Got a trend going here, the last three days has been down -up -down. But this time the top went up after work instead upon arrival. After work we drove to Augusta to run the Miata Club newsletter throught the postage meter over at Rader. It looked a lot like it was raining in the direction we were going, so I put it up. Driving through town it is OK if you come upon a storm, but we we traveling on I-20 and it isn't so easy to flip the top up at 70mph.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 125

Nice ride to work, but put the top up on arrival. Good thing as it rained most of the morning. Top down for the ride home. Got a real gully washer at around 7:00 PM. but that was of little concequence as the Miata was in the garage. May be like this tomorrow too, we will see how lucky we are with keeping the top down....

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 123

Maybe because I haven't been feeling too well lately that I put the top up for the afternoon drive, but having to deal with the traffic laden Whiskey Road to go get the Bike Club newsletter printed up also factored into it. Back down for the evening drive to the post office to mail them though.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 121

Nice drive to work this morning. It will only get better at the end of this week too, last day of bleary eyed mothers driving their kids to school. It is amazing the amount of traffic that disappears after school lets out.

Hot drive home. Getting close to 90 at 4:00 P.M. in the afternoons now, can see why the folks in Florida put their hard tops on in the summer. At least the drive home isn't in stop and go traffic.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 119

Almost didn't drive the Miata today either. Lazed around the house all morning. Friends came over for the mandated-by-law Memorial Day grilling of hot dogs and hamburgers. Then afternoon nap followed by watching some of the X-Files marathon on FX. Caught a couple of good ones including 2 of my all-time favorites - "Bad Blood" and "Small Potatoes." After Small Potatoes we went out for a drive to check the Aiken Bicycle Club mail, buy some CD labels and take a walk. Beautiful night for a drive, tempurature was around 80 with low humidity. The only problem is even though I had my lights on, I must have had the Romulan Cloaking Device going without knowing, as 2 cars made me slam on the brakes to avoid hitting them as they pulled out in front of us.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 119

And on the seventh day the Miata rested.

Walked by it a couple times today as I passed by on the way to the laundry room. Nice looking car.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 119

Well my evil plan was foiled, of the like 14 people who showed up at the MMM...Time, nobody was really interested in the movie. Ended up eating some ice cream and going for a drive up by the lake and points west. Ended up in Thompson and came home via I-20. Since we hadn't really made plans for an after drive meal before we started and nobody had a CB we ended up scattering off different exits on the way into and past town. Donna and I drove into downtown and dined at our favorite Augusta eatery, the Boll Weevil.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 119

Left it up for the trip to work on Thursday, but it went right back down for the trip home. Friday it was upper 50's so we drove to work with it down, nothing like a little brisk fresh air in the morning. Back to the doctor this morning to try another pill. Feeling better today, but not normal. Hope I feel well enough tomorrow to make the Master's Miata Club's MMM...Time. We meet at 4 and there is a matinee showing of the Attack of the Clones at 5:30, I'm going to try and get them to go to the movies.

Started up, went down, still down.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 119

Didn't post last night, didn't feel well. Read the Rant for details.

After braving the upper 40's Monday and Tuesday on the way to work, today we put the top up and it felt nice to be warm. After I dropped Donna at work I went over to the lab and then the doctor. Then I just went home and rested, leaving Donna's mom to pick her up after work. Gonna leave it up because tomorrow morning is supposed to be just as cool/cold.

Started down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions sine 02/02/02: 118

Finally hooked up the garage remote to the "Bat Cave" toggle switch. Works OK. You have to have the key on and you can't hold the switch up or the garage door stops traveling. It's a momentary on type switch, but that just means it is spring loaded, you can hols it too long and it confuses the opener. I'm sure with a little practice I will get the hang of it. :-)

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 117

Pretty typical Sunday for the Miata - hasn't moved. There it sits in the garage, lonely and mud splattered. When we made our trip to the store last night we came around a curve and ended up right behind a pick-up truck that had just entered our road from a dirt road. As he came up to speed he threw gunk off his rear tires all over us. Excuse me as I go wipe the red clay gobs off the front.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 117

Donna had a eye doctor's appoinment at 9:00 this morning. It started to mist on the trip over and by the time we pulled into the parking lot it had started to sprinkle. She went inside and I stayed out to remove the boot and raise the top.

The Optomitrist is only a couple of miles away, so when we got home we were still 8 miles shy of the magic number. Good thing too, as I forgot the camera. The rain finally passed completely about 6:30 PM. After dinner we both had cabin fever, so we went for a drive and needed coats as it was in the 60s (unusual for us this time of year, it should have been 10 degees warmer.) We made a big 25 mile loop of the trip to the grocery store for OJ. Pulled over at a subdivision entrance along the way and took the pic - 100,000.

