Random Thoughts 18: The Year of Fire

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I had to have "the driving talk" with my mom several years ago after consulting with a few of my siblings. I was steeled for a rough conversation but Mom surprised me again saying she knew she wasn't what she once was behind the wheel and she couldn't live with herself if someone got hurt due to her degrading skills. It was still tough for her.

I know it will be tough for me someday. I love to drive. Once I took a trip with my young daughter to Dallas to visit my brother. I drove back straight through only stopping for gas and restroom breaks. Another time we took a family spring break trip through IA, NE, CO, UT, AZ, TX, OK, KS and MO. Mrs. Velo kept asking if I needed her to drive but I drove every mile of the trip and didn't want to give up the driver's seat. Hoping our next trip is a drive up to visit my brother in Anchorage.

I enjoy driving and once I get into "driving mode" I can go all day. Once I drove from Blacksburg to Omaha in one day. That was a long day.

My mom told me one time dad pulled into the driveway, walked into the house and said that he didn't feel he should drive anymore. I have no idea if something happened but he never drove again.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I miss my father but I'm starting to feel worse for my living mother, who is 90. I can't imagine her enjoying her life in the last few years. Her mind is mostly there but her body is in tough shape. All of her friends have died. She gave up driving. My grandmother died at 102 and just had a personality that was fine being old. My mother was always go-go-go, and now she just sits there all day.

I hear you on this this. My mother lived into her 90's but had a bad stoke and lingered in a semi-coma for 3-4 years. Her eyes were open but that was about it. It was about as bad as it could get for a person.

On the flip side I had a phone conversation in 2022 with a 98 year old who had been in my dad's WWII outfit and he was still living at home, going for 3 mile walks each day and building blue bird houses. I so want to be him in a decade or so.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I had to have "the driving talk" with my mom several years ago after consulting with a few of my siblings. I was steeled for a rough conversation but Mom surprised me again saying she knew she wasn't what she once was behind the wheel and she couldn't live with herself if someone got hurt due to her degrading skills. It was still tough for her.

I know it will be tough for me someday. I love to drive. Once I took a trip with my young daughter to Dallas to visit my brother. I drove back straight through only stopping for gas and restroom breaks. Another time we took a family spring break trip through IA, NE, CO, UT, AZ, TX, OK, KS and MO. Mrs. Velo kept asking if I needed her to drive but I drove every mile of the trip and didn't want to give up the driver's seat. Hoping our next trip is a drive up to visit my brother in Anchorage.

By the time you get to the "drive or don't drive" point the cars should be driving themselves. I don't dig driving as much as I used to and if a car that would auto-drive me to Florida, Montana, California etc was functional now I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[BCClone]

I had to have "the driving talk" with my mom several years ago after consulting with a few of my siblings. I was steeled for a rough conversation but Mom surprised me again saying she knew she wasn't what she once was behind the wheel and she couldn't live with herself if someone got hurt due to her degrading skills. It was still tough for her.

I know it will be tough for me someday. I love to drive. Once I took a trip with my young daughter to Dallas to visit my brother. I drove back straight through only stopping for gas and restroom breaks. Another time we took a family spring break trip through IA, NE, CO, UT, AZ, TX, OK, KS and MO. Mrs. Velo kept asking if I needed her to drive but I drove every mile of the trip and didn't want to give up the driver's seat. Hoping our next trip is a drive up to visit my brother in Anchorage.

I had to have the talk with my mom. Neighbors wanted it sooner because they said she almost backed into one of their cars. These neighbors would line the street on both sides of her driveway and then have a couple cars on the opposite side of the street. So mom would struggle to see traffic and the streets can only support one way if cars are on both sides of the street. I nearly hit their vehicles a few times when I was backing out. You had a couple feet on each side. I finally told them that a big part of it is that they bury her driveway but leave theirs open so they have no idea how hard it is for anyone to leave her driveway with their fleet of vehicles on the street.

If you are wondering, their 2 car garage had one car at most and many times no cars in it and their driveway was kept open so kids could play in it so all their cars with 3 teenage driving kids and a spare vehicle were in the street.

 

[Frog]

I drove to my other place this morning to move cattle and fix a gate before DNR come visit this afternoon for a big project I need approval on and they requested a site visit. On the gravel road was a leather couch, love seat and recliner. It was not there yesterday about 6. Obviously I was first on the scene as in the middle of the road blocking it. Could have been dumped from Davenport or one of the small towns around but the Scott Co. landfill isn't that far away. Lazy people! I couldn't load any of it in my truck alone so pushed it to the side and will take my trailer back with me to the meeting to load it and haul it to the landfill tomorrow. I have all the time in the world.
If we received dollars and saved the for the crap and poor animals dumped out here that I have taken to dump, vet, shelter or kept and fed over my life I would be a big help to NIL.

