Donstar

I used tires as example of how I am spending some of my time. I often take what can appear to others as mundane and relatively simple choices and come up with results that challenge my common sense. You can find me scoffing at the same type of tire I'm considering in other threads on this forum! In my current circumstances, this would be a no risk (and unnoticeable to most others) way to add a little "entertainment" to my life! A very noticeable risk I took last week was to buy a black (match my Harley ) 4 wheeled mobility walker. Like tires, there is a huge selection of styles, shapes and sizes. I won't attempt to spark your interest on such a purchase but will share an observation. There often comes a time when you think getting assistance will demonstrate weakness or generate unwanted pity. The fact is you'll garner far more respect and relief from others when you demonstrate that you're taking control over your well being. Like many, I suffer with significant back issues which is often reflected in a guarded walking style. I feel safe but those around me worry. A proper walker used properly forces me to a normal, walking position and significantly increases my distance while minimizing my back pain. The good thing is that I don't have to use it and will be comfortable using it when it becomes necessary

So I walked into a tire store yesterday looking for a good deal on stock, factory sized, all-season passenger highway tires for my 1/2 ton pickup. I went home with an estimate for upsized, E rated all terrain, all weather tires. (Nokian Rotiiva AT+ ) I was enthralled with the salesman by his sales skills and confidence in his product. All I could ask is how much and when! I didn't commit as I suspected that time or my wife would squash this idea. Neither has happened. One thing this past year and a half has taught me is there is no need to rush nor do I always need to be practical and boring!!

We had a Zoom family birthday gathering yesterday for a granddaughter in lockdown. We may think we've seen our way through this pandemic but it's alive and still impactful. We had done some planning for an in-person appearance to this "milestone" bday but ended up with more time and money to do other things! If you're familiar with Dave Ramsey you'll appreciate when I say my income has grown through the pandemic. We don't have to give up our income to credit card debt or loan payments. (If the money isn't in our savings, we need to save more!) It is really remarkable how you can increase your income by taking the time to plan. When I was working full time and had a good income, my purchases were often spontaneous and poorly researched. Now, I get up at dawn with a pot of coffee and research my wants and needs. Currently my search is for tires before winter. I have an estimate for a set at a local tire store but just found out that my area Costco is having 20% off all tires on Monday. If nothing else, this could result in negotiating a better price at my local store. Tires for winter are an expense we have allowed for in our budget. Taking the time to research may result in about a $200 increase in our household income for this month!

"My life flourish[es] with retirement." I hope everyone has spent a healthy proportion of their spare time in pursuit of resources and skills to flourish in their retirement years! Don't be caught unprepared. If you're simply planning to work through your retirement years, you're significantly reducing the odds of success. You may not be able or needed to remain in the workforce! You don't need to amass a lot of toys and wealth to have a productive and happy post work life. Things change. Yesterday my wife was more excited when I came home with a new mobility walker than any vehicle I've ever purchased! We asked ourselves," How is this worth getting excited about?" The facts that we're so fortunate to live to be old and can afford the tools necessary to live a comfortable life are reflections on our hard work and some planning paying off! However, the fact that I made my wife so proud, relieved and happy was a little more surprising than I anticipated!

Karnut's story about his Dad speaks to the flavor of my father's work ethic. It is really mind-blowing how powerful our influence is on our children. If you model healthy habits, chances are your kids will follow. My children are all in their 40's and will often credit an accomplishment to something they learned from their dad or mum. Of course, this works for the negative stuff too! The activities you do at the office won't be remembered like the things you do with (or in sight of) your kids in your spare time. The same applies to grandparents. The time I spent with my grandpa 60 years ago is remembered in fine detail. I keep this in mind whenever I interact with my grandchildren on Zoom or in person!

Welcome to this site! I like 17's because the aspect of the tires prevents most potential curb damage to the rims. Other than that I'd keep the 20" wheels and upgrade tire height if they fit. Whether your wheels are 17",18",20" or 22", your choice of tires will determine your winter traction. Definitely give your new wheels a winter before downsizing, imo.

