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They are so much more pleasant to drive. Especially around a city. So quiet and responsive. I could never go back to petrol.
Occasionally when I have to drive one it feels very last century. Like a horse and cart compared to a car.

Mrs AFB was hesitant at first but absolutely loved her Smart ForFour.
She said the pretty much the exact same thing, when we spoke the weekend before last, that she will never go back to petrol, and regrets not having made the switch earlier (but she had been worried whether she would have found it difficult to adapt to the change).
 
At the week-end, I treated myself to a 13" MBP M1 from 2020, to supplement my (almost antique) but quite venerable and utterly wonderful CTO (maxed out) 11" MBA that is well over a decade old (2013/2014), still works flawlessly, and surprisingly quickly, (notwithstanding two battery replacements and one keyboard replacement) and has (quite literally) travelled the world with me.

However, I must admit that the M1 is quite wonderful and I am rather enjoying it so far; granted, I was tempted by a M3, but declined as it was just that bit too heavy when hefted; portability matters to me, and my computing needs are for something fast, powerful, but, above all, portable.
 
Mrs AFB had a Smart ForFour. 77 mile range and that will do her about 7 days. I have a charger on the drive so it will never see a destination charger.
Sounds good enough!
We live in a rental, but there's a public charger just a hundred yards down the road. Prices are reasonable. I calculated that the annual changes in energy costs and reduced maintenance costs for our petrol station wagon should offset most of the additional insurance costs for the BEV.
 
She said the pretty much the exact same thing, when we spoke the weekend before last, that she will never go back to petrol, and regrets not having made the switch earlier (but she had been worried whether she would have found it difficult to adapt to the change).
If they have charging at home it is much easier than going to buy petrol. Especially with some of the shortages I’ve been hearing about this week.
 
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Mrs AFB was hesitant at first but absolutely loved her Smart ForFour.
My better half first came up with the BEV idea a year ago. I didn't like the idea of having two cars. Also, there was no attractive offering on the market. Then the new Twingo was released and I said: this one! She hesitated, but we got such an excellent offer that we simply had to order one. Never had a test drive or even been inside of one... She needs to adjust to the new driving experience anyhow, we (I) need that second car, and there are still no other attractive offerings. Now we are waiting for the delivery in late June, early July...
 
If they have charging at home it is much easier than going to buy petrol. Especially with some of the shortages I’ve been hearing about this week.
Yes, they made sure (absolutely certain, in fact) that they had had charging at home installed before they made the switch to EVs. Now, their only regret is that they hadn't had it done ages ago.
 
I had an excellent and very successful recital this morning, I really am overjoyed—so happy with how it went and everyone’s wonderful playing on it!

However, I did just try to practice tonight because I’ve got a lot of classical music I need to learn and I actually couldn’t do it. I was just staring off into space more than half the time. I couldn’t even play the Bach C minor fugue I know by heart, much less the A minor one I’ve just started working on—it was so weird. Just not my practicing day, I guess.
 
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I had an excellent and very successful recital this morning, I really am overjoyed—so happy with how it went and everyone’s wonderful playing on it!

However, I did just try to practice tonight because I’ve got a lot of classical music I need to learn and I actually couldn’t do it. I was just staring off into space more than half the time. I couldn’t even play the Bach C minor fugue I know by heart, much less the A minor one I’ve just started working on—it was so weird. Just not my practicing day, I guess.

sometimes a bit of rest will do wonders for a person
 
I agree. It’s a bit difficult though, since I’m involved in so many things. And now that I’m an upperclassman in both the jazz and classical spaces, I get called to play on everything under the sun. Especially because I’m a pianist. The conservatory has 350 students, approximately 30 of whom are pianists, and I’m one of two cross-genre pianists able to do both classical and jazz.
 
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At the week-end, I treated myself to a 13" MBP M1 from 2020, to supplement my (almost antique) but quite venerable and utterly wonderful CTO (maxed out) 11" MBA that is well over a decade old (2013/2014), still works flawlessly, and surprisingly quickly, (notwithstanding two battery replacements and one keyboard replacement) and has (quite literally) travelled the world with me.
I took almost the same path. My MBA was a decade old, its second battery just about shot (90-minute run time) and the trackpad would only click in the lower-right corner. Got an M1 MBP in 2021, and it's about due for its first battery replacement (hoping for at least 5 more years on it, also).
 
Last March, 2025 a lorry crashed into my car, causing £9K worth of damage. So I decided to but a Dash Cam. Halfords (UK) came and fitted one yesterday for £300. Worth it for peace of mind. I did previously buy one off Amazon but could never get it to work. Received a full refund so decided to get a reputable company to fit one for me.
 
Last March, 2025 a lorry crashed into my car, causing £9K worth of damage. So I decided to but a Dash Cam. Halfords (UK) came and fitted one yesterday for £300. Worth it for peace of mind. I did previously buy one off Amazon but could never get it to work. Received a full refund so decided to get a reputable company to fit one for me.
I have a front and rear dashcam in my car since some idiot with road rage got out of his car and assaulted me.
The cost is so worth the peace of mind in my opinion.
 
Daylight savings. Again. Why we keep doing this is beyond stupid.

Permanent Standard Time. Quit messing with circadian rhythms already.

Then there's permanent daylight saving time.
 
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Saturday February 28, 2026 my son and I moved that Rheem 80 gallon hybrid water heater into basement utility room, it’s 244 lbs .. a warranty replacement unit, replacing the 3 year old one that is installed ..

Well guess this 63 year old bod ain’t what used to be, I got a slight hernia by belly button as a result, a slight “outie” happens when make stomach muscle.
Saw doctor, no pain, no surgery.
I’m in good shape, lift at planet fitness 2x or 3x week, Mtb bike 3x week, learned my lesson here.

We used zero turn lawnmower with pull cart to move from driveway to basement French doors, about 150 feet, it was the last 30 feet manhandling it that bit me.
Of course afterwards I found my dolly in garage that would have helped ..
Will use that to remove old one.
 
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Saturday February 28, 2026 my son and I moved that Rheem 80 gallon hybrid water heater into basement utility room, it’s 244 lbs .. a warranty replacement unit, replacing the 3 year old one that is installed ..

Well guess this 63 year old bod ain’t what used to be, I got a slight hernia by belly button as a result, a slight “outie” happens when make stomach muscle.
Saw doctor, no pain, no surgery.
I’m in good shape, lift at planet fitness 2x or 3x week, Mtb bike 3x week, learned my lesson here.

We used zero turn lawnmower with pull cart to move from driveway to basement French doors, about 150 feet, it was the last 30 feet manhandling it that bit me.
Of course afterwards I found my dolly in garage that would have helped ..
Will use that to remove old one.
Is the old one scrap?
If so could you cut it up before you move it?

I can appreciate not being able to lift like I used to. The joys of old age. But still better than the alternative.
 
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Is the old one scrap?
If so could you cut it up before you move it?

I can appreciate not being able to lift like I used to. The joys of old age. But still better than the alternative.

Old ones going back to Rheem as warranty trade in. So gotta get it to driveway. Will use the moving dolly.

Honestly there’d be no way to cut that up, well I could remove the air heat pump, condenser coils, etc, maybe lighten 50 pounds of it..

No more super grunting for me though.
 
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