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I am currently totally loving the Labradoodle. Soft, does not shed, good personality and hypo allergenic if you have friends with allergies. Great over all medium size dog. My sister and her partner are going to get two of them. They spent the day with this lovely Labradoodle who is now owned by one of their friends. This was at 6 weeks old during the summer.

OUCH ,something is up at Ford. Bummer for the Contractors. https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2020/12/ford-motor-co-cuts-contract-workers-effective-immediately-ends-buyout-period-for-salaried-employees/ Ski season started and I got 10 runs in, 18 miles covered. Safety was top notch and you have to be fully covered at all times.

Very Cool, the First fully EV Charging station with Rapid Charge terminals has opened in the UK. This is the first of 100 new EV focused charging stations that will open over the next 5 years and the roofing is all solar to support the charging as well as pulling power from Green energy sources. Cool fact to quote the writeup: There is also a 6 MWh battery onsite which helps to balance the local energy grid and shift energy to periods when it is more valuable. For example, on windy winter nights the battery can store enough energy to drive 24,000 miles in electric vehicles the following day, helping to maximize the value of renewable energy resources, stabilise the grid, and keep prices low. UK opens first fully electric vehicle service station, powered by solar, today - Electrek

My nieces got out of the pool a few weeks ago because one showed up at the golf course the pool was at....they are everywhere. The intagibles of it being quieter would make me pay $100-200 more for an electric. Plus if my wife mows, she isn't coming in to get me if she has trouble getting it started. Electric is dead nuts reliable. We use battery powered leaf blowers and such with student workers here on campus. So much nicer and queiter. Blowling leafs and such....clearing sidewalks...much quieter outside of a classroom with class in session. Car, truck, two chainsaws to deal with. Thinking of a small motorcycle at some point....that's enough ICE for me to deal with. I love both....cats and dogs. I would own a dog but I am too busy to spend the required time with it.

'57 Star Chief, began barn slumber in 1968.

November 21 sighting, down by the Gulf ... special mention! Something of the classic and unknown (to me) variety in pristine condition: In front of a historic registered building, no less ...

November 21 sightings, down by the Gulf ... Of the Ford variety: Of the Chevrolet variety: Sidebar: really like seeing the new mid-engine Corvette when I do see one! What can I say except "See the U.S.A., in a Chevrolet."

The wave of the future...

How is there zero maintenance on mowers? You at least need to winterize them and change the oil once a year. If you insist on not winterizing them in any way, I'm sure starting it in the spring is waaaaay easier than just pulling the handle bar to engage the blade(s). Then add in your string trimmer and leaf blower and you now have 2 stroke gas/oil to deal with.

Certainly. If you already have a cordless line of work tools, there's likely a mower that'll use the same battery. You can certainly find an electric push mower in the $2-400 if you're just looking to get an electric mower.

? All the Atheists I know either have dogs, a far superior pet or none at all like me!

Cool building, for its day, with its curve in brick ... this could either be a sunny day in Wisconsin ... or a blistering humid day in Alabama. I've never thought about it this way. I first saw the word in Reader's Digest, of all places, thought it was an interesting multisyllabic word, but didn't really understand what it meant. I think I was about 11.

Explains a lot....

I would love to do this if it was under different circumstances. But it is a two day trip and with the Covid and everything I can't really do it at the moment.

I love skiing all days even what we call Blue Bird days like this weekend. Lucky, snow returns tomorrow and normal cold rain for Seattle. I would miss skiing if I could not do it. Just great freedom. The ski resorts do say you can put down your face covering during the run, but must have it on at all times when in the resort area, lift areas and at the top of the lift areas. I see no difference in breathing, so I just keep it on during the run. Warmer face. I do look forward to some powder days. But for the first time up, great to get back in the grove on a sugar run day with Blue Bird conditions. The mountains are amazing from the runs. This is from ridding up Mills Creek, a 3 person chair normally. The views are like this from all over the mountain. This is from the Top of Khers Chair overlooking the lower resort area. Mountain at the Top Left corner is Cowboys Ridge, Single to triple black diamond, but amazing on a powder day. Beginners and intermediate is at the bottom and to the right in the photo. Map of the base ski area, more on the back side. From last year, it is supposed to be like this, this coming weekend.

Re: dogs---some friends of mine that live in downtown Columbus in a condo recently got an Australian Cattle Dog puppy...they get to about 35 pounds. Interesting looking dog, they apparently don't shed much..often have blue eyes. Speaking of dogs, our pack is doing fine..Henry (golden Yorkie) recently turned 14, Ginny (tiny Yorkie) is 12, and the younger ones are fine (Raine--Australian Terrier mix, and Beardsley--something mix).. also took a couple pics today of a squirrel on my patio wall...

Had a ride in a lexyoter UX250h Sunday. Ugly little spud; I think the Bolt looks better here. Very cramped inside. Super-loud whine in reverse & taking off from start in electric; C&D stated both the gas engine & the electric motor have 'poky' acceleration & makes 'course noises'. So much for 'electric = silent'.

There has been talk at GM in cost savings to only keep the LT and Premier trims around starting mid 2021. This allows savings while giving customers all the stuff they want.... Granted, I happen to like not having a loaded car..... https://www.wallstreetreporter.com/2020/12/ford-motor-co-cuts-contract-workers-effective-immediately-ends-buyout-period-for-salaried-employees/ You already know what is coming next.... Lots of job loss in the auto industry.... ?

Ford woody Wagon...

Just in it for the close up look at the rig... This really looks like it belongs in Vinton County Ohio... This never gets old....love old Chevy's....

I really like this bike... EV lawn mowers...EV cars....Performance comes into play at some point....this is awesome.

