A Haven for Vee

Friday, April 29, 2022

April in Maine

 Still brown. And that's nearly all that I have to say about that. Warming is slow coming. The grass is looking rough. One good thing: the forsythia is beginning to bloom. 





You will have to look closely!


The last of my mountain of 
snow, created by the plow clearing my driveway, melted a week ago. It left a lot of winterkill in its wake. 

I have slowly done my own yard work this year. I spend about an hour each morning sweeping, blowing, raking with good results. It eventually gets accomplished. Even the town crew has been along removing and cleaning all those piles of sand on the street's edge.

The winds of March blew all through March and straight through April. I have heard a lot about these winds from all across the country. I am not a fan of wind. It was blistering cold yesterday and it is even colder today. Snow showers are expected for tomorrow, the final day of April.



Porch Rocker Tipped


We should have celebrated a birthday last weekend, but schedules didn't work out so we'll be celebrating this weekend. I'm looking forward to that. A gal has to get out of the house once in a while. It will be the first time this April birthday will have been honored in May.

Easter Sunday, Laurel and I met at a local steakhouse for a delicious dinner. Afterward, when she walked me to my car, she exclaimed, "Mom, your car registration is way overdue. And so is your inspection." So I had those chores to tidy up in the week that followed. I really am slipping. Say, does your state require you to register your car yearly and have an inspection? The cost for the inspection was $12.50; the cost for the registration was $140.00. I consider the registration an extra tax that is unnecessary and punitive.

What else do I have to share? 

Nothing.

I will try to catch a photo or two at the birthday party. I should not make these promises. Everyone in my family hates photos. ッ 

Thank you for reading. (I see that I have titles worked out for the next few months.)

Here's to brighter days ahead!


Love,

Vee

39 comments:

  1. We have inspection every year in Pennsylvania. It costs about $35. Registration is every three years and is about $25. A lot less than yours. I will be glad to see Spring come too. It's supposed to go up to the 70s next week and I can't wait. I need to get outside and do some yardwork too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Birthday sweet friend! Yard work is never ending, isn't it? We don't have to do the inspection here in FL...one less thing to worry about! lol Enjoy your day. Stay warm!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is it YOUR birthday? I guess I jumped to conclusions! Well....at least I can still jump! hahahaha! Hugs!

      Delete
  3. We have inspections every year! We have had lots of wind, but I like the wind. Of course, I don't have to be out in it when its cold out either!

    You've done a good job with your tasks with the snow, and raking, etc. How great to eat out with Laurel on Easter!

    I'm happy you got your April post in, and enjoy celebrating the April Birthday in May! In my mind it just makes the birthday fun last longer!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Birthday to whomever (grin)---and let's see, no inspection here in Florida although it will cost $100 for the Registration and $45 for the tag and no, we haven't done it yet.

    I see it snowed this past week where we use to live in NY--yeah, not missing it. Although, it is quite warm here in Central Florida. Just a lot of sand, even where we live.

    As for your thought you left on my blog in regard to Liam and us moving etc....probably, grin. AND its all good---my mind hasn't actually been the same since he passed away, just keeping it real. So, is all good.

    Nice to see you post my friend...been meaning to get snail mail out, again, not making excuses, but my mind is just blank right now.

    ReplyDelete
  5. 140 dollars?? Wow. Sounds high.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ah yes, the lovely shades of spring brown in Maine. The time of year when dandelions are a welcome sight, and we get excited about the bright yellow of forsythia blooms. I can see them outside my kitchen window. As for excise tax, I used to work in the town office years ago and would collect excise tax on car registrations. The newer and more expensive the car, the greater the tax as you know. I was stunned at how much those taxes really were. Good to see a post here from you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, so why does an old car like mine cost so much?

      Delete
  7. We don't pay a registration fee every year and we only have to get our cars inspected when the license are due. We used to have to purchase a city sticker for our cars but they've stopped that.

    ReplyDelete
  8. We don't have to have a car inspection here, but renew our insurance yearly and who knows what fees are included in that! Good for you for getting out in the wind and chill for an hour a day. Soon everything will burst out green! It's been a chilly spring across the continent. Don't know what that says about global warming - ha! Enjoy the birthday celebration! I hope the snow stays away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Insurance is above and beyond inspections and registrations. πŸ™‚ "Global change" is the term these days I believe. In my many decades of life, I have seen a lot of that. Thank you for your visit and the kind words.

