Cash for Clunkers Execution

Here are a few more photos from the garden tour I went on last weekend. This first one shows a "cook house" in the middle of the garden. As beautiful as this yard was, I really didn't much like the layout; this yard was "built" in about 3 years, and the cook house does have this really cool option of being able to cook in it even when it's 20 below zero. I don't know; you still have to get from the back door, across the patio, through the snow, and into it! I think I'd be more inclined to use the jacuzzi in that weather! (Jacuzzis are actually amazing when it's extremely cold; you actually do stay quite warm in the middle of the ice cube called "North Dakota." This, I wish I had in MY back yard!The trip TO the jacuzzi is a challenge; the trip back to the house is usually very comfortable--unless you hit a snow drift.)



This next photo was from another house on the tour. Ha! Finally a use for all those humongous shoes and boots left behind by my children!



And now for a not-so-pleasant thought following yesterday's obituary for our Dodge:

Here’s how the car dealership is instructed to destroy the clunker’s engine:

"THIS PROCEDURE IS NOT TO BE USED BY THE VEHICLE OWNER Perform the following procedure to disable the vehicle engine.
Since the vehicle will not be drivable after this procedure is performed, consider where the procedure will be performed and how the vehicle will be moved after the procedure is complete.
1. Obtain solution of 40% sodium silicate/60% water. (The Sodium Silicate (SiO2/Na2O) used in the solution must have a weight ratio of 3.0 or greater.)

2. Drain engine oil for environmentally appropriate disposal.

3. Install the oil drain plug.4. Pour enough solution in the engine through the oil fill for the oil pump to circulate the solution throughout the engine. Start by adding 2 quarts of the solution, which should be sufficient in most cases.

4.CAUTION: Wear goggles and gloves. Appropriate protective clothing should be worn to prevent silicate solution from coming into contact with the skin.

5. Replace the oil fill cap.

6. Start the engine.

7. Run engine at approximately 2000 rpm (for safety reasons do not operate at high rpm) until the engine stops. (Typically the engine will operate for 3 to 7 minutes. As the solution starts to affect engine operation, the operator will have to apply more throttle to keep the engine at 2000 rpm.)

8. Allow the engine to cool for at least 1 hour.

9. With the battery at full charge or with auxiliary power to provide the power of a fully charged battery, attempt to start the engine.10. If the engine will not operate at idle, the procedure is complete.

11. If the engine will operate at idle, repeat steps 6 through 10 until the engine will no longer idle.

12. Attach a label to the engine that legibly states the following: This engine is from a vehicle that is part of the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS). It has significant internal damage caused by operating the engine with a sodium silicate solution (liquid glass) instead of oil.

Eeewwwwww!!!!!!

I prefer Maria's suggestion of a jazz funeral procession through town. We're still waiting for word on whether the Cash for Clunker deal went through, but this makes me not so eager to rush things along.