A Comic for Computer Nerds. Gotta say, this is the ultimate year of quotes for 2020 Pandemic!

Neat truck!

Hybrid does worse than Diesel....but the Jeep is 66 Grand fully loaded.... 29.8 out of the hybrid on the Highway with no trailer...impressive for a full size truck. Tesla...

Given that BMW can't build a gas powered car to save itself, an elctric mini seems awesome. Interesting test...

Funny...

I can appreciate that... The new cutting board I just made... (Sarcam and humor....) Humming bird and bumble bees sharing a water fountain...

Love you guys like brothers... sometimes dysfunction brothers...but brothers. Drove to Michigan to see a cousin my age in hospice with Ovarian Cancer and had a mostly good trip. Detroit has a fantastic NPR station and Alma is a neat small town. But got mild food poisoning from the drive thru I got a burger at on the way back home. Doing much better with a bit of rest. First road trip with the Ranger and I am happy I bought it. Hey.... Balthazar...just buy the damned truck... nothing like a new truck... Getting in my modified Delorean with a cash payment...sure hope that Cadillac can hit 88 miles an hour in front of the courthouse because Marty McFly and I are bringing it back to December 2020.

Redoing the master bed room so ran to home depot for some supplies and found the following F250.

Yet while you have not replaced your blade for a sharp one, oil change or spark plugs, plenty of people do that annually or bi-annually as there would not be the home call service business. If these people broke down what they pay for gas, maintenance, etc. and compared it to the higher cost EV mowers which are significantly quieter also, they pay for themselves in the savings long term. I agree it is great that we have choices. I for one look at how long I usually hold onto a tool and use it and the costs to maintain it and I see savings on top of not having to wear ear muffs for the ICE noise. On top of this the average person does not do the maintenance you do or others here do on their auto's, tools, etc. Most people like @A Horse With No Name gain some benefit from doing their yard work. I enjoy the workout, but I am glad to not have to mess with fueling, oil, etc. You stated a $1000 for an EV Mower, I actually looked it up and paid $550 for mine and 5 years with zero maintenance other than some very cheap electric charging to run and it still is going strong. I say the EV mower is better than a cheap $200 ice mower IMHO. I also think we will go to more demo models at the dealers and more ordering what one wants than to have a ton of lot inventory. The internet and Amazon is making people re-think how they shop.

So I see this thread really should be titled "How often do you pay someone to change your oil?"

@balthazar No doubt electric mowers and yard tools are more expensive than ICE when compared apples to apples. But it is just a tool and to me personally and for my needs these where well worth the extra price.

I just find being outside cathartic and relaxing. Hence all of the recent posts about awd vehicles and such.

You see, to me it is far more enjoyable than mowing my lawn for example. I would rather work on my car than do landscaping. I guess part of me being a car enthusiast.

I disagree, there are plenty of $200 dollar battery powered mowers out there, but how long they last on a charge I have no Idea as my grand dads and dad all said the same thing. Buy a quality tool to last and do not waste time on bottom or mid level. So I save, and buy the top of the line and it lasts and goes long distance saving me money. That is just my thinking.

While I was happy with my gas mowers, I will say that the extensive maintenance of oil, gas, spark plug and the in-ability to store a gas mower in any place compared to my electric EGO is a big deal. The fact that I have more room in my shed with the folding mower and having it on it back edge is a win plus not having to do all the fall and spring maintenance to go into storage and out of storage makes electric a win. Plug in the battery pack and mow, take out the batter pack to recharge it and fold up the mower and stick it in a corner that is it for using an Electric mower and I do not have the top of the line from EGO but still 5 years later not a thing has failed or broke. Here is the best example of why EGO wins over Gas mowers. On top of this if you want too, you can have the mower hang from the wall if you need to get it up and out of the way.

I would never use a Grease Monkey / Jiffy Lube- heard a handful of horror stories. I've changed my own oil for decades now. Rule of thumb is; I'm fine if I don't have to jack the vehicle up. The exception here is the Jeep Liberty; don't have to jack it up but getting the filter out is a PITA, so I don't do it. Actually got the Chevy dealer to change it last time! Bet they don't see many Jeeps in there. Have a very good service department there... but I have not & won't wait in a dealer / service outfit while my vehicle is worked on. Drives me crazy.

True at a dealership at least an hour or so at my local dealership is about an hr. But the grease monkey is always about 30 min. Agree, I noticed that the dealership now schedules up oil changes so I have never been longer than an hour and I like that you get tire rotation, over all auto check for any other maintenance needed and a complete wash and vacuum for a clean auto when you leave. Both of my auto's use Synthetic and so $69.95 at my Cadillac dealership for the Escalade and SS. I see no need to get dirty and get under the auto when it can be done this cheap IMHO and I am out the door without dealing with oil disposal and cleanup.

Ask toyoter how that worked out for them.

Old brand new, CT5 Sport, TTV6, red rims from the factory. Shocking. Will have to say, while not a fan of the 2021 Escalade as the front end says Chevrolet to me, the interior is freaking awesome as is the quality of leather and large LCD dash screen. Was surprised that a basic Escalade ESV Sport edition was $103,959 with destination charge.

Yet, one can HOPE that auto companies will realize the need to have an entry level auto to keep youth interested in said auto's.

@Drew Dowdell @riviera74 I would agree in regards to the EV segment, still way too early, but what about the ICE side, do you think we will see any price reductions or if it is will it be forced due to possible recession across the globe as well as do you think we will see any real reduction in trade deficit from the above chart by the auto companies?

@Cmicasa the Great Glad you had some summer riding fun and have popped back in, look forward to seeing your posts.