u/Delicious_Mess7976

2013 XLE owner here, car has 83K miles on it. It is usually serviced by a small shop owned by my brother in law.

Took it to Toyota for a factory recall and to have the coolant exchanged.

Would appreciate any comments on the technician notes (I am not a car person)

They exchanged the coolant and performed the work on an older factory recall...something to
do with the battery harness....I saw the technician notes - that it's not the correct battery (I've had the current one for 3 years)....so I am guessing the recall was on the original battery set up - so not sure how you could make sure everything is lined up as original with batteries and 13 year old cars. This is my 3rd battery since owning the car lol, including the original.

He also noted the following needed replacements:

- a serpentine belt
- sway bar (he could feel play in the sway bar links)

I am not sure if these two are typical for a car of this age & condition, but will look into these.

Also, my brother in law also owns a small town auto repair shop, so I might ask if he could do these. Not sure.

Thoughts appreciated.

I've recently tried genmaicha and I really enjoy it - it's a great comfort drink before bed for me.

Do you have a favorite genmaicha to recommend where the rice notes are most prominent? Sorry if this is a neophyte question.

Also, I have heard of Korean barley tea

Any other grain based teas - or should I call them infusions or something else?

Many thanks

I am 66 years old... in NY State. This morning I went to CVS and got the flu and COVID vaccines.

About an hour or so ago, something happened that has never happened before in my entire life. Unexpected, sudden vomiting episode. I have vomited before in my life - but had a warning - stomach cramps, nausea, etc.

In this case, I felt fine one minute, vomiting the next minute, no warning. And it was different from the typical vomit - no taste, no sour weird smell, nothing.

I am not sure what else to tie it too - I had eaten a meal of cooked vegetables a couple hours before.

I am taking a GLP-1 drug but my last injection was almost 60 hours before this.

Does anyone know if this years vaccines carry a higher probability for gastro illness? PS/ I should have put a question mark in the title, sorry for leaving that out.

I ordered a tea from Harney & Sons labeled milky oolong, but unfortunately for me, one try

was enough....I detect notes of chemically-milk flavor. Apparently I like the idea of a milky oolong, but not when they add their own milky flavor to it.

Is there such a think as an oolong where the flavor is inherently milky and natural? Thanks

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post here about my 2013 RAV4, with 83K miles on it....mostly only driven around town, low usage over the years....I have been having the oil changed every 5K-6K miles, but it hasn't required anything else except batteries and tires, over the years.

As I mentioned in the prior post, I am now getting ready to take a cross country road trip, and I don't want to end up breaking down, god forbid, some place in the middle of nowhere...even with a cellphone.

So one of the posters referenced the Car Care Nut and I watched his video for getting Toyotas over the 300K mark. With my driving patterns, I'll be gone from this earth before I hit 300K.

125K might be good for me at this point in life lol.

Ok based on his video, it sounds like I maybe need to have a few things done before the trip.

I have been taking it to a small town repair shop - but based on all his emphasis on original fluids and original parts, sounds like I need to take it to Toyota?

Sounds like he is recommending

- oil change (of course, while I am there)

- coolant change (needs to be original)

- new spark plugs (original)

- transmission fluid - should have been done at 60K, but not over 80K?

- normal check of other fluids, belts and hoses

Does all of this sound about right to you all?

I admit that I am not a car person, so almost all of this above my head.

Thank youQ

I have an update for anyone curious. In our last episode, this man and I had made an introduction through a well known online forum, a NON-DATING forum, the kind where you talk to your sister or your kids or your neighbor or old high school classmate.

I handed him the lead in to a great topic for an easy, no stress conversation. I said something along the lines of "I see we graduated from the same small high school, a couple years apart and I see you were in sports, so we either have friends in common or you probably already know my family, either way nice to meet you!"

He chose to reply to a stranger wanting to get to know him, with "what's your age, marital status, current pictures?"