Heat, Covid and a new pedometer have played havoc on my daily step count. My new pedometer is very discriminating. It is excellent at accurately counting intentional walking steps but ignores incidental steps. I went for a few years with a daily minimum target of 10k steps which was not too difficult when all steps taken in a day are included. Now its a good day if I hit 8k! I am going to return to my 10k daily target but it will require much more intentionality. Walking is perhaps the most widely accepted and cheapest spare time activity. It is also a great social activity that seldom gets turned down when you invite a friend. I remember how my mother who couldn't walk for the last decade of her life beamed every time I invited her for a walk. Just the preparation of getting her ready and out in the fresh air was invigorating for her!

Your plan is good but my obstacles are space and insurance costs. I would really like a "mid-century" unmolested base pickup as a recreational activity. The more work to drive, the better! You remember when power brakes, power steering, automatic transmissions, air conditioning and radios were options for the well established! I'd like one where there is some well earned patina but not eaten up. However, such a vehicle in my driveway would receive considerable ire from my neighbors, but more significantly, my wife! I have to continue to search for the one that is worth me moving! If I want my wife to move with me, it will be a never ending search!

A base Tahoe or Yukon/Suburban or Yukon XL would work fine for me but all are expensive. We owned a new '86 Sierra Classic Suburban that my wife loved to drive. Somehow she couldn't master the rusty '76 GMC 25 that was my daily driver at the time! Most of the enjoyment of buying the right vehicle is the shopping. I don't know many who don't search for their dream motorized toy when they have spare time. I know I could whine my way into a new suv/truck but I know I'd miss my current truck too much. If I drive at the same rate for the next six years I'll only be around 100k miles!

I appreciate the type of comfort from a luxury sedan and have owned my share. A pickup is more comfortable for me because of space and ease of egress. I also don't panic if the interior becomes a little messy after a trip to the beach with my dog. Coffee spills aren't met with a sleepless night. A trip to the car wash and a once over with my shop vac results in compliments from my neighbor! The view and the metal around me also enhances my driving comfort. In fairness to my wife, I have seriously researched and looked for a mid-sized SUV for us to share. I don't have a problem sharing, but her definition of comfort is as you describe. The closest compromise is a base model Suburban but she doesn't like the size and I don't like the price!

You mean lead acid? Fork truck batteries? Lord. Good example. I do the same comparisons with gasoline engines. I often muse about my revered 300 6cyl trucks. They produced considerably less than half of the horsepower and burned about twice the fuel of our current 262 6cyl trucks! Time has witnessed a lot of changes! I see no reason for this rate of progress not to continue and accelerate in EV's, gas engines and alternative fuels. I had to check the date on the video clip above because it would have resonated with me more a year ago. I know that we are all influenced by our surroundings and appreciate the arguments against adopting EV technology as our daily driver. Where I live, and how I drive, there is a larger pro column for me to go electric. Our final obstacle was "range". The reality is EV's are available to travel distances greater than I would need to between charges. The marathon type road trips we once took have been replaced with a plane and car rental trip! As an aside, the video pokes a jab at pickup owners justifying their purchase for the occasional load of bark mulch. I chuckled because I don't even have that as a reason. I use my trailer for the dirty stuff and drive a pickup because of their size and comfort. Silverado's and F150's will soon be available with electric powertrains and I predict the demand will exceed production for awhile. I can use the time to save money to reduce the need for a vehicle payment!

I saw a Tesla pulling a utility trailer yesterday. The funny thing is it appeared normal! The debate over EV's, like with most new things, and will carry on until they no longer exist or they are our only choice. I remember avoiding new cars that came with a sticker "unleaded fuel only" and trucks with automatic transmissions until I didn't have the choice. We all knew about batteries and electric motors long before "lithium-ion" became a household term. Personally, I believe improvements in battery technology has more future potential than improving gas powered engines to zero emissions. I am simply sharing how my spare time is spent. I can't ignore the proliferation of EV's on the lots and on the roads. Today a recently lifted mask mandate goes back into effect today for all public venues in my area. I will continue to have time to "over-think" all of my purchases from shoes to trucks!

