New ride

Just yesterday, I was walking the lot at work, thinking about getting a new car.

And then this little beauty was sitting on the showroom floor today when I got back from lunch.

What do ya think?

How about for the race track?

Maybe I could sneak it in with the mini stocks.

I think it would be a blast.

My Office Wall

Trying to redeem myself

I thought about making this a long story short, but in the end, I decided that I would need to do some explaining in order for this to be a real redemption. So here goes...

I've worked in some form of the automotive industry for over 15 years.

At my first job,  I arrived (the term used for checking in) and inspected  rental turn-ins at the rail-yard. These were fleet cars that the major rental companies were turning back to GM. After inspection and ownership transfer, they would be shipped  out by rail to the various auctions around the country to be sold to dealers at the factory sales.
Arriving and inspecting cars was a hands on job. To arrive them, I used a little hand held machine that I would record data about each car into. The make, model, color, and mileage. After all the arrivals were done, I would go back and inspect the interiors. Looking for any damages. Burns, tears, dings, etc. Any damages found were also recorded into the little machine. At first, there was an inspector who went behind me and inspected the exteriors for damages, either repaired or not. After a while, I was that inspector too.

After I left the rail yard, I got a job at a Toyota dealership as the used car secretary. Now I know that sounds like a cushy job, and for the most part, it was. Except on Tuesdays, in Las Vegas, in the middle of summer, outside, on the hot asphalt, doing inventory of every.single.used.car.on.the.lot!
Although it was a Toyota store, the owner was a used car guy at heart, and we had a ton of them. I was required to touch every used car in inventory. Sometimes, the cars weren't even on the lot. But I wouldn't know that until I was completely finished and had searched every inch of the dealership.


By now, you might be wondering why I'm telling you all of this. Before I tell you, I just want to say a couple of things.
First, I've always liked the fact that I could identify all sorts of different cars, just by looking at them. And even though it's been quite a few years since I've done any "hands on" work, I still try to keep up by walking the lot at work just looking.
Second, Just recently, someone told me that I always have to be right. And to that I say - I don't always have to be right. I just don't like being wrong and I usually don't say things unless I know what I'm taking about.

The other day,  I was leaving work and a funny little car caught my eye, and I wondered to myself what kind of car it was. I planned on taking a picture of it for my 365 resolution when I got back. I didn't have my camera so I  snapped a quick picture with my phone and using my all-knowing car model super-power, decided it was a Scion. I didn't need to check the model, because I could easily google it when I got home and get it posted on my blog. You can see that post here.

So after all that; guess what? It was pointed out to me just today...It's not a Scion...It's a Nissan Cube.  What? How can that be? I googled it! I looked at pictures! I used my super-power! It was a Scion the other day! What in the world happened? I immediately pulled an inventory report, hoping to find a Scion. Nope! No such luck. Shoot...it's a Cube.


I don't always have to be right...I just hate being wrong!

Strange

Although I wouldn't buy this funny little car, it caught my eye right away as I was leaving work for lunch today. I couldn't help but take a picture. It's a Scion XB and I bet it sales fast. Maybe a young kid will buy it and load it full of speakers. Fun and strange.

Not my dog

Peanut

A customer brought this puppy into work just as I was leaving today. I think it may be one of the cutest things I have ever seen!

The Story (sorry, It's a long one)

We lived in the Nevada desert for over 15 years before we ever saw a  tarantula. The first one was this spring when we were planting oleanders. The story of it is here. We spent most of the summer digging up holes in the yard hoping/not hoping to find another.  Until late one night, a few months ago, CJ went outside and found one on the porch. ON OUR PORCH.
The next day, he loaded up the kids and the tarantula for a drive to the desert so they could release him back into the wild. Kristy wrote about that day here,  on her blog.

A few weeks ago, Kaylynn's kids told me that they found a  tarantula up at the race track. It was squished! Someone had run it over (by accident I'm sure).

Chad's picture of tarantula

But he wasn't the only one,  Chad told me where I could find yet another one. This one was alive though,  He found it in one of the concession stands up front and took outside so the tarantula could find more suitable lodging for the winter.







So all of this brings me to today, when I got this picture text message from Kaylynn:

Text from Kaylynn

 Me: haha...where did that come from:
 Kaylynn: On the road by Home Depot
 Me: You stopped to picture him? (Preston's saying)
 Kaylynn: Ya, I made Marvin turn around. He was more daring to get closer than me.
 Me: LOL. He could have got a little closer. I want to see the details of his legs. LOL.

 And then I took my phone into the Business office to show Debbie. She thought it was so cute and told me he should have caught him to give to her.  I called her crazy and went back to my office. And then I got this text.

 Kaylynn: He said he will (go) back and get it and bring it to you if want.
 Me: Okay. Then I can take pictures with my good camera. :) Haha.

 And I think he is just teasing me, then she says:

Kaylynn: OK. See you in a bit.
Me: (uh) lol. I don't have my camera. It's at home.
Kaylynn: We will put it in a coffee can.
Kaylynn: With a lid on it.
Me: You don't have to bring it.
Kaylynn: We are on our way.

CRAP!  Now what do I do?  Debbie!


 Debbie was way more happy than I was when I told her Kaylynn was bringing her the spider. I wanted pictures, but not bad enough to have it in my office. Even if it was in a coffee can.

Matt from work took this picture

Anthony got close enough to take this one.

 

 Debbie is not afraid,. She was in love. And this is where the ruckus in the office started. Debbie posed, while we screamed and took pictures.  Just another day at the office!


edited to say: Debbie took the spider with her to lunch and then left it with her husband. He wanted to let it go. She said he wasn't to thrilled. haha.

Causing a stir

Picture sent to me today from Marvin

this "little" thing is causing quite the ruckus in my office today.

I'll give you the story when I get home from work tonight.

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My car got sick last Friday

This isn't the first time my car has been in the shop. Last time, it was because I ran over a rivet and had a flat tire.

Something that couldn't be prevented. Well, I guess it could have been if someone hadn't left their rivets lying around.

This visit to the shop was different though.

There was real trouble. Flat tires are no problem, THIS was a problem.

We first thought something terrible had gone wrong with the engine. Some weird defect causing havoc that was going to require major engine repairs.

 The only comfort I had was the fact that I bought my jeep new. Two years ago, right after Chrysler started giving lifetime power train warranties. At least I wasn't going to have to pay for the tow and repair. So I thought. Until I got the news...

The gas was bad.

I bought a whole tank full of rotten disgusting gas.

 Luckily, it could be drained and the tank could be cleaned. And luckily, there was no damage done to my engine. I'm pretty sure crappy gas is not covered by my lifetime warranty.

 Chad took a sample of the sludge gas to the station where I bought it on Friday. They didn't care. We were the only complaint they had and they have since got new gas in their tanks.

I need more gas right now...Guess where I will not be getting it?
Terribles Town Chevron on Highway 160