I'm sitting here looking out the window on a thin blanket of freshly fallen snow. It may look pretty in pictures but it dampens my spirit to think that four or five months of foul weather is beginning. It was a month ago that we had a ninety degree day and brilliant sunshine. To my mechanical side all I can think about is that the roads will be coated in salt and my motorcycles will be exiled to the garage for several months only coming to life for weekly two minute warmups. Sigh.
On a brighter note Linda and I visited her son Michael in Plymouth, Mass. this past weekend using my Scion iA from Mazda. It's a smallish little four door sedan and it has one fabulous virtue. Gas mileage. I filled the car up in Meriden, CT. during the trip and hit the highways. The tank mileage gauge told me I was getting 45.0 mpg by the end of the trip and as a result I could have done over 550 miles before filling up again. Not that I would want to sit in a car for five hundred miles but it's nice to know it can do it. It's comfortable, has cruise control and is an excellent partner. It's the car I used to go to South Carolina on our honeymoon. 
In case anyone would like to know my Mom is doing quite well these days. She is doing all the right things to stay away from braking her hip again and getting out to be with people. She is frequenting her favorite restaurant again and the people there are encouraging her to stay well so she can continue to see friendly faces. At her age (92) it's a blessing and we are all hoping her health continues.