I would do quite a bit more research before I became worried about a potential battery shortage. The EV I purchase will come with batteries and hopefully a several year guarantee on the life expectancy. I currently have a greater concern that gasoline is going to be priced out of my limited income! The growth of the EV market also creates concern about the future resale value of any new gasoline powered purchase. I am not wishing to spark a debate and realize that recent events in my life have me focusing on living in the present. History has demonstrated that we shouldn't be surprised if alternatives to gasoline or battery materials will surface in the next few years. I am guilty of spending too much time overthinking my purchases because I have the time and "Every dollar matters". (Dave Ramsey) My struggle to choose between Brooks and New Balance yesterday resulted in me bringing both home. I think the same strategy wouldn't work on deciding how my next truck will be powered!

I did my Sunday truck shopping yesterday. They have a well optioned '19 SLT c/w matching topper and just under 3,500 miles. The overall condition reflects the low mileage. The sticker price, however, looks as high if not higher than what I believe would have been the original price. I suspect there is more room to negotiate than on a new vehicle but I'm not interested when they are starting so high! I walked around other lots in the area as Mrs. wants a SUV suitable for us both. (I'll give up a pickup when I give up on driving ;-)) I am quite amazed at the proliferation of EV's when you look beyond the GM lot. I believe we're witnessing the phasing out of the traditional gas powered vehicles. Many of us remember when vehicles on the lot with manual transmissions outnumbered those with automatics. In the next year or two we know we'll be seeing electric powered Silverado's and F150's on the road. I mentioned before that there is a great opportunity for conversion kits to transform existing vehicles to electric. My father had an automatic transmission installed in his 1977 4spd standard F150 and he says it was like having a new truck!

Yes, and what I find hard to believe is it's "Vintage" and eligible for collector plates. Something like me....it is hard to believe the difference in my mirror since 1996!

Another close friend was given the bad news on Friday that we all dread. The prognosis indicates we can expect to be providing accommodation to others shortly. On a purely selfish and superficial note, this has halted our flooring replacement project. I let the supplier know so they can sell the product I have on hold. During my recent conversations with the flooring company, the salesperson introduced me to an almost identical product that would save us almost $2k on the cost of material. This would allow more to go to labor which would save my back and considerably speed up the install. Of course the difference in the price of the product is attributable to place of manufacture. I prefer to buy north American but the price difference is hard to accept. Oh well, it looks like I will have more spare time to come to terms with such decisions!

That would be a beautiful all purpose daily driver, as is, or restored! A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled across my dream vehicle within a mile of where I live! It was an older (1996) F150 6cyl 5 spd manual 4X4 with 50k. miles. It was a well optioned XLT, one owner, in showroom condition. The owner was eager to sell. My obstacle was I'd have to give up my current truck as we don't have the space to allow me two daily drivers in the driveway! Now if it was a '76 in this condition....

How is the rest of your truck? Did this high rate of oil consumption or transmission over-heating suddenly occur? It sounds like you may have avoided/saved a lot of maintenance related costs. If the truck is in decent shape, it will cost you a lot more to replace it than fix it.

Great looking truck! Which direction are you going, a clear coat on the patina or back to original? Yes the fourth wave was so unnecessary, imo. I travelled from the island to the mainland this past weekend and was disappointed to see covid protocols abandoned rather than relaxed. We have family in New Zealand and they just went from normal to stage 4 lockdown in a day. Covid19 is very much alive and flourishing. Restrictions don't need to be so drastic if everyone participates. Unfortunately, too many need to see it first-hand before they will take it seriously or participate. My wife and I have decided to move forward with a huge project and replace the floors throughout our house. The tiles and laminate will all become luxury vinyl plank. We were hesitant to get started because we want to be able to host company as restrictions ease. However, "we" went too fast, too soon (imo) and company won't be coming to our house from afar for awhile!

