Dear Santa, let me first say im sorry this is so long. I just got into the groove and couldn't stop. I promise if you read it all the way through, it will be worth it.
While I feel in the general terms that you consider I am hopefully on the nice list, I am probably on the naughty list with others here on t4r. I have sadly been nearly inactive most of the year and have kind of neglected my runner over the past 12 months.
First before getting into my wish list santa, I want to ask 1 for sure thing from you. Please, regardless of what you give me for xmas, take a part of what you had set aside for me and use it to better another random persons day. Buy lunch for a stranger, pay for the person behind you at the store's groceries, give that homeless guy a $20, buy a pack of merry xmas cards, sign each of them with your family and take them to the homeless shelter or a nursing home etc. Just do something for a random stranger. While it may seem like something small to you and me, it truly can make a world of difference for someone. Last winter, our area had the worst snow season we have seen in over 30 years. Kira (my 4runner) and I spent many nights simply driving around looking for stuck people and pulling them out to help get them back on their way. While it was something simple (and super fun) for us to take 5 minutes to hook up and pull them out, you could tell how much of a difference it made to them to have someone there willing to help.
So... on to my story of why Kira and this forum have been neglected this year. I bought my first house in march (which took over 6 months to close) organizing and completing a massive remodel on it starting in April, marrying my best friend and giving her the wedding she always wanted and deserved in May, helping my mother and father remodel their house and working for the state helping provide nutritional and medical assistance for those less fortunate or in unfortunate situations has sadly left little time and funds for Kira, whom has treated me so well for the last 5 plus years. I still take her out and give her a good time as much as I can but every time I worry more and more about some of the aging problems I know she is experiencing.
Here are some of the things Kira and I have talked about that are on her xmas wishlist.
Her camburg 2.5" race series coilovers are in desperate need of a rebuild. The seals are all weeping the oil out, the rod ends are so worn that you can shake the tire up and down when it is in the air and the shafts are pitted and look like termites got under the chrome and made trails all over. She tries to give me a smooth ride still but like a finely aged woman with arthritic knees, she has a hard time really getting down and going for it.
Her EBC yellow stuff pads are nearing the end of their life. The wonderful squeal while musical has become like that summer hit from your youth that finally just makes you cringe every time you hear it.
I bought her a CB so she could talk to all her friends nearly 3 or so years ago and used a magnetic roof mount but a tree decided to show how much tougher it was than steel and took that poor little antenna and snapped it like a twig. I have a fire stick I planned to give her for our next anniversary but never got around to ordering a mount. I do remember one of our members used to make an awesome T4R logo'd mount for them in the past. I wonder if he still makes them.
Kira mentioned to me that she had a hard time pulling out her friend last time we were out playing around in the mud. She gave her best fight but ended up breaking the tow strap we were using. I told her she has to be a little easier when she is tugging stuff or sometimes, things pop to easily but she has a mind of her own. I think sometimes, she hits the boost a little too hard and it goes to her head. I think something that would help her greatly in this situation is a kinetic energy tow rope. That way, she could still give a hell of a tug but it would soften the blow on her partner.
The last thing Kira and I have talked about getting for her is something to make her feel a bit more "youthful". She loves being boosted and has always been curious what another couple PSI would feel like. (I think she is an addict. Are their any support groups you might be able to point us to?) We have discussed getting her a URD 2.2" pulley to give her that little extra power since she does love beating up on the civics and scions around town.
Dont worry though Santa, I know these are likely hard things for your elves to get their hands on and Kira is very understanding that parts dont grow on trees. I mean, shes stuck with me for this long and has over 260,000 miles of faithful service so she obviously isnt a gold digger.
Kira also asked me what I would like for xmas. I had to laugh because I was thinking about this the other day. Its funny how when we are kids, most of us hated getting cloths. Well I have put on some weight since I got married (my wife is an awesome cook) and was thinking how nice it would be to have some new shirts that don't cause me to look like Chris Farley in Tommy Boy.
I have sadly grown into a XXL. I have always been a fan of DC Shoe Co. and Fox Racing. I also love anything (shirts, posters, etc) from the 3 crazy European stooges. Clarkson, May and Hamster....errr Hammond. I have probably seen every episode of Top Gear a dozen times and still love to sit down and binge watch it as much as I can. Regardless, you are giving me Xmas early on December 8th when Season 2 of The Grand Tour is released. I also have my own 1000 sq ft shop at my house now so I'm always looking for cool decorations/ signs etc to really make it unique.
Also, I cant forget about my beautiful wife. She came into this relationship with the understanding that what Kira and I have is special and has never once tried to tear us apart. In fact, the 3 of us have had some pretty memorable experiences together but those are best saved for another time and place (You wouldnt happen to have the address to penthouse forums would you.....JK
. My wife LOVES anything to do with frogs. I dont know why but she tells me that she got her prince with me so maybe those child hood stories are right or something. She also loves the super tall (almost knee high) crazy design socks. She says her feet are always cold but I think she just likes to cover up purposely not shaving for a few days so she can sand my legs down in bed. No one ever mentioned that being a part of this whole marriage thing.
Well Santa, this ended up being a lot longer than I planned. Hopefully you got some laughs out of it like my wife did.
Anyways, I think its about time I grab my camping gear, recovery items, my Sig Sauer 9mm, my AR-15, and whats left of my sanity and head out for a little me and Kira time. Dont worry, my wife knows so dont put me on the naughty list. If you want to drop off any extra items or ammo to add to my stash on any of this stuff, I'll be somewhere in Idaho hunting for Sasquatch, searching for aliens and planning my bug out location for the zombie apocalypse.
