working out for Disney

[HouCuseChickie]

Car shopping is the worst. They make it such a hassle and I don't like playing games. We are not SUV people but glad I did not have to look for one of those, as the choices seem kinda overwhelming.
We wound up selling the Camry and getting a Toyota Avalon Limited. Probably the best car we have ever had, though some of the features seem a bit overwhelming.
My wife loves the heated seats. It has air-conditioned seats too, but have not tried them yet. Some of the built-in navigation and apps we will probably never use, but some of the features are nice. One thing it has that cracks me up is a control for "mood lighting." It basically adjusts the level of brightness and color of some built in lights around the door panels, cup holders etc... a feature I find mostly useless.
Besides, I only have one mood, grumpy, and I don't need a control **** for that. Don't know why k n o b is censored.
Not sure how we feel about the sun roof/moon roof, whatever it is called. We had one before and rarely used it in an older Avalon before the Camry. Might use it some in the summer, who knows?
I do like the key fob and push button start. It is nice to never need to get your keys out of your pocket to open the door or trunk. Not that it was ever too much effort before, but being able to just walk up and open the door or trunk without a key in hand is nice.
The leather multi position seats and heat and ac controls for both front and rear passengers is nice too, and the sound system is amazing.
Still, more technology than we are used to, like lane control and blind spot monitoring, but might learn to get used it. So far the built in navigation does not get used much as we still tend to use our old plug-in Garmin Nuvi. Creatures of habit I guess.

One of the vehicles under consideration would probably involve very little haggling. The Kia Telluride is so popular that its average time on the lot before being sold is between 4-7 days. They have no incentive to drop the price. The only haggle point would be my trade in and possibly dealer add on's. Still, it's just such an awful process no matter where and what you buy. Even if I love the Kia, I still plan to walk off the lot and go test drive at least one other vehicle up the road. Heck, I may even pull the girly card and say I like it, but I want a different color. And I still will probably walk from dealer #2 because the third vehicle still really interests me a lot...4th is more of a plan D.

I haven't owned a car since Nov 2001. That was the year I bought my Durango (original truck based body style) and boy did I love that thing...although it was a major gas guzzler, became pretty unreliable sooner than expected and was a money pit for repairs. I prefer truck based SUVs, but the options are so limited at the moment. I refuse to own another Jeep (my only Jeep was a nightmare). Lexus has a mid sized based on the 4Runner, but while it's nice for some ...I don't see the need for luxury vehicles. I want to like the 4Runner, but I've driven its pickup counterpart and I just don't like the cabin feel. I also really want to stay out of the large SUV sector. My husband drives an F-150, so it gives me a pretty good idea of what it would be like to drive the Expedition, and it's just too much. I've been in the Armada and aside from that thing being a gas hog, it's also too huge. I like them, but I feel like everyone and their mother has a Tahoe and the Chevy products in this line seem to have higher theft risks (which drives up insurance). So, I'm left with car based crossover SUVs. I need decent cargo for road trips and sports weekends, comfort/tech/convenience for my long commute, and 3 rows for family visiting and potential carpooling needs. I've narrowed it down to the Telluride, the Hyundai Palisade, the VW Atlas, and the Subaru Ascent. There are pros and cons to each one.

I believe two of the vehicles I'm considering have seat coolers as an option. I have leather heated ones with all kinds of electronic adjustment settings in my current vehicle and I do enjoy them quite a bit, but the coolers would be even better. Some of the ones on the list also have this for the 2nd row seats too...which I know the kids would appreciate. My current vehicle has a sun/moon roof. I never had one before and thought it would be neat, but I never use it. I have no need for the special lighting, but I remember a woman showing this off in a Ford Flex she bought a while back. It just seemed silly to me. My current vehicle has keyless start and entry and I LOVE those things. I never take my keys out unless I have to unlock the house. I know I won't really use built in navigation...also creature of habit, but having AppleCarPlay and better Bluetooth capabilities would be nice. We shall see. I may even drive out tomorrow night to get started on this so I have a little more time on Saturday.

