Windy walking and car bids

This morning was a two hat day, wrist warmers and gloves, extra socks. It's not the temperature so much as the wind, blowing hard. It made clouds scud across the sun and I got pictures like this, taken seconds apart 

Now shade, now sun.

The pond is looking wintry,  most of the leaves gone, you can see how small it really is.

It's a lovely scene year round.

Then the morning was taken up with car business, calls needing more info including the VIN, crikey where's that written, and once I'd given all the items, they upped the offer. Evidently my car has a posher trim than at first appeared. I also got a text with an improved offer from the dealership.

I think used cars are in short supply so I may do well out of this. The process is that someone comes to the house Friday morning, inspects it, takes a test drive, checks the paperwork, makes an offer. If I accept I get payment right away. Then the car stays with me about a week while they set up transportation for it. 

At that point they remove the plates, which I have to return to the DMV, and take the car. Then I'll call the auto insurer to report it's done and claim the prorated refund on my insurance.  And figure out who else needs to know.

Then I will stop thinking about cars! I've learned quite a bit, and that's fiiiine. I'm doooone. I was amused when they asked me why I was selling the car, and I explained I'm very old and giving up driving. Little pause, then awwww, I understand! Unspoken: poor old soul.

So the poor old soul made pumpkin spice, it being the season. And used a glass AsEver jar to store it. 

When this week's groceries arrive, there will be pumpkin puree for making oat and pumpkin flatbread, and pumpkin spice is needed, too. I know, the excitement's almost too much. 

Happy day everyone, get a walk, even a short one, even if it's cold and windy, or at least get a while outside just breathing. Even in the Southern hemisphere, I hear, it's not very summery yet.

Cars, the next chapter, Textiles and Tea, Laura Thomas

 New readers start here!

So, I left the car overnight, then waited till early afternoon to check. 

Meanwhile I studied the orchid which after several months of bloom, is now dropping its blossoms. Then I pruned the main stem and moved it upstairs where it will be in good light with friends until it starts flowering again.

And I noticed I was stiff and achy from stress and not walking yesterday, so I did a 20 minute workout with April and Aiko, which helped a lot, also cheered me up a bit. A small bit.

And I sent a couple of very firm messages to Shaheen and Kaine, two of the little quislings who betrayed the Dems by voting to cave, about their treachery.   This also helped my mood.

When I called the car dealership, they were working on the car right then, the part had arrived, the service manager all over me being nice. 

I said we're not talking about charging me any more, then? Of course not, this isn't your fault, no, no, and I really apologize for yesterday, but now we're on it. 

It looks as if my call to the manager paid off. But I  really had had a lot of anxiety about maybe having another set-to when I picked it up. I agree that it was looking like a bit of bullying an old lady. But this old lady appears to have prevailed. I resent the emotional energy it took though.

Then I decided I'm old enough to please myself, and they were working late enough that it was going to end up with my having to drive home at dusk, not good, also I'd miss Textiles and Tea. 

So when they called late afternoon to let me know the car was ready, I said nah, I'll get in tomorrow. Too bad if they want my car off their crowded premises, I thought. Neener, I thought! Then I started laughing at myself! Finally cheerfulness broke through.

But the convenience of the ride service was so cool, and Lyft has a new program where you can request a favorite driver, or at least a woman, which pleases me.  There's also Uber available locally. 

This has  renewed my decision to get out of  car ownership, either to Handsome Son or to sell it. I'm tired of the responsibility and I think age 87 is high time to leave driving to people who like it. Tomorrow HS is going to drive me in to the dealership to pick up, then come back here for a cup of tea and car talk. 

Soooo, Liz 1, Honda,0. As of now.

And Textiles and Tea was a Welsh woman, Laura Thomas, whose Bridgend studio is next to Ewenny Pottery,the oldest working pottery in Wales. I wonder if blogista potter Gwyneth is familiar with it?

Laura, Eisteddford Gold Medal winner in 2024, does amazing weaving, exploring line and texture. Many of her pieces are threads encased in resin, amazing things. Most of her work is small, the largest we saw about 60" x30", and several works about 12" each way.

She's had a varied career, including designing for a traditional Welsh blanket mill, teaching, curating and exhibiting. Definitely check her website. I took some of these images from there.

The three images above show the whole work with a detail image 

She's a fearless and brilliant artist, cheerful and so honest about her work and plans. I know our Welsh blogistas will be all, well, she's a Welshwoman, so of course! 

Then I decided I needed a nice supper after all that, so this happened.

Shrimp boiled with lemon juice and salt, with brown rice cooked with butter and Old Bay, then a spritz of soy sauce on the plate. Spinach and scallion salad. Fast. Nice. Enough for tomorrow too 

Happy day everyone. Stick up for yourself even if your voice shakes a bit! Sez Ted and Big Ursy