ON TIME
It’s kind of fun to take one day each week and write about something I thought about during the week. This week it was time to buy a new car for travel. Our last car had been on the road for over 5 years of trips.
This is our new car, a KIA Sedona.
I had no idea cars had become not only so innovate in the last 6 years but also so complex. It is taking LOT of time to figure out the features. Then to decide can they work for us or not. Like the GPS is not up to date (we have to pay too much to update it) and it doesn’t work as well as our existing GPS + using google maps on my phone for navigation. But I can see some advantages.
Our seats are much more comfy, but we lost a lot of storage. This car is used for travel. We’ve both noticed we’ve become used to things in ways we didn’t remember doing years ago. Or maybe we bring more things or have more stuff. Either way, it’s a change. Where to put the phone, where to put all the equipment we bring, where to stick my coffee cup.. which is VERY important.
Has this happened to you lately, something you are used to, changes. And then you spend quite a bit of time figuring out things. Do you like figuring it out? The jury is out on this for me, I need to be very enticed and excited to learn something new lately. Car navigation systems didn’t seem to get a 10 on that scale.. more like a 4. Leave me a comment on what you are learning right now.
Observations & Goals
For a LONG time now I’ve wanted to take a day every so often to go out to the stores by myself. I’ve done this all my life, starting in elementary school when we moved to Germany. I could walk into town to the department store and look around. I could walk to the bakery. I’d walk to the candy shop.
Spending time looking at things makes me really happy. I love looking at new color combos, at marketing of products, and displays for stores. ALL of that feeds my soul.
But I’ve not been taking time to go browse and fill my creativity. This week it hit me again as I rushed into a store, hurried to get what I needed and left. So my goal is to start making time to take a break. I think the holiday decorations are my favorite thing to see in shops, so it’s perfect timing to set this goal and meet it!
What I’m Reading This Week
I want to add this section as I read bits and parts of a lot of books. Sometimes I finish the books, sometimes I don’t. Each article I’ll share something I ‘m reading, you can leave me a comment on what you are reading!
Designing your life is a book for everyone at every stage of their life. If you have even one teeny tiny little thing you wish you change, this book has rock solid says to think about it. With lots of examples
Written by BILL BURNETT, the executive director of the Design Program at Stanford, and DAVE EVANS, an adjunct lecturer in the Product Design Program at Stanford, they crafted a college course to use Design principles to craft your best life.
I read all books on my Kindle. Text is how I learn best. But if the book has photography, I buy a physical book. I love holding a book with photos.
If you read my articles, you are mostly likely a quiltmaker. That means you understand how good design really enhances things. That is the appealing part to me. There are examples from small changes like ‘How to recreate a space from your old home in the smaller new home’… to do ‘ I need a new career’… to ‘What do I do that is full-filling when I retire?’
Let me know if you enjoy this website.. it’s new and I’m having fun. If you are interested in something particular that I do, let me know!
Love reading your post. Like new cars but
Hate shopping for them. Will be looking next. year again. Retired after 42 years with one company, called back out of retirement after 3 years. Ugh there goes my sewing time.
Save all your income for the next retirement and buy something awesome with it 💕
Yes Pat I love reading what your up to. I also like this new site/news letter.
thank you Irene!
Every Jan I choose a topic to study and research for the year. For the last two years, I’ve chosen quilting-both physical and historical. I need to begin choosing a topic for this upcoming year Still plenty to learn about quilting–but quilting’s become a love so perhaps I will choose a particular area of quilting. My first quilt was your GK and I learned so much!! You’ve been a major part of my quilting learning projects! Thank you!
I love to do what I call “window shopping”. Really energizes me also.
I remember your Town & Country
Minivan…I had the same one… Really could pack a lot of stuff. We downsized
also to a Journey and creatively pack now.
Enjoying this blog so much. Thank you.
Window shopping is the best, i love seeing creative ideas. Creative packing is in my future! Thank you for stopping in!
I love to wander around in stores by myself at times also. You are right about it fueling creativity. Never thought about it that way but it’s so true!!
I love it and miss that I’ve hardly done it at all this year
what a neat idea Becky! I’ve done a word of the year for about 10 yrs. I like the idea of a topic. Thank you for reading!
I like this Pat! I have owned my own business for 26yrs. Hoping to sell it and retire in about 3.5 yrs. I started my “retirement job” last Nov.1 as a travel agent. Hopefully I won’t have to stand for 45 hr. a week! LOL As for the car, I like new cars hate the payments, mine is 8 yrs. old. Looking for more quilting time and maybe sell a few.
How exciting to have your next fun life already going on Gail! I started this business as my ‘second job’ and did it for 3 yrs before leaving career #1 in computers. Thank you for stopping in!
Great read! I’m still trying to get our post Harvey repairs finished so I can get on with my quilting life. Oh boy. Seems I keep reorganizing and reorganizing. Would like to get to the next level. Whatever that is. So this is fun for me to read about the other side of your quilting business/life. On the new gadgets I’ve found I learn as I go.