 

[epcotisbest]

One of the vehicles under consideration would probably involve very little haggling. The Kia Telluride is so popular that its average time on the lot before being sold is between 4-7 days. They have no incentive to drop the price. The only haggle point would be my trade in and possibly dealer add on's. Still, it's just such an awful process no matter where and what you buy. Even if I love the Kia, I still plan to walk off the lot and go test drive at least one other vehicle up the road. Heck, I may even pull the girly card and say I like it, but I want a different color. And I still will probably walk from dealer #2 because the third vehicle still really interests me a lot...4th is more of a plan D.

I haven't owned a car since Nov 2001. That was the year I bought my Durango (original truck based body style) and boy did I love that thing...although it was a major gas guzzler, became pretty unreliable sooner than expected and was a money pit for repairs. I prefer truck based SUVs, but the options are so limited at the moment. I refuse to own another Jeep (my only Jeep was a nightmare). Lexus has a mid sized based on the 4Runner, but while it's nice for some ...I don't see the need for luxury vehicles. I want to like the 4Runner, but I've driven its pickup counterpart and I just don't like the cabin feel. I also really want to stay out of the large SUV sector. My husband drives an F-150, so it gives me a pretty good idea of what it would be like to drive the Expedition, and it's just too much. I've been in the Armada and aside from that thing being a gas hog, it's also too huge. I like them, but I feel like everyone and their mother has a Tahoe and the Chevy products in this line seem to have higher theft risks (which drives up insurance). So, I'm left with car based crossover SUVs. I need decent cargo for road trips and sports weekends, comfort/tech/convenience for my long commute, and 3 rows for family visiting and potential carpooling needs. I've narrowed it down to the Telluride, the Hyundai Palisade, the VW Atlas, and the Subaru Ascent. There are pros and cons to each one.

I believe two of the vehicles I'm considering have seat coolers as an option. I have leather heated ones with all kinds of electronic adjustment settings in my current vehicle and I do enjoy them quite a bit, but the coolers would be even better. Some of the ones on the list also have this for the 2nd row seats too...which I know the kids would appreciate. My current vehicle has a sun/moon roof. I never had one before and thought it would be neat, but I never use it. I have no need for the special lighting, but I remember a woman showing this off in a Ford Flex she bought a while back. It just seemed silly to me. My current vehicle has keyless start and entry and I LOVE those things. I never take my keys out unless I have to unlock the house. I know I won't really use built in navigation...also creature of habit, but having AppleCarPlay and better Bluetooth capabilities would be nice. We shall see. I may even drive out tomorrow night to get started on this so I have a little more time on Saturday.

Good luck with your car shopping. I drive a Chevy truck and like it just fine, but for cars, we have only had Toyotas (for regular drivers, have had some sports cars and a collector truck that were not regularly driven) since 2003 when we got our first Avalon. Then we had a Camry and are now back to an Avalon.
They have been rock solid reliable and served us for many, many miles. The only reason we got the Avalon recently was because my wife drives a lot and the mileage was getting high on the Camry, and I'm kinda silly but since she drives all over the state, I prefer she has something with lower mileage rather than having to worry if something might finally wear out on the older car.
We have never done anything more than routine maintenance on any of the Toyotas, which is one of the main reasons why we like them so much I suppose.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Good luck with your car shopping. I drive a Chevy truck and like it just fine, but for cars, we have only had Toyotas (for regular drivers, have had some sports cars and a collector truck that were not regularly driven) since 2003 when we got our first Avalon. Then we had a Camry and are now back to an Avalon.
They have been rock solid reliable and served us for many, many miles. The only reason we got the Avalon recently was because my wife drives a lot and the mileage was getting high on the Camry, and I'm kinda silly but since she drives all over the state, I prefer she has something with lower mileage rather than having to worry if something might finally wear out on the older car.
We have never done anything more than routine maintenance on any of the Toyotas, which is one of the main reasons why we like them so much I suppose.

