Little things that make you happy

[Johnnymac]

Today is the last payment on my Acura Integra Type S.  We are now car payment free for the first time in something like 22 years.

How long will that last...probably a year or two until I finally can justify buying a RWD sports car (closely watching for the next generation of Miata to drop).

Our mortgage should be paid off also in December 2026, that'll be a much bigger milestone.

[Firm]

Congrats! Mortgage is definitely the big one, once that's gone lots more possibilities open up.

[Firm]

I was in Dallas yesterday for some meetings, flew in on an early direct flight on American. Phone went off a 2:30am telling me that my flight home this morning was cancelled - cited weather but everything looked fine. Checked it out and basically everything coming out of DFW was grounded. Course, it's Friday before labor day too.

By dawn every rental car agency in the city had a lineup out front and were turning people away- our corporate travel agent worked her contacts while I started scouring for cheap used car dealers in the area. Found a nice 2006 NorthStar powered Buick Lucerne with 100K miles on it for $4K I was ready to pull the trigger on in a worst case scenario. Fortunately (I guess...) the travel agent came through and found me a Bronco Sport rental, so made the 6.5 hour trek home in that. The Bronco was better than I expected it to be....but I couldn't help think about how much comfier that Buick would've been for the trip.

[Johnnymac]

I was in Dallas yesterday for some meetings, flew in on an early direct flight on American. Phone went off a 2:30am telling me that my flight home this morning was cancelled - cited weather but everything looked fine. Checked it out and basically everything coming out of DFW was grounded. Course, it's Friday before labor day too.

By dawn every rental car agency in the city had a lineup out front and were turning people away- our corporate travel agent worked her contacts while I started scouring for cheap used car dealers in the area. Found a nice 2006 NorthStar powered Buick Lucerne with 100K miles on it for $4K I was ready to pull the trigger on in a worst case scenario. Fortunately (I guess...) the travel agent came through and found me a Bronco Sport rental, so made the 6.5 hour trek home in that. The Bronco was better than I expected it to be....but I couldn't help think about how much comfier that Buick would've been for the trip.

Maybe I live under a rock or something but what caused all the planes to be grounded and why did it appear everyone was trying to leave the city at ounce?  Was there some weather event coming?

Also, I bet that old Buick would have been pretty comfy, as long as the shocks and suspension were still good of course, and the drivers chair wasn't destroyed by some 400lbs human owning it for a decade.

[Firm]

No idea what grounded the planes, airlines said weather, and there were some ominous looking clouds, but nothing that looked all that serious. Friday before labor day, and Dallas is a hub for American Airlines, so loads of people trying to get to their destination by any means necessary.

[Johnnymac]

No idea what grounded the planes, airlines said weather, and there were some ominous looking clouds, but nothing that looked all that serious. Friday before labor day, and Dallas is a hub for American Airlines, so loads of people trying to get to their destination by any means necessary.

Well that's at least less troubling.  I'm sure you were glad to make it home.

[RRocket]

No idea what grounded the planes, airlines said weather, and there were some ominous looking clouds, but nothing that looked all that serious. Friday before labor day, and Dallas is a hub for American Airlines, so loads of people trying to get to their destination by any means necessary.

Airports have microburst detectors.

If they are detected..flights are cancelled.

Not visible with the naked eye.

[Gurgie]

No idea what grounded the planes, airlines said weather, and there were some ominous looking clouds, but nothing that looked all that serious. Friday before labor day, and Dallas is a hub for American Airlines, so loads of people trying to get to their destination by any means necessary.

Airports have microburst detectors.

If they are detected..flights are cancelled.

Not visible with the naked eye.

Need that on the golf course

[blur911]

We are heading to NB in a couple of days, loading up the trailer and hoping to ride the DRZ this year.

[Gurgie]

We are heading to NB in a couple of days, loading up the trailer and hoping to ride the DRZ this year.

Safe travels.

[blur911]

We are heading to NB in a couple of days, loading up the trailer and hoping to ride the DRZ this year.

Safe travels.

Thanks...I'm a little paranoid.

[Gurgie]

We are heading to NB in a couple of days, loading up the trailer and hoping to ride the DRZ this year.

Safe travels.

Thanks...I'm a little paranoid.

For very good reason.

[RRocket]

We are heading to NB in a couple of days, loading up the trailer and hoping to ride the DRZ this year.

Let's see some pictures in the dirt!

[blur911]

Well, we made it to Cornwall before the dash lit up and the Audi started shuddering.  Limped to a VW dealer (Nissan Dealer told up they couldn't even read the codes)

Anyhow, missing on cyl 5, didn't follow the coil pack, can't get the spark plug out, decided to limp it home and deal with it rather than probably be stranded in Cornwall.

We tried to go secondary highways and was first blocked by a fallen tree, waited for guys with saws and trucks to remove it, drove another 10 minutes, road was blocked by fallen electrical wires, had to backtrack and eventually take the 401 for a stressful drive home... and now I'm having a rum beverage.

[Gurgie]

Well, we made it to Cornwall before the dash lit up and the Audi started shuddering.  Limped to a VW dealer (Nissan Dealer told up they couldn't even read the codes)

Anyhow, missing on cyl 5, didn't follow the coil pack, can't get the spark plug out, decided to limp it home and deal with it rather than probably be stranded in Cornwall.

We tried to go secondary highways and was first blocked by a fallen tree, waited for guys with saws and trucks to remove it, drove another 10 minutes, road was blocked by fallen electrical wires, had to backtrack and eventually take the 401 for a stressful drive home... and now I'm having a rum beverage.

Oh geez!! That sucks!!