Hi Mark,

I have just read your post on your new purchase.... it's some nice car, is it an automatic or a manual. It sounds like a lot of fun to drive. Will it need some cosmetic changes?

Enjoy your new car and please play safe.

Sinéad



Oh, and you might be interested I made a trip from our home in Colorado via plane yesterday to Wisconsin, where I acquired an Eagle Talon Tsi all wheel drive sports coupe. A used vehicle which needs a little cosmetic care, but that Turbo..... WOW! Additionally, at highway speed, 26 miles per gallon- I don't have time to work the kilometers per liter conversion since I need to get back on the road [about a third of the way back home to Colorado].

I will tell you one thing. It is joyous being able to feel good enough to make such a trip again, as I keep my SCS working right along to manage pain throughout.

May each of you have a blessed rest of the day!
Mark56
P.S. I am glad of the windshield, because with that grin, I would be catching bugs in my teeth. He He!

Well, the sole cosmetic issue is the leather on the driver's [dare I say pilot's?] seat, as it needs some replacement of a panel or two for restorative purposes. The trannie is automatic, which on such an old [1995] sports car is a nice thing, because at 69000 miles, it is still in good shape. Such a vehicle with age/mileage used by someone poor in clutch skill could have had serious transmission, valve, timing issues, a problem avoided by the automatic. But, wow, any friend of mine who has driven it has gotten this BIG GRIN when the turbo kicks in and we go zooming away. I reckon if I cannot downhill ski anymore, this might just be the right substitute!!!! [Notice the Grin]
Mark56

Hi Mark,

Of course I wasn't thinking... those of us with crappy back and awful nerve damage benefit hugely from an automatic trannie as you call it, the next car I buy will most definitely have to be an automatic, no doubt about it. I have a Volvo S40, runs on diesel as I do alot of mileage but it's difficult to get in and out of, so practical. Your new purchase can give you loads of enjoyment, the feel of power on the open road... nothing like it.

I have to say though, I love a stick shift on a poweful car, Paul's favourite purchase was a Sabuaru Imprezza with loads of horse power and some fantastic umph that I loved to drive, the stick shift just made it all the more enjoyable when you go down a gear, gain power and just let her off.... I loved that car, until some houlligans one night broke into our house, stole the keys, got away with the takings of a 24hour service station and then let the car off down the side of a mountain.... we both cried

The very best with your new car and i'm delighted that it has only minor cosmetic changes to be made and with 69K miles for a 1995 I think you're onto a good thing. Will Cleo enjoy that roar and power too? If not, please ask her to take it from me... she will enjoy it too...

Chat soon,

Sinéad xxx

Hi Sophie

I too found it difficult to get into my previous car which was a black Peugeot 307CC. Convertible with all black interior leather. Fabulous!!!! Just loved it, it was a manual. But like that it was a 'pain' pardon the pun , to get in to it and out of it. Soooo I went a bought myself a RED Toyota Rav 4 automatic 2 litre. And boy does it have some umppphhhhhhh
It's also higher up which means it's a doodle to get in and out of it plus it has 5 doors. Well worth the change. Although on our rare sunny days here in Dublin I do miss my convertible especially flying around with the roof top down!!! Ah heaven!!!

Hope you get to speak with your Dr very soon

Jackie

Hi Jackiey,

Thanks for your reply, how are getting on? okay I hope, i'm in good form, i'm on annual leave at the moment and my back and it's rotten spasms thank me for it.

I too had a 307HDI 1.4L and i loved it, sold it for the Volvo, I absolutely love the volvo, i love driving it, it's comfortable, it's safe and it feels safe, I love the comfortable leather seats and especially the cruise control that allows my left leg to take a rest. It's also got A/C and in this weather it's great. I drive to Maynooth from Newbridge every day, takes me about 40-45 minutes and I tend to leave a little earlier to avoid the school traffic in both Newbridge and Maynooth so i'm not sitting there waiting for my hips to get sorer.