My mom is a big Toyota fan. Her old Camry had well over 200K miles when she finally agreed to give it up and inherit my dad's old 4Runner. I think it wasn't until they were over 150K in mileage did things really start breaking down on the Camry. The vast majority of their driving is local, so she doesn't need a lot. My dad has a Nissan Titan that they use for longer drives, but he bought it in case they need to tow their boat. It's the same vintage as the truck-based Pathfinder I'm planning to trade in, but not as high in mileage. If I liked the current 4Runner, that would be a done deal, but I just don't. The Sequoia and the Land Cruiser are too big. It's too bad, because I really liked the lines of the original Sequoia, but I remember getting in for a test drive and felt like I was on a bus.

 

[epcotisbest]

My mom is a big Toyota fan. Her old Camry had well over 200K miles when she finally agreed to give it up and inherit my dad's old 4Runner. I think it wasn't until they were over 150K in mileage did things really start breaking down on the Camry. The vast majority of their driving is local, so she doesn't need a lot. My dad has a Nissan Titan that they use for longer drives, but he bought it in case they need to tow their boat. It's the same vintage as the truck-based Pathfinder I'm planning to trade in, but not as high in mileage. If I liked the current 4Runner, that would be a done deal, but I just don't. The Sequoia and the Land Cruiser are too big. It's too bad, because I really liked the lines of the original Sequoia, but I remember getting in for a test drive and felt like I was on a bus.

My FIL has a fairly new Toyota Highlander Limited and I have driven it on a couple of fairly long trips. If we had any need for an SUV, it would be the Highlander without hesitation. Plenty powerful, comfortable, quiet, almost luxurious, rides much better than friend's 4Runner and it is a fairly sharp looking vehicle. I did notice the third row seating looked kinda cramped though. Yeah, Sequoia and Land Cruiser too big and way too expensive.

 

[epcotisbest]

@HouCuseChickie I wanted to mention something else. A little while back I saw a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon in a parking lot and thought it was fairly sharp. I decided to go down to the local dealership and look at one. Last thing I need is another truck.
I told the person who greeted me what I wanted to see and we went right over to a group of Gladiator Rubicons in several different colors. An orange one really stood out but it was a bit too flashy for me. Anyway, we looked closer at a white one with red and black trim. The interior was a nice design, a little busy and tight for my tastes but then I got out and started looking around at it, I was thinking it was a bit flimsy looking and basically a Jeep Wrangler with a bed in the back and made my way over to the window sticker.
I laughed out loud when I saw the list price...$59,000+ with lots of options. Frankly I would not have traded my old, trusty Silverado even trade for it.
I did not even test drive it. No need.
The salesman said they were selling a lot of them. I think I offended him when I told him that must be because of a lot of uneducated buyers who were only going for looks and not utility or practicality.
Guess I am getting more frugal with the old age, which is not such a bad thing. Especially right now.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

My FIL has a fairly new Toyota Highlander Limited and I have driven it on a couple of fairly long trips. If we had any need for an SUV, it would be the Highlander without hesitation. Plenty powerful, comfortable, quiet, almost luxurious, rides much better than friend's 4Runner and it is a fairly sharp looking vehicle. I did notice the third row seating looked kinda cramped though. Yeah, Sequoia and Land Cruiser too big and way too expensive.

Yeah, I've been in the Highlander and while it's nice, the third row and cargo capacity just aren't what you find in the slightly larger mid-size competitors.

@HouCuseChickie I wanted to mention something else. A little while back I saw a Jeep Gladiator Rubicon in a parking lot and thought it was fairly sharp. I decided to go down to the local dealership and look at one. Last thing I need is another truck.
I told the person who greeted me what I wanted to see and we went right over to a group of Gladiator Rubicons in several different colors. An orange one really stood out but it was a bit too flashy for me. Anyway, we looked closer at a white one with red and black trim. The interior was a nice design, a little busy and tight for my tastes but then I got out and started looking around at it, I was thinking it was a bit flimsy looking and basically a Jeep Wrangler with a bed in the back and made my way over to the window sticker.
I laughed out loud when I saw the list price...$59,000+ with lots of options. Frankly I would not have traded my old, trusty Silverado even trade for it.
I did not even test drive it. No need.
The salesman said they were selling a lot of them. I think I offended him when I told him that must be because of a lot of uneducated buyers who were only going for looks and not utility or practicality.
Guess I am getting more frugal with the old age, which is not such a bad thing. Especially right now.

