“Yawn” Cedar Park, 2017
It’s been a long week! But we made it to the weekend. 😃
Yawn
“Yawn” Cedar Park, 2017
“Yawn” Cedar Park, 2017
Goodbye Ody
“Goodbye” Austin, 2017
こんばんは。How’s it going?
Tonight I am sad because we sold our Honda Odyssey, which has been my daily driver for over 13 years, which is pretty crazy when I think about it! Before Koa was born, we decided we needed to have more room so we went with the minivan, and it was a great choice! It has been reliable and comfortable, but of course, after so many miles (158,000) and years, there were numerous things that didn’t work, and numerous expensive things that would need fixing soon.
Mariko and I were both a bit sad when we sold it, but we’re really happy to have owned it. Our kids grew up with this car, and we’ve taken it on many camping trips. It was so convenient to be able to just throw all the gear in the cavernous cargo space.
“Car Camping” Texas, 2017
Mariko found this interesting story about saying goodbye to a car. Give a read if you have a minute or two.
Why Was It So Hard To Say Goodbye To A Car?
I hope you had a nice day!
またね～
New 🚙
“New” Cedar Park, 2017
こんばんは。How’s it going?
Today I picked up my new car, a Subaru Crosstrek. I love it! The weather forecast was for a cold, rainy day, so I was worried that the test drive and inspection would be a messy affair, but as it turned out, there was only a light drizzle. But it was actually appropriate, because the Crosstrek is perfect for this kind of weather. It’s got all-wheel-drive for safety, and heated seats for comfort. 😆
I love just about everything about the car. Here are the stand-outs for me:
- Fuel economy – 30 MPG combined
- Color – I love the “Cool Gray Khaki”
- Android Auto / Apple CarPlay – Access to Google Maps, Music, apps in a nice car-based interface on the center console
- Smaller than the Odyssey – Easier to park and fit in the garage
- High ground clearance – 8.7 inches will be better for those dirt roads in Big Bend!
- Heated seats – Nice and toasty for the morning drive
And then here are a few things that I am not fond of:
- Doors don’t automatically unlock when using the inside handle
- Minimal cargo space – Will have to use the roof rack when we go camping
- Minimal storage in the front – Where can I put my sunglasses?
Also, it’s fun that Subaru has a kind of cult following. There’s a lot of active Subaru forums out there, plus a bunch of community features on the Subaru website. And because this is a car that I have been wanting for a few years, I have a closer fondness for it than any of my previous cars. I hope to be driving my Subaru Crosstrek for many years to come.
I hope you had a nice Wednesday!
おやすみ
Stay Warm
“Comfy” Cedar Park, 2017
A cold front came through this afternoon and dropped temperatures into the 50s… pretty chilly for Texas. 🌬️ But we’re nice and warm inside, feeling comfy and cozy, just like Lani in the photo above. 🐶
I hope you had a nice day!
またね～
Sunset and Car Stuff
“Sunset” Cedar Park, 2017
こんばんは。How’s it going?
Today I was in contact with the car dealer discussing financing and options, and he said they found the model I wanted, with the options I wanted, in the color I wanted and it would be delivered in the afternoon! And, the cost is less than the already great deal they were giving me before! There was only one thing we were worried about, and that was that the car was being delivered from Houston, and they recently had Hurricane Harvey come through.
I was assured by the dealer that any cars that were damaged in the storms would be either trashed or returned to the manufacturer as per Texas law, and that the car that was being delivered was probably built (in Japan) after the late August storm. But, I wanted to be sure (for peace of mind) and asked them to provide the vehicle history.
After a few hours, they sent me the document that shows the date of production, delivery, etc. And it was all after the storm had passed, so we’re in the clear! What a load off my mind. ☺️
Besides finding the right car at the right price, I need to decide what to do with our Honda Odyssey. The dealer’s trade-in offer was really low, so I went to CarMax for a free appraisal. Their offer was about double what the dealer offered, but it was still low. So I think I’ll try selling it on my own. Should be fun? We’ll see.
I’m excited, though, about the new car! If all goes as planned, I will check it out Wednesday and test drive it and make sure it is ok. I can’t wait!
Today’s photo is of the beautiful sky this evening. Now that daylight savings is over, the sky gets dark early. Such a strange feeling.
I hope you had a nice Monday.
またね～
Avocado Toast
“Avocado Toast” Cedar Park, 2017
こんばんは。
Today’s photo is of some Avocado Toast I made for lunch. Mariko bakes a lot of bread for the kids’ lunches, and there is usually a bunch of stray pieces, like the ends of the loaves, and single slices. So, I gathered a bunch of them, toasted them up, put on some Japanese Kewpie mayo, avocado slices, peppers from the pepper plant, and cheese, and had a yummy lunch! I love making mini-sandwiches with the leftover bread as well. Perfect little meals.
I hope you had a nice weekend!
おやすみ
Audition, Car Shopping, and a Sketch
“Morning Begging” Cedar Park, 2017
こんばんは。How’s it going?
Today I took Koa to the regional band audition early in the morning. It was a long day for him, but he’s been practicing for this all week and the hard work paid off. He got second-chair and made the region band! I’m very happy for him because I knew he really wanted it and was nervous about the audition. Congrats, Koa!
Later in the day, I went to the Subaru dealership to test drive the car I am most interested in: the Crosstrek. I love this car! I’m pretty sure this is the model I will buy, and since the Odyssey is starting to have problems, it will be soon.
The model that I drove today was the trim level I want and had the options that I cared most for, plus the price was excellent. Everything was great, except for the color. Although the white is nice, I prefer the silver or the pale blue. In fact, I saw a “cool gray khaki” color and fell in love with it, so I’ll wait until one of those is available.
Later in the evening, I added some more to a portrait I sketched the other night. I think it came out ok, considering I only spend 30 minutes initially on it. I really don’t know how to draw a hoodie, and this one looks more like a parka-type jacket, but I like it anyways. 😄
“Hoodie” Cedar Park, 2017
To see all the sketches I’ve been working on, you can check out the Flickr album “My Sketching Journey”, or my Instagram account barron.sketches which I created just for posting sketches, watercolors, and stationery items.
And today’s photo is of Koa and Lani at breakfast. Lani is so well-behaved when she wants a treat. 🐶
I hope you had a nice Saturday!
またね～
