Green Flag

It was time for an oil change on my 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 pickup truck. So I took it to the Goodyear service center that I always go to because it is near my house. I even had a coupon so I could save a few bucks. But when the tech came out to get the mileage and such on my truck he pointed out that I needed new tires. Then we went back inside and he priced them out. It was going to be over $1000.00! I told him I would skip them today (I wanted to shop around for a better price) and jokingly said that maybe it was time to trade in the Dodge for a fancy new 2009 Ford F150.

About a half an hour later, they called me from the shop and read off a laundry list of things that needed to be done to my Dodge. I guess that’s what actually did push me over the edge. I told them just to do the oil change and skip everything else.

So the next morning I drove to the Ford dealership. These guys were pretty excited about the idea of selling me a brand new Ford F150 FX4. They gave me top dollar for my trade, hooked me up with $5,000.00 in rebates and even came off the sticker price quite a bit (after bickering back and forth for a couple of hours). And now I don’t need new tires or costly repairs!

This past Sunday I met a few friends at a local hangout to make some final plans for a camping trip that we do every year. We decided to meet up at a sports bar that we all hang out at on a fairly regular basis. I figured since it is both basketball and hockey playoff time we could even catch a good game while we were there. But they had something else on the TVs at the bar.

No before I go where I’m going with this, I have to point out that I like auto racing. For one thing, Danica Patrick is hot! And the wrecks are always fun to watch. I have even been to an Indi series race and I had a blast. It’s amazing how fast the cars are plus you’re hanging out with a bunch of other people drinking beer while waiting to see a car wreck!

So the sports bar had the NASCAR race on. But they also had it cranked up on the overhead PA speaker system. Well I can tolerate and even enjoy a NASCAR race, but I had never paid attention to the commentary. The problem I had was the thick hillbilly accent that every single announcer had. These guys sounded like uneducated idiots.

Standard cars and trucks are required to have everything you need in case of a flat tire. Typically this of course contains a spare tire. Often it is just a “Mickey Mouse” tire, but in a pinch it will get you to where you can get a more roadworthy tire to replace your flat though. The typical vehicle also comes with a jack and of course a lug nut wrench so you can get the flat tire off and the new one on.

But is this enough if you find yourself in a bind? We never get to choose where that flat tire may occur. And often times the spot where we find ourselves changing these flat tires can put us in harms way. That is why you should add a few more items to bring along with you in your vehicle.

Road flares are something that could be the difference between someone seeing you or not. This is very helpful if you are trying to change a tire in a blind or obstructed corner. Another good safety item is an OSHA approved safety reflective vest. If you are on the side of a busy freeway, you totally want to be seen, right? Cars and trucks just come with the bare minimum to get you by. Add a couple of extra items and you will be much safer.

Have you ever been in one of those situations where you owe someone a favor, but you just don’t want to deliver on it? Well that is totally the situation that I am in right now. A few years ago I was going through a messy divorce. I needed someplace to store my jet skis. My brother offered to let me leave them in his garage. That was pretty nice of him!

So now my brother is going through a divorce. It’s not a very nasty one; he just got caught doing something he shouldn’t have been doing. Anyway, his hobby is auto racing and he has a Camaro that doesn’t really look like a Camaro anymore. It has been hopped up and modified for the dirt track. He asked me if he could store it in my garage.

First of all, I know that it won’t just be stored in my garage. I know he will want to bring all of his air tools and stuff so he can work on it in my garage. And I have seen his garage floor. I don’t want my garage floor to look like his does! This is my house, not an automotive repair shop. But he’s my brother, and he would do the same for me so I guess I need to let him.

Football is the great American pastime and while I enjoy watching football, I love going to see football games live. The energy of the crowd and the excitement of the arena aren’t real until you are sitting on the bleachers watching your favorite team, listening to the roar of the crowd. While my husband favors watching football from the comfort of our living room couch, I like to take in the whole experience. Traveling to Foxborough, Massachusetts, I wait for my favorite team, the New England Patriots, to kick off as I tailgate with my husband and our friends.

I’ve always been a fan of the New England Patriots but now that Tom Brady is the quarterback, I am even more interested in following the team. While my crush on Tom solidified my love of the Patriots, I also enjoy the time with my family and friends as we cheer the New England Patriots on to victory. We’ve made a family tradition of traveling to Foxborough the night before a big game, spending the night in a local hotel, waking up early to catch a big breakfast and get to Gillette Stadium early to set up our tailgating spot. We barbeque hotdogs and chat with friends. The kids run around with their friends and the men start playing a game of touch football. Just thinking about the fun we have makes me ready for some football right now.