My New Car

It was an absolutely paralyzing week for me but it ended well with a new car. On Monday my 2002 Chevy Suburban SUV was declared not fit to drive. My mechanic said he could fix the current problem so I left it with him. About 4 hours later he called me and said he would love to make the money on the repair but he feared for my future safety and thought it would be best to get a different automobile. I certainly appreciated his honesty and will hold him in high regard forever.

On Tuesday I was so traumatized I stayed in my pajamas all day wondering where to start. It is very hard to buy a car when you don't have a car, right?

On Wednesday morning I was up with early and started my Internet search. What should I buy? Used or new? I really didn't want to have to learn a new car at all. I looked and looked and looked. Sometime in the late morning, I called a girlfriend who always knows what to do. She said I should least a brand new car for three like she and her husband have been doing. They are on their third lease after owning cars outright in the past.

So I called the closest car dealer, the Honda dealership in Madison. The girl I got was so very helpful and she helped me narrow down my choice by asking me questions and listening to my wants, needs, and wishes. I was mostly interested in cargo space for open house real estate signs. I certainly did not need the third row seats that came with the Honda CRV I initially thought I wanted.

We narrowed it down the the HR-V and they were running a special on the 2019 unsold inventory to make room for the 2020 models. She even brought one to my house for a test drive. WOW, talk about customer service! I drove it back to the dealer ship and loved it. It took a couple of hours in the office for all the paperwork but I drove away with a 3 year lease with 10,000 miles per year allowed miles. I don't think I will have a problem with this since there are days I never leave the house and I never go very far. So on Wednesday late afternoon I had a new car. Since then I have driven on one nice day, one rainy day, and today I drove it in the snow. Tomorrow (Sunday) there will be ice and rain.

This is a photo I found online in Google Images. Click to enlarge.

I got this color, Modern Steel, with black or very dark gray cloth seats and interior. I have all-wheel drive and a back up camera. My car has a key instead of that button start and I'm glad. The key has buttons to lock and unlock. The back seats go down very easily for a full flat cargo space that is huge. It has been trial by fire all week but I am confident I made the right choice. It was pretty painless too. They took care of everything for me. Plates, insurance card, registration, etc. All those things you usually have to do yourself when you buy a new car. I am donating my old car to the local fire department. 

Sorry I have been absent for a while. Now you know why. xo

This is Baby Shark on Sunday after I shoveled the snow on the driveway and moved her so the front could continue melting in the sun. She was so easy to clean off!

Detail of her shark fin with my cottage in the background.

My Car is Fixed! and A Curtain Refresh

Yes, it's true. My car is truly fixed and it seems better than ever. My friend, the mechanic, said it was really four security systems and he could see why the dealer didn't want to get involved. He said he had only installed one system in his entire career but he has removed over 500. They eventually break down and removing is the only option. I had to get a new battery too. He said to keep driving my vehicle and see what happens. That was my plan too. 

Now about the curtain in my bathroom. It is directly across the hall from my guest room that has full length curtains in the same Lily of the Valley fabric. I previously had this curtain on a black rod with ball finials that covered the side woodwork. They were parted in the center and the black rod showed and the curtains hung straight down. 

I decided to redo the top casing so there would be a ruffle on top and to hang them from a tension rod this time. I wish I had made the casing for the rod a smidge bigger so adjusting the gathers would be easier. But it worked so I am not about to get out my seam ripper. 

I decided to pull them back and experimented with a grosgrain ribbon, twill tape and ended up with organza ribbon and I love the look.

*Note: I had the overhead light fixture on to brighten the room and it was a warm bulb that makes my Lancaster Whitewash walls look beige. This window gets the morning sun from behind and never any direct sunlight on the front of the fabric.

I love the look of a sheer ribbon that does not hide any of the design. I put a ring through the fabric and made a continuous loop with a stapler. The ring is at the end hanging on a decorative nail. The panels will be easy to close in the summer when the hot sun is blazing and I want to block it to keep the house cooler. All I have to do is unhook the ring and slip the ribbon loop down to the bottom hem and completely off and reverse the process to part the panels again when the sun is on the other side of the house. 

Being without a car has been a blessing in many ways because I have gotten so much great work done without the distraction of leaving the house. You know what I mean, when you leave and come back, you sometimes lose your momentum and it's hard to get back into the swing of things.