I LOVE that Gladiator. I've seen a few locally with sale stickers in the mid to upper 30s, but they do go up into the upper 50s/low 60s. I just cannot buy another Jeep product. I've had one Jeep and it had all kinds of dangerous issues that the dealer mechanic could never figure out. One caused an accident and the other would have been an accident had I been in traffic when it happened. I have a friend who recently got Jeep to agree to take hers back because it was such a piece of junk.

As for the options, Jeep has learned that "stuff" is their $ maker. The Jeep itself is a rugged vehicle that can be considered practical for some buyers, but so many want to make theirs unique and Jeep seized the opportunity to cash in. Supposedly, Ford is planning the same approach for the new Bronco. Not that frugal is a bad thing, but I think you're just using some common sense. There are some pricey options that would look cool that I'd love on a more rugged vehicle, but do I really need them? Nope. The Silverado is also a better vehicle IMO, so I can't blame you on that front either.

Now to decide if I want to vehicle shop or not. I feel like I really need to from a vehicle reliability and age/mileage value standpoint, but the financial markets have me spooked. Traffic "shouldn't" be bad if I'm required to go in to the office Mon & Tues since so much is canceled, so my overheat risk over the next week is low. I may also get a better deal, even just waiting until next weekend, if people are too spooked to shop this weekend. Decisions.

 

[epcotisbest]

I LOVE that Gladiator. I've seen a few locally with sale stickers in the mid to upper 30s, but they do go up into the upper 50s/low 60s. I just cannot buy another Jeep product. I've had one Jeep and it had all kinds of dangerous issues that the dealer mechanic could never figure out. One caused an accident and the other would have been an accident had I been in traffic when it happened. I have a friend who recently got Jeep to agree to take hers back because it was such a piece of junk.

As for the options, Jeep has learned that "stuff" is their $ maker. The Jeep itself is a rugged vehicle that can be considered practical for some buyers, but so many want to make theirs unique and Jeep seized the opportunity to cash in. Supposedly, Ford is planning the same approach for the new Bronco. Not that frugal is a bad thing, but I think you're just using some common sense. There are some pricey options that would look cool that I'd love on a more rugged vehicle, but do I really need them? Nope. The Silverado is also a better vehicle IMO, so I can't blame you on that front either.

Now to decide if I want to vehicle shop or not. I feel like I really need to from a vehicle reliability and age/mileage value standpoint, but the financial markets have me spooked. Traffic "shouldn't" be bad if I'm required to go in to the office Mon & Tues since so much is canceled, so my overheat risk over the next week is low. I may also get a better deal, even just waiting until next weekend, if people are too spooked to shop this weekend. Decisions.

The Gladiator is sharp looking, but up close it did not impress me at all. To be fair, I only looked at the optioned out Rubicon, which is top of the line, and did not look at any others that would have probably been priced more reasonably. I guess the $59K just kinda shocked me.

 

[epcotisbest]

Not knowing much about SUVs and having never shopped for one, I was a bit curious about the KIA you mentioned and have been looking at the KIA website and reading some reviews.
That Telluride looks dang nice, plenty roomy too. Interior looks especially nice in the photos. Might be a good choice, and the price seems competitive. Plus, you don't get to be Motortrend SUV of the Year unless you have built a capable vehicle. Great warranty to back it up as well. I'm still a Toyota guy, but if I needed a bigger SUV than the Highlander, that would be one to consider.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Not knowing much about SUVs and having never shopped for one, I was a bit curious about the KIA you mentioned and have been looking at the KIA website and reading some reviews.
That Telluride looks dang nice, plenty roomy too. Interior looks especially nice in the photos. Might be a good choice, and the price seems competitive. Plus, you don't get to be Motortrend SUV of the Year unless you have built a capable vehicle. Great warranty to back it up as well. I'm still a Toyota guy, but if I needed a bigger SUV than the Highlander, that would be one to consider.

