Some pictures from my wife's trip tp Italy

Replacement Car

I am a bit of a car nut, always looking at Corvettes and classic cars. I have always enjoyed the mechanical and artistic aspects of cars. So after owning my ultra dependable Toyota Avalon for the last few years, I started looking around for something different, sportier, with more personality. I thought about a 'vette, but they do sit pretty low, and getting in and out may prove to be a bit less graceful than in my earlier days. So I was looking at the new Buick Regal Turbo, which is really an Opel. I looked at the new Volvo S-60. Both very nice. At the same lot as the Volvo, I found a Certified Previously-Owned 2007 Jaguar XJ8L. Which I bought. Very luxurious, and it is sporty as well, being powered by a reasonably powerful 4.2 liter V-8. It has lots of gadgets which I am familiarizing myself with. Here's a couple pictures:

The summer has sizzled past me

It has been a hot summer here in Huntsville, pretty humid as well, although not much rain for the last month or so. Today, Tropical Storm Lee is approaching, with the promise of a few days worth of much-needed rain. Hopefully, no tornadoes or flooding. I have not inspired to write much in the blog lately, life goes on with most of the normal stuff happening.

We had some issues with the house we rent, the realty management company has been pretty good for getting stuff repaired, the singular exception being the high end stove we have in the kitchen. It blew a circuit board or something during cleaning the oven, so we've been without an oven for over a month. I managed to totally incinerate a pizza in the barbecue before learning how to gauge when its done. And without an oven available, it is amazing, you start to crave things that require baking. Like meat loaf, or pot roast.

We have been trying to plan a vacation this year, and have settled on spending a week or so in Sante Fe, New Mexico. We've not been there before, and it sounds a lot like another favorite of ours, Sedona, AZ. So barring any unforeseen things, we'll head out the first of October for a week.