What I learned today:

[Dawgluver]

I had a dealer try to sell me one and quoted me $90!!! As he was trying to sell it to me, I looked it up on Amazon on my phone, $8.95 shipped. I showed him the phone and he stopped trying to sell me stuff with my oil change. I also told him that I knew how to replace it myself and it takes all of 5 minutes. These places should be ashamed! Trying to charge $90 for something made out of cardboard and paper.

This interests me. Went to the place where I bought my car (out of town) to get a recall replacement part (free), where they do a check of all systems. They showed a bunch of stuff needing flushing and replacing, including an air filter. It would cost me around $900 to do all that stuff through the dealership.

Car has an appointment for routine maintenance with our local mechanic tomorrow, hopefully he can do all the recommended stuff, and for much less!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I had a dealer try to sell me one...

Ah, there's the problem: DEALER. Himself and I started out in life buying used cars that were pretty much out of warranty. Because of that we got into the habit of taking our cars to a local mechanic. After all these decades the only time a dealer location sees one of our cars is if we get a recall notice.

IMO though, it's way harder to find a good mechanic than a good doctor! Once you find him (or her) treat them well.

 

[Dawgluver]

Ah, there's the problem: DEALER. Himself and I started out in life buying used cars that were pretty much out of warranty. Because of that we got into the habit of taking our cars to a local mechanic. After all these decades the only time a dealer location sees one of our cars is if we get a recall notice.

IMO though, it's way harder to find a good mechanic than a good doctor! Once you find him (or her) treat them well.

So agree, CG. Our local mechanic went through the sheet the dealer supplied that had all the recommended repairs, changes, and flushings, and ruled out the more expensive ones. He used to work for a dealer, and knows what are scams and what aren't. For example, the dealer wanted to remove the "incorrect" engine cooling liquid, and flush the system. They want THEIR cooling fluid, and deem all others incorrect, even though there's no difference, just the color. Our guy changed a couple of the filters that were recommended, and saved me $50 as compared to what the dealer would have charged.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

What I learned years ago:
When purchasing a car, used, or new, from a dealer, laugh at the sticker price. It's inflated to allow the salesman to dicker. You can also find out how much the dealership spent to purchace the new cars on his/her lot, from the manufacturer. That gives you bargaining power. Only uninformed people purchase a car at sticker price.

Example: I was in the market for a used Dodge Caravan, when my children were young. I went to a local dealership and found a vehicle that interested me. DW thought the price was reasonable. I began speaking with the salesman, and pointed out rust bubbles under the paint in a few locations, and worn tread on the tires. I also noticed excessive grease/oil on top of the engine. I said that I would purchase the vehicle at the suggested price, if the rust was removed, and the paint matched against the existing paint, new tires were put on the vehicle, and the gasket that allowed oil seepage was replaced. The dealership happily did the work and accepted my cash.

You can also bargain for big ticket items such as large appliances, such as dishwashers, refrigerators, and other such items, sometimes, even in big ticket stores such as Sears. If they can't lower the price, you can often get them to throw in other items for the price of the appliance. This usually works with furniture stores as well.

The seller's job is to take as much of your money away as you will allow. your job is to hang on to as much of your money as you can, while still paying a fair price. Therein lies the principle of dickering. DW was very surprised how much you can get from a dealership, if you go in with knowledge, and take a good look at what you're purchasing.

Oh, one more thing, if you are truly excite about purchasing something, keep your emotions invisible. That is a surefire way to get the seller to put pressure on you to spend more than you need to. Try to look objective, and like you know what you are doing. Remember, if they can take more cash away from you, they will.

I would trust a good, local, known mechanic to not overcharge me. Their is still integrity in the world. But it rarely exists in dealerships, or big business, at least as I've observed.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[PrincessFiona60]

The mechanic I use is the one who refused to fix the brakes on a car that was a rust bucket. He told me he wouldn't do it for any price as the car would not last. We had the city come pick it up as a junk car. That's how I got my beautiful Buick that was totaled. My mechanic has done things for free when I've wandered in, no labor charges for other things. We have done all our car inspections, tires and fixes through them for the past 15 years.

 

[MrsLMB]

Well today I learned that before I water and fertilize the 3 big old boston ferns hanging on my front porch I need to search them for nests and eggs

Luckily I pulled them down for watering rather than just putting the wand up there. I was fertilizing them. The first one, no problem. The 2nd one as I looked while I was fertilizing I saw something blue in there .. omg .. robin eggs. Yep .. a nice big nest was down in the fronds and there are 3 eggs in it.

Quickly I checked the last one and it has a finch nest with 5 little white eggs.

We've had this problem every year but they are a bit later this year so I thought we were safe. Plus we built nesting areas for them on the porch and they have nests too.

I was afraid I had ruined things .. but went out just a few minutes ago and the birds were back on the nests. I just hope the eggs will hatch.

