Why one should always look presentable in public and other tidbits

So, a couple weeks ago I went to LAX to pick up the missus who was returning from Boston.  She took her 5th grade class there for a week of touring historic sights in the Boston area.  The missus is braver than I to travel with a herd of 5th graders plus their parents.  She doesn't get paid enough for this but she is a better person than I and a saint besides.  Anyway it was soon after my dramatic accident and I wasn't feeling too great.  I went to the airport dressed somewhat eclectic:  ASU shorts; red Hawaiian shirt, hiking boots, and black hooded sweatshirt.  My hair was somewhat unkempt and I pretty much looked like a homeless guy.  I wondered why the missus wasn't enthusiastic in her greeting of me when she arrived. I realized I was a bit disheveled and not looking my most dashing.   Fast forward to drill yesterday.  An E6 came up to me and said that he had been sitting next to me at the airport that night.  You had on a red Hawaiian shirt he exclaimed.  I smiled weakly and changed the subject.  You never know who you'll see when one is out and about.

Coming home from drill as I was passing by the Burbank airport I spied a B17G on approach to the runway, wheels and flaps down, just kind of hanging in the air.  I was so surprised to see it I drifted out of my lane and suddenly realized what was happening and jumped back to where I belonged.  65 years after the end of the war and there are still planes from that conflict in the air.  Simply amazing.

For the past year I've been using a borrowed '95 Lincoln Towncar as my get-around-town car to keep at my job site.  It has over 170k miles and I've put about a grand into it to fix it up and keep it running.  I appreciate the use of the car but it has had a hard life.  There are holes in the seats, hideous stains on the carpet and the paint is peeling from the body.  My boss seems reluctant to ride in it when I've had to give him a lift.  My co-workers call it the beast or the whale.  I decided I should get something a bit more presentable and found an 05 Dodge Stratus with 41k miles last weekend at the local car swap lot.  I paid the guy on Saturday and when he deposits the check on Monday I'll be able to pick it up and take it to work.  The whale will go back to the original owner.  I figure with what I put into it to keep it running I've rented it for about $5 a day (business days) which isn't too bad.  Now at least my boss won't cringe when he gets a ride in my car.

This afternoon the city had a car show and lunch truck exhibition at the auto row in town (where all the car dealers are).  Here are some pictures from the event (click for a larger view).  You may not be aware but in L.A. lunch trucks are not roach coaches, they are haute cuisine and ethnic eateries on wheels.  We sampled the German bratwurst truck but more on that soon.


The missus liked the looks on this street rod





Young son busts a move next to a cool car







The German lunch truck had luscious bratwurst and other German delicacies served up by a young woman with a delightful German accent. I could have spent an hour ordering food just to hear her talk. Made me nostalgic for my time in Germany many years ago. We also patronized the Potato Tornado tuck there they spiral cut a potato, speared it on a long skewer and deep fried it. Yum!