On Sunday I enjoyed the embarrassment of a dead battery when off loading from a very full ferry! Crew members were quick to get me running but I don't want to risk a dead battery away from home during a heat wave. On Monday, I went to a store that specializes in auto batteries and asked them to do their free check. My 6 year old battery was less than 50% so I asked them to give me a price on a oem or better battery. Their price was good and I didn't fuss about the brand. After purchase, I continued doing a little more research on this topic. The battery they installed was rated at 700cca /130rc. My original battery was 730cca/120rc according to my research. I phoned the battery store and they assured me I will be fine with my new battery. The technician also told me that these ratings are not exact and this particular brand of battery tend to test higher than 700cca when new. They have excellent customer relations and offered to let me return my battery. The price, the prompt install and the customer service were all outstanding. My truck is a stock V6 and used like a car. I'm inclined to trust this new battery but thought I'd ask your opinions while I still have the option of returning this battery.

I enjoy learning as a spare time hobby. History is also a part of this. Technological advancements in the past few decades have changed general ignorance drastically. The change wasn't overnight but pretty close! It has also changed our conversations. How often did we discuss the possible answers to a question and try to combine efforts to come up with an answer or solution? Sometimes we were just left wondering. Now we only ask questions if our phone is out of data! It wasn't that long ago that if I was unsure of the spelling of a word, I'd guess if I was writing for myself. If others were involved, I'd have to search in a dictionary or choose a different word. Everyone who is able to read this has access to an incredible amount of readily accessible knowledge. A few months ago I had a nephew doing research on WWII and wanted to know more about his grandpa's (my dad) role in the war. Before I responded to his request, I took what I remembered and spoke to Google for awhile. My few remembered facts led to a whole new understanding of the context of his participation. There is still a need for a good education to help guide us on how to interpret or use this easily accessible knowledge. Our conflicts on dealing with the pandemic illustrate some profound differences on how we interpret information. Critical Thinking is a particularly worthwhile topic to research as it improves our abilities to discern good information from the other stuff!.

You can go out and live a "real life" while keeping hands clean, exercising social distancing and wearing masks in appropriate situations. I did attend my sister-in-law's celebration of life yesterday and I felt comfortable. I hugged people, other than my wife, for the first time in over a year. These few people were vaccinated and asked before coming close. I gravitated to an old friend for the duration of the event as my wife was unable to attend. We estimated it was 40 years since we last saw each other. After the initial pleasantries, we were talking like it was 4 days since we last met! We could discuss our teenage antics with incredible precision and summarize our respective 35 year careers in a sentence. Time is a funny thing. I woke up this morning with much greater resolve to not squander any of my spare time. I don't look back over the past 18 months and think I was hidden away at home, not "doing anything". I accomplished a great deal but nothing recognizable by others. When my family comes to celebrate my life, I want the pictures to include current accomplishments, not just those pre-covid!

"She understood. It's why we call them friends." As usual, you make great sense. I'm catching a ferry this morning to attend the Saturday service for my sister-in-law. This will allow me to spend time with my brother and nieces/nephews individually prior to the service. I may choose to forgo the actual event if it appears that it will be unsafe. It is being held in a private residence and I'm suspecting it will not be in my comfort zone!

Our first overnight house guest from out of town since Jan. 2020 stayed with us last week. We did the tourist things and ate in restaurants a few times. It was amazing how much you appreciate the activities we once took for granted! Each day we'd all watch the evening news and shake our heads listening to the covid infection numbers climb here and elsewhere. I suspect this is due to in part to what it means to "ease" restrictions. Soft language like "recommended" is influenced by who gives the advice or the venue. I still wear a mask in all indoor public venues and keep a safe distance from others whenever possible. I have a popular family member's celebration of life to attend this week. It will be a major tax on my personal comfort zone with the travel and size/location of the event. I know I'll succumb to the environment to let my guard down. I will be extra good afterwards! This almost sounds like planning for a hangover....

Years ago I bought a leather pouch like the pros carry for my most commonly used hand tools. It contains tools for most of my needs, most of the time. The three large stacking tool chests in my garage carry backup! You never know when you're going to need to flare the end of a copper pipe or add a grommet to a tarp! I know there will be a day when I will regret not making better use of my current free-time to downsize. I've made sizeable progress over the past year or so but need to take it to the next level. It's like a trip to the barber when I had hair. "Take off 1/2" all around....maybe a little more...a little more... ok set your clippers to leave 1/2"...