Aw, darn it! And yeah, on the Toyotas = unfortunately the current Toyotas in the US are also made in the US plants and are no where near as good as those made in Japan. (but are still better than the American models imho). It is really unfortunate; I wonder why we aren't importing the Suzukis (or Toyotas) anymore?






This post has been edited by mALX: Dec 4 2017, 05:55 PM

Aren't some of the Susuki's still here but rebranded? You don't see a Susuki badge, but the model names are sometimes the same.

Of course, sometimes the problem is that parts have to be replaced to meet local standards, especially lights. The ones that weren't part of the original design always have the extra issues.

This post has been edited by ghastley: Dec 4 2017, 07:26 PM

Apparently the Suzuki didn't meet expected sales so they moved out of the US market completely. They said it was hard to compete with so many different 4WD vehicles in the USA. Then again, Suzuki Equator, the only pickup ever made by Suzuki, was only made for the American market, it never appeared in Europe.


AFAIK Suzuki was never rebranded but could be I'm wrong. Their models, however, are sold under different names, for instance my car is called Vitara in Europe, in Asia and Africa it's either Vitara or Escudo while in the USA when it was still available, it was called either Vitara or Sidekick, depending on the state. But they all had the traditional Suzuki badge.

This post has been edited by Lopov: Dec 4 2017, 07:34 PM

I've been very happy with my Subaru. However the light bulbs are still a pain in the @$$ to replace.

Today's high is predicted to be in the mid-high thirties! That's too cold for walking. A younger me might well have added an extra layer of clothing and braved it. There was I time I'd walk during snows, once local streets had been scraped of much of their snow/ice blanket. These days, I worry about cold settling in my lungs. I've enough lung issues as it is without adding pneumonia to the list, thank you.

I did manage to walk yesterday. Went out about 1430, temp about 55F. Day before that the high was in the mid forties. I gave it a try, but didn't make it passed the driveway before throwing in the towel.

ADDENDUM:
Now afternoon, my new exercise-walk shoes arrived during lunch. Something of an irony, this being a day too cold for walking, with very likely few days between now and spring warm enough to do so.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Dec 7 2017, 09:43 PM

Debated walking today, with high temp in the mid forties. In the end, I decided to brave it. Went out circa 1420, dressed in t-shirt, sweat pants and top, field jacket, two toboggans, and of course shoes and socks. Was cold but endurable...until I reached the far end of my street, took the "circle" and started back down, facing straight into the wind. Brrrrrrr.... My first thought was to end the walk when I reached my house. By the time I got there I decided to stick it out, which I did.

Took a heart reading when done. Normal readings for me, well within safe limits.

Ordered two beanie cap (toboggan) plus neck snarf combos and three thermal underwear bottoms off Amazon. To my amazement, the confirmation email that arrived shortly thereafter showed me as having signed up for an Amazon Prime Trial. I did not knowingly do so. Did a bit of research and learned how to cancel the Trial, which I immediately did.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Dec 10 2017, 12:32 AM

I used to wear my husband's long johns every winter; now I guess I'll have to go out and buy myself a pair,

I've a few old pairs too worn out to be of any real use. I keep forgetting to replace them...or did until a few days ago.

Speaking of which, my Amazon order arrived yesterday during supper. Too late for my exercise-walk. A shame. I most definitely could have used em. Brrrrr.... cold! Didn't stop me from walking the full distance, but it was a struggle. Irony is, today is the start of what looks to be warmer temps for at least a week or more. I might not need my new winter wear for some time.

Other than the exercise-walk, I can't think of a single "project" done yesterday. Ooops, I emailed one of my DC representatives. Waste of key strokes but better than doing nothing at all. Which reminds me I need to call both my reps today and yet again tell them to oppose something I know they are solidly in favor of and will not budge on. Such is life.

ADDENDUM: Now afternoon, I've gotten in my daily walk and called two DC representatives with instructions on what to do about two matters of importance to me. They will of course do the opposite, as is their wont. As for the walk, I wore one of my new toboggans, but it was overkill, being a relatively warm day for this time of year. If it weren't so windy I might have dispensed with a toboggan and gloves altogether.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Dec 13 2017, 10:18 PM

Yesterday's "routine" heart appointment proved anything but. My Echo test revealed something going on inside my heart that my doctor can't understand. I'm now scheduled for a "TEE" (????) test, either next Tuesday pm or Wednesday am. It should have been done today, but no way can I arrange for someone to drive me home afterward -- assuming I'm allowed to leave afterward -- today. Since the driver is a requirement, no test for me until next week. Thankfully my brother is on vacation then. (I told 'em I don't mind sitting in a Clinic lobby for hours until I'm able to drive home under my own power, but they won't budge.)

In other news, one of the causes I've been actively championing went down in defeat yesterday afternoon not long after my return from the clinic. Not unexpected but disheartening for sure. I'm not giving up the fight, but it becomes that much harder.

Walked circa 1430. First walk wearing my new cold weather gear....beanie - neck scarf combo and insulated underwear bottoms. Helped a great deal.

Not much more to say about yesterday, other than that I now belong to so many political action groups that reading emails is now a major time consuming part of my day. Not terribly long ago I was lucky (or unlucky) to get three - five email on any given day. LOL

oh, no! Not good news about the heart issue! Good thoughts going your way as you battle the cold in your new winter gear and get ready for your TEE next week.

Aw, Decrepit! That is some scary news; I really wish you hadn't put it off for a week because being stressed for a week over the upcoming test can't be good for you at a time like this.