      Delete
  9. Oh yes, we have inspection yearly along with registration. We also live close to DC so we have emission testing as well. All come at a cost of course.
    It's been a chilly Spring for us. One day in the 70s and then tonight a frost is expected. Good for you tackling yard clean up a little each day. Before long I'm sure you will have blossoms to share. Enjoy the upcoming birthday celebration!

    ReplyDelete
  10. We do not have to have an inspection where we now live in Washington State. We used to have to do that on the Seattle side of the mountains. Our car tabs are a lot lower in the county we live in now, too. Good for you for getting out there an hour a day. I've got to try to do something outside for an hour a day, maybe pulling dandelions that are popping up all over. Happy birthday to someone. Glad the celebration is happening albeit late. Your Easter meal sounds nice. We've mowed twice already so we are far ahead of you. Do you have to mow and if you do does someone do that for you?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laurel gave me a battery operated mower so now I mow my own. Before that, my son or grandsons did it. I couldn't start that old mower. It will be awhile before mowing is needed at this rate.

      Delete
  11. In Indiana, there are at least two counties that require emissions testing, but it's not done around here. I didn't even know that was a thing until I sold my brother's truck last spring, and the person who bought it, who lived in TN, I found out had to have emissions testing once they got it down there before they could apply for a TN registration (if I understand correctly). I don't know what they would have done if the truck hadn't passed since they had already purchased the car in Indiana. In Indiana, one only needs to register a car when purchasing it, renew the registration when changing address, and yearly pay a processing fee and taxes for new tags for our license plates. Once the car is registered correctly, the annual fees and taxes can be paid online. Thankfully, Indiana government has at least this one thing streamlined, and fairly straightforward.

    Your style of yard work sounds like how I like to do it. Slow and steady. Hubs, on the other hand, prefers to nearly kill himself once a week getting it all done in one day. It's so painful to watch. For years I've asked him to pace himself. He thinks he does because he stops many times in that day that he's knocking it all out, but that's not the kind of pace I'm talking about. At the end of a "work day" he's utterly exhausted, and has usually hurt something that takes the whole next week to heal. Old dogs and new tricks just don't go together around here.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sounds like a good way to do the yard work you have to do.
    The forsythia around here this year hasn't been good. Just a few yellow flowers and now they are turning green already.
    No yearly inspection for our cars. Just when they are sold and bought.
    Registration here is every two years but don't know the cost off hand.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fun post, Vee! It was so good to see a post from you pop up in my sidebar!

    Yes, hasn't that wind been something?! Crazy. Next week is sounding a little better in the forecast. Good for you getting out there to plug away at the yard work.

    Your missed registration/inspection reminds me of the time I was en route to our capital city (thankfully, I was not driving) when I checked to make sure I had my driver's license with me. I thought I might need to show ID on one of my errands. When I pulled out my license, I discovered it had expired in January ... and it was now November! Needless to say, a trip to the DMV was quickly added to the errands list for that day.

    Oh, and happy birthday to whosever special day it is! Enjoy the celebration! Granddaughter Julia's birthday is today, and we will be celebrating tomorrow. Impossible to believe she is 16.

    ReplyDelete
  14. We have registration every year but no inspections here in Florida. We did have inspections yearly when I lived in NC. Enjoy the party!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am always so happy when I see that you've posted!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ah yes - a late Spring indeed (over here too)! Good for you to get plugging away at Spring clean-up. I am hoping to get at some tomorrow now that we actually have had some sunshine and slightly above freezing temps. It's all good ... Spring will come and hopefully without all that wind. Hugs to you Vee!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh, I remember those Maine taxes! We lived on the border of Maine and NH, but in Maine, and we worked in NH. We bought a new car in NH, but had to pay taxes on it in Maine to get a tag. And then there were the state income taxes too, even though we worked in NH, we had to pay taxes to the state of Maine. Now we live in FL, where we are almost as good as NH about being tax free. No state income tax, but we do have sales tax. However no inspections on vehicles anymore, and our tag renewal is usually about $48. Anyway, Maine is still a beautiful place to live...especially in the summer and fall! Happy Birthday to whomever! I do hope you will take pictures. We love to see pictures of families and happy people! Have a good time!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Is it your birthday Vee? If so, happy birthday! I hope you enjoy your family. We do not have a vehicle inspection in Florida as they done away with it many years ago. My FIL was actually the vehicle inspector for our county for years. We do have an annual tag registration which the amount goes by the weight of your vehicle. Marty's truck weighs much more than my SUV so needless to say the cost of our tags are different. I hope you enjoy your outing for birthday and maybe you can snap a few pictures. Happy weekend to you dear Vee. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Vee,

