A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

Had the tires rotated and checked by our friendly, local tire place yesterday, then dropped the Interstate off at Peterbilt for a good look-see before leaving later this week to meet our Canada friends in Indiana.

Not due for an oil change, but let them know there was a lot of camping in sand this past winter , so they will be sure to check and replace filters if needed.....I remember once them telling us a filter was full of sand ....that would be the air filter???

I always feel better when it has been road-checked by the pros. Avoiding issues is best, especially for those of us not mechanically inclined.

I sweet-talked a friend at Alumalina....thank you, Greg....into checking tire pressure and topping off my tires before I headed home. Men carry those compressor things. They looked a bit low, and were.

I have a tire guage.....but don't want to use it or fill my own tires. Greg told me any tire place will do this for me, so I will avail myself of one of those periodically when on the road. I'm sure it wouldn't cost much, and is better for mileage and the tires in general, I think.

I have bad knees, and can't squat down on my heels like Doug did....on the ground, on branches in trees for trimming purposes....I have a picture of him squatting on a tree branch, high off the ground, just a few years ago.

Getting down and up four times to check and fill tires is just something I have decided I don't want to do. I could....I don't want to.

I get down on a kneeling pad and empty the tanks. I don't have to do it all, right?

Man-stuff, IMO. It's dirty, it's hard for me, and I'm going to leave it to them.

It is ridiculously chilly here, for the third week in April, but no snow predicted.

Morning blankie-with-coffee weather.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

If anyone is going to the Pets & Paws rally in Provincetown, MA....wish it were closer....please find Joseph and Gabrielle from NJ and give them hugs from Maggie, please.



Maggie

[paiceman]

Credit Cards: FYI: If not using suggest RFID Sleeves or wallet or purse. Three times in last year our cards have been "stolen" by people walking by with a scanner. They can read the chip in the new cards from about two or three feet away I've been told. We now know where and by whom, but does not make it any less irritating. We each have RFID sleeves for our two credit cards, drivers licences as these too can be read as well as our wallet passports.

Amazon

My Best

Bud

[Lily&Me]

That's a great idea!

Thank you!



Maggie

[Gearheart]

Maggie, When you go get the tire pressure checked at a tire dealer, get them to fill the tires with nitrogen. It runs cooler, is less prone to leakage, and because there is no oxygen, the rubber on the inside lasts longer. Costs about $10 and well worth the expense.

[Lily&Me]

Thank you!

I'll remember that for next time.



Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I met with the advisor who handles my finances last week, and he again recommended that I do a power of attorney....what my attorney says is a "durable power of attorney", which appoints a designee who can make decisions if I am incapacitated.

My attorney says I need one for property and one for health care.

Doug and I had each other designated to make trades on each others accounts, and my son, as well.....but this authorization becomes null and void when the primary account owner is incapacitated, as Doug was instantly, then for three days before being taken off life support.

I was in a bit of a panic, not knowing what was going to happen, fear of huge medical bills, would he need long term care, to be medically transported home for this, etc., etc.

It all turned out okay, but it was an angst that I could have done without at that point, and which could have been avoided if we had set up power of attorney for each other. I would have emptied my own resources, if necessary, but fortunately that was not necessary.

Going to get this taken care of before daughter is home in June, so she is here to sign documents with her brother.

Just a bit of information for y'all who haven't thought of these things....we hadn't, either.


Maggie

[nsbcpa]

Maggie...another document that's often overlooked is a Power of Attorney for Childcare Purposes.

This can be helpful when grandparents look after a child and they may need to get him/her into a doctor or emergency care.

[Lily&Me]

Hadn't thought about that one....thanks for that suggestion!

That would be especially helpful when traveling with grandchildren.

I recall from my child welfare days, tho, that in an emergency physicians can treat without parental consent.

That would be an emergency, tho, and after reasonable efforts to contact parents had failed, if I remember correctly.

Would be so much simpler if one carried paperwork with this authority.


Maggie

[streaminwild]

Maggie, Glad your keeping up with maintenance on vehicles. Something my dad did which made things a lot easier for me. He had my name on his bank account, savings account, and stock brokerage account. I had no idea until his death. One thing about life insurance, once you miss one payment it's null and void. My dad had a head injury and didn't relay anything about life insurance. Not that it mattered at the time, so focused on getting him well. I'm sure the policy holder laugh all the way to the bank. I canceled my life insurance since then. Now I'm worth more alive than dead. My ex used to say the opposite when holding a knife. Lesson learned.......... don't marry into the Italian mob

[Lily&Me]

I thought about putting both of my children on everything, and talked with Josh about that. He is another of those long term, cherished relationships...part of the fabric of my life...someone Doug and I trusted completely. He has never steered us wrong.

He recommended against it, because......these things would then become part of my children's assets.

If they divorced, spouse would get half. If there was some kind of liability claim, my assets/also theirs would become caught up in that.

Hopefully there will be no divorce and no liability issues, but it was a good point and I'm going to go with the durable powers of attorney. When I talked with my attorney this morning, he said the same thing, as well.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

On another note.....

Had a small spat with Peterbilt this afternoon, as I asked for a road check only and to check/replace the filters if necessary.

They did a full oil and filter change, without my knowledge or authorization, and at only 5,000 miles.

I knew this wasn't due, and told them that when I called to schedule, the computer confirming it all.