 

[BCClone]

I drove to my other place this morning to move cattle and fix a gate before DNR come visit this afternoon for a big project I need approval on and they requested a site visit. On the gravel road was a leather couch, love seat and recliner. It was not there yesterday about 6. Obviously I was first on the scene as in the middle of the road blocking it. Could have been dumped from Davenport or one of the small towns around but the Scott Co. landfill isn't that far away. Lazy people! I couldn't load any of it in my truck alone so pushed it to the side and will take my trailer back with me to the meeting to load it and haul it to the landfill tomorrow. I have all the time in the world.
If we received dollars and saved the for the crap and poor animals dumped out here that I have taken to dump, vet, shelter or kept and fed over my life I would be a big help to NIL.

They aren’t lazy, they are cheap. They don’t want to pay the landfill 75 bucks to toss them.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I drove to my other place this morning to move cattle and fix a gate before DNR come visit this afternoon for a big project I need approval on and they requested a site visit. On the gravel road was a leather couch, love seat and recliner. It was not there yesterday about 6. Obviously I was first on the scene as in the middle of the road blocking it. Could have been dumped from Davenport or one of the small towns around but the Scott Co. landfill isn't that far away. Lazy people! I couldn't load any of it in my truck alone so pushed it to the side and will take my trailer back with me to the meeting to load it and haul it to the landfill tomorrow. I have all the time in the world.
If we received dollars and saved the for the crap and poor animals dumped out here that I have taken to dump, vet, shelter or kept and fed over my life I would be a big help to NIL.

And you can't even check for loose change in the furniture crevices since nobody uses coins anymore.

Think I still have some quarters in the Audi from when you could use them in parking meters in St. Paul.

 

[Frog]

They aren’t lazy, they are cheap. They don’t want to pay the landfill 75 bucks to toss them.

Last item I took to the fill was a lawnmower back in June and they didn't charge if Scott county plates.

I am exaggerating some, I don't operate a Sandford and son junkyard where people think they can throw stuff in my driveway weekly LOL, but It happens and believe because not too far away from Quad Cities.

The worst is animals. Some jackass left a dog in a crate along the road in the heat and my bride wanted to keep it too. Poor thing was skittish. I posted before I name these dogs - Dog, so that's her name too and now have three farm dogs named Dog running around here. Prices better go up, and DNR approve my plan.

 

[VeloClone]

And you can't even check for loose change in the furniture crevices since nobody uses coins anymore.

Think I still have some quarters in the Audi from when you could use them in parking meters in St. Paul.

I'm just waiting for us to get rid of the penny. It has cost the US mint more to mint each penny than it's face value for two decades now. Last year it cost the mint $179M to mint pennies and nickles.

With that said, it is a good reminder to cash in your change at your local bank. One person can't make a dent in it; 1,000 people can't make a dent in it. But if we were able to create a movement we might be able to reduce the amount of coin requests banks make and the number of recirculated coins (versus new coins) in the requests the Federal Reserve fulfills. Nearly every American has a stash of coins somewhere that are doing nothing more than collecting dust - make them work for America rather than taking up space on your night stand or filling up your kids' piggy banks.

I am of the opinion that it is time for the penny to go. If gas stations have been able to advertise gas prices at $X.XX.x then we could also be rounding payments to the nearest nickle.

 

[frackincygy]

I'm just waiting for us to get rid of the penny. It has cost the US mint more to mint each penny than it's face value for two decades now. Last year it cost the mint $179M to mint pennies and nickles.

With that said, it is a good reminder to cash in your change at your local bank. One person can't make a dent in it; 1,000 people can't make a dent in it. But if we were able to create a movement we might be able to reduce the amount of coin requests banks make and the number of recirculated coins (versus new coins) in the requests the Federal Reserve fulfills. Nearly every American has a stash of coins somewhere that are doing nothing more than collecting dust - make them work for America rather than taking up space on your night stand or filling up your kids' piggy banks.

I am of the opinion that it is time for the penny to go. If gas stations have been able to advertise gas prices at $X.XX.x then we could also be rounding payments to the nearest nickle.

If we get rid of the penny, then how will 12 y.o. Frack ever accomplish his dreams of crashing the penny stock market using a lifetimes collection of pennies collected from all corners of his existence?

 

[ImJustKCClone]

I'm just waiting for us to get rid of the penny. It has cost the US mint more to mint each penny than it's face value for two decades now. Last year it cost the mint $179M to mint pennies and nickles.

With that said, it is a good reminder to cash in your change at your local bank. One person can't make a dent in it; 1,000 people can't make a dent in it. But if we were able to create a movement we might be able to reduce the amount of coin requests banks make and the number of recirculated coins (versus new coins) in the requests the Federal Reserve fulfills. Nearly every American has a stash of coins somewhere that are doing nothing more than collecting dust - make them work for America rather than taking up space on your night stand or filling up your kids' piggy banks.

I am of the opinion that it is time for the penny to go. If gas stations have been able to advertise gas prices at $X.XX.x then we could also be rounding payments to the nearest nickle.