KIA has nicknamed it the "SellURide" because they can't keep them on the lots. I know several people who have tested them and said they are really nice. The Hyundai I plan to look at is its brother. The vehicles share the same underpinnings and powertrain. While the Hyundai starts out cheaper, more people seem to like Kia's stylings and the Kia seems to include more at lower trim levels than the Hyundai. I'm really torn if I don't like these vehicles based on ride. Two of my friends also reminded me of how much more they spent for repairs on their old VWs and how it was one of the biggest downsides of owning those, so the Atlas is seeming less appealing.

If I find I miss the truck frame ride (or freak out about unibody vs. body on frame), I'm going to have to decide between the 4Runner, Tahoe, and Expedition. Sadly, the third row is optional in the 4Runner and to get one with it, I'll start crossing into that territory where a Tahoe or Expedition with everything I want/need will cost less than that 4Runner.

Hopefully, I'll be able to post on Saturday that I'm the happy new owner of something I really like...whatever that may be.

 

[epcotisbest]

KIA has nicknamed it the "SellURide" because they can't keep them on the lots. I know several people who have tested them and said they are really nice. The Hyundai I plan to look at is its brother. The vehicles share the same underpinnings and powertrain. While the Hyundai starts out cheaper, more people seem to like Kia's stylings and the Kia seems to include more at lower trim levels than the Hyundai. I'm really torn if I don't like these vehicles based on ride. Two of my friends also reminded me of how much more they spent for repairs on their old VWs and how it was one of the biggest downsides of owning those, so the Atlas is seeming less appealing.

If I find I miss the truck frame ride (or freak out about unibody vs. body on frame), I'm going to have to decide between the 4Runner, Tahoe, and Expedition. Sadly, the third row is optional in the 4Runner and to get one with it, I'll start crossing into that territory where a Tahoe or Expedition with everything I want/need will cost less than that 4Runner.

Hopefully, I'll be able to post on Saturday that I'm the happy new owner of something I really like...whatever that may be.

Good luck. Hope you find just the right vehicle for you and your active family.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Car shopping is the worst. They make it such a hassle and I don't like playing games. We are not SUV people but glad I did not have to look for one of those, as the choices seem kinda overwhelming.

Funny I think that SUV shopping should be easier. Go for the best price, they all are basically mechanically the same, and absolutely look exactly the same. No variety almost no colors other then white, black or some shade of gray.

I remember when I was young every September we used to go to the car dealerships and just look at the new model for their design and that "new car smell". You could identify a brand from 1000 ft. away, now you have to read the name to know what make things are. Progress isn't always better, but it saves the manufacturers a lot of money on retooling.

 

[Sans Souci]

Hello-

I've been kind of busy. I've been feeling kind of low emotionally, so I just took myself offline for a bit. I have been doing an hour of yoga in the AM and going out for walks when weather permits.

Then my husband got shingles, so I've been busy helping him out. It was kind of crazy. He started out feeling really wiped out. Then he had a pain in his side, so he called the BCBS nurse, who said it sounded like appendicitis. So, the following day, he went to his doctor, who couldn't feel any swelling or guarding. But, he wanted a U/S, which turned out be inconclusive. Then the doc wanted a CT scan, but he couldn't get in until the 24th of this month. Finally, he went to the ER, because he was in a lot of pain. In the meantime, he was using a heating pad and he kept telling me he thought he'd burned himself with it, because his side felt prickly. The ER doc took one look at this "burn" and told him it was shingles. I am making sure when I am old enough to get the Shingrix vaccine, because this was awful. The doctor prescribed OxyContin, but he didn't want to touch it. So, he was just on Advil for pain. He was up all night taking bath after bath to help take some of the edge off of the pain. He seems better this week, but he is out running errands and I keep asking him if that's a good idea right now. I'm not sure his immune system is 100% just yet.

It was kind of funny, yesterday, it was in the 70s and sunny here, so a lot of people were out walking. I lost count of how many people saw me walking on the same side of the street as they were and crossed to the other side. I understand, but it's something I'd never seen before.

Oh, I reapplied to Delta and got an invite to do a video interview a few weeks ago. I ended up passing on it. I was kind of depressed and I felt like I couldn't fake happiness/perkiness, so I ended up declining. I feel kind of vindicated, because they are slashing flights. Even if I had been invited to Atlanta for a face to face, it likely would have been canceled. TBH, I wouldn't feel comfortable working flights right now.

