Wednesday, August 11

Motivation and the Environment

I am just giggling my fanny off at the thought that *I* am motivating to anyone at all, let alone two of my favorite bloggers. Hee hee. That's cool! Thanks, guys! Um, Amy, you're two hours behind us, right? If so, then I "might" be able to blog in the AM, but you're just gonna have to get up later!

Well, let this be the final chapter in the "Suburban Saga" (and all God's people said...) It is good to go. Only an additional $300 later, too! Good Grief, people! Three hundred dollars to register a vehicle? What kind of crack are these people smoking? I thought that was restricted to the DC politicians? *blech* I did feel kind of bad because when the gal behind the counter said (oh, so cheerily), "No, this is good for two years. You can't register for just one." I opened my big, fat mouth and said, "I don't even want to BE here that long!" Ugh. Mandatory two year registration. Some people can honestly say that they don't see how the gov't will take a mile if you give it an inch? (What are the effects of secondhand crack smoke, anyway?)

SO, that said and done, I did learn that you can order NRA plates. The irony is just delicious, really! After we've recovered from the fiscal assault for this vehicle, we'll be switching out to those~ just to prove a point. (For those closet Elephant Parts or Television Parts: Home Companion fans out there... *wink*)

Now, as to the environment and our seal-killing vehicle... *grin* I know y'all are joking with me, but just for fun, here's a little math question for all your enviro-buddies who like to blow blood vessels over the Sinister SUV Monster.
Miles per gallon per person!

I can haul eight folks around (and do) with a LOT less gas than y'all can by having a caravan in your dinky Four and a Half Seater Aluminum Foil Chem Labs on Wheels! (Not knocking the TinFoilMobiles, I drove not one, but TWO Geo Prisms in my day and loved 'em!) And we're not just talking about gas, but rubber, oil, other noxious fluids, emissions. I can also run more than one item-gathering errand at a time and therefore don't have to make three separate trips to hit BJ's, the market and whatever else people gather (for us, it'd be the roadside produce stands, the gun shop and perhaps a Wally-World run). We get only slightly less per gallon than your typical minivan, and that's probably just because I don't change fluids as regularly as I should. Figure it in some realistic manner such as trips per average family per month, or per gallon per person, and I am an environmental GODDESS, thank you. An environmental goddess who can flip it into 4-LOW and not go sliding off the Interstate in the middle of a snowstorm, even. (And if the storm's too bad, we can sleep in the thing- so it's economical, too!)

*grin*

Let's see, what else? Oh, James picked an absolutely luxurious copy of The Hobbit! It's a beauty, and even John began asking to hear the story about the dragon. (When you're four, it's all about the dragons!)

The boys, all three of them, were phenomenally well-behaved and patient today amidst the many stops we had to make to get it all done. (We were out for nearly six hours- most of that was sitting and waiting!) I can't believe what decent, wonderful, well-adjusted children we have. (And I don't take an ounce of credit for it, either- I think they get it from their father, because I rarely know when to keep my mouth shut. It's ok, someday I'll either become famous for it or will be able to afford shock therapy.)

And the final thought for today... I can't wait to smell Autumn!

Dy

8 comments:

L said...

Thanks, Dy, for alleviating my guilt over environmental destruction!

Lynne, who is off to watch the 11:00 hurricane coordinate updates and prepare to zoom off across the state in her Excursion

Anonymous said...

Please see my comment on yesterday's post. You tell em, girl! Love Janet, get outta my way I drive a Suburban kinda gal. :)

Amy said...

"Well, then what are you doing having all those babies?" she says with tongue firmly in cheek.

Actually, I'll be looking for a car this fall - my beloved Subaru can't hold anything but the four of us, which is becoming more and more impractical as friends begin to join us for more outings, and Bud's mom is moving to town.

I'd shop now but it's way too hot to get in and out of cars. I may be swayed to a minivan though, because it will fit into my garage nicely, a Suburban will not. I hate loading children in the elements!

Anonymous said...

Amy, it's early and I'm confused. What do you mean? Janet

Julie D. said...

Environmental Goddess ... I love it! Kudos on the kids staying well behaved for 6 HOURS of errands, no matter how much of it might have been waiting around time. You're right to be proud of them!

Dy said...

Janet, she's taking a tongue-in-cheek poke at the zero population growth folks who would then say that if we NEED a large vehicle to haul all these resource-consuming, noxious gas-emitting children, then we're still enviro-demons. LOL.

Anonymous said...

I get it now :) Thanks. Janet

Amy said...

Janet, please know this was totally a joke! Actually, I wish Dy would have 8 more kids. In fact, if all of us in our little blog world did that it would tickle me to no end!