[billyjones]

I went to a Firestone dealer this morning to pick up my brother who was dropping his car off for new tires and wheel alignment and the guys in the shop started laughing and making jokes about my taped-up grill and front end until I said, "How does 50 miles per gallon highway sound?"

For a moment you could hear a pin drop.

Then one asked about overheating and I told him none so far and explained that it actually runs cooler on the highway than around town but even around town it has yet to overheat. I explained to him that our cars are designed to cool in Death Valley with the AC on and that Death Valley is in a desert 2000 miles to my west. But if I do decide to drive to Death Valley I can always rip the duct tape off.

PS. I wish the rain would stop so I could go out and work on fender skirts.