Happy 4th of July, everyone!!! Never forget those who fought and died for our freedoms in America, and honor those who today, sacrifice their lives to protect our great country!!!
[Photo courtesy of: Dani Simmonds]

Happy 4th of July to anyone and everyone reading this! (And if you're reading this, why aren't you at a parade remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free? Or, at the very least, shouldn't you be at a friend's or neighbor's barbecue?)

Just a quick update... On Thursday (July 2) night, I drove home from work in my CR-V -- still a "comfortable runabout vehicle." And it was one of those weird commutes home, made stranger by the weather.

NYC had been suffering from the usual, "sunny and humid during the day with chance of showers/thundershowers in the afternoon. And that night was no different. Leaving Westchester, I had some sun, but with dark, ominous-looking storm clouds on the horizon. In fact, sis (who "worked from home" that day) said it had rained heavily earlier.

We "rotated" the cars, "retiring" my CR-V to the garage (its windshield leaks, so I wanted to protect it from any forthcoming storms) while the Mini was the "last car" in the driveway -- plugged in and charging. (Because of the spot -- but HEAVY -- showers, I've been hesitant to leave 339 jacked in during a deluge.)

I'd no sooner plugged in, came in and started watching some TV, when the dark clouds I'd been racing home finally arrived. And it brought the rain... AND the thunder and lightning....

CRASH!! BOOOM!!! And the TV and fans go out.

Ut oh... Did my Mini cause that? Wait... It's the whole HOUSE that's without electricity!
Ut oh.. Not just the house... The whole BLOCK!

Oy.

The Con Ed crew was quickly on scene to rectify things. (Apparently, the lightning strike took out a high-powered transformer on a telephone line.) But since it was getting dark and we really had nothing else to do, sis and I hopped into 339 and took a spin to Ralph's.

Mmmm... Nothing like some Mint Chip, sitting in an A/C'd Mini... Better yet, I can keep the A/C "on" in 339 (while I'm sitting in the lot, in 339, finishing off my ice) without having to run any "engine" or worry about polluting the stifling humid air outside, just for my (and my sis') comfort.

Anyway, I just wanted to note that this short run added about 4 or 5 miles on the 339's odometer. And during this short jaunt, there's not much to add, outside of perhaps this was the first time I drove 339 at night, and had to use the lights.

This is the first car I've "owned" that uses Xenon headlights, and wow...! I gotta say, they are bright! And having often been on the "wrong end" of those lights, I use to really hate them. But now that I've actually been in "the driver's seat" behind those lights, I don't think I can go back to plain old headlights! (Of course, I don't feel bad for the other cars that are in front of me... It's not like I'm in an SUV where these incredible lights are boring right into their skulls ... )

I'm also liking the interior lighting. The soft glow of LED lights makes the "cabin" seem more like a "cockpit." I also like the fact that you can change the colors of those soft ambient lights -- from red to amber to a softer red/almost orange to soft blue. That was a feature that I thought was a bit "hokey" when Catherine first showed it to me in the dealer lot.

And, those soft LED lights aren't just in the "overhead" lights up by the rear-view mirror. No, soft LED light "glow" around the door panels -- right behind those trim panels in "interchange yellow" -- and underneath the dashboard, too. "Wow... This is really cool..." It makes the "cabin" feel more like a "cockpit" -- especially if you choose the "red" LED lights!

All in all, a very "cool" first night-time run of 339... (Imagine, a ghostly silent car with the headlights off, but a very eerie soft-glowing cockpit... Hmmmm... I think I'm driving a ground-based stealth fighter!!! ;-))