Sly Hoax  

My Elantra is due for some major service.. the timing belt is due. It’s pretty expensive. Also, mechanics seem to be more expensive these days. I swear that my accent was significantly less expensive to maintain. Timing belt cost about $400 on it, and the Elantra is up near $800. Not cool, Hyundai. I’d hate to see what it would cost to repair/maintain an even bigger car, like the Sonata.

Thanks for the post, Vernon Lowe

Getting older is just a part of life but my daughter’s been all over my case about downsizing to a smaller home and even moving to a different, safer area. Doesn’t she have any idea how hard and long I worked to live in the house I do? I told her I would go to that website, homesecuritysystems.com, she recommended and look into security systems but she’s been stopping by a lot more often and to be honest, it’s driving me crazy. She acts like I’m some 20 year old kid living alone for the first time but there’s nothing she knows that I don’t – I’ve been living on my own for over 20 years now! I understand she’s concerned about me but sometimes I wish she’d just live and let live or whatever that saying is. It’s hard enough dealing with the aging process without having one of your children turn around and start treating you like you’re a child yourself! Does anyone have any suggestions for me in talking to her?

I’ve always had a passion for mountain bikes. when I was 20-ish, I did little more than ride and fix bikes. It wasn’t very profitable back then, what with the lack of internet, craigslist, etc.

These days, I’m doing okay fixing and selling bikes. Today, I bought my first mountain bike with 29 inch wheels and disk brakes in the front! That was cool.

I fixed the 29er, took it for a quick spin, and it didn’t seem all that special. It is large, which is nice, but that seems to be all that this particular bike has going for it… it isn’t the hottest brand, and that may have something to do with it… mediocre engineering can lead to a mediocre bike. I noticed that when the rear brakes are engaged, the frame bows out!

A bike I bought recently that really got my juices flowing was this 26er Kona with a racing light frame… man, that thing was quick!