    I was gone most of the day yesterday, so I'm just now getting to comment here. Thanks for your visit; I'm always glad to hear from you. You're sounding like Forrest Gump (that's all you have to say about things being brown). ;D :D I did pick out your forsythias in bloom; I do so love forsythias -- how about you? Yard work is a full-time job isn't it? I know yours will be pretty this summer; it seems like it always is. I hope you enjoy the family birthday celebration. I understand about the picture-taking; I can't speak for the rest of my family, but I have never liked having my picture made.

    Have a terrific weekend, Vee!

    Warm hugs to you,

    Denise at Forest Manor

    ReplyDelete
  20. We have tags and inspections to do here in Texas.....not as costly as yours. And maybe it's every two years.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Nice to hear from you! Sorry that you are still seeing brown, but we know that green is coming! As for vehicle inspections...we don't have annual inspections here, since they discontinued the 'air care program'. It supposedly measured emissions and kept the worst offenders off the road. Our licensing and insurance is combined...and renewed annually. I'll think of you as I do my yardwork. I also plug away at it...bit by bit. I actually quite enjoy it, if the weather is pleasant. Have a fun birthday party...for the April birthday. I think it is your son's turn to be celebrated. Right?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hope that will be the end of your snow and things will be greening up from now on.
    Your plan for getting things done sounds perfect and slow and steady wins the race.
    It must be a good feeling to have the car registration and inspection dealt with. I drag my feet terribly on those tasks. I moved in 2018 and still haven't visited the DMV to change the address on my license.
    I hope there was lots of fun at the birthday party.

    ReplyDelete
  23. We've had a lot of strong wind here in Florida, too, which makes riding my bike more of a workout than I expected.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Good for you, tackling your yard work by dedicating an hour per day! I always admire such plans, even though I am not good at doing it myself. Your forsythia is blooming! I remember the May that we visited Ryan and family in Maine that we were all so surprised to see forsythia in bloom! (Ours had long since bloomed in Maryland.) Hope it warms up soon and you can enjoy some delightful spring weather in May! Was your weekend party fun?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was pleasant, thanks for asking. I did not take any photos. 🀷🏻‍♀️

      Delete
  25. Hi dear Vee:
    Around $200 for the car inspection/registration here!
    Glad you will at last be seeing green things growing again and sunshine brightening up the still rather chilly days in Maine and other points north. Like you, a little gardening at at times now - no more 8 hr. days digging and delving! We are trying not to plant much more but I will do pots of basil and herbs later. Do I spy rhubarb?
    Belated Happy Birthday - sending love, hugs and southern sunshine your way.
    Mary x

    ReplyDelete
  26. Yes, we do have to pay for both an auto registration and inspection here in NH and it isn't an inexpensive deal. The inspection is somewhere about $25-30 depending on where you go (auto dealer, service station, etc.) and the registration paid to the city for my 2007 Jeep Liberty was $132.50 this year. The cost was lower when we lived in VA, but we had to buy a town decal as well. Years ago, when we lived in NJ there was also a registration fee and inspection at a state facility with emissions testing as well. Hopefully, you were not charged a late fee for your registration & inspection as I heard some places will levy that additional cost.

    Hope the birthday celebrations are fun times for all.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Vee, I too am not a fan of wind. You are amazing doing your yardwork. Wish I could commit to one hour a day. Something to ponder.

    ReplyDelete
  28. How did I miss this post? We do have state registration and inspection here for our cars...so many fees to renew our license tags. Good for you in tackling the yard work. I did that, too, and was relieved to get it done. I’m thankful that I have the energy to do it. Hope you have a great week, Vee!

    ReplyDelete

πŸ•Š
If comments disappear, please don't fret. A simple "hi" will do. The platform surely needs some maintenance.