I'm saving towards buying a new car, an automatic, and i'll take a look at the Rav4, common sense and logically it will have to be diesel, i've driven one before and fab, none of this pulling myself out of a car like an old woman of 90!, i'm finding it difficult to save money at the moment but please God i'll be able to get back to work full time and actually be able to change my car next year i'l have a nice Rav4 instead of my fabulous Volvo, i'll hate to see it go.
I think this calls for a new thread on what type of car people have that helps them get around....

Thanks again hun

chat soon
Sinéad xxxx

Ahh Sinead, I do understand and feel with you that verve of excitement when one receives a kick in the pants as the gears move up through their synchronicity of shifting with that feeling of power. The trannie? A professional driver's reference to a transmission. You see, when I was in youth seeking funds to provide for the education I sought, I worked much in construction and did drive large [some extremely large vehicles with great power] earning quite good money for a student on summer leave so as to continue studies as the next term would begin having more cash in the bank.

My favorites:
1. The Oldsmobile 442 with Hurst shifter in the manual transmission configuration I owned as a lad of 18 in college. Many a time was I challenged to race with someone because of the obvious power of such a muscle car [never did though, and was never cited for speeding while I owned it].
2. A Kenworth diesel ten wheel tractor without trailer I was roading to pick up a load of heavy equipment. Now, one has never actually felt the kick of power and dexterity in the manipulation of the gears until they have driven such a powerful beast unloaded while working the double gear boxes manually through the combinations of a 5 speed and 4 speed transmission configuration. What a kick.
3 A Caterpillar 988 wheel loader with front bucket for moving quite large quantities of earth or road building materials, although lumbering, it is a charge climbing two stories up to enter the cab and take the controls of such an automatic transmision monster. The 966 Cat loader was my favorite, though, for its nimbleness, carrying capacity, and significant power in a smaller package.

Enough of this, I guess, just suffice it to say, YEAH, I can relate to the notion of driving some kick in the backside land based vehicles, although a truly spirited experience is riding in the right cockpit seat of a Learjet as it climbs out and rapidly ascends to 45,000 feet. It could cause one to fantisize about flying a mach plus fighter aircraft purely for the thrill, although that has never been my lot..... sigh. Having these legs, I reckon I will not see such an accomplishment, and besides which, I am too old to head that direction in this life.

But then, I digress,
Mark56

Karen, you are on my mind and I hope things are looking up.
I'm praying for you
Rae

Where is our Saffy?????? Are you doing OK in this summertime heat? We wanna know!

Yup,
Goof Mark56

Hello my dear framily. I've had a few off days ... totally overdid it on Wednesday when I took myself to the Bakewell Show https://picasaweb.google.com/Saffy19...ELLSHOWDAYONE# See Pics !

I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though it was a really hot day and I'd forgotten the sunscreen and ended up like a tomato ! Heh .. it is MASSIVE though, and I didn't get round much of it, but what I did, I loved.

I've done nothing but sleep since .. however, this morning I woke and felt a lot brighter!

News on the stim front: I have an appointment to see Jeremy, my neurosurgeon on 1st September. I am hoping that he is going to suggest a paddle lead. Then of course, I just have to wait till they can fit me in to do this. I've been told it's a bit more intrusive than the normal leads and a bit more risky .. is this so?

Pain wise .. I'm having to keep a diary of what I take and when as the combination of drugs I am on is dangerous. Go to see a Doctor tomorrow (my normal Doctor is off but she says I must go and see someone to check all is ok). Sciatic pain is depressing me and I keep trying the stim, but can only have it on very low, which does nothing to distract me from the pain, but is a rather nice feeling I must say.

Other than that, all is well at Saffy Towers and I'm trying to get little walks in most days.

XX

Are you hoping to have the paddles put in because the leads aren't helping you?? It's not that long since you had the leads done. Im sorry you can't get enough relief from the stim. I'm thinking of asking my Consultant if it's possible that if I got paddles I might be able to address the pain in my lower back!!!! Stim does nothing for there at all. Although he isn't a neurosurgeon. So I'd have to be referred I'm sure

Hope all goes well for you

Jackie