He assumed I was looking for a date. I was looking to meet someone new. I decided to not respond

and drop the whole thing because I found it rude and showing a lack of personality. People in our age range who've been out and about in job settings or social settings, know the importance of establishing polite rapport before jumping into something - anything. It says a lot.

Turns out I was right.

He decided to send me a follow up message last night "hello beautiful, how are you tonight my dear?'

Is this how you talk to a complete stranger? one you didn't even bother to respond to about the hometown connection?

If you don't get why this is rude, there's nothing more to be said :) some people get it, some don't

Here's a hint from something they told you back in kindergarten - treat people how you would like to be treated.

If I had opened up the conversation by asking him : are you living on a pension or do you also have any savings or retirement accounts? when did your last relationship end and do you color your hair? would it have been any less rude?

I suspect there are man who are reading this and thinking "why doesn't she just loosen up? why can't she let him be a dolt if he wants to be? it's all the same in the end, and you get to meet someone new"

Why? because if it doesn't start off respectful and comfortable for both - it never gets better, it only gets worse. Heed the warnings :) We're in our 60s, not many years left for do-overs...better to ride solo and at peace than double and dreading every minute...

CLARIFICATION: Regular Facebook is just regular people communicating in daily life about anything, it's not set up as a dating forum. If you meet someone that way - fine - but that's not the vibe there for ***initially meeting.** Do you walk into a church or concert for the first time, introduce yourself and then ask the person next to you their age or marital status? Hell No!

You gotta know your environment - respond appropriately!

Ok, back to the show lol I've mentioned in prior posts that I don't do OLD anymore and prefer to just meet people in real life. Maybe I am riding on a high right now, having just returned from a 6 week trip to all sorts of places where connecting and friendliness and conversation were everywhere....just by traveling through various cities and doing things i.e. life. I have made some new friends recently.

But now back in my home city and as I recently posted:

First there was the guy who took a seat right next to me, ignoring all other open seats and never said a word (we don't know why, only speculation) and I could have initiated a conversation, but in that situation it seemed as if he were going to start one (doesn't matter now anyway, just a curiosity)

Now yesterday I decided to reach out to someone new. My hometown is small. Everyone knows everyone. I don't live there anymore but I live in a relatively nearby city. I came across a guy on Facebook who lives in the hometown and graduated a few years before me. I found it odd I had not heard of him before, I figured there had to be a story to it - or friends in common, so I reached out with a friend request. He accepted immediately and initiated with a hello, how are you, so I responded hoping for a chat to learn more about each other...but his second sentence was:

what's your age, what's your marital status and are your photos recent?

I dropped the conversation, go ahead and judge me for that - but for me, I am a human being before I am anything else - before I am a potential friend, lover, neighbor - anything.

Although I was interested, that killed it for me. I can tell you those things about me in short order, but second sentence?

I am not of this online world, apparently. Would you meet someone in real life seated next to you and say that second sentence after meeting them? NO. Why is the online world so calculated and cold and dehumanized?

Because I was curious, I searched Facebook for any public posts he made elsewhere there. I found many. Photos of himself on Facebook pages for singles, posts going back as far as 3 years ago - and they all said the same thing:

"Why oh why is it SOOOO hard just to meet a nice woman????"

Kind of a shame too, I think he's attractive.

I am a solo cruiser in the NE US and new to cruising. I've been retired a couple years and usually start my snowbird plans this time of year, I head to much warmer places.

I usually leave mid December to mid April

This year I am thinking of something different and looking for advice from more experienced cruisers.

After spending the holidays with family, I am planning to head to Cancun where my dentist is located for some dental work. After I am done with that - around late January, I could fly to South Florida and stay at hotels, while looking out for last minute cruises and just do back to back cruises until spring time?
Thinking of South Florida since there's a majority that leave from there?

I could start planning cruises now - but my understanding is that they're more costly since I should have booked them months ago?
Do I understand that correctly?

