Replacing a clutch on a 2001 chevy s-10 can't run any higher than $1K or so, right?

Parts and labor shouldn't run any more than $500. I asked Hub what he thought and he was sure the parts would only run $150-$200 and the job should be able to be done in 8 hours.

The guy sounded honest. He said he couldn't give me an estimate until he saw what needed to be replaced but gave me a realy rough estimate ranging from $400-$1100, depending on parts. The high end included the hydrolics or something.

I got to look around his shop when we dropped it off. He didn't sound like he wanted to screw me over and his shop was full of other vehicles, decent looking vehicles. It wasn't in too ratty of a neighborhood, just blue collar. It wasn't the AAA shop that was recommended, but that one was pretty far from my breakdown and I would have been a big tow bill. The tow driver knew the shop owner and the towing place was nearby.

If I don't feel comfortable with the estimate, we'll get a trailer and run down and bring the truck up here and have it fixed.

Interesting visit with Matilda at my dad's place today. Next week we will be dropping by for a short visit, then driving him to the airport, as he's hopping to Denver for a brief business meeting.

Which doesn't sound that interesting, except...the meeting is a "succession planning" meeting between my dad, some other managers and owners in the company of which he owns two franchises, and some tax people. They're meeting because he'd been planning to sell the business and retire in the next couple of years, except now their collective belief as businesspeople is that he needs to make a new plan because it seems increasingly likely that Obama will be the next President and the subsequent increase in capital gains taxes will make outright sale of the business impractical for my dad.

He didn't indicate to me that he felt one way or the other about it (he's still one of those rare mythic undecided voters, with savage disdain for the current incarnation of the Republican party but not yet convinced of Obama's foreign policy chops), just that it was the likely outcome and therefore a change in retirement plan was necessary.

Interesting.

There's an enormous banner here in Cincy on the side of one of the buildings downtown, of Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo. The way the picture is taken, with his sandy long-hair sticking out from under his hat, and the way the hat is shading part of his face, and his little almost-smile, that reminds me so much of Emmett, both physically and in terms of attitude, that it spooks me every time I drive by it.

Arroyoesque Emmett

1. Jesus, he looks just like you in that picture.

2. I gotta take a picture of the giant banner while it's still up. I googled it, and checked Flickr, but no love.

Random online shopping site o' the day: punkrockdogg.com

Tees, collars, tags and toys for Deviant Dogs

eta: I think my fave is the picture of the cute doggy, with a t-shirt with a nice pretty font that says, "Fuck Off!"

I think I'm gonna have to construct a Loki-only feeding box. Mister Kitty has scary radar for finding the new food...

Looks like my dad won't retire after this year. The dean is lobbying him to run a science initiative thingie for at least a couple more years. No teaching responsibilities.

Given I have no idea what the fuck my dad will do in retirement, and am worried about him in that case, this is a good thing.

HOW DID I END UP WITH 3 CATS???!

hahahahahah.... now is the beginning of the end, sara.

BTW, have you gotten tickets for thanksgiving yet?

Hey, Kat, want a kitty? I know some people with spares... I can't believe how much accommodating a third is such a PAIN IN THE ASS. Good thing he's cute and MK seems tolerant of him. I just wish Devi would chill. I miss my girl.

No, I have not. I need to do that. Soon. Kinda forgot it was creeping up already. Also need to reserve MK's boarding. Oy.

eta: holy crap, I think I can manage it for less than what I paid to B'ham. I love southwest's fare structures.

just that it was the likely outcome and therefore a change in retirement plan was necessary

Eh, I can see feeling that way. I mean, my dad's family had to do something similar with his parents' farm, based on various inheritance taxes for family farms that got changed over the years from Democrat to Republican administrations (my grandmother died under Clinton, but there were things where if they held onto the farm for several years, they could avoid some of the taxes, because it was a family farm. But then under the Repubs a few years later, they could do some other stuff because policies changed)