Greetings from Costa Mesa, California, USA!
Chair Lift Ride over the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sunday, July 19, 2009
Chair Lift Ride over the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sunday, July 19, 2009
My brother got a new car, an Acura TL, last month. After 8 years and endless trips to the auto body shop, his old car had one final crash and the insurance company declared it a total (wreck) as the cost of repairs exceeded its value. Meanwhile after 12 years and 200,000 miles, my Jeep has seen better days. Yet I remain strongly attached to it and intend to keep it when I eventually get another car. But I need a job, not only to earn money for the big buy but also pay for my current car’s maintenance and repairs.
This week I spent over $1500 on my Jeep. Initially I needed new tires. With wheel alignment and an oil & filter change, the cost was $425. I also had a random but frequent noise from the back of my car. The diagnosis was a worn-out rear differential. Even worse, it’s an uncommon repair so the part was expensive – some $850 and another $250 for labor. My bank account is bleeding. I need a job now.
I also need to escape from reality – and the heat – occasionally. The movie Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince opened this week. I have yet to read beyond the initial Sorcerer’s Stone but felt that major details in book 6 were cut from the 2-1/2 hour movie. Still it was a great blend of action, comedy and romance in an air-conditioned theatre.
With a friend I watched the movie on Friday in La Canada Flintridge then headed to downtown Pasadena afterwards. At One Colorado Courtyard I saw my second but unplanned movie of the day – a free screening of “Singin’ in the Rain”. While real rain would have been welcomed, I enjoyed watching the film classic in the cooler evening air.
A final salvo was a return to the OC Fair on Sunday. A friend and his son were going with their neighbors and I was invited to join. The neighbor’s relative worked in the fair’s carnival and got us free admission plus an unlimited rides pass. SWEET! Perhaps because of the recession, crowds were light and lines were short. SWEET again!
Apparently my invitation came with a caveat. I went with the kids on any ride needing an adult but their parents did not go on. I get motion sickness very easily. The worst was a covered, backward-spinning ride. I never caught its name but enough said about that. Second worst was a flying version of Disney’s Spinning Teacups. NOT sweet.
I much preferred the bumper cars (did that twice) and the water ride (three times). Another favorite is the chair lift over and across the fairgrounds. This week’s photo shows my friend, his son and the neighbors in the seats in front of me and the carnival before us. It’s quite similar to my very first weekly photo. Ah, the memories!
Angelo