To paraphrase West Wing: Illinois will NEVER let it happen.

 

[SaraV]

To paraphrase West Wing: Illinois will NEVER let it happen.

I feel like @cowgirl836 and I just caught a stray, as the kids say.

 

[VeloClone]

To paraphrase West Wing: Illinois will NEVER let it happen.

They could just issue a bill with Lincoln on it...oh...wait a minute...

 

[BoxsterCy]

I'm just waiting for us to get rid of the penny. It has cost the US mint more to mint each penny than it's face value for two decades now. Last year it cost the mint $179M to mint pennies and nickles.

With that said, it is a good reminder to cash in your change at your local bank. One person can't make a dent in it; 1,000 people can't make a dent in it. But if we were able to create a movement we might be able to reduce the amount of coin requests banks make and the number of recirculated coins (versus new coins) in the requests the Federal Reserve fulfills. Nearly every American has a stash of coins somewhere that are doing nothing more than collecting dust - make them work for America rather than taking up space on your night stand or filling up your kids' piggy banks.

I am of the opinion that it is time for the penny to go. If gas stations have been able to advertise gas prices at $X.XX.x then we could also be rounding payments to the nearest nickle.

Well, you just made me sort though my coin stash in advance of running it though the counter at the CU. For a kid that used to collect coins I am pretty out of date. Didn't even know they changed the design of the penny to the shield. Found 3 wheat pennies, 3 Canadian pennies, one Canadian dime and a 5 peso coin. And a bunch of Lincoln anniversary pennies which I hadn't even known about before today, like I said, I'm a little out of date on these!

 

[VeloClone]

Well, you just made me sort though my coin stash in advance of running it though the counter at the CU. For a kid that used to collect coins I am pretty out of date. Didn't even know they changed the design of the penny to the shield. Found 3 wheat pennies, 3 Canadian pennies, one Canadian dime and a 5 peso coin. And a bunch of Lincoln anniversary pennies which I hadn't even known about before today, like I said, I'm a little out of date on these!

View attachment 132586

Yeah, I collected as a kid, but life got in the way and I really missed out on some big collecting events like the state quarters, multiple coin redesigns and commemorative issues, currency redesigns, etc.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I'm just waiting for us to get rid of the penny. It has cost the US mint more to mint each penny than it's face value for two decades now. Last year it cost the mint $179M to mint pennies and nickles.

With that said, it is a good reminder to cash in your change at your local bank. One person can't make a dent in it; 1,000 people can't make a dent in it. But if we were able to create a movement we might be able to reduce the amount of coin requests banks make and the number of recirculated coins (versus new coins) in the requests the Federal Reserve fulfills. Nearly every American has a stash of coins somewhere that are doing nothing more than collecting dust - make them work for America rather than taking up space on your night stand or filling up your kids' piggy banks.

I am of the opinion that it is time for the penny to go. If gas stations have been able to advertise gas prices at $X.XX.x then we could also be rounding payments to the nearest nickle.

I can't say about pennies and nickels but I read the reason they keep coming out with new quarters is it actually helps keep inflation down. Apparently enough people collect them that it keeps them out of circulation. So the government prints money but it stays out of circulation. Just like the warehouses of Susan B's and Sacajawea's

 

[BoxsterCy]

Yeah, I collected as a kid, but life got in the way and I really missed out on some big collecting events like the state quarters, multiple coin redesigns and commemorative issues, currency redesigns, etc.

Late 1950's and early 1960's was my heyday of going though coins. My uncle had coin operated machines all over NE Iowa and we had easy assess to lots of rolled up coins to go through. Indian Heads, Buffalo Nickels and Liberty coins weren't unusual. Should go though those and sell them.

 

[VeloClone]

Late 1950's and early 1960's was my heyday of going though coins. My uncle had coin operated machines all over NE Iowa and we had easy assess to lots of rolled up coins to go through. Indian Heads, Buffalo Nickels and Liberty coins weren't unusual. Should go though those and sell them.

I have a bunch of wheat pennies and only one buffalo nickel. I did find one indian head penny but it is so worn you can barely make out what it is. Of course I didn't start collecting until the very late '70s.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I have a bunch of wheat pennies and only one buffalo nickel. I did find one indian head penny but it is so worn you can barely make out what it is. Of course I didn't start collecting until the very late '70s.

Most of mine aren't worth more than 15-20 cents each. Only ones topping a $1-2 are my 1909 VDB and 1922-S. My mother's old collection has the 1909-S VDB. Hope my sister keeps track of that one cause that's actually worth real folding money.

 

[VeloClone]

Most of mine aren't worth more than 15-20 cents each. Only ones topping a $1-2 are my 1909 VDB and 1922-S. My mother's old collection has the 1909-S VDB. Hope my sister keeps track of that one cause that's actually worth real folding money.

I don't have an '09 S VDB either. I wish I did...