Last week, we paid off my car. Two months early even – which hardly seems worth it, but the allure of an extra $325/month in discretionary income was impossible for Tara to resist. “Don’t care how, I want it now!” she declared, all Veruca Salt-like, and shifted some funds around to make it happen.
The next day, I scheduled an appointment for new tires, which will set us back $750. I guess that gratification will be delayed a little bit longer.
Adulting is hard, guys.
Before the proverbial ink had even dried on the proverbial check, I told Tara, “Great! I’ll start shopping for a new car right away!”
Tara was not amused.
I was kidding, of course, though my track record would indicate otherwise. The Kona – my current ride – is the eighth car I’ve owned in my life. Only once did I pay off a car and then not turn around and immediately buy another. Weirdly enough, that was also a Hyundai; I drove my Santa Fe for 13 years, and she was paid off for eight of them. But more often than not, I’ve always wanted something bigger, or sportier, or not black, or able to tackle snow-covered roads more ably, or or or [insert excuse].
Would I love a 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric bus? Why, yes. Of course. But that baby’s got a $70,000 base price, which is absolutely bonkers. Turns out I like not having a monthly car payment and keeping a roof over my head, food on the table, yadda yadda a lot more than driving a modern-day hippie van.
Besides, we’ve got a camping trailer to buy! (Someday, not tomorrow or next year, but Tara has warmed up to the idea.)
Tall Grass Therapy
Exactly five weeks since he was hauled away for repairs, my buddy is back!
I actually rearranged my work schedule to see him take delivery, as Tuesday – the one day of the week Tara and I both go into the office – was the best day they could deliver JD. The diagnosis? A bent blade, as we suspected. And a busted spindle, which was about four times the cost of the blade. All because I ran over a sawed-off piece of metal from a long-demolished dog run Dick had.
Much like our frozen koi, this was another costly mistake.
Neighbor Brian had offered to cut our grass again, but I told him he’s actually mowed our lawn more than I have this year, and I was eager to get back out there. Truly: cutting the grass on a riding mower is therapeutic…and not only that, fun! Aside from one weekend around my birthday, I hadn’t been on the John Deere since last October.
Guess I really took that whole No Mow May thing to heart.
Did I mention Tuesday was brutally hot? Summer has arrived with a vengeance. Not only did the temperature hit 92° but the dew point was in the low 70s. With the humidity, the feels-like temp was over 100°. It’s been a cool spring so I shouldn’t complain too loudly, but I’m a-gonna whine a little anyway.
/whining.
OK, I’m good. Despite the heat and humidity, I hopped on JD right after clocking out. Turned the key in the ignition, and I swear, he purred. The next hour was bliss, save for one touch-and-go moment 15 minutes in when JD suddenly sputtered and died. I panicked for a few seconds before remembering I hadn’t given him any gas.
Whew.
Check out all the ferns and peonies in one corner of our property. I swear, our backyard looks like a jungle!
Two+ years later and I still can’t believe how lucky we are to have landed this place.
It’ll be a hot time in Wisconsin!
So, my brother and SIL are coming for a visit on Thursday (four nights, leaving Monday morning, they get me). This will be their first time in Wisconsin, and actually, I haven’t seen Scott and Esther in something like eight years. Crazy, huh? There was a Rapid City visit planned in 2020, but COVID happened, and then we were busy moving. They were going to come out for our family reunion in 2023, but decided it would be more fun to just visit on their own.
I just think they didn’t want to sleep on the basement floor, and honestly, I don’t blame ’em.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast for their visit couldn’t look any worse (unless you’re a weirdo who loves 90s and humidity). I texted Scott a couple of nights ago, apologizing in advance, which is silly because it’s not like I can do anything about the weather. Where is The Dark Cloud when you need him?! Scott and Esther love Hawaii, so I told him, Just pretend you’re on Kauai.
Scott just asked if we had A/C and assured me they would be fine. And yeah, it’ll be a great visit regardless, but we may not get to hang out on the deck or really anywhere outside as much as we’d planned.
Neighbor Brian suggested a brewery tour. Maybe the historic Miller beer caves in Milwaukee. There’s always House on the Rock, too.
“Just go bar-hopping,” my friend Ashley said, and maybe that’s the best solution of all.
Mark My Words 
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