I will catch up on my errands tomorrow. xo

My Car: Still Not Fixed

The dealer couldn't fix my car. I found my favorite mechanic after he quit the garage near me. I called his sister and he's not that far away. Today, I had a friend take me to the dealership, thinking I could drive my car home and do some errands before taking it to my friend's garage. I left my phone at home too and felt quite lost without it. She waited until I waved her on and then the man I had been dealing with on the phone said he wasn't sure the car would start. Too late, my friend was long gone. Then I had to call AAA from their office phone to arrange for another tow truck. I was hoping the driver could take me home first and then take my car to the shop. Wrong. He said he couldn't. Luckily, I had befriended the men in the repair department and they allowed their driver to take me home. And guess how much my total bill was? Zero. $0.00. That was the best surprise ever. The driver was so nice too. I was so encouraged by all the kindness shown to me today.

I found the money car on Getty Images when I was researching which is better, leasing vs. buying a car. I have never leased. I am hoping I don't have to do either and the source of my problem can be fixed. My friend Greg is an absolute genius and if it can be fixed, he's the one that can do it. He seemed confident when I called him this morning. Fingers crossed.

It rained quite hard today and I got soaked outside while my car was being flat bedded. AAA man was very nice too. Will keep you posted on what transpires tomorrow.

xo

Asprey Campaign Photo: Old Westbury Gardens Long Island NY

Asprey Campaign, Old Westbury Gardens (New York) shot by Bruce Weber via Google Images. 

At first I thought this might be a very spoiled child's birthday present but it turned out to be a photo shoot for Asprey

Vintage Gas Prices -- Remember When?

I must admit, this photo stopped me in my tracks. The least expensive gas I have seen lately in my travels locally was $2.49 a gallon. I don't even know if that includes tax, must look. Have a great weekend. via

Sweater Weather

This image made me smile. via

Great bumper sticker on a Mini Cooper.

via Instagram http://ift.tt/298Kc8g
Great bumper sticker on a Mini Cooper.
#bumpersticker #minicooper #lovepeople #cookgoodfood #ig

Classic "Model T Ford Tin Lizzie"

I spotted this classic car outside the bank near my office recently. The proud owner takes it out quite frequently for an airing on nice days. 

This one is a beauty and has been lovingly restored. It's hard to believe 15 million Model T Fords were assembled and so few survived. Read the history here. Have a nice weekend. We have April showers in my area today. xo

Frozen Mercedes

via

When I woke up on Sunday morning it was 1° outside! It has warmed up somewhat and now it's a balmy 18° with snow coming this afternoon. Stay warm. xo

A Drive Down Memory Lane

Remember these car windows? I still miss the small vent window that you could open to keep your hair from blowing. I also miss the roll down mechanism. My front passenger window is electronic and it no longer works. To keep my hair from blowing when I have the front driver's window down, I have to roll down the back windows too. My air conditioning doesn't work either. I don't mind since I rarely turn on the central A/C in my house and I'm not really used to being cool all the time. The summer will be over soon so I'll wait until next spring to have more freon added. I mowed my back wildflower field just in the nick of time yesterday. It was very close to being too tall to mow. I had my mower deck all the up as high as it was go and it was hot and dry and it went well. Pretty soon my property will be in apple pie order once again. I got really behind because of that rainy weather pattern we were in, with 5 days of rain followed by 2 sunny days. Have a great Sunday. xo via

1940 Ford Woody with Trailer

Have a great weekend and start planning your next road trip. via

Small car - big Christmas tree.

How cute. via KateSpadeNY

Traveling in Style

Wow. This is a wonderful vintage photo, isn't it? Don't you absolutely love the style of the trailer with its wings? It's mid-century modern on wheels! The station wagon is pretty wonderful too. via

Extremely Early Bookmobile

I wish I could read the name of the city. This has got to be one of the earliest bookmobiles ever, right? It's so nice to see the children are more interested in checking out books than sliding down the slide.
UPDATE: It's circa 1917 somewhere in Minnesota. Found here.

Fabulous Woody Wagon

Every time I run across a great photo of an old Woody Wagon my heart skips a beat. I wonder how many old ones are still road worthy? They certainly are great for hauling long wooden things, aren't they? via

Drive-in Movie

Do you miss drive-in movies as much as I do? I love all of the cars in this lot too. Where are the speaker stands? Were these people watching a silent film? via

Wonderful Airstream Campsite

This is a wonderful image, isn't it? Do these people camp at the same spot every year, thus the hollyhocks? I love the awnings. I've always thought this would be the perfect way to travel...with your bed always with you. Have you ever camped or vacationed in an airstream? via

Woody Convertible? - YES

This is the only convertible I would ever consider owning. via

Do Want This Woodie Wagon

I can't tell you how much I love this big vintage woodie station wagon. I like the dog and the beach house too. via

Flower Power Car

 

You couldn't help but be anything but happy toddling around in this adorable flowered car.