Fire Fox Squirrel

Fire Fox SquirrelWent for a walk in the woods this morning. Our usual parking area was jammed full of of about 8 cars, but besides the one person leaving as we entered, we saw no one. We did see a big ol’ fox squirrel who was almost as curious about us as we were of him.

And on our way out we walked right by a place where they had just done a controlled burn. I snapped a couple photos and I’m thinking of resurrecting my little see-how-it-grows-back series that I tried a while back. We never really go to the section of the woods of the previous try, but this one is right there at our normal entrance.

Started down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 80

37,000 cc’s Of Gas

Today was the MMC Tech Day and we had a whopping 2 cars get worked on. I did the swap of the slightly stripped lug stud and President Dave had his throttle body cleaned and a remote oil filter mount installed. We had one person come to do some wrenching on others cars, Clunk. His partner Thunk showed up a couple times through out the day to help or hinder as needed.

My stuffing Club newsletters under unsuspecting Miatas in parking lots paid off as someone I had hit twice popped in for a while and visited. Might turn out to be a member, might not.

On the way home I stopped in a Quick-Stop to fill up and realized I had passed through the 37,000 mile mark on the way over. My first clue was the slight smell of gas as I parked by the pumps, I didn’t pick up on it. Clue number 2 was the speedi-dri crunching under my feet as I started to fill the tank, didn’t register. Clue number three was the sound of splashing fluid on the pavement, I got it. The automatic shut off on the nozzle I was using was broken. I stopped at $25.37 and I bet at least the 37 cents worth spilled onto the ground.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 80

The Native Is Restless

I’m thinking about changing the look around here. Might have something to do with my lack of quality content lately, maybe hoping to distract you dear reader with some dazzling new surroundings.

I kind of like this new theme called PaintedDesert.

Of course I’ll have to change the top image to something I’ve taken of the Emperor…

Started down, went up, back down, then up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 79

Table Scraps Cause Health Problems

I am really on a roll with this blogger’s block thing. I open up WordPress to start a post and I start clicking on all the little links on the “dashboard.” Which leads to checking out a new theme. I then poke around the theme author’s site, clicking on the links of his/her blogging buddies. I open another Firefox tab and check the posts on the Miata.net Forum. Nope, nothing new in the last 3 minutes. I open my blog and read a few of the usual links. Check Miata.net again. Wonder what tomorrow’s weather is going to be. Check Zillow.com to see if my house has gained any value since yesterday. Finally open up the write post page of WordPress. Check to see if anyone has added a negative post about the Pontiac Solstice over on the Miata.net Forums.

Speaking of the Miata, this Saturday is Tech Day and I really don’t have much to do to the car. That pesky rear wheel stud is going to get replaced. I usually have a mod or two to do, but not this time. I’m pretty much done all the modifications I want to the car. About the only thing I’d like to do is get some cooler after market wheels. But the OEM wheels are just about perfect and the only time I’m really jealous is when we go somewhere and there are tons of tarted up Miatas, so there is no real reason to spend $600 on any. Doesn’t stop me from reading all I can in the Tires & Wheels section of the Miata.net Forums. I wonder if anyone has posted something new in that Lug Nuts! thread….

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 76

Realtors Are Mad

A co-worker came up to me the other day and said, “Check this site out, Realtors are mad because they have to pay for this, and it’s out there free now.” Riiight. Check it out for funzies.

Zillow.com Your edge in real estate.

I typed in my address and it said my house was worth $126k. It says that a year ago it was worth $99k. It also says I have 3 bathrooms and 1887 sq. ft., when we only have 2 baths and about 400 square feet less. Plus they show my house about a 1/4 mile away from its actual location.

But at least that explains the $239k starting price on a house about 6 further down the road. They must have checked Zillow.com, which says $193k or a similar service and then jacked up the price to allow for negotiating. I hear that after the open house and a month on the market it is down to listing for $199k.

Started down, went up, went down, up again, down again, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 74

I Like The Way This Guy Thinks

Last Friday Donna and I went to the American Association of University Women?s Annual Books N? Things Fair. We picked up several books each for a song. I snagged a couple hardcovers by authors know, one from someone I hadn’t heard of before and a movie review compilation, Never Coming To A Theater Near You. It is a reprinting of the columns of the movie critic from the LA Times, Kenneth Turan. It is broken down into 4 sections, English, Foreign, Documentary & Classic. This book is subtitled, “A Celebration Of A Certain Kind Of Movie” and it is about the non-blockbuster movie, the one that opens and then closes before you can block out the time to see it. Or in my case, here in tiny town USA, maybe never plays at the local 6-screen shoebox down by the mall.

Of the 71 English language movies included in the book I have seen 15 or so and of that total there are only two that I didn’t watch all the way through. Looks like my rental queue for Netflix is about to grow…

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 70

History Deficiency

History DeficiencyShows how much we don’t know about American Revolutionary history, when an extremely critical battle that turned the tide the colonist’s way was fought right here in SC at Kings Mountain. Donna and I stumbled on it while searching for a place to turn off the Interstate in our quest for a newer North Carolina state map. This monument was erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution, a larger one is just a couple hundred feet away and was constructed by the US Government in 1930 when the site became a National Park.

Over these last two days we have driven around 500 miles and at least half of that was with the top down. Good thing it isn’t later in the year or Donna and I would be a lot more sunburned than we are right now. We are also a little wind burned too, plus my lips are way chapped. But we had a great time.

Started up, went down, still down.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 68