4-11-10 Sunday (Sweet Parking Spots)

Jim and I went to Tire Kingdom to retrieve the RV.  Jim realized that he didn’t tell them the tires needed to be at 80 psi.  We hoped that they would figure it out but he wanted to check just in case.  Jim went to each tire and checked the pressure.  One of the outside dually tires was at 0 psi.  A little squeeze of the tire confirmed it.  Flat.  Good thing he checked.  Plus it was up on the RV jacks so without weight on the tires, we couldn’t tell it was empty.  What a disaster that could have been.  When we dropped off the RV yesterday Jim told them we needed new valve stems.  Today the guy said it was probably the old valve stem.  Yeah, and?  We asked for new.  The valve stems need new extenders on them and they are hard to find.  Parts stores didn’t have them.  The closet truck stop didn’t have them.  Tomorrow I will have to go to either Camping World (an hour away) or Tom Johnson in Concord which is only 15 minutes away.  Either way, the RV didn’t come home tonight.

Yesterday Jim specifically asked for the DOT numbers to face outward so we could see them.  Some were not visible.  I think the guy thought we didn’t trust him because he apologized and assured us that the dates on the tires were as he told Jim over the phone.  The reason we want them visible is so that in 2 years or whatever we can see the dates on the tires.  We should have pushed the issue but instead backed off. 

Part of my personal problem is not wanting to inconvenience others.  I feel this way especially if they’ve done me any type of favor such as a discount on these tires.  It’s who I am and not too easy to change.  Do I deserve the same level of service as Joe Schmoe because I paid less?  No.  Is it OK not to follow through on my requests which were in reason because I paid a discounted price.  No.  I gotta work on that – I know. 

I get that personality from my mom.  “Go ask for X”.  “No, I can’t do that.”  “Why?”  “Cause it’s not right.  I already got this or that.”  It’s conversations like that which best show my mom’s personality.  I told Jim on the way home, no more of this shit.  No more bad service.  No more letting stuff slide.

While running errands today, we stopped off at a junk yard looking for a center cap for the Jeep’s wheel.  I’ve never walked through a junkyard and especially this type.  You walk in, use a computer to locate the make/model/year of the vehicle you’re looking for.  It prints a small list telling you what rows the cars will be found in.  Next step is pay a $1 per person to enter the yard.  I found this step to be amusing as we had our photos taken, a guy collected a dollar and gave us a hand stamp.  He had the personality of a salvage part.   Next step is to go out in the yard, locate the row and then the car and then take off any parts you want and bring to the register.  Since we didn’t find what we needed we didn’t make it to the last paying step so I have no idea how much things are are how they’re even priced.  Pull-A-Part’s website.

 

Above: Interesting how they felt the need to use “sexy” women in their signage.

 

Above: This place was pretty busy!

Above: Feeling like I’m going clubbing, here’s the handstamp.

   

We ate lunch at Ryan’s buffet.  3 weekends in a row.  2 for breakfast, this time for lunch.  I enjoyed it though.  I was able to have an awesome salad, steak, and baked chicken.  I enjoyed the chicken so much I had 3 big pieces. 

Next was our typical BJ’s shopping trip.  Here’s what a saw in the parking space next to me:

  Above: Looks yummy.  Oh, can’t see it that well?  Look below.

 Above: My favorite part?  Wondering what the story is behind this.  There’s even real flatware laying in the container.

I just can’t make this stuff up.  This was as funny as the abandoned wheel chair in the Walmart parking lot we found back in September.  Missed it?  See it here.

Speaking of parking lots.  Call it an obsession, call it an oddity, whatever, but remember when I pointed out the way people park in Charlotte?  Well, I get a text picture from Pearl in Florida today. 

What’s amusing about this is: I feel like I’ve gotten some sort of parking Nazi reputation now, and the funniest is that it is our friend’s truck, Mike.  Pearl was at his place of business, saw his truck, snapped a photo and here ya go.  Nice parking job Mike.  Pearl I love you.

 

Death Valley!   Surprisingly awesome!  Surprisingly beautiful.  The RV appliances revolt!  See some great slideshows of the beauty that is Death Valley.