Started down, went up, came down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 117

Top hasn't moved since very early last Sunday morning, been under the boot all week. Might change tomorrow though, predicting rain. If I had only brought a coat to the drive-in last weekend it would be a streak of 12 days with out changing postion.

Going to take the digital camera when I go out tomorrow. I have to stop and take a picture of the odometer when it rolls over to 100,000 miles. Sitting at 99,987 right now. It has taken 5 years and 5 months to get there. I traded my first Miata in with 118,000 miles on it, so since November 1989 I have driven nearly the distance to the moon in a Miata.

The Barndoor Fan Club Spring Photo Contest is over, go and vote for the People's Choice Award.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 115

Dentist appointment for both of us this afternoon. It is 6 month cleaning and check-up time, we schedule them at the same time so we can leave work at the same time. Our appoinments were for 3:00 PM, so we left at 2:30 to take a bit of a drive before ending up at the Dentist's office.

Finally burned the CD's for May's Mix of the Month Club going to print out the cover and label at work tomorrow so I can use the color "laser" printer. Up until this evening I had 2 versions of Breakfast in Bed on the CD, but tonight I snagged a couple of more songs in my bear trap and I took one off. I really liked both versions, but because I couldn't find 60 minutes of just breakfast songs, one had to go.

Picked out the shirt to have the Miata Club Logo embroidered on - Jerzees 447M. Going to get it in Birch, kind of a gray color. My first thought was white, but I just don't know if I'd wear it. Plus I'd get the white dirty in an instant.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 115

Exciting time to be in the Master's Miata Club, we've gotten T-shirts, yesterday I ordered the new club window decals and tonight we got an email from John Haff's secretary about choosing what kind/color of polo shirt we want to get the Club logo embroidered on. Gonna go surfing and try and find each style shirt (3 different ones from 3 different manufacturers) and make a choice.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 115

We finally got our Master's Miata Club T-shirts with the new logo on it on Saturday. They have been a long time coming firstly in the logo design process, like a year, and then a couple more months in screen printing time. The printing shouldn't have taken that long, but the screen printer that the Prez picked is, well, let's say won't be getting his business again. I also had a bad experience with him about 9-10 years ago and have never been back. I designed the logo with lots of input from the Club and a committee and we all think that it came out really nice. Our screen printer did not, he felt that it needed a slight change and made that change without even asking. It is so subtle that no one will probably notice it but me (and now those who read this.) There are the two different Miatas in the logo, one of each body style and on the logo as designed the interiors of both were a dark gray, but on the shirts we received one of the Miatas now has a white interior. Read today's Rant for my insights on why this might have happened.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 115

Cool time at the drive in on Saturday. Eight cars made the trip to the Big Mo and 7 stayed for the movie. We moved the time for leaving the Sonic up a half hour and it paid off. We got there before the gates opened and were like 4 cars back from the ticket booth. The last 3 times we have gone we have been stuck in the back row or split up. This time we got in the 3rd row and all in a line. Actually, after a close call with a minivan parking nearly in front of us, Stacey Timmerman and I moved our cars into the row right in front of the other 5. There surely wasn't going to be any problems blocking the screen with a Miata. The dozen of us pulled out the folding chairs and chatted and snacked away the hour before showtime (pun not intended.)

During the day on Saturday it was nearly 90, so quite few of us were unprepared for the coolness that arrived after sundown. A decent breeze made it seem even colder. It was a good thing that Rudy finally picked up the Club T-shirts and brought them to the Sonic. He passed them out to those who had ordered them and a couple of them made really nice leg warmers for those bare legs.

In between movies we lost 3 cars to early departures. Too bad too, as they missed the highlight of the whole evening, a marrige proposal over the PA system. Seems a couple had their first date at the Big Mo one year ago to the night. (Coinsidentally the Miata Club was there too.) They decided to come back on the anniversary to see another movie. The guy had a plan. inbetween the usual announments and trivia contests, the owner asked this fella's girl friend over the PA would she marry him. After a few minutes the answer was announced, she said yes.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 115

Got home too late from the Drive In last night to post and it is way too late tonight to tell you about it, so tomorrow. OK? Read tonight's Rant for my movie reviews.

Started down, went up, went down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 115

Donna and I used to go out to eat once a week. It was a change of pace from sitting in my cube, but there are like only 4 "fast" food places close enought to get a lunch in and leave time for a little drive afterwards. Well after last Wednesday's disappoinment at Popeye's we decided to just skip the lunch part altogether and just go for a drive. Now it can be a longer drive too. Today we ate lunch at our desks a little early and then went driving for about 45 minutes. Much nicer, drive and no more biggie sizing the combos and then wanting to do nothing but nap for the afternoon.

