Sharing the Good Life
Vince and Chad were out working in the yard over the weekend.
I said “Smile!” They both turned around and Vince waived.
I said “That shirt HAS to go!” Vince said “It’s so cool . . and breezy! It’s just getting broken in. Don’t you throw away my shirt!”
When he took it off and tossed it in the dirty clothes, and then turned his back, I grabbed it and tossed it in the trash. Think he’ll miss it?
It isn’t often that you see any part of my house but my kitchen. That’s because my house is always a mess. Please pretend you don’t see the dog toys in the floor, the magazines by Vince’s chair and the vacuum hose hooked to the wall. I didn’t put white carpet in this house so it isn’t my fault I have to vacuum every morning so I just leave the hose hooked up all the time!
Vince is not a hunter. Chad would like for him to be a hunter but he probably never will be. For years Chad would buy Vince hunting accessories for Christmas and his birthday, hoping to get him interested. Finally, Chad gave up or got the message and hasn’t been buying hunting gear for Vince.
Over the weekend Vince was cleaning up his storage area and came across a hunting vest Chad had given him. Instead of folding it back up and putting it away, he put it on and modeled for us. Of course, he also had on his green shirt and blue shorts. No crocs because we don’t wear shoes inside the house.
The hunting vest is put away and I’m sure he’ll find it again in a few years and model it for us one more time.
Today we went to Joplin looking at pickups. Vince is pretty sure he wants a Ford F150. We don’t pull anything; we don’t haul anything but sometimes we just need a pickup. His current pickup is a 1996 Chevy S-10. Here’s the whole story about the pickup.
Except for the current Highlander, we buy very basic, no frills type vehicles. The Highlander isn’t fancy smancy but it’s more car than we usually buy. Of course, we keep our vehicles at least 10 years, usually more like 15 years so we don’t buy many vehicles.
We walked into the Ford dealership and of course, went straight to the wrong vehicle.
For those who do spend this kind of $$ on vehicles, good for you. For us, it ain’t ever, ever going to happen! Ever!
He talked to a salesman, explained that he just wanted a basic full size pick up. The only frill he needs is an air conditioner. The salesman led us to the plain Jane pickups and we found this one.
It’s much more in our price range. It would get us from Point A to Point B just the same as that $50K+ pickup will.
His biggest reason for wanting a new truck . . a full size sheet of plywood will not fit in the back of the S-10. I wonder how many full size sheets of plywood he hauls anyway! But, the air conditioner is fixed on the S-10 and if I had to guess, I’m betting there won’t be a new pickup any time soon.
A trip to Joplin means we got to eat at the Thai restaurant, go to Sam’s Club, Harbor Freight, Target and Best Buy. I was real happy to get home! 
You’d think it was still Saturday but . . it was Sunday!
Same clothes? Really . . it’s not the same clothes . . I don’t think. They all look the same (have you noticed?) but there are just so many green shirts and navy shorts. He never wears the same ones two days in a row . . that would smell really bad.
Truck is in the same position with the lid open but wait . . there’s a shop vac in the driveway!
What a difference! Remember the mess from yesterday’s picture? The pickup was going in the shop to get the a/c fixed and Vince has this crazy idea that it can’t be fixed. I say . . everything can be fixed for a price. So, he’s already picked out the new pickup he wants to buy and he has this one all cleaned up so he can trade it in.
But then I said: Just a cottonpickin’ minute here. YOU got the last new car. Not my fault you never drive it. The next new car to be had around here is for me and it could be a Toyota Sienna . . could be a Honda Ridgeline . . could be a . . . heck, I don’t even know what I’d buy if I were getting a new car. But, I’m not because his response was: I think I’m getting myself a new pickup!
Don’t matter to me. I’d rather have my old Honda anyway. I can spill drinks in it. I can eat satsumas all the way back from Louisiana and leave the peelings in there til they petrify and turn to dust . . which takes about 5 months if you’re wondering!
