Miatatude

Predicted rain for this afternoon cruised right on by to the north and east. Now the rain guaranteed for tomorrow is getting chancier by the minute, they’re still positive about Sunday though. When I got home I put the bike rack on the car to take Donna’s road bike to the shop. She went for a ride yesterday with a woman friend and mid ride it wouldn’t shift out of the big chain ring, luckily the ride was mostly flat.

In today’s mail was a letter from the DMV. It seems the check for $30 wasn’t enough, they want $42 for the specialized plate. The $12 is for the actual registration. I should get some of it back as I just paid in November. But now I’m thinking maybe I don’t want the plate on the car, I never bike ride anymore…

Started down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 17

Off to another Disney inspired shopping experience for today, a place called Concord Mills, 200 stores around a mile long loop. It has 24 theaters on one end and a giant Bass Pro Shop on the other and in between, arranged in “neighborhoods” is a shoppers paradise. We spent a couple hours and a couple hundred dollars before we caught a matinee of “About Schmidt.” There are about a half-dozen of these places around the country and Donna and I had been in the one in Dallas, Grapevine Mills, in 1999 when we were there for the 10th annual national Miata gathering and have never forgotten the experience.

Started up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 7

We drove a short bit of I-20 before escaping to the back roads for the trip to Cornelius, NC. After checking in to our motel we headed out for some dinner. We ended up one exit back on I-77 at a place called Birkdale Village that is sort of a mix of outdoor outlet mall and a Disneyesque small town with apartments above the stores. It is an interesting concept. There were a few places to choose from for eating and we picked a place called Planet Grill. The dining concept was as interesting as that of the surrounding development. Even found a parking spot right up front too. The only down side was that I had to parallel park (I know what you are thinking, “That shouldn’t be too hard in that little car.”) Well it isn’t, but because I do it so infrequently, I’m out of practice and it took a couple of tries to get the car close to the curb.

Started up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 7

Went ahead and changed the date to this year and started over with the Top Transition count. I may keep track of something different starting on 03/03/03 and add it to the bottom as well, maybe miles.

Chickened out and put the top up for the commute to work. Down for the trip home and stayed down for the evening outing. Supposed to rain tomorrow, but maybe it won’t start until late morning and we can eek in a top down drive to work.

Started down, went up, went down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/03: 2

Well it has been a year since I started keeping track of the movement of the convertible top of the Miata. You’ll notice that somewhere over the period of the year the date changed from 02/01/02 to 02/02/02. I don’t remember when, but I think I did it because I really liked the alliterary quality of the 2nd’s date written like that. Not sure where to go from here, should I keep up the top thing, keep track of something else like how much money I spend on the car (gas mileage is so overdone) or do nothing.

Watched the rest of the Rumpole today. The last 4 episodes of season 2 and the movie Rumpole Returns. Alone. No one else in the house gets it. I just couldn’t help myself. There is something about that kind of humor that I love. I wonder when the other 5 seasons worth will make it to DVD?

Started up, went down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 371