Car, drums, telephone table, Green Machine, lion

Left TG at home because I thought it’d be quick trip -- but it turned out to be longer. (Sorry, buddy!)

Went to look at the car with the stickshift. Despite the fact that I super-prefer stickshifts over automatics, it was just too shiny and intact-looking for me to feel comfortable driving it. Looked more like a “classic car” than something you’d drive around for errands and commuting. But The Lady really liked it, so we’ll be buying it. A handshake deal, will get them the money in a week or so.

After that, went to an Antique Mall (used to be a big theatre -- pretty neat!) to look for gift ideas for each other, and for The Lady’s family (they like antique-y stuff), for Christmas. Found something for my mom. Also found a kick drum and a rack tom for myself! A few cosmetic things wrong, torn drum head (they get replaced every few years anyhow), some bolts that need tightening. Asking $65 for the kick drum, $30 (marked down from $45) for the rack tom. Total was thus $95; offered $70 (with a disclaimer that I knew I was being a bit stingy). Accepted! Been there for a fair while with no offers. Yeah!!!

Also saw what The Lady called a ‘’telephone table’’: imagine a two-person wooden bench, but the left side of the bench (as you’re facing the front of it) is actually a narrow table with the top surface with the area of a telephone book. Somewhere handy to sit when you’re on the phone. It appealed to me, but didn’t know what use I’d have for it. Then, as I continued to browse, realized that it would make an excellent songwriting table: sitting at it while playing the guitar, the table (and notepad) would at my right elbow, handy for jotting down chords; the guitar neck would stick out to the left, away from the table. Went back to check the price. AU$300 -- twice what I’d be willing to pay. (And, not pay today, anyhow -- nowhere to put it at the moment.) But AU$150 -- is it worth a good-priced used electric guitar. Yeah, probably. Eventually.

Also saw a few wooden moulding planes: they shape the edges of wood, much like electric routers do today (more slowly, but not as noisily or as dangerously!). $22 each -- a reasonable price, IMO -- and negotiable. Suggested to The Lady that she could pass that on to her family, if they were stuck for gift ideas for me.

On the way back home, stopped off at the Toowong Mall, near Uni [i.e. “the University”]. (“How long is it?” “Too wong!”) Looked at the toy section in K-Mart (yep! In Australia. Multi-national corporation.) for toys for my nephew. On the way to the toy section, saw the movie “Say Anything” for ten bucks. Picked it up. Also got sidetracked by the “wheeled things you can ride” section. Had the Green Machine somewhat on sale: ninety-nine bucks for the 16” diameter wheel model; one-sixty-nine for the 20” diameter wheel. Someday, will buy the small one for The Bub, big one for me -- ride around the yard. :)

When I was a kid, there were tons of things in toy stores that I wanted -- but didn’t have the money. Now that I’m an adult, though, and could buy (most) of that stuff -- most of it no longer appeals. But I still want a Green Machine!!! Partly ‘cause it’s green; but mostly ‘cause of the weird steering mechanism -- you have two joysticks, and they make the rear wheels pivot. Neat-o!!! Looks a bit like a green and black, plastic, recumbent bicycle.

After lingering over the Green Machine, I caught up with The Lady and The Bub, in the toy aisle. The Bub had a floppy lion stuffed animal (not the Beanie Baby(TM) style). The Lady had handed it to her to see how she’d react, and she instantly bonded with it: clutched it to her chest and skrinkled up her nose in a smile. The Lady tried swapping out other stuffed animals, but The Bub kept reaching for the lion -- even started crying when it looked like we were going to permanently take it away from her; real tears. (note: Not a tantrum, and too young to be manipulating us. Poor behavior will not result in rewards.) So, we bought it for her. Marked down to five bucks; yeah, she’s worth five bucks.

The Lady named it “Lucy Lion.”


--GG