Just in case it will ease your mind to know in advance what they will be doing in the test; here is a link to a page that will tell you what the procedure is so you can be prepared:

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/H...55_Article.jsp#

It is just a better/clearer diagnostic of exactly what your heart is doing in action using ultrasound waves; and they can freeze frame and take pictures to look at and determine what exactly is going on when it is doing whatever concerned them (and better determine what best to do to fix it).

The hardest part of it for you is going to be a sore throat for a couple days afterward; so be prepared by having some nice soothing honey and lemon to heat or sherbet to eat (or whatever you use for sore throats).

As far as them not budging on letting you take yourself home = that is just to cover their butts if they can hand you into the responsible care of another person who signs that they will be taking good care of you for the next 24 hours.

(My son picked me up; signed = then promptly dropped me off at home and went to work; (which I would have preferred he stayed with me as he signed to do, but actually I was fine by myself and didn't need any special care that I couldn't handle just fine by myself).

The end result of mine was that they put me on meds to slow my heart down and I feel MUCH better now that they have regulated the beating.

Good luck with your test, Decrepit.

Really sad to hear the news on your heart, Decrepit. I do hope that after the test it proves to be something minor and nothing serious. In any case take good care now; we need our Grand Ole Champion here on the forums!


Also too bad about your cause. Only thing to do there is dust yourself off and get right back into the saddle - but only if you feel you have the strength now, mkey?

Thanks for the well wishes

Yes, I realize the driving requirement is to protest themselves should something go wrong. I'm sure I too will be left to fend for myself once my brother takes me to his house. Unless he has no plans for the afternoon and stays home. I thought about asking if they would allow me to arrange for taxi service to his house and have the procedure done today. But my cardiologist office says the procedure can wait until next week. Famous last words? We shall see.

As for today, I walked circa 1420 all, bundled up in winter gear. (A fellow not far down the street was outside putzing around in his front yard wearing jeans and a t-shirt.) Called three D.C. Congressmen to tell them how to overturn a recent bad decision (by another agency) and to remind them to vote NO on a certain issue. Ended up having to call my Representative's local office rather than his D.C. office, which would neither talk with me nor allow a message (full mailbox), a common occurrence with him as of late.

No plans for the rest of the day other than goofing around online and reading Wheel of Time.

Well, I hope your Brother does you better than my son did me, lol. But you should really be okay if he doesn't; it is just a precaution they like to take. Probably all this falls back on the HMO's not wanting anyone to spend the night in the hospital anymore; or the Cardiologist could have done the procedure and had you spend the night being watched by busty trusty nurses.

I have another headlight to change today. Oh boy.

And then I'm cooking dinner for my girlfriend.

I've been especially lazy lately, thanks to my recent health scare. Speaking of which, I finally received an status briefing from the Clinic, thanks to me bugging them with emails until they called with the needed info. Those heart "regurgitations" are, so they tell me, normal for someone my age and, at this stage, pose no immediate threat. Something to keep an eye on, but not worry overly much about. As to the odd unidentified mass inside my heart, noticed during the initial Echo Test, the subsequent TEE failed to find that mass, putting me in the clear in that regard. Got a second call not long ago letting me know that a new medicine the Doc planned to put me on is no longer needed, which my wallet is thankful for.

I haven't felt well for some days now, one symptom being chest soreness/pain. With heart issues now ruled out I suspect I'm likely suffering from one of my periodic lung infection episodes, and have begun treating it.

Alas, it looks as if my daily walks are over until Spring. Too darn cold!!!!!

No political activism worth mentioning since soon after my heart scare began.

One new project I've made tentative beginnings with: All these years I've put off writing a will. Started the ball rolling early this week. Contacted my nearest AF Base legal office, which provides will service free for us military retirees. They're sending needed paperwork to get started via snail mail. (I can supposedly download it off their website, but all three of my installed browsers consider the side unsafe and won't load it.) At some point I'll need to drive there (a several hour journey each way) for a face-to-face meeting to finalize things.

Stay safe and stay strong, Decrepit!

Projects today:

Searched my computerized account ledger for the one online purchase made during 2017 (back in Sep) that I still owe State User Tax on. Filled out the required paperwork. Wrote out a check (for a grand total of $3.82, postdated yesterday for purely cosmetic purposes...I have until about mid month to submit payment). Prepared a mailing envelop. Have the payment ready to post tomorrow. (I assume there will be no mail run today, it being Jan 1.)

Wrote a check, dated today, to pay City Utilities. I will hand deliver it tomorrow, if my memory doesn't fail me.

Was finally able to find out what this year's Social Security payments will be. Mine went up a whopping $21 a month this year, $10 of which is automatically eaten by a monthly Medicare premium increase, leaving me with an impressive $11 extra to splurge on per month. (My many prescription medicines all automatically increase in cost beginning now, eating that $11 and a good bit more. That said, I got another small pay increase in my Military Retiree pension, which helps a bit.)

Logged Social Security payouts and Medicare premiums through Jun 2018 into my computerized finance ledger.

Logged end-of-year State User Taxes Due payment and City Utilities payment into said ledger.

No grocery run today. Too darn cold!!!!!!! The 'feels like' temp varies between 0F - 5F. Brrrrrrrr... Tomorrow ain't gonna be much better. But every little bit helps, and I've enough food to last the extra day between runs.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jan 1 2018, 04:00 PM

We are freezing here too; but not as bad as you are having. It is in the teens here; but still way too cold for pets to be out in it = had to bring my dog Boo Boo inside.






This post has been edited by mALX: Jan 1 2018, 07:51 PM

First off, really relieved that the heart issue wasn't as crucial as I was worried about; but glad you are aware now so you can take precautions and be careful to follow whatever advice you need to for that condition.

Second: Really sorry about the lung infection; and hope you are feeling better now from that. That can really make you feel miserable, that is for sure.

Really hope 2018 brings you a year of good health!