May 2024
May is one of the best months of the year. To name a few reasons: pollen is nearing the end of its reign, school is out, the weather is nearly perfect, my birthday and Mother’s Day, NBA playoffs, and Champions League semi-finals. We spent May starting our basement renovation, going to Disney and the beach, watching George graduate, Louie’s dance recital, getting a new car, and eating great food.
The Land Cruiser
Cars have never really been my thing. I’ve always been a utilitarian when it came to vehicles. Basically, a Camry, Prius, and Rav4 simp since I was 16. This year I wanted to do something a bit different and buy a car that has personality since I’m not a commuter anymore.
I waffled back and forth between the new Lexus GX 550, a TRD Pro Sequoia, a GX 460, or something a bit older. The tough part with buying an older SUV is that dealers suck. However, I ended up finding a dealer that restores the vehicles they buy and that helped squash my concerns.
The older vehicles I was waffling between were a 90s 4Runner and a 100 or 200 series Land Cruiser. I ended up finding a restored 2000 Lexus LX 470, which is a 100-series Land Cruiser Lexusified. It’s a gorgeous body-on-frame V8 thiq truck with only 148k miles on it. For a nearly quarter-century-old car, it’s still being broken in. The 100 series line is one of the most robustly built trucks in history. It’s over-engineered and delivers a classic wood-grained experience both in its drivetrain and appearance. I love it.
Basement Renovation
We started the daunting task of renovating our basement, which I have learned is far more difficult than our bathroom remodel earlier this year. Taking an existing configuration and altering it that drastically from a design perspective is daunting, and it’s been fun to get smacked around by the reality of realizing I know nothing about home infrastructure beyond the bare basics. How plumbing deals with venting rooms, electrical units for a given room’s needs, pump capacity, and load-bearing walls. No clue. But the demo has begun and the fun stuff starts in June and July.
Best and Worst of the month
Best thing I ate or drank // Lollipop Ribeye & Old Fashioned @ Little Alley | Smoked Salmon Dip @ Catch 27
Best thing I cooked // Beef Bulgogi
Best thing I watched, read, or listened to // Alien 45th anniversary edition in theaters and Dark Age by Pierce Brown
Worst thing I watched // Garfield (an actual abomination)
Best experience of the month // Cosmic Rewind at Epcot
Disney & St. Augustine
We were just there on Spring Break but our family was headed to Disney as school got out and we couldn’t miss the chance to see our kids and their cousins together at the Mouse’s house. It was just as much fun as I expected. Seeing your kids have fun at Disney is amazing, seeing them be excited for their family to experience that same fun is even better. We flew into Orlando and spent a few days there, going to Epcot and Hollywood Studios, and then headed to St. Augustine for a few days at the beach before going home. My kids have gotten so good at traveling to the point where they probably tire less than I do at this point. They fly, wait in lines, and for the most don’t complain during the boring parts of trips. Don’t get me wrong, we have our moments where you question it all amidst tantrums and fits, but I’m continually impressed and thankful for their endurance in traveling.
