paying for sunshine.....

Have an update on Morgan in Ireland. We seem to be having some problems with text messages getting through (quickly, or at all), so after not hearing from her, and then when I checked online there were large amounts out of the ATM ($1.50 equals $1 Euro. Yikes! We had put money "aside" for the trip, and she told me she took it out early to have the Euros available to her from the start.), I got worried and called the hotel. That is when we found out about messages not getting through.

Morgan is doing well, and having a great time. Only problem was that her luggage has a big rip in it from where it was stored on the flight over to Ireland. She is hoping to find some tape to make a patch job (she did not lose anything), or she will just pick up the largest duffel/storage luggage she can find at a cheap price.

She has met up with a woman from Australia who is also traveling solo, and they have seemed to made a plan to travel together. I figured she would get together with someone on the trip. Overall, she is having a nice time, but Cassie and I miss her. :-(

It is no secret that California is a very high cost of living state, and the larger cities (San Francisco, Los Angeles, and here in San Diego) are even more then the state average.

With us being here almost a year, it is time for our automobile's insurance and registrations to be renewed. Well I just got them in and the insurance bill is at $2800, while our registration renewal fees are a little over $800! That is $800 just for the 4 stickers that go on our license plates. Ugh!

When we got here last year, because Morgan's Viper (it is a used 1994) and my motorcycle were purchased less then a year before we moved here, California charged us the sales tax difference as compared to NC (California sales tax is 7.75%, while NC on vehicles is 3%. Add that to the costs just to newly register a car, and we had a hefty bill well into the $2000 figures. Then our initial insurance bill came, and that was another $2500.

Add that together, and if we do stay here for another year plus the few months, it will cost us somewhere between $10K & $11K just to have cars here in the state.

I am not looking for tears, or a telethon, as again, I have always said, Morgan and I have been blessed with our employment and income situation, but that is a lot of money for anyone. When I looked back at my NC figures for insurance, registration and the Wake County taxes, that figure is right around half of what we are now paying.

You have to drive if you live here, so how a "normal" family swings it out here with these costs, is beyond my imagination. Especially when that is just auto. Look at the gas, food, and utility prices, and your eyes will explode.

There are many things I really like here in SD, but this is one area that always leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I have had people tell me that is the price we pay for the sunshine and weather. Well, I for one am looking for a discount, so let it rain.

- Four years until London (Vancouver for Winter 2010).
- Is this the slowest storm ever? Sure seems it.
- This is why I hate preseason football.

Until the next time.....