After some discussion, first on the phone and then in person, getting nowhere, I asked to speak with the service manager, told him I was willing to absorb some of this but not all, etc., etc......he then took the labor charges off and I was agreeable with that.

Peterbilt has serviced the Interstate since day 1, and we have been very happy with them.

This was done overnight, apparently, an error....but still. I shouldn't have to pay for something I didn't need, didn't ask for and didn't authorize.

We sort of met in the middle, and it is okay.

I need a glass of wine. It has been something of a day of agitation.

Wine is good.


Maggie

[streaminwild]

Maggie, Sorry about the communication problems with Peterbilt. 5k miles is about right for a oil change. Something else to think about . A living will. My dad had a do not resuscitate and no feeding tube in his will. The doctors had the hospital lawyer look at it before honoring it. I had the feeling that there interest and my dads wishes were conflicting for their bottom line. My mother had a massive stroke with no living will. This was complicated with enfisema caused by years of smoking. Not a humane way to go. Jack Kevorkian was on to something. Euthanizing terminally ill patients to avoid pain and suffering. It's a hard subject to address and maybe inappropriate for this site. I have no doubt where most people on this site is heading in the after life.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

If anyone is going to the Pets & Paws rally in Provincetown, MA....wish it were closer....please find Joseph and Gabrielle from NJ and give them hugs from Maggie, please.







Maggie

Will do! PM or email if you like ☺️

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Will do! PM or email if you like ☺️

Thank you.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by streaminwild

Maggie, Sorry about the communication problems with Peterbilt. 5k miles is about right for a oil change. Something else to think about . A living will. My dad had a do not resuscitate and no feeding tube in his will. The doctors had the hospital lawyer look at it before honoring it. I had the feeling that there interest and my dads wishes were conflicting for their bottom line. My mother had a massive stroke with no living will. This was complicated with enfisema caused by years of smoking. Not a humane way to go. Jack Kevorkian was on to something. Euthanizing terminally ill patients to avoid pain and suffering. It's a hard subject to address and maybe inappropriate for this site. I have no doubt where most people on this site is heading in the after life.

They kept telling me today that they recommend oil changes every 5,000 miles, yet past and current stickers were for 6,000 miles. I pulled it off and showed it to them, and I was 1,000 miles shy of their recommendation.

But, the bottom line was that I not only didn't ask for it, I told them I didn't need it yet and they didn't call me...just did it. Not okay.

It was the principle of the thing. My vehicle, my choice, my money,

I'm sure it was an error, they are good folks, it resolved satisfacorily, and I will continue to go to them.

I'm sure they will be more careful in the future.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I have thought about a living will, but think the power of attorney for health decisions will take care of that.

I trust and love my son completely, and he would consult with my daughter, who I also trust and love completely.

I am fortunate to have them. They will do the right thing, if the time comes that decisions are needed.

Fortunately, Doug and I had talked about life support, vegetative states, etc. One of those things, tho, that you discuss because you "should", never imagining you might have to make those decisions.

Until it has happened to someone close to you, it just isn't something one has on their radar.


Maggie

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

On another note.....

Had a small spat with Peterbilt this afternoon,

as I asked for a road check only and to check/replace the filters if necessary.



They did a full oil and filter change, without my knowledge or authorization, and at only 5,000 miles.



I knew this wasn't due, and told them that when I called to schedule, the computer confirming it all.

After some discussion, first on the phone and then in person, getting nowhere, I asked to speak with the service manager, told him I was willing to absorb some of this but not all, etc., etc......he then took the labor charges off and I was agreeable with that.

Peterbilt has serviced the Interstate since day 1, and we have been very happy with them.

This was done overnight, apparently, an error....but still. I shouldn't have to pay for something I didn't need, didn't ask for and didn't authorize.

We sort of met in the middle, and it is okay.

I need a glass of wine. It has been something of a day of agitation.

Wine is good.


Maggie

Hi, actually, you sort of did ask for this to be done. "Check and replace the filters" Nothing really to check on the oil filter and if you replace the oil filter, you change the oil too. You need to be more specific about what you want/ask to be done.


In California, the dealers have to give you an estimate of the job and you have to sign it, for authorization, when leaving your vehicle. You know what it will cost in advance.

In Oregon, You tell them what you want done, and you sign for it and pay your bill after it's done. You won't know the cost unless you ask first.

[Lily&Me]

The service manager said something similar....what I told the guy who scheduled me...who remembered it...and how it was translated when the work was done, were two different things.

I did tell them I did not want nor was due for an oil and filter change. If they had called me....

My knowledge of these things is quite limited. What I remembered was that sand gets into a filter of some sort, which then needs to be changed.

We got it straightened out, and I have learned a few things.


Maggie

[mimiandrews]

Do you have a local community college or other organization that offers a "powder-puff mechanic" course? If so, you might think of signing up, when and if you have time. It's not rocket science--if you can cook and crochet, you can do this.

Knowledge is very useful when talking to folks who are going to work on your vehicle. You can sort of see a light come on in their eyes when they realize you know your stuff. They stop talking down to you, and the less than honest ones realize they can't cheat you.

Actually doing the work yourself is a personal choice, but having the ability to do it can get you going when something happens on the road.

Your life, so it's your choice. My free advice is always worth what you paid for it. I think you're doing great just as you are. I've enjoyed reading your posts.