the entire job, parts and all, so that my wife and I could spend that money on our daughters instead of giving it to him.
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Post by Spike-X on May 19, 2017 22:28:24 GMT -5
I've been blessed in the car repair department. One of my brothers-in-law is a mechanic who owns his own shop, so whenever we have anything that needs to be taken care of, he usually does it at cost or with the smallest of margins. Just before Christmas one year, I needed to have my front brakes replaced entirely, and he comped the entire job, parts and all, so that my wife and I could spend that money on our daughters instead of giving it to him. Very decent of him. |
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 0:56:58 GMT -5
In the past week or so ... I paid $65 for a new starter and another $30 for a new hose for my car too. Plus an extra $50 for labor and miscellaneous shop charges and tax. $145 altogether. I did not have my car for two days.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 10:18:47 GMT -5
Another adoption update: Our son will move in for good June 11. Last weekend my one daughter graduated college & he got to experience things he was never exposed to (sushi. Hibachi grill. Extended family together). This weekend we will go to a wedding & it will be his first wedding he ever went to. It's good since my other daughter gets married in Aug.
We also got to see Guardians 2 as dad & son. Pretty cool. The trailers for WW/Thor & JL looked great.
I also went thru my boxes & he now has a collection (2 short boxes) of DC/Marvel/Valiant to get him started.
Some minor bumps which my wife & I call teachable moments. Mostly coping skills to get thru life's minor annoyances so they don't escalate into a major problem. Looking forward to summer. He does not know how to swim or ride a bike. So those are his life goals for the summer.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on May 20, 2017 14:29:30 GMT -5
Michael, you and your wife are amazing. I wish you and your new son the best of times this summer!
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Post by DE Sinclair on May 20, 2017 21:37:58 GMT -5
So far so good on the security system. Still no break-in since I had it installed some 2 years ago. Knock wood, of course. Which apparently I neglected to do yesterday after the car repair, because damn if the starter didn't go out after I ate lunch. I'd started it 3 times since the garage visit, with no warning signs whatsoever, but I guess when it rains it's sure to pour. Just lucky, really, that it didn't happen here on base (which it would have if I'd ridden to lunch, as per usual, with a co-worker who happened to be off yesterday as well as today), because getting a tow truck or whatever past the security gate would've been its own special ordeal. Not that I'm a mechanic by any means, but those Chilton Auto Manuals have worked well for me and my brothers in the past. Yeah, I've saved myself a fair amount of money using those manuals over the years. Might've been able to do so again by buying & installing a starter myself, since it's located on top of the engine in '96 Maximas (I'm more used to having to replace starters on the bottom of an engine, as was the case with the '73 Pinto where I performed that task several times back in the '80s), but under the circumstances I simply didn't have the luxury of time to try that out. I had a 72 Pinto back in the early 80's as well. And what a surprise, I had to get the starter replaced in that one too. |
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 22:10:22 GMT -5
Michael, you and your wife are amazing. I wish you and your new son the best of times this summer! Thanks. We love being parents. Despite the hardships he has been thru he just wants a "normal" life. I love seeing all the new things he is experiencing with our family. He loved the wedding reception. |
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2017 2:39:54 GMT -5
Michael, you and your wife are amazing. I wish you and your new son the best of times this summer! Thanks. We love being parents. Despite the hardships he has been thru he just wants a "normal" life. I love seeing all the new things he is experiencing with our family. He loved the wedding reception. I'm rooting for ya ... to make it work and be a success at the same time. What you are doing is a great service for your new son and I'm very proud of you! |
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Post by The Captain on May 21, 2017 7:13:27 GMT -5
@md62 - how awesome that you and your wife have taken this step! I'm sure you're going to be a blessing in his life and he in yours.
As a parent, seeing your kids develop is such a wonderful experience. This morning, my 11 year old is running her first 5K with her mother. It's great they have found this common interest and can do it together, although my wife has said she doesn't think it will be too long before our daughter will be outpacing her and racing off ahead. The girl's got long legs and good endurance from all of her swimming experience, so we'll see how this one goes and if she wants to keep at it.
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2017 11:17:07 GMT -5
Thanks. We love being parents. Despite the hardships he has been thru he just wants a "normal" life. I love seeing all the new things he is experiencing with our family. He loved the wedding reception. I'm rooting for ya ... to make it work and be a success at the same time. What you are doing is a great service for your new son and I'm very proud of you! Thank you. |
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2017 11:21:17 GMT -5
@md62 - how awesome that you and your wife have taken this step! I'm sure you're going to be a blessing in his life and he in yours. As a parent, seeing your kids develop is such a wonderful experience. This morning, my 11 year old is running her first 5K with her mother. It's great they have found this common interest and can do it together, although my wife has said she doesn't think it will be too long before our daughter will be outpacing her and racing off ahead. The girl's got long legs and good endurance from all of her swimming experience, so we'll see how this one goes and if she wants to keep at it. I agree. Being a father has been an amazing experience. I really enjoy it. Fortunately my wife & I balance each other when it comes to parenting skills.
Hopefully with my oldest daughter getting married in Aug & my other daughter getting married in Oct 2018 we will have grandchildren in a few years. That will be awesome. Both of my daughter want several children.
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Post by Rob Allen on May 22, 2017 1:53:38 GMT -5
Breaking news... the 2017 Society of Illustrators' Hall of Fame inductees include Mort Drucker, Burne Hogarth and Ralph Steadman.
Drucker drew for many comics publishers in the 50s, including a lot for Atlas, then worked at Mad magazine for decades.
Hogarth drew the Tarzan comic strip, wrote art instruction books and taught art in New York.
Steadman is best known for his work in Rolling Stone and with author Hunter S. Thompson.
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Post by Spike-X on May 22, 2017 3:59:04 GMT -5
Got myself an air compressor today. No more trying to seat uncooperative tubeless bike tyres with a track pump!
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Post by Icctrombone on May 22, 2017 6:55:46 GMT -5
I bought a foot pump for 10 bucks. I love it.
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