The CD Mix of the Month care package came in the mail today. wOOt. Josh had a little CD burner setback so they were late this month, but definately worth it. Really enjoyed Josh's disc this month. The second disc comes from va spider which also rocks (I'm on the second listening already.) After listening to these two I am definately getting an inferiority complex, my april mix seems lame.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 113

Tonight is music download night. I'm way early for this month's mix, but I'd rather be doing this than something I should be doing. This month's theme is "Let's Eat." I was listening to the soundtrack to the movie "The Mighty Quinn" and on it is a song that I really like called Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, so I thought to myself I've got to include that on the CD. Which led to looking for songs with dinner in the title. I came up with a few, but not enough. From there I went hunting supper, then lunch and finally breakfast. I've corraled about 30 songs from which I will pick the 15 or 16 that will go on the CD.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 113

To work, cockpit cover on, after work, cockpit cover off, little drive home and into the garage. I'm sure my Miata is jealous of all the little roadsters who get driven on twisty roads every day, I know I am.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 113

Just another boring day in convertible paradise, but without the lunchtime drive.

I'm getting mod withdrawals, I haven't changed anything on the Miata since I did the shift knob transmogrification eleven days ago. I think hooking up the garage remote to one of the toggle switches is next. That means once again disassembling the dash. While I'm in there I am going to try one more time too move the CD/MP3 player forward a bit so it doesn't hit on the trim ring everytime I pull the faceplate down. May even try and locate the source of light for the A/C button and turn it red. Right now I've got a piece of black tape inside the button so no light shows.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 113

Just another boring day in convertible paradise. Even took a little drive at lunch today. As long as it is not windy, it doesn't take too long to remove or put on the cockpit cover.

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 113

Went out early and made a bagel run in the Miata, but that 3 mile trip was it for top down motoring. Only ventured away from the computer a couple of other times all day Went over to our friend's house (in the Civic) to have cake and ice cream, their oldest was 12 today, had dinner on the porch and watched the X-Files.

Started up, went down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 113

The Miata hasn't moved all day. I wonder if it feels neglected?

This AM the family headed over to the First Annual Aiken Scotish Games in the Honda Civic. Although only in the first year, the organizers must have an "in" with somebody important, as we got traditional Scotish weather, cold and damp. Hard to beleive that a few days ago we were in the mid 90's, because today, if it got into mid 60s we were lucky. It lightly rained on and off all morning, but it didn't seem to hold down the crowd that much. They had all the usual stuff, brawny guys in kilts tossing stuff around, girls in fancy skirts and tap shoes dancing, Celtic music, border collie demonstrations and of course meat pies and fish & chips.

This evening the three of us piled back in to the Civic for a drive to Augusta to go out ot eat.

Started up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 112

Wuzzed out. Saw a dark sky when passing a window at work this morning, checked the radar and saw a line of green headed our way so I went into the parking lot and put the top up. All the while I was doing it it was sprinkling. Rained for about 1 minute then quit. Oh well. Put it down for the trip home and it sat in the garage while we had grape size hail fall for about 5 minutes this evening when a big ol' strom barreled through town. How do people who have to keep their cars outside deal with that? Had to run to the store tonight and we were still on the fringes of the rain so the top went up, although as it worked out, it probably didn't need to be.....

Started down, went up, back down, back up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 112

Tonight was the monthly Miata Club meeting. We met at Davenports in North Augusta. The food was OK, the service was so-so, we ain't goin' back. Next month we are going to try the new Grand Buffet. It just opened up in the same spot as our old meeting place was, the Old Country Buffet, except this is Chinese plus other stuff. I can hardly wait ;-). The Club T-shirts are still AWOL, Rudy sez he'll check on them tomorrow. The fact that it might cost more money to find a new web host and pay for a domain name didn't sit too well with the populus, so we will be staying at geocities for a while. I can't get worked up about desiging a spiffy site that is going to have a java pop up on top and pop under ads. I think I'll change the site to be text based and just update the calendar...

I wonder if the M2 owners would object to having a www.barndoorfanclub.org/masters_miata URL?

Started down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 109

Raining this morning, really raining, so the top went up for the drive to work. It seemed so weird, seemed like I hadn't driven with the top up in months. Today was the weekly lunch out date with my wife. We went to Popeye’s, same experience as always, good food and lousy service. It was still spritzing so the top was remained up, so because of the weather we just went right back to work instead of doing a little drive.

After work it had quit, so the top went down.

Started down, went up, back down, still down.
Top Transitions since 02/01/02: 109