I think next year I will put fake ferns up .. that way I won't need to water them and they birds will be safe !

 

[Cooking Goddess]

That's a pretty cool thing MrsLMB! You're a birdy grandma!

I found out if you want to defrost some walnuts so you can chop and toast you do not put the mezzaluna board into the microwave. Wood attracts the microwaves more than the nuts. Warm board, cold nuts. Nuts!

 

[Dawgluver]

Well today I learned that before I water and fertilize the 3 big old boston ferns hanging on my front porch I need to search them for nests and eggs

Luckily I pulled them down for watering rather than just putting the wand up there. I was fertilizing them. The first one, no problem. The 2nd one as I looked while I was fertilizing I saw something blue in there .. omg .. robin eggs. Yep .. a nice big nest was down in the fronds and there are 3 eggs in it.

Quickly I checked the last one and it has a finch nest with 5 little white eggs.

We've had this problem every year but they are a bit later this year so I thought we were safe. Plus we built nesting areas for them on the porch and they have nests too.

I was afraid I had ruined things .. but went out just a few minutes ago and the birds were back on the nests. I just hope the eggs will hatch.

I think next year I will put fake ferns up .. that way I won't need to water them and they birds will be safe !

Aww, congrats, bird gramma! They should be fine, pretty tenacious little things. I'm surprised that the different species built nests so close to each other, they're usually pretty territorial.

 

[Kylie1969]

That plants you seem to want to get rid of have hard roots and lots of them

 

[MrsLMB]

Aww, congrats, bird gramma! They should be fine, pretty tenacious little things. I'm surprised that the different species built nests so close to each other, they're usually pretty territorial.

Here's a pic from the first year we were here.

Our front porch is 30' long and 12' deep.

The nesting areas are at opposite ends.

I now put ferns in each of those "window" areas because they fill them up, they grow extremely well and they look really nice.

I think because the birds go deep down into those ferns is why they allow themselves to be so close.

Not that there hasn't been a fair share of bird fights on the porch but they seem to have these invisible lines they respect.

That plants you seem to want to get rid of have hard roots and lots of them

They are in pots Kylie ... I think we will plant them in the ground this fall and use fake ones in the baskets on the porch.

At least that way I won't need to water and fertilize and maybe kill the poor little things.

 

[Addie]

What a pretty house. I love those rockers on the porch.

 

[Aunt Bea]

What a pretty house. I love those rockers on the porch.

I agree, you expect to see Tim and Richard Smucker coming down the street with a little red wagon filled with jam!

 

[Addie]

I agree, you expect to see Tim and Richard Smucker coming down the street with a little red wagon filled with jam!

 

[Dawgluver]

Lovely house, MrsLMB, I could spend some time in the porch rockers.

I learned that coconut oil makes a great all-over moisturizer. I'd run out of my Walgreens high test, and the coconut oil works great, for much cheaper!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Lovely house, MrsLMB, I could spend some time in the porch rockers.

I learned that coconut oil makes a great all-over moisturizer. I'd run out of my Walgreens high test, and the coconut oil works great, for much cheaper!

Heh! I just made an avocado mask...what didn't go on can be eaten.

 

[Dawgluver]

Heh! I just made an avocado mask...what didn't go on can be eaten.

Same with the coconut oil, though I think I'd prefer the avocado....

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I just thought it was funny we were both doing edible moisturizing...I also have an olive oil treatment in my hair.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Here's a pic from the first year we were here.

Our front porch is 30' long and 12' deep....

That's very similar to the home I grew up in MrsL! Loved that place. Ours was green and white but it had that wonderful, deep porch. My BFF and I played dolls out there when it would rain and wouldn't have to move unless the winds blew really hard from the east. New home front porches are rarely that deep.

 

[Addie]

So Spike was wondering where that lake in Massachusetts was located. The one with the really long name. So we googled it.

Lake Chaubunagungamaug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yeah, it does have a meaning. It is an Indian word.

My father could rattle that off the tip of his tongue whenever anyone would ask.

 

[Mad Cook]

I suppose Himself would clean up the dishes and cooktop if I insisted hard enough, but then I probably wouldn't be happy with the way he did it. Heck, I KNOW I wouldn't be happy! Sure I'd rather he did it, but sometimes ya gotta pick your battles. In 38+ years I think we're still even in the "who's winning" contest.

But why should you have to" insist hard enough". If his mother had brought hm up properly he'd do it as a matter of course.

Domestic job sharing isn't new. My late father, born in 1919, did what needed to be done. My mother worked full time in the family business so if she was out Dad would cook, wash up, vacuum carpets, do ironing, or do whatever needed doing when it needed doing. He wouldn't do the gardening though - hated it - and was useless at braiding my hair when I was little - he was all fingers and thumbs! He had no problems with his status as a "real man" and he believed that marriage was a partnership and that that partnership had to be fair. He learned by example from his mother and father.

Sorry to be late back to this discussion. I've been organising a horse show.