Wow Dianna, so long to get back in the saddle, big hugs! We will learn by having to soon.. first road trip is Friday! Thank you for reading!
Boy, have I had to deal with change this year. I don’t get many chances to even think. My Dad was ill since January, then passed last month, I’ve been having to deal with his estate and two fighting sisters. Then, last week, I nearly lost my daughter 4 days after she had our first granddaughter. So, I’m anxious to get 2018 over with, but…my one bright beacon is your Quilting group. Keeps me planning for those projects! Thank you!
Big hug Sheila, that is a lot to deal with. I’m honored you can find some peace with my quilting chatter. Hugs!!
Great new site Pat. it will be interesting to read what you are thinking about.. Like Becky (above) I like learning new things. Right now I’m very interested in the history of the people who settled our country. USA.. I like reading historical fiction.. btw, I just finished making a quilt top from your churn dash swap 2003.. now to get it quilted.
Learning is fun, I love the idea of taking a topic to learn. We all have many facets to our lives, I’m having fun to journaling about them
I like your book selection, I’m going to add them to my kindle reading list. My 86 years young Mom bought a new to her car. She went with the simple gadgets and the feel of her old car (her first big purchase since my dad passed last year). We bought a car in December 2016 and decided we didn’t need the third row seats, this summer we had my DIL and three grandkids and my other son, we needed the third row. I’m looking forward to your posts.
It’s a great book Lynn! Changes to what we know are really interesting to go through. Lovely to have visitors and ‘need’ that 3rd row of seats.
We had a Chevy Avalanche Northface for 11 years and 180,000 miles. It got us though a lot of life events. It was great for towing our ATV and hauling all my quilt needs to classes I taught and attended. We traded it for a new, really nice truck , or so we thought. It worked as good as the Avalanche, but didn’t drive or ride as well, lacked good storage, and just didn’t fit us. We traded it for another truck. It was the prettiest truck he ever bought, but was worse than the last one. We bit the bullet and bought a new Suburban. It is wonderful. It has everything the Avalanche had and more plus adjustable storage in the back for my sewing machine. I am one happy traveler. Quilt events and beyond———-
Glad you finally found a good fit!
I know it seems silly, but our new fridge is my latest challenge. It’s so different from our old side by side. The drawers are not as deep, the ice is smaller. The ice/water dispenser it electronic with lots of unnecessary choices. But just deciding on which new one to purchase was overwhelming…so I let my newly retired husband pick. I keep telling him he needs to participate in all the household decisions and work now that he’s home all the time. Haha! My husband will read an owner’s Manuel from cover to cover. Me…I just try to figure it out as I go…more hands on or let’s try this and see kind of a girl.
Next tho’…I need a new phone😣…ugh!
i totally get that Nancy!
Change has become a constant. After 30 years of marriage, we are going our separate ways. Hopefully things will settle down – after I move and start back to work. Looking forward to starting your Merry & Bright and Camping quilts!
Big Hugs Gwen
I tend to keep my vehicles for ten years… My present Ford Fusion is my latest 10 year old best friend means of transportation … Last year’s, his old girl had a run in with a mechanic who blew out her power module while changing out her battery and would not accept responsibility for it… So we bought her a new one for 1100.00… Then, last week after transporting my grands to their home and driving home to Grama’s house( over the meadow and through the woods.)… At the moment I was turning up the entrance to the highway… No steering…… With all my strength.. I forced her steering wheel, guiding her into a tire store… Only place I could stop at that moment…. I was tearing up at the close call .. one minute later I’d have been in rush hour traffic in northern Houston area….. (Not the time nor place where you want to be with no steering traveling at 70MPH)…. The young man asked… “How much do you love this car”?
$1800.00 later… My girl had new rack and pinion steering, pump, hoses,
I either REALLY LOVE HER.. or.. I don’t want to deal with figuring out a new vehicle….. She’s doing great now.. but, one day.. sooner than later.. I will have to bid her farewell and put her to rest… 😕
enjoy her, she must be very loyal!
I thoroughly enjoy reading your musings. 🙂 We purchased a new vehicle about 8 months ago and I am still learning what all it has hidden in the apps and controls. My biggest issue with it is a place for the tissue box. ALSO, just purchased a new embroidery machine. Similar usage to my old machine, but 8 years newer…big learning curve. AND if that isn’t enough, got a Scan N Cut. Total new to me toy. I do enjoy learning how new things work. Technology changes so quickly anymore it can be challenging t times for this old mind to keep up, but it helps to keep me “young”. Ha ha
8 years is a huge amount of time, they all do nifty things now!
I had to buy a new phone, a far cry from a car, but man what a challenge to learn it’s ‘new improved’ operating system. Argh! As for window shopping, my days are over, I can’t walk (without pain) in stores so am limited to big box stores with those electric carts.
