A Raccoon Warning

Some of the many tracks on my windshield.

I got up early on July 7 to let the cats out while it was still cool. That's when I saw the raccoon tracks on my car's hood, windshield and roof. After the raccoons massacred chickens in late May, we had been, and still are, very watchful for signs of any more raccoons coming too close to the barn and house. It was very creepy seeing that a raccoon had climbed to the top of my car in the middle of the night. Was this a ploy to show dominance? To show that they could still sneak up on us? Since we had killed three of its comrades in May, this very well could be a show of strength. 

It isn't paranoia that makes me think the raccoons have these motivations for stomping on my car. In reality, animals and humans have spent centuries performing dominance displays. There was no food on the top of my car for the raccoon to take. It seems clear to me that the act was a demonstration by the raccoon. It gives me a whole lot of respect for the critters. And it has taught me to be very careful when I go outside in the dark. It wasn't too long ago that there was raccoon rabies in the Northeast Kingdom.

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Back in Vermont Again

My new photoshopped plates — no more vanity plates.

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No More meeyauw — Just Call me 2852020

My Vermont vanity plates are gone.
I'm officially a New Hampshire resident now.

It took me six months to get a driver's license here. New Hampshire would not accept my green photo-free Vermont license because the little numbers and letters had rubbed off of it. This is the same license that had me held in Canadian immigration for an hour years ago. The same license that caused the Canadian immigration folks to tell me to go back to Vermont and tell them to "get with it" and issue photo IDs.

The problem with getting a New Hampshire license was that Vermont DMV will not fax information to New Hampshire DMV and New Hampshire DMV will not fax to Vermont. Each state also has different forms with different information on them for me to verify my Vermont license. And neither state would accept the paperwork of the other. After talking to both offices for a long time on the phone and two trips to Concord with different paperwork, I was stuck between two states without a driver's license.

I then decided to simply drove to Montpelier and complain about the quality of the green license. I had to go to Montpelier because the White River Junction DMV office (which is 2 hours closer to home) is only open like every other Tuesday and is in a mobile van without a supervisor that can make decisions.

In Montpelier, the DMV lady agreed that my green photo-less license wasn't working out so well for me and gave me a photo license for free and I got my New Hampshire license the next day. Sort of.

New Hampshire only issues temporary licenses at the DMV. You have to wait 60 days for the real license! And I have heard from others that it can take longer than sixty days. And you are warned on the official paperwork that comes with your temporary license that the temporary license is not an official ID. Wish me luck.

My new plates.
The old Vermont plates will be nailed to the barn wall in the spring.

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My New Subaru

I bought a new car on Tuesday — a 2005 Subaru Outback with 53,000 miles. My Saturn wagon was 9 years old, had 165,000 miles, was falling apart, was unsafe in winter and was costing too much in repairs. I am just thrilled. I never thought I would be able to afford one of these Subarus. This used car is as good as new. I called the dealership on Monday and they got the financing ready. I walked in Tuesday, selected the car and in an hour I drove home. The total time to pick it out and to sign papers: 3 hours. What a difference from a week of agony and waiting years ago!

This wire kitty, named after my Frankie cat from long ago, was unglued from the dash of my old car and re-glued onto the dash of the Subaru. What a great team at St. Jay Auto! From financing to servicing, this was actually an almost pleasant experience.

St. Johnsbury Automobiles (St. J Auto) Subaru Division

from subaru.com:

"SUBARU" is a Japanese word meaning "unite", as well as a term identifying a cluster of six stars, which the Greeks called the Pleiades - part of the Taurus constellation.
According to Greek mythology, Atlas' daughters turned into this group of stars. In 1953, five Japanese companies merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. The new corporation adopted the "Subaru" cluster of stars as the official logo for its line of automobiles.

Besides the Big and Little Dippers, the Pleiades is the only constellation I have ever been able to identify in the sky. I have always enjoyed the myth of this constellation. And Subaru has a solid reputation here in the north country — you can get through weather that will stop other cars cold.

My "New" Car Flickr Set

Technorati Tags: Subaru Outback, St. J Auto, Pleiades
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