Morning all:

Happy Easter everyone. Let it be known that I am overjoyed that the commercial heavyweights haven’t yet introduced a pastel colored coffee to coordinate with those horrible little ‘peeps’ filling the grocery shelves this time of year.

Last night, for hours on end, no real heavy weather here, just wonderful lightning displays. Walking Shang through the neighborhood last night over and over again the sky would light up spectacularly all around us. It was a gorgeous sight. But, I must have pushed the pace a bit, Marcia noticed that Shang laid down, panted for about a half hour, and didn’t move the rest of the evening.

For the three or four of you who read these rambles here follows a wonderful ‘Rube Goldbergesque’ tale. I am certain that 90% of you are too young to have ever seen a Rube Goldberg’s machine – machines that complete an exceedingly simple task in the most complex of ways. So, pay attention since this will be your very first experience.

The background is that back in early November I bought Marcia the love of her life, a dark green pick-up truck. The owner of the small dealership I bought it from had personal problems and used my payment in ways other than legally required. By January I was tired of the excuses and got State Government folk involved, including the Attorney General’s office. Now let’s fast forward.

Last Wednesday the Attorney General office’s investigator for my case called me with an “I have really good news” call. Government tries oh-so hard and here is the resultant resolution:
• A special fund dealers participate in agreed with my side of the issue and sent funds over to the AG’s office.
• The Attorney General wrote a certified check made out to me for the exact amount I originally paid for the truck.
• Once I receive the check, per instruction, cashed it and created two certified checks, one to a dealership that still holds title and one to the AG. These two checks will total exactly the check first sent to me minus sales tax, which I will have to pay (again) later. Both I returned to the Attorney General.

Are you still with me, or have I lost you in the detail? OK then, here we go ‘cause we’re not done yet.

• The AG will send my one check to the dealership holding title, they will then sign off and mail it over to the Attorney General who will move it over to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
• The BMV will then prepare and send a clear title to me.
• Finally, I can then head for a local BMV office, pay the sales tax and buy a set of plates.

If only all of life were this simple.

I am crossing my fingers that the weather holds up. The plan is that later this morning all the deck furniture re-appears from its winter-long basement storage. If the deck furniture bit works well I will then immediately set about to de-winterize the Deux Chevaux. Getting the car summer ready is more work than bringing up the furniture. The car has to be gotten off the casters, wiring has to be re-connected, oil and filter changed, plugs cleaned, and the body washed and waxed. Marcia, assume that the sun will shine tomorrow and we’ll putter around for a bit. Yesterday reservations were made for Marcia to head for Florida to help Kirstin accomodate her indefinite bedrest-hang in there Kirstin, between mom and mom-in-law you’ll be OK.

Make it a great week everyone.
Cheers,
Dirk