Anyway, I going to get caught up on old posts here.

Take care.

 

[epcotisbest]

Hello-

I've been kind of busy. I've been feeling kind of low emotionally, so I just took myself offline for a bit. I have been doing an hour of yoga in the AM and going out for walks when weather permits.

Then my husband got shingles, so I've been busy helping him out. It was kind of crazy. He started out feeling really wiped out. Then he had a pain in his side, so he called the BCBS nurse, who said it sounded like appendicitis. So, the following day, he went to his doctor, who couldn't feel any swelling or guarding. But, he wanted a U/S, which turned out be inconclusive. Then the doc wanted a CT scan, but he couldn't get in until the 24th of this month. Finally, he went to the ER, because he was in a lot of pain. In the meantime, he was using a heating pad and he kept telling me he thought he'd burned himself with it, because his side felt prickly. The ER doc took one look at this "burn" and told him it was shingles. I am making sure when I am old enough to get the Shingrix vaccine, because this was awful. The doctor prescribed OxyContin, but he didn't want to touch it. So, he was just on Advil for pain. He was up all night taking bath after bath to help take some of the edge off of the pain. He seems better this week, but he is out running errands and I keep asking him if that's a good idea right now. I'm not sure his immune system is 100% just yet.

It was kind of funny, yesterday, it was in the 70s and sunny here, so a lot of people were out walking. I lost count of how many people saw me walking on the same side of the street as they were and crossed to the other side. I understand, but it's something I'd never seen before.

Oh, I reapplied to Delta and got an invite to do a video interview a few weeks ago. I ended up passing on it. I was kind of depressed and I felt like I couldn't fake happiness/perkiness, so I ended up declining. I feel kind of vindicated, because they are slashing flights. Even if I had been invited to Atlanta for a face to face, it likely would have been canceled. TBH, I wouldn't feel comfortable working flights right now.

Anyway, I going to get caught up on old posts here.

Take care.

Welcome back. Your input here has certainly been missed.

 

[MinnieM123]

Hello-

I've been kind of busy. I've been feeling kind of low emotionally, so I just took myself offline for a bit. I have been doing an hour of yoga in the AM and going out for walks when weather permits.

Then my husband got shingles, so I've been busy helping him out. It was kind of crazy. He started out feeling really wiped out. Then he had a pain in his side, so he called the BCBS nurse, who said it sounded like appendicitis. So, the following day, he went to his doctor, who couldn't feel any swelling or guarding. But, he wanted a U/S, which turned out be inconclusive. Then the doc wanted a CT scan, but he couldn't get in until the 24th of this month. Finally, he went to the ER, because he was in a lot of pain. In the meantime, he was using a heating pad and he kept telling me he thought he'd burned himself with it, because his side felt prickly. The ER doc took one look at this "burn" and told him it was shingles. I am making sure when I am old enough to get the Shingrix vaccine, because this was awful. The doctor prescribed OxyContin, but he didn't want to touch it. So, he was just on Advil for pain. He was up all night taking bath after bath to help take some of the edge off of the pain. He seems better this week, but he is out running errands and I keep asking him if that's a good idea right now. I'm not sure his immune system is 100% just yet.

It was kind of funny, yesterday, it was in the 70s and sunny here, so a lot of people were out walking. I lost count of how many people saw me walking on the same side of the street as they were and crossed to the other side. I understand, but it's something I'd never seen before.

Oh, I reapplied to Delta and got an invite to do a video interview a few weeks ago. I ended up passing on it. I was kind of depressed and I felt like I couldn't fake happiness/perkiness, so I ended up declining. I feel kind of vindicated, because they are slashing flights. Even if I had been invited to Atlanta for a face to face, it likely would have been canceled. TBH, I wouldn't feel comfortable working flights right now.

Anyway, I going to get caught up on old posts here.

Take care.

Welcome back. Sorry to hear about your husband's medical issue. Hope he will feel better very soon.

As for the flight attendant video interview, I understand your decision not to participate at this time.

