Cogito

Love just about everything about my MK7.5 R but not what VW did to the MK8. The combination of user-unfriendly electronics and elimination of the manual option, even on US-spec cars, makes it unlikely I'll ever buy another.

What a sweetheart! I just returned from a road trip that included a visit with a friend whose wife is deeply involved with volunteer rescue cat work. They recently agreed to foster a litter of four kittens so young, their sexes have yet to be determined. The kittens are adorable, actively curious but not troublesome (yet), and remarkably sociable for their age. My friends have two aging cats in the house who sleep a lot but seem tolerant of the swarm of newcomers periodically climbing over them. Having recently lost an elderly cat raised from kittenhood, my friends have in mind keeping one or maybe two, but it wouldn't surprise me if they permanently adopt all four.

I'm pretty sure cats know their names but are independent enough to chose whether to respond to a call. Blossom Dearie, the mother cat, occasionally carries socks around while making almost a wailing sound. Pegeen likes to drink water out of a running faucet. I joke that she took a feline correspondence course from Murray, a friend's cat in another city who does the same. When Corliss was young, she taught me where to put her litter boxes (she wanted two). I, too, enjoy the quirks.

Your cats are wonderful and look like they're doing well. Newcomer Patch bears a passing resemblance to one of mine, Pegeen, who has appeared on these pages before.

Through the years I've never had luck persuading any of my cats to use scratching boxes or posts. They invariably prefer woodwork and furniture. If your kitty adapts, I'll be interested to know how you "trained" her.

Having lost my long-time cat buddy Enzo to a coyote a few years back, I understand the "indoor cat" thinking, but only to a point. Enzo was an adopted stray who enjoyed spending time indoors but would have been miserable if confined 24/7. I accepted the risk and would do the same again. But with cats that have never lived outdoors, such as the babies you considered adopting, I think it's a kindness to raise them strictly as indoor cats. Corliss and Pegeen enjoy viewing life from the screened porch but have never shown any inclination to leave the house. Their mother Blossom Dearie is another matter. She was feral until the couple that fed her (and other feral cats in their neighborhood) noticed she was pregnant and captured her. When she came to live with me, it took a while for us to bond. She seemed to be comfortable inside but later figured out how to claw open the screens on the porch. She'd stay within yards of the house and would always eventually come back inside. After a number of incidents, I had the porch escape-proofed. For two or three years Blossom seemed in no way frustrated by her captivity. Then last Christmas I was careless while putting up outdoor decorations. I watched as she casually walked out an open door, and could coax her back in for a week despite the chilly weather. When she returned to indoor life, she didn't behave as though she felt in any way deprived. She never sits by the door, paws at the screens, etc. Unlike with Enzo, I'm comfortable with her being 100% indoors and won't let her out again.

I understand the economics, and the kitty you adopt will likely be fine. But it's great fun to raise a family together. Your picture even looks a little like my brood, a mom and two daughters, all of whom have featured here in the past. Here they are together: Mother Blossom Dearie is on the left, with daughters Corliss (never met a food dish she didn't like) and Pegeen (skinny and highly acrobatic) beside.

I understand the economics, and the kitty you adopt will likely be fine. But it's great fun to raise a family together. Your picture even looks a little like my brood, a mom and two daughters, all of whom have featured here in the past. Here they are together: Mother Blossom Dearie is on the left, with daughters Corliss (never met a food dish she didn't like) and Pegeen (skinny and highly acrobatic) beside.

One of the down sides of committing to pet companionship, but an unavoidable part of the process. Sounds like it was a great experience for both of you having him around all those years.

Jasper (or Furtail, or Lion) looks nicely settled in. He's a charmer. Glad to hear everyone is doing well.

Great photos, Rebecca. Milky and Benni are quite the pair.

Cats are instinctive about covering their tracks. Like all creatures, some are more clever than others. Although their affection for humans sometimes seems measured, their singular personalities are the source of endless joy and wonder. That said, I'm equally fond of dogs though for different reasons.

Of my three cats, Blossom Dearie has always been the most challenging to photograph. Among other things she tends to be reclusive unless I'm home alone with her and her offspring. A couple of weeks ago while I was away for a long weekend, Blossom must have opened up to Julie, the cat sitter, who snapped the best shots we've been able to take over the past three years. Thought I'd share them. FYI, I retired this summer (got an offer too good to refuse) and seem to be adapting just fine. Hard to know how the kitties are taking it. They seem somewhat aware my schedule has changed and that sometimes I'm around more often.

They look wonderful, Rebecca. Glad you were able to keep them together. Please keep us updated how they adjust to their new home.

