I'm back...if anyone cares!

[DoYouKubuntu]

Nice to see you back and hear of your resolution of old pains.

Thanks, Teunis.

My mother passed away in 1979 at the age of 56, last week we celebrated the 98th birthday of my mother in law, I see it as a great privilege to have one of her generation around!

Wow, 98! That's great, and yes, it is a privilege to have someone of her age in your life. Here's to your MIL seeing her 100th birthday.

BTW, your avatar still drives me nuts! I reflexively find myself wanting to swat at my screen, even though I KNOW it's not on my side of the screen.

[oshunluvr]

Kubuntu hasn't really been abandoned - the primary developer just changed hats and now works for Blue Systems and supports KDE-Ubuntu from there. AFAIK we've seen no changes in daily usage.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Kubuntu hasn't really been abandoned - the primary developer just changed hats and now works for Blue Systems and supports KDE-Ubuntu from there.

Right, but I had forgotten all about it being dropped from Canonical's bosom. :eek:

AFAIK we've seen no changes in daily usage.

That's good to hear.

I forgot to ask you before, what are the specs on your new Fiat? I saw an ad for the 500 yesterday, then went to their site and looked them over. I'd definitely go with the 5-speed manual transmission, so I started wondering how you'd configured yours.

[oshunluvr]

We went cheap+ convertible. We got the "Pop" stick shift: white with red top, red/black interior but white dash board. We did not want the red/white interior with red/white seats and white steering wheel and door panels - too much potential for dirtiness unless you wear clean white cotton gloves while driving!

No add-ons at all. The base model came with blue tooth phone sync, steering wheel phone/radio controls, car fuel/trip computer, Audio and USB port for media players, MP3s on a thumb drive, charging the cell phone, and "Sport" mode for quicker throttle response. I couldn't see a need for much else. We didn't need GPS Nav as it's driven to work and around town - not long road trips - and fancy radios are no longer a big deal at my age. Five star crash rated in it's class (tiny? skateboard?) with nine airbags. We got it at $1000 off sticker - $19,500 plus tax/lic.

The punch line is: I was commuting 45 miles a day in my 2004 Navigator. One of the best vehicles I've ever owned but 12.5 mpg was the best I could squeeze out of it in the Los Angeles traffic. The Fiat actually gets better than advertised mpg even with my floor-it-through-the-gap-and-slam-on-the-brakes commuting style. That, plus city driving around Long Beach and I still average 36mpg. At $4.50 a gallon for premium minus the new car payment the Fiat is free! Gotta love a free car!

Don't get me wrong though, it is a cheap car. The Navigator is smooth, quiet, and powerful. The Fiat is none of those. I do get 8 bags of groceries in the little trunk and the top lowers with a simple button push. I can sit in the back sit if need be (6'1" @220) but I'm not going more than a couple of miles back there.

Plus: it's super-cute unlike a Yaris or Prius!

[oshunluvr]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/16931554/20...2016.37.38.jpg

[DoYouKubuntu]

I've been thinking about buying a new car--or an OLD car--but still keeping my beloved Toyota RAV4. It's my third consecutive RAV4, and I've owned nothing but Toyotas since 1985. I LOVE never having 'car trouble.' Other than truly minor issues, like replacing the pad on the clutch pedal, I've basically been car repair free since January 1985. When Toyota stopped offering a manual transmission on the RAV4, I decided I'd hang on to my current one until it disintegrates. But I'd like to have something else, too, just for fun. Years ago, when we were in no financial shape to justify it, we bought a 1958 Triumph TR3 convertible. We planned on having it restored, but REALLY couldn't afford it. So I reluctantly let it go. Now I can see going either way, buying a new car--not an expensive one, just something cute and fun to drive--or finding a classic sports car, preferably not in need of extensive restoration. Either way, it has to be fun!

[DoYouKubuntu]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/16931554/20...2016.37.38.jpg

Very cute! Thanks for sharing.

[vinnywright]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/16931554/20...2016.37.38.jpg

it's cute alright ,,,,but not much bigger than a go cart with a body.
did you say you are 6'1" ,,,,, do you half to put the top down to sit comfy
but really with that kind of gas mileage it's a winer

VINNY

[DoYouKubuntu]

it's cute alright ,,,,but not much bigger than a go cart with a body.

How about those Mini Coopers? Now they're little!

[oshunluvr]

We had one of those in 2002 - the first year. I Fiat is smaller but gets way better mileage. I mean a BMW new version of the Mini - not the original. Now THOSE were small.

Vinny, actually the Fiat comes with three roofs. The hard top had barely enough clearance, the glass sunroof model no way, but the convertible adds a couple extra inches of head room. Just right

[jlittle]

Do they still catch fire? When I was a kid they were famous for that...

[HalationEffect]

How about those Mini Coopers? Now they're little!

About 5 or 6 years ago, I had the opportunity to take a BMW Mini Cooper S (the extra-sporty model) for a spin on some winding country roads in Derbyshire. They are indeed little (although Vinny is quite right to say that the original Mini was even smaller), and fun as hell. It accelerated like a motorbike, and cornered like it was on rails. Of course, that cornering prowess comes in part from a pretty firm suspension setup, which makes it less than ideally suited for long drives if you aren't on a glass-smooth road.

[woodsmoke]

Hi DYK
I have walked in your shoes.
Glad to see you here.
woodsmoke

[DoYouKubuntu]

Hi DYK
I have walked in your shoes.
Glad to see you here.
woodsmoke

Thanks, Woody.

It's been a rough few days. Relatives came over during the weekend for what will most likely be their last visit with my mom. She slept through most of their visits. She time and space travels like crazy, so it's always hard to know where we are or what year it is or who I am. Last night she didn't recognize me at all; she was really emotional, really upset, and although she was looking me in the eye she wasn't talking to me--she said "I always loved you so much, but I can't any more...I HATE you! I HATE you!" I wanted to comfort her but couldn't, because whoever she thought I was at that moment was someone she hates, so how could THAT person comfort her? The consensus is that she was talking to her mother--a woman who made my childhood a living hell, but who my mom worshiped. I tried calming her down the best I could, then gave her her morphine and lorazepam, waited for them to kick in, and left her room as she started dozing off. And then I cried...and cried...

My husband and our daughter are both coming in for their last visits, too. My daughter will be here in the morning, and my husband very early the next morning. I'm praying that Mom holds on until they're both here.

Hospice nurses were here almost all day today; Mom's breathing became labored and gurgly, and she kept coughing, but after various treatments she's doing better.