 

[Songbird76]

Hello-

I've been kind of busy. I've been feeling kind of low emotionally, so I just took myself offline for a bit. I have been doing an hour of yoga in the AM and going out for walks when weather permits.

Then my husband got shingles, so I've been busy helping him out. It was kind of crazy. He started out feeling really wiped out. Then he had a pain in his side, so he called the BCBS nurse, who said it sounded like appendicitis. So, the following day, he went to his doctor, who couldn't feel any swelling or guarding. But, he wanted a U/S, which turned out be inconclusive. Then the doc wanted a CT scan, but he couldn't get in until the 24th of this month. Finally, he went to the ER, because he was in a lot of pain. In the meantime, he was using a heating pad and he kept telling me he thought he'd burned himself with it, because his side felt prickly. The ER doc took one look at this "burn" and told him it was shingles. I am making sure when I am old enough to get the Shingrix vaccine, because this was awful. The doctor prescribed OxyContin, but he didn't want to touch it. So, he was just on Advil for pain. He was up all night taking bath after bath to help take some of the edge off of the pain. He seems better this week, but he is out running errands and I keep asking him if that's a good idea right now. I'm not sure his immune system is 100% just yet.

It was kind of funny, yesterday, it was in the 70s and sunny here, so a lot of people were out walking. I lost count of how many people saw me walking on the same side of the street as they were and crossed to the other side. I understand, but it's something I'd never seen before.

Oh, I reapplied to Delta and got an invite to do a video interview a few weeks ago. I ended up passing on it. I was kind of depressed and I felt like I couldn't fake happiness/perkiness, so I ended up declining. I feel kind of vindicated, because they are slashing flights. Even if I had been invited to Atlanta for a face to face, it likely would have been canceled. TBH, I wouldn't feel comfortable working flights right now.

Anyway, I going to get caught up on old posts here.

Take care.

Ugh....shingles suck!! I had that one time, though a much more mild case. I hope he's feeling better.

Glad you got the video invite, but I totally feel you on passing. I was actually JUST thinking about you last night and wondering what was going on because I couldn't imagine they are hiring more people right now with so many travel restrictions and flights not going. I was thinking you might be kind of glad not to be a FA right now.

Nice to see you back!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Hello-

I've been kind of busy. I've been feeling kind of low emotionally, so I just took myself offline for a bit. I have been doing an hour of yoga in the AM and going out for walks when weather permits.

Then my husband got shingles, so I've been busy helping him out. It was kind of crazy. He started out feeling really wiped out. Then he had a pain in his side, so he called the BCBS nurse, who said it sounded like appendicitis. So, the following day, he went to his doctor, who couldn't feel any swelling or guarding. But, he wanted a U/S, which turned out be inconclusive. Then the doc wanted a CT scan, but he couldn't get in until the 24th of this month. Finally, he went to the ER, because he was in a lot of pain. In the meantime, he was using a heating pad and he kept telling me he thought he'd burned himself with it, because his side felt prickly. The ER doc took one look at this "burn" and told him it was shingles. I am making sure when I am old enough to get the Shingrix vaccine, because this was awful. The doctor prescribed OxyContin, but he didn't want to touch it. So, he was just on Advil for pain. He was up all night taking bath after bath to help take some of the edge off of the pain. He seems better this week, but he is out running errands and I keep asking him if that's a good idea right now. I'm not sure his immune system is 100% just yet.

It was kind of funny, yesterday, it was in the 70s and sunny here, so a lot of people were out walking. I lost count of how many people saw me walking on the same side of the street as they were and crossed to the other side. I understand, but it's something I'd never seen before.

Oh, I reapplied to Delta and got an invite to do a video interview a few weeks ago. I ended up passing on it. I was kind of depressed and I felt like I couldn't fake happiness/perkiness, so I ended up declining. I feel kind of vindicated, because they are slashing flights. Even if I had been invited to Atlanta for a face to face, it likely would have been canceled. TBH, I wouldn't feel comfortable working flights right now.

Anyway, I going to get caught up on old posts here.

Take care.