You sound like my brother with his Teslas. The onboard computer handles all the planning, timing and directions. He was an early adopter, so to speak, and has had several over the years. He and his wife currently own Model Xs, his a Plaid, hers a Long Range. She's very relaxed about long-distance travel in electric cars. He's had a few issues with (Super)charging, especially in the early years and once got stranded 200 miles from home when his Model S refused to accept a charge. Tesla couldn't fix it remotely, so they arranged a rental car (fortunately he wasn't too far from an airport) and a flatbed truck to bring the car to his home service center. Of course something comparable could happen to an ICE vehicle. Supercharger stations are relatively well-located in the US and almost always work, but they still may not be available where and when I want to stop. He's more adaptable (and patient while waiting to complete the charge).

Points well-taken but 1) I don't want necessarily to have to find a charge station every time I take a break. The 5/300 requirement approximates what we're used to when traveling. It remains to be seen whether changing the pattern is reasonable or requires travelers to give up a degree of flexibility that requires more compromise than they're willing to make. 2) I am aware of the limits of current (pardon the pun) battery/charge technology. If we can't achieve this sort of goal, perhaps we need to promote alternate (again, pardon the pun) technology, such as fuel cell electric vehicles. Or maybe accept the limited applications of BE vehicles and pursue truly clean fuels for ICE vehicles.

Haven't been paying attention for a while, so apologies for the catch-up. For me the make-or-break issue with BE versus ICE is a combination of battery/charger technology (which is slowly improving) and infrastructure (not nearly fast enough Stateside and apparently UK as well). My rule for battery tech is 5/300 - no more than 5 minutes to charge a vehicle to go no fewer than 300 miles irrespective of speed, weather, terrain, accessory use, etc. Infrastructure parity requires public chargers to be as accessible and reliable as pumps at filling stations. Not to belabor the obvious, we're not there yet, folks. BE seems a reasonable proposition if you have a home charger, intend to use the vehicle only on local trips, and have an ICE vehicle for long-distance travel (or possibly easy access to a rental vehicle if you rarely travel long-distance by car). Barring that, prospective BE owners must weigh what they're giving up against perceived benefits, which vary from buyer to buyer.

Here in the States VW produced annual R folders in the MK7 era until they stopped issuing printed literature altogether (except accessories brochures) a few years ago. Are you an automotive sales lit collector? I've been collecting most of my life.

Road hazard guarantees are routinely included in tire purchases the States. These are separate from wheel insurance, which you have to buy. As you know from my "Pothole Pete" escapades, I've saved money over the years with wheel insurance on all three Rs I've owned. Roads aren't so hot around here, either. Wheel insurance does not pay for cosmetic damage. It will straighten or replace bent wheels with no deductible. Don't have it on the Boxster, which doesn't do high annual miles. Don't need it on the RAM, which seems to shrug off all the punishment the roads give it.

There have been numerous references in this thread about buying replacement tires. Are road hazard guarantees not part of the deal in the UK? Not long ago I picked up a nail in one of my 3K mile old Michelins. The tire was repairable and fixed free of charge but would have been replaced gratis if necessary. With more mileage repairs remain free, replacement pro-rated.

This is one of my "bad weather" parking spaces, right by the entrance so I stay dry. I know from experience that it and a couple of alternatives will clear. My fair weather space is covered but requires a 10-minute outdoor walk to my office. I'm a big advocate of covered parking to prevent the intense Atlanta sun from baking the interior, but not at the risk of getting soaked.

I anticipated your response and took a soggy photo of Nick (short for {Jack} Nicklaus, another famous Golf-R, remember?) parked outside the office. Weather's been like this all week.

Last weekend I had the three cars washed, waxed and detailed by a guy I've used before who comes to your home. Took him over five hours, but he did a magnificent job. Better than I could do, even in my prime. The R and RAM look virtually new, inside and out. This is the first time I ever had anyone clean the Boxster. I thought I'd been keeping it up pretty well with my twice-yearly regime (plus intermittent washes), but the difference is night and day. Very satisfying for a car that turned 20 (and 40K on the odometer) this year. I suppose I ought to post pictures, but, most freshly washed cars look clean in photos, which are unlikely to capture the attention to detail. Besides, it's been raining all week! That's okay, I do it as much for protection as aesthetics.

Condolences, Rebecca, on losing so many loving members of your family. RIP Steve, Apollo and Q. As sad as it is, I'm convinced it's worth it for all the joy you brought to each others' lives. In time other cats will find you. Meanwhile, the grieving process must run its course. My thoughts are with you.

When the time comes I'll likely replace my MK7.5 R with a MK8 (8.5?) if VW simplifies screens/steering wheel/Infortainment access and continues to offer manual transmission as part of US spec. I may look at a Honda Civic Type R if the hype over them subsides. Currently, dealers can jack up prices to unconscionable levels. Another possibility is a second-hand BMW M2. Lurking in the background is the Corvette I always promised to own (but not necessarily keep very long) before I die. It would have to be a second-hand C7, not the mid-engine C8 which I like but is not available with manual transmission.