The DisFort's Chit Chat Cafe

[Part-Time Paradise]

I did a thing today. I was talking with DW that the commute to work was taking a toll on me. I wanted something that I would at least be excited to drive so the commute was at least fun. So I started looking around at Camaros for fun and this little 2023 beauty popped up:

An older gentleman bought it and thought he was going to drive it all the time. He pretty much bought it and parked it in his garage. It had 112 miles on it when it was listed on the website.

I drove the 2 hours into Nebraska and did a quick test drive and after a short discussion with DW I had the green light. A person called about it right after I did and then another called for it while I was loading it up. Sorry folks, early bird got there first.

A few hours later (waiting for the wire transfer to clear), I was on the road.

It is fun and I'm ready for the open road tomorrow.

 

[bama_ed]

Whenever Mrs. @Part-Time Paradise runs out of something at home, Jack and DS will volunteer to run to the store to get it.

ED

PS - gets me to thinkin, DS will be getting his learner's permit in a few short years, huh?

 

[Teamubr]

Nice find, Jack.

I wonder if someone decided it was too much car or too much car payment. 112 miles is barely driving it home.

j

 

[jbrostek]

IT feels good to get projects done. At home and at work I been keeping busy. Work wise a major project I been working on since last October is nearing the finish line. The planning, testing and validation took a large amount of focus and effort. However, in the end it made the deployment buttery smooth. In just 3 weeks we will have deployed the updated vpn and routing configurations to all 132 production locations world wide. The plan will add much needed redundancy that was not in the original design.

This project and many others in the past year rewarded me with a small promotion from Eng 4 to Senior Engineer. In my company that is equal to Sr. Manager without having to oversee staff. So I am happy with the recognition of my abilities. The title bump is a good thing, the compensation bump was really nice.

This weekend is another race weekend before we start preparing and packing for the trip. I am hoping tomorrow I can bounce on the early side so I can get parked and settled.

Beyond work things have been quiet around the house. Not much progress made on the puzzle yet. I think Melissa finally figured out that when it takes two people to do any part of it, it will need to wait till she is not doing 100 school things all week for us to actually work on the project.

 

[bama_ed]

This project and many others in the past year rewarded me with a small promotion from Eng 4 to Senior Engineer. In my company that is equal to Sr. Manager without having to oversee staff. So I am happy with the recognition of my abilities. The title bump is a good thing, the compensation bump was really nice.

Pay bump is SWEET.

No supervision responsibilities is even SWEETER. (in my experience)

Beyond work things have been quiet around the house. Not much progress made on the puzzle yet. I think Melissa finally figured out that when it takes two people to do any part of it, it will need to wait till she is not doing 100 school things all week for us to actually work on the project.

The two of you will have to impart your puzzle knowledge on me next time we camp together. Be advised, though, that puzzling is a camping activity for us only so I'm a wimp who maxes out on the 1,000 piece puzzles.

Ed

PS - glad things are quiet for you at home for the time being. I can get some rest here b4 you get too busy again.

 

[jbrostek]

@Bama

Pay bump is SWEET.

No supervision responsibilities is even SWEETER. (in my experience)



The two of you will have to impart your puzzle knowledge on me next time we camp together. Be advised, though, that puzzling is a camping activity for us only so I'm a wimp who maxes out on the 1,000 piece puzzles.

Ed

PS - glad things are quiet for you at home for the time being. I can get some rest here b4 you get too busy again.

Yes, I much like that bump without having to manage people. I still have a mentor/technical lead responsibility, however, I enjoy that part.

We do have a method that works. We do many 1000-1500 piece puzzles too. I think I have bought every Disney one (even the two sided.) the 4000 piece ones, those take some sorting and prep.

 

[Part-Time Paradise]

Whenever Mrs. @Part-Time Paradise runs out of something at home, Jack and DS will volunteer to run to the store to get it.

ED

PS - gets me to thinkin, DS will be getting his learner's permit in a few short years, huh?

DW is pretty dang excited too. She said she wanted a Camaro when we were still dating. Conditions of buying it were that it needed to be an automatic and she gets to drive it.

DD is about to get a restricted license that she can drive to school, work, and church on her own. DS is about 2 years from learner's permit. KS starts em young.

Nice find, Jack.

I wonder if someone decided it was too much car or too much car payment. 112 miles is barely driving it home.

j

Farmer thought he was going to drive it all the time and never did. It sat over a year in his possession before he decided to sell it.

 

[Teamubr]

DD is about to get a restricted license that she can drive to school, work, and church on her own. DS is about 2 years from learner's permit. KS starts em young.

Not sure what Kansas is today, but it used to be 14 and you could get a permit. Not a bad thing. The more supervised "seat time" they get, the better driver they will be on their own.

DD seems pretty responsible, but a car like that deserves respect. Ian is still afraid to learn how to drive the RS. Too much car to learn a manual transmission. On a side note, Ian and his friend just returned from a trip to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg for his friend's birthday. As expected, Ian had to take his new Miata on the dragon (US129). I asked him if he was going to before they left and he was coy about it saying it was a long way from where they were staying, but he couldn't resist sending evidence. He actually showed me a short video when he got back home and he was fairly conservative on the drive, as I expected. He actually has a healthy respect for cars and his own capability.





j

 

[team bradfield]

Meg loves lazy summer days

 

[bama_ed]

Meg loves lazy summer days

View attachment 866605

Dude, this is a family friend board.