I'm so sorry about things with your husband. I have a friend who seems to be prone to shingles and she's always so miserable when it surfaces. I'm glad he's better this week. He sounds like he's at the phase when we usually see my friend at work. Still no fun and it's scary to have anything impacting your immune system right now.

I haven't been out running in a bit b/c of the pollen, but I imagine people are a bit wary of coming across others while on the trails. I haven't heard of crossing to avoid contact like this, but it also doesn't shock me. It just feels so bizarre to be avoiding such normal passing and interaction. I saw an old friend at the market the other day and we awkwardly stood there when we'd normally hug. She says she's not one to panic, but with her age, she's at greater risk than me. I'd hate to find out she's sick and later find out I was infected...like did I make her sick? Just such bizarre times. On the flip side, I have other friends who feel that social distancing should be quarantine and feel that we all should be tucked away inside our homes 24/7. I want to argue that getting out and moving around and trying to do some normal stuff with better human distance adds some sanity, which can also boost your health. Still, I know it's so tense, that everyone is in their own mental place with this...struggling with varying degrees of this as well as the uncertainties.

Yes, it's definitely not the best time to be looking at things involving the airlines. I have an old school friend that works for Delta and I worry about the future with his job. I suspect he's in a decent position, but his role seems to take him to Asia quite a bit, so I don't know how he'll be impacted. The other day, a different friend suggested I look into one way air to Atlanta to visit him and buy a car there...since auto prices are cheaper there. I wasn't sure whether to rejoice or cry out of fear when I found a one way ticket for $27. I didn't take him up on it, but the price says a lot about what's going on in that industry right now. Unfortunately, a lot of industries will be hard hit from all of this.

Hope you're doing well

 

[HouCuseChickie]

No working out today, but I have been pretty good the last few days. I've been back to normal biking distance minimums. lifting while I bike, and I finally added back in some kettle bell sets. It's bizarre, but I feel better and more fit without the running. I miss it, but my sinuses have been such a mess that I can't do anything out there until we're past pollen season. As it is, my sinus and allergy meds weren't enough to handle the pollen today.

While today was not a workout day, today was car shopping day! We were out the door before 9am and didn't get home until after 3pm. We went to a Kia dealership that had no Tellurides, and Hyundai dealership with an odd sales guy where I didn't like the vehicles or his methods, and a mega dealership that sold both as well as the VW Atlas. NOBODY had any Tellruides for sale, but I did get to sit in one that was already claimed by another buyer. At the end of the day, I came home with an Atlas. I hated the Hyundai, so that was a big no. I liked the Kia, but I learned that Kia is cashing in on the popularity and sending higher trims with add ons to milk more out of "must have" buyers. I wasn't impressed enough to spend for the highest level trims. The VW, on the other hand, seemed like the right choice. They still had 2019s on the lot, which had been discounted quite a bit...the 2019s have a better warranty than the 2020s...and it just felt right when I drove it. I haven't taken any interior pics, but this is my goofball 13yr old with it...

 

[Sans Souci]

Welcome back. Your input here has certainly been missed.

Thanks. I'm looking forward to seeing your food photos again.

 

[Sans Souci]

Welcome back. Sorry to hear about your husband's medical issue. Hope he will feel better very soon.

As for the flight attendant video interview, I understand your decision not to participate at this time.

Thank you. He is crazy stubborn. He was "working from home" while he was ill. I don't know how he did it, but I think it might have distracted him from the pain somewhat. The night time was when he was most miserable, I'm guessing because there were was nothing to distract him.

 

[Sans Souci]

Ugh....shingles suck!! I had that one time, though a much more mild case. I hope he's feeling better.

Glad you got the video invite, but I totally feel you on passing. I was actually JUST thinking about you last night and wondering what was going on because I couldn't imagine they are hiring more people right now with so many travel restrictions and flights not going. I was thinking you might be kind of glad not to be a FA right now.

Nice to see you back!

Thanks. I think his case might have been mild? He was working from home. I don't know.

If I had been hired a year ago, even, I think I might have been laid off right now. So, maybe not being hired was a blessing in disguise. My friend who works for Frontier is really concerned right now. She's been off for two weeks, but she returns to work this week.