It is September 29th. About twenty-five days since I last wrote anything on this blog.


I am going to Boston on November 5th. Boston, a great city, though it is in Massachusetts.

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Inspection stickers are a good example of a government racket. I can't get my inspection sticker because my "check engine" light is on, even though it has been on over a year and obviously whatever it is I need to check isn't inhibiting the working of the car. I can't get the "check engine" light off until I have a diagnostic test run. After the diagnostic test, which I succumb to in a moment of weakness, I find out that my EGR valve might be bad or my catalytic converter might be bad - those things MIGHT be the cause of my lit up "check engine" light that has to go off before I can get my inspection sticker.

I ask if they can just turn off the light now that I know what it MIGHT be and that EGR thingy is obviously not hampering the proper functioning of my car - that proper functioning being to get me from place to place.

I get the big negatory. Got to be fixed just in case it is the cause. IF NOT, then another diagnostic test.

Cost of EGR - "oooooooooooohhhhh, somewhere around $300.00." Cost of the catalytic converter - "ohhhhhhh, anywhere from $500 to $800. We want know until we get in there."

This is how I figure it. About $300 + about $500 to $800 is about $800 to $1,000. The cost of a ticket for an expired inspection sticker is about $140.00, depending on the city in which one is ticketed. I can realistically afford to get anywhere from six to eight tickets before I will get to the amount of money I would have to spend to POSSIBLY get the light off. I don't personally think I could get six tickets in the remaining time that I have this car. And, tickets for expired inspection stickers are not driving violations so they are not reported to the insurance companies. I even believe I could tell one, maybe two officers, this whole story and conceivably be let off with a warning just out of sheer mercy for me having to deal with such idiocy. That means I could get stopped up to 10 times before reaching the cost of the repairs. Brilliant.

My current inspection sticker expired 12/07.
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My wife does not support this reasoning. However, it is what I am sticking with.

Jeb was born on August 14, 2000. He just turned 8.

Some things about him.

Last night in his class at church, his teacher talked about the Bible. So, he came home and gathered up many of our Bibles. This morning, while eating a bowl of Apple Jacks for breakfast before school, he sat at our table reading Matthew.

He has the biggest, widest, shiniest grin.

Jeb still loves to snuggle and is particularly fond of it at bedtime after he we have the required two prayers, both of which must include the mention of "no bad dreams."

Although it might be overshadowed by the fact that Jeb will hit you with a vengeance, he is our most tender-hearted child, naturally empathetic. And yearns to be helpful.

He enjoys dressing up in his brother's old football pads and changes the jersey every few minutes.

He can eat bowls of pasta at one sitting and as many scrambled eggs as his parent is willing to fix.

He is a second-grader and looks much too grown up ambling down the hallway with his blue backpack slung over one shoulder.

Though he doesn't cry much, he does easily if he thinks he has disappointed you.

He is a great friend to his buddies.

He is a delight to us.