Pretty girls laying out by the pool in summertime come dangerously close to crossing the line.

Ed

PS - nice blue pool liner/water looks very inviting. Even for Northern Illinois!

PPS - for those in Lee County, AL I am just kidding .....

 

[team bradfield]

Dude, this is a family friend board.

Pretty girls laying out by the pool in summertime come dangerously close to crossing the line.

Ed

PS - nice blue pool liner/water looks very inviting. Even for Northern Illinois!

PPS - for those in Lee County, AL I am just kidding .....

@bama_ed I had to censor her poses, she was really enjoying the sun all sprawled out for belly rubs, NSFW, Denise would have blocked them. Northern Illinois pool's equal maybe 3.5 months if we're lucky

 

[team bradfield]

Her normal pose

 

[Boomer1]

Not sure if there are any fans of the “Doctor” but I noticed this had appeared next to a local takeout in one of the communities I visit as a Extra Mural Nurse.

 

[bama_ed]

Her normal pose

View attachment 866662

I used to sleep like that, @team bradfield , when I was in college after a "fun" Friday night on the Strip (street just off campus lined with adult establishments). And for the record, I was legally an adult.

But then I met DW and I turned my life around (or at least upright). She is SO good for me.

Ed

PS - I say that just in case she (or my kids who shadow read the DIS at times) were to look over my shoulder at this screen.

 

[Sjm9911]

Ok, questions. I am thinking about a new camper. Yes it's $$$. And not sure if it's needed. But.... the problem is time and quality. As of now, I need a bed to myself. To put it diffrently, I don't sleep soundly, the sheets and blankets are off the bed in a ball. So, that leaves 2 others out. They need grown up beds also. My camper , while nice and if someone sleeps on the dinette is good, but it's getting smaller. New camper will have 2 beds for the other grown ups. And while still secondary beds they will do. Plus my main bed. Camper is 26k. Ouch. But I think mine will sell for 10k. So that's not bad. New camper is 32 feet. While old one is 26 feet. Does the extra 6 feet matter? Harder to back into places? Opened up the 26 foot camper is 31 feet? It's an expandable? So that shouldn't limit sights? Also, ai am tired of fixing and maintaining right now. It seems everything that needs fixing is 300$ and more will be needed as rhe camper is getting older. Thoughts?

 

[Sjm9911]

https://www.crossroadstrailers.com/...new-travel-trailer-newfield-nj-08344-i4119550
Am leaning to this.

 

[Stratman50th]

I hate to give suggestions on stuff like this since being wrong could be costly. I'll say that when it starts to be time to replace a car, if I'm putting a couple hundred $$ a month or so it's time to unload it. I keep cars for 10 years or so. I would think your repair costs are starting into the maybe it's time area. Plus the other things you mentioned are kind of factors as well.

 

[StormyCA]

I'm not going to opine as to floorplans or brands, but our original TT was 26' no slides and our current is 31' 1 slide (living/dining) w/bunks and I will say that the extra 5 ft made a huge difference when there were 4 of us (2 adults, 2 teens) as did not having to have anyone sleeping on the floor or the uncomfortable couch.

Now it's just DH and I and, frankly, that 31' is still just the right length for the two of us. The bunks are now extra storage area.

 

[Teamubr]

Does the extra 6 feet matter? Harder to back into places?

Spenc,

The new trailer looks very similar to my 2nd one. You will notice the extra 6ft in length when backing and turning depending on the wheel base compared to your current one, but after a few trips, you won't notice anymore. You just need to remember to pull forward that extra 5 or 6 ft before trying to turn or back into a site. The web site says this one is actually 32ft 9in. My 2nd trailer was 33ft, so very similar.

Inside, I think the extra 6 feet will make a big difference. Not sure what beds the "adults" would be on, but my experience with the bunks is they are short and the mattresses are VERY thin. So check that out and plan for replacing the mattresses or at least adding toppers.

The first 3 times I moved into a newer rig was due to function. We started with a 16ft hybrid with canvas ends. Realized it didn't do well in cold or hot weather. Went to the 33ft TT. Then to a 31ft 5er with more useable space and storage. Kept that 5er for 13 years and out grew it. It had the double bunks that didn't work when Ian became adult size with adult size friends. Unfortunately the next 5er (42 ft Mid-bunk, 2 bedrooms) had water issues from poor design/manufacturing, so now I'm in a 42ft MH.

j

 

[Sjm9911]

Right now I am planning to scrap camera altogether, lol. Had to reseal the outside after a wash and wax, the dicore was bought last year, but was probably ill when I got it. First seem came out like crap, no problem, opened a new one, same thing. So out of 4 tubes 3 were bad, I have 3 crappy seems to redue later. One tire was low, NP, found it was leaking at the valve. Got out my scradder? (Sp) tool, inserted it and the whole inside came undone. This was a new tire last year. Ok NP. Will change it with the second spare in the garage. Closed up the camper, took in the stabs, went to raise the toung so I could put it on the truck to be extra safe lifting it and the electric toung jack is broken. It has power but will not move. Could be the switch. So now it's disconnecting the feeds and testing that. Leaving Thursday for a trip. I may see if I have the old hand crank one and put that on.