Thank you.

Arriving by Amtrak tomorrow night. I will need to catch a Uber/Lyft/Taxi to Albany area.

Usually available at that time? or is there a taxi service more often recommended than Uber?

Thanks.

Hello, I've owned this vehicle since July 2013. In about 13 years, I've managed to put 83K miles on this car. I was a teleworker for many years, so that explains some of it.

Things have changed now and I am retired, so I see a lot more driving in my future and especially long road trips.

I have kept the car maintained, but in 13 years have only had to replace tires and batteries and do brake maintenance.

My fears may be unfounded (obviously I am not a car person, so don't know much about this kind of thing) but I am concerned about taking long road trips in a 13 year old car. But then, I look at the price of new vehicles and my stomach hurts LOL.

Am I being overly worried about taking a 13 year old RAV 4 on long road trips in areas that could be remote?

Opinions appreciated. Many thank yous.

I am coming to Charleston for the first time ever, at the end of this year, will be staying for a week or so before heading to Atlanta. Arriving by train, without a vehicle - walking is my thing.

I want to hit the main places of interest - I enjoy history, good dining, walking around historic areas, art, nature, etc etc - all of that.

It seems - and I am not surprised - that the lodging available in the downtown historic areas is quite a bit more expensive than lodging in more outlying areas...

so....I was thinking of staying somewhere farther out and taking an uber or taxi to the downtown areas because it seems that even when adding in the extra taxi expense, it's still cheaper than downtown lodging.

Ok, all that said - what other convenient, safe areas would you recommend for doing something like that? say a taxi ride of less than 15 minutes or so?

Appreciate any advice, many thanks!

I often see people recommend booking at the last minute for the very best prices, but I wonder how

they can obtain visas on such a short notice? I realize I am new to all this, hence my question.
Thank you.

I can't do butter or coconut oil or flour, so I will use canola or light olive for the fat component.

Oats, oat fiber, and really really need psyllium (according to my doctor)

PB2 light to add bulk and flavor, maybe egg whites.

Sweeteners? I will go light on them...supertaster, so I can't really use any artificial sugars..

maybe a bit of honey or maple syrup or allulose.

Thoughts? suggestions? ideas? Thanks.

I see a couple cruises for this coming winter that interest me, but unfortunately, according to the

Vacations to Go website, they are sold out.

Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a waiting list for sold out cruises?

sorry if this is a newbie question.

Thanks

Quebec City is the one Canadian city I have missed in all my travels from the US (please excuse the current leadership idiocy and insanity - many of us are appalled and dismayed)....but I plan to remedy this by a week long visit. I arrive in QC later this weekend. I would love and appreciate any suggestions for casual restaurants with typical quebecois food.....also a place for a great massage.

Many thanks....

I am about to book my first cruise, it's a 12 day cruise on Holland America, if that makes a difference.
What should I know other than the details of when and where and listed cruise price?

I feel as if I should purchase travel insurance - but my own? through the cruise line? I have health insurance that covers me outside the US, but I think I need something like unexpected cancellation insurance?

I haven't started looking at the add on fees - what is normal, what is gouging?

what kind of gotchas exist?

I have plenty of time to figure out the details of what to pack, etc. I just am trying to figure out what I should know now and I am an uneducated or not experienced about this.

Thank you.

The address is 407 Hamilton Street.

This coming fall, I will be relinquishing my apartment lease and leaving by airline and traveling for a couple months, maybe longer, returning to the area sometime in winter.

It appears the Schenectady Municipal Garage offers monthly rates and can be reserved.

I called their number, had to leave a voice message since some of my questions I can't find answers for on their website.

So in case anyone here might know the answers...

Right now, October is the earliest I can reserve. Since I will need longer, do I just renew on a month to month basis online? or maybe it automatically renews until I say stop lol.

Any tips about using the garage on a longer term basis, are appreciated.