Something new!

This was written on Friday night before bedtime, but for what ever google reasons did not post automatically like it was scheduled to.  So I will just miss the day tonight and post this for tomorrow.

Saturday morning's Blog

Ok, its time for me to admit what I was up to yesterday afternoon!

At the lake we have a 15 year old Kawasaki Jet Ski.  We bought it brand new back in 1995 and it has served us flawlessly.  But it is really old, and starts very hard after it has been unattended for a week or more.  It does run OK once you get it going.  But this year, I haven't trusted it to get me home.

I'm too old to try and swim several miles when it dies.  But it hasn't left us out on the lake, almost ever.  We have got debris up in the pump from time to time, and have had to idle back to the dock.  Usually we get it back on the trailer and clean the drive impeller in the garage.

So I stopped by the dealer to see what the year end deals looked like, and one thing led to another!  They wanted to see the 15 year old ski, and I went to get it.  Since I was driving the truck, it was a simple task to bring it in.  Ben and I had removed it from the lake on Labor Day and put it in the garage for storage.

They went thru the ski, but had news that was about what I expected.  Seems it is on its last leg with the main bearings in the jet pump.  Also the trim motor that needs replaced is over $400 plus labor.  Also the starter is bad, and so is the battery.  And all of that is before we rebuild the carbs in order to make it start better.  Alright already!!!!

They wouldn't give me much on trade either!  Essentially it is a parts machine.  The main engine seems sound.

So, what about that new one?  Well it is discounted $500 for fall, and we expect the new ones to be at least that much higher when they arrive.  So you will save about $1,000 buying a 2010, and we only have just a few left!  Sounds like a sales pitch to me!!!

But after a while, I owned a new one!

I didn't buy the trailer, as our old one will have to do.  We only use it to store it in the garage, so we can get by with it.  This is one of the smaller models, but still has twice the power of the 1995 model.

I seldom ride these anymore, but my company, kids, and grandkids have a blast on the old one.  The grandkids excitement to go out with their dads is palpable.  So do we need a reliable ski at the lake?

I decided the answer was yes!

I spent today over in Missouri at the license bureau paying the sales taxes and buying a tag.  Missouri doesn't trust a selling dealer to collect the sales tax, but rather makes you go pay the tag agent.  So waiting over in the office at Belton, Mo. wasted about 2 hours of my day.

Belton is a suburb of  Kansas City, Missouri, and it doesn't matter where in Missouri you go to get your tags.  So I routinely register stuff here in the KC area, even though it is parked back in the center of the state.

I thought about riding the motorscooter over to the tag office, but it is quite a jaunt over there, so I wisely took the car.

I did sneak out and ride all over the place on the scooter this afternoon, and finally found the bath robe I was looking for at a Sears.  They generally have stuff that attracts us more senile, no wait, more seasoned folks!

Now you know why I got home so late last night!

Retired Rod