My challenge this year has been to knock out UFO’s, I’ve done pretty good at making a big dent in the piles. I’m down to one medium size tote. LOL.
Next year, well, I’ve been inspired by Terri Saville Foy to be more organized and have new vision for my life. I like the idea choosing a topic to research for the year. Thank you Becky Byumn.
That is a great challenge Mary Ellen!
love your patterns
thank you Brandy!
We live in a small gingerbread house that has an attached gingerbread garage. We brought three cars home before we found one that fit! 🙂 Thanks for showing us the other side of you Pat.
fitting in the garage is important here too Claire!
In our experience, the vehicle GPS upgrade not worth it!! Can not keep up with a plug in or a smart phone that update in real time. Enjoy hearing what you are reading. I just re read Anne of Green Gables for fun because my brain is overwhelmed with work!!
i’ve never read that book Machelle, Now I need to!
I recently changed from my car to a SUV. Definitely a trade off. After, 10 months we’ve melded.
I enjoy reading on my Kinda well. I usually read mystery or detective. Totally different from quilting.
Window shopping in our little town is very fun and relaxing. I enjoy watching the interactions of people.
people watching is the best! When I read fiction, I love a great mystery or detective tale!
Just traded my baby (Mazda MX-5, sparkly red Miata) in for a grownup suv. My kids and grandkids are happy but I miss tooling around town in my baby. Everyone knew it was me by my license plate (RTHLSS).
I think this will be an interesting weekly peek into your life and I like that you let us comment so you get a peek into what this community is up to.
I look forward to next week’s musings.
I love hearing from everyone! bet you miss that red miata, I miss my red jeep and I’ve not had it for 17 yrs
I understand. In March I bit the bullet, traded off my little 07 Vibe, same as Toyota Matrix but with a different antenna, and got a new Terrain because we needed more cargo space. I’m happy to say we get better fuel mileage. Problem is I spend time distracted driving because the info system is digital with too many choices and too may things on it. No more push buttons.
the new ones have a ton of buttons!
We just got a new car too. A Chevy Trax. It is a small SUV, way smaller than our Equinox. We do not really need the extra room so small is okay. There is a lot more technology in this car. I have to be pretty excited about something in order to spend time figuring it all out. I will work hard to figure out a pattern, but I would rather someone else figure out my car and then tell me how it works. 😉
that’s the way I am, sewing machine.. yes! Car.. mmm.. give me the cliff notes
Ah Pat, let’s see
New cars, my first car was a 1959 Oldsmobile Delta 98: a humongous bulldozer that eat as much gas as it did my puddly after school job pay.
My second was a 1965 Mustang which was destroyed in an accident.
Next came a 1968 Cougar XR7, bu now you see a trend, yes I grew up with Muscel Cars, and am a bit of a gear head.
Next out of the gate was a 1995 Ford Taurus, I bought in 1998. It too was forcibly retired when a bigger vehicle decided to eat the front end.
Currently I drive a 2014. Kia Soul, I got it with 14 miles on it, 8 of which I put on it during my test drive. I love my little Soul, but did not add the GPS or other options when I bought it. It has enough room for two of my quilt buddies and I to put our machines, and supplies in to go off to classes, or take trips. Living in Arizona however, I haven’t had a lot of experience utilizing the wipers front and rear, last weekend it rained and we were all laughing as I sat saying “What is that noise, we are not moving until I know what that noise is.” You guessed it, I’d turned on the rear wiper and didn’t realize it. Enjoy the journey, your new friend will make itself part of your life in unexpected ways. Reality I’d love a fully loaded Honda Pilot but way beyond my budget. Maybe my next life. 🙂
you do like snazzy cars Kay!
My favorite “something new” is not being afraid to drive in big cities (I’m a lifelong Montanan) any more! My son introduced me to GoogleMaps. I love her so much, I named her–Doris! Now, I no longer will have to plan my trips around where I feel comfortable driving….
My other “something new” is that I recently, suddenly had to retire. I have been working since I was 16, and am not quite sure how I feel about it. On the plus side, I will have a lot more time for quilting, so long as I don’t let myself fall into a funk about not working anymore. I decided I had to get rid of Facebook–such a time-sucker for me! I can do Pinterest in shorter sessions, so that, luckily, can stay.
Google maps is awesome! Did you do street view and rotate when it’s available? Really helps you see where you are going. Give yourself time to adjust to your new routine. Even when people elect that kind of change it takes time to build new routines. Thank you for joining me here!
Window shopping; we all need to wander around at times without time restrictions. As I always tell the hubs, shopping is not buying, shopping is looking!
Bought my first ever car last year, actually leasing it, an Acura RDX.
Love it. My decision, my car. Took some good advice but no input from spouse or kids. My choice. Oh, and have you noticed that your color choices of late are black, silver, grey, white, maybe a blue, maybe a red? Or brown? Glancing around while driving, or in the parking lot, you mostly only see black, white, silver, grey. Hard to find your own car sometimes!
that is SO true Cathy!