Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Tucked in.

I’ll admit I’ve been a bit of a bad blogger lately.  Mea culpa.  

The days seem to drift by and there’s always something to do,  but nothing that I’d want to bore you with.  At least it seems that way.  This has been the irony of “ze blogue”,  as reporting on doing nothing has never been much of a draw for me, and I’m sure not for you either. 

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We picked up the Merc last night and brought it home.  In spite of being a used car, it’s in surprisingly good shape.  Well, I suppose it should be,  as it was pointed out a few days ago that the parts are made of “unobtainium”.  

The Mercedes-Benz dealership is nicer than a lot of shopping malls.  You can sit and have your cappuccino (complimentary of course)  and here,  Travelling Companion is looking over how she can have a manicure, pedicure or facial (or maybe all three?)  whenever she brings in the car for service. 

 

 

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This too is complimentary.  I didn’t ask just how much “service” would set us back.  I’d hazard a guess that my butt will pucker just ever so slightly if/when we take it in.

There was also some mention that “the boys” would be happy to wash the car any time and T.C. could go and relax at the aforementioned “Spa”.   No seriously.  I’m not kidding.  I did though point out that I have a driveway and a hose.   AND a bucket!   And I know how to use them.  Washing ones own car!  What a concept!

 

Here’s our happy recipient leaving the dealership.

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Not too shabby.

That’s one down. 

Haven’t a clue what I’ll do for wheels.

I half heartedly suggested I could get one of these and put a hitch on the back.  All I really need is a small utility trailer. 

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Not so sure about the electric part of the equation though.  Once upon a time you could get a “Smart” with a diesel engine here in Canada.  No longer available.  The other “problem” I have with the Smart is,  to sort of paraphrase Ron James  (a Canadian comic) “How is it that, although it’s called a “Smart Car”, any time you get behind the wheel you just look so dumb"?”   If they’d only redesign that front end.  I’m sorry, it just looks goofy.  I keep waiting.

 

Meanwhile, I suppose I can look forward to the bikes  arriving in the shipment, although that’s not exactly going to solve my transportation issues. It’s not that easy to cart around say,  a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood.  The rear seats flip down in the Merc, and just out of curiosity,  I measured the space this morning.  Only about three by six.  And besides,  I’m not going to be carting around tools and general cr*p in that thing.  Not bloody likely.  I feel like I have to check for pet hair and boogers before I get in as it is.

 

The sales Dude threw in a set of “winter mats” which I spent a few minutes installing just now.  The summer mats are the fuzzy type,  and don’t really put up much of a fight when it comes to crap that gets tracked in.  Probably should have had winter mats in the Beemer but hey, it wasn’t our car.  What the heck are we going to do with a set of winter mats for a car we left behind in Austria?

It just so happens that our place was built back in the fifties,  so putting a car in the garage has always been a bit of a challenge here.  The curious thing too is,  the cars back then were even bigger,  so I guess a garage was just a place for your junk.  

That doesn’t work for me.  To me, the garage/shop is almost “holy ground”,  (or as “holy” as any ground I’d be walking on)  so it’s preferable to keep the junk elsewhere.  That’s why I built the shed. 

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I installed that tennis ball contraption years ago as a “parking assist” for T.C., since with a bit of practise she has put cars in that spot going back almost a couple decades. 

The last entrant was a Volvo S60,  and it turns out that the rear window on the Merc is in just about the identical spot.  You can get a hint as to what’s going on in the rest of the garage by the equipment off there to the left.

 

Well,  I’m starting to bore myself here,  so I’m sure your attention span is getting a work out.

 

Thanks for your patience,  and for stopping by.

 

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11 comments:

  1. No... never boring. But have been wondering if the adjustment from living abroad to back at "home" is difficult for you? People always ask us which is our "favorite" State or place to live.... there's just not a good answer... too many things to factor in. Just wondering about your transition?

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  2. Wow, nice ride! If you behave will your bonnie bride let you drive it once in a while?

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    1. With the exception of driving it home, I've been chauffeuring every day so far....
      ...not that I mind. (got *stuff* to do)

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  3. I recently paid the highest price ever for an oil change service X3 for the Mercedes Sprinter chassis of the motorhome and that includes the Cat and Freightliner service for a 350HP engine. It was hard to enjoy the "free" amenities after that:)

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  4. Was wondering what you were up to, it been a while.
    Now to find some wheels for you, how a small pickup truck for moving "stuff" around.

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  5. I see you driving something more butch than a Smart. Such as maybe ...
    http://www.autotrader.ca/a/Toyota/Tacoma/BURLINGTON/Ontario/19_6643836_/?showcpo=ShowCPO
    ....... Gunnar

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    1. Oh...I like it. We could have matching black vehicles. Might just have to *think* on that.
      Thanks for the tip.

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  6. Always good to here the que pasa in your life. Love the car but love the spa service even more.

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  7. Not too bad! A Mercedes. Enjoy

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Well, I've been getting too many spam comments showing up. Just a drag, so we'll go another route and hope that helps. So, we won't be hearing anything more from Mr. Nony Moose.
I guess I'll just have to do without that Gucci purse.