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You can see from my AI generated image above that I thought I would be putting my old license plate on my new car. But, that didn’t happen. At the last minute I realized that the old plate would need to stay on the 2018 White Camry SE so that Jeff could drive it home. So, I’m waiting for my new plate to arrive.

Let me fill in some details. I love this new Camry Hybrid. I didn’t realize at first that I would be getting an electric car. Then during the process I learned that ALL Camry’s are hybrid now. No, “just gas” Camrys at all. That means that Toyota is “sold out” to developing a true electric vehicle, and it shows… so far.

Because my old car was a Camry, there were many things that I haven’t had to learn. The cruise control function is basically the same. The buttons are in a slightly different area, but I’m already adept at getting up to speed, turning the function on, and then setting it, and if I’m a little slower or faster than I want, I press the + or – to get it to just where I want. There is also a function that determines how far back from a vehicle that is in front of me the car tries to maintain it’s distance. *Oh, and what I really like is that the Lane Assist function tries to keep the car in the middle of the lane. It does a darned good job even at higher speeds and even in an S curve. But, it doesn’t let you keep your hand off the wheel for too long.

I’ve had to re-learn some habits. I only need to use the key fob to press the button to open the car doors and then put it in my pocket, I then put my foot on the brake and press the Power button to turn the car on, and then look at the dash for a green “Ready” message. Unless the batteries need charging, you don’t hear any engine, because the only engine that runs the car is electric. The 4 cylinder gas engine only recharges the batteries.

The car has excellent acceleration, and has “regenerative braking,” which means that as the car slows down it recoups some of the motor energy in the braking process. I first heard of this when watching Formula 1 racing about five or six years ago. In a gas driven car, when you brake, heat is given off of the brake drums, but in an electric, much of the braking is caused by the electric motor slowing down.

I’m using SiriusXM but only until the trial period runs out. I think that is a 3 month trial. But it is nice to listen to some of the podcasts I have watched at home, or listen to music. I would love to be able to listed to YouTube videos (about diabetic related issues, etc.), but I haven’t gotten a success at that yet.

The only downside and this is minor, is that my Camry LE doesn’t have the door handle where I don’t have to take the Key Fob out to open the door. I do have to take it out, but don’t put the key (which is hidden in the new fob) in a keyhole. Just press the brake and then press the Power button.

Okay, I already see that I’m going to have a problem with only driving 15,000 miles a year. Well, I am an old man, and it’s highly likely that I might not be driving even 5 years from now. Maybe I will, but here are some things that I like doing, that eat up mileage. I like driving down to Jacksonville/Hubert to visit Mary Ann. But my trip involves stopping by Helen’s Kitchen for breakfast. Then a quick trip over to the Main Library and then up to New Bern and over to ride the Minnesott Beach Ferry to Cherry Branch, and then back to Swansboro for lunch, or maybe down to Beaufort and then back to Swansboro. From Swansboro then to Mary Ann’s. After I leave Hubert, I like to stop for dinner in Kenansville, and then back home. But all that, on one day, is about 475 miles round trip.

Another trip that I like, and like to do it more often, is the drive up to Raleigh to the State Farmers Market and then to Wegmans. I normally go through Fuquay-Varina (maybe stopping by the Burger King for a late breakfast) maybe over to Walmart and the new Target, and my first “fill-up,” for my new 2026 Camry, was at Murphy across from Walmart. I then drive up by Lake Wheeler and over I40 Beltline to the Farmer’s Market. Then up to Whole Foods. From Whole Foods I normally drive up to Wegmans. From Wegmans I go on the Beltline to get on I40 heading down to maybe the Red Neck BBQ Lab at 319 Exit. Then either down to I95, or take the back roads over to Benson, and maybe Lee’s Fresh Market. *I am now going to plan on stopping at Lee’s Fresh Market each time I go to Raleigh to save mileage. I think this is normally a 200 mile round trip if I don’t galavant.

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I like going up the Asheboro several times a year. I like eating at the No. 1 China Buffet in the Walmart shopping area. I go on Tuesdays because they have a Senior Special that saves about 1 buck.

Finally, and I would only do this once a year. Going to Asheville for a few days vacation. This is a 575 miles round trip, even before riding through the mountains or the city.

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Camry 2.5L 4-Cyl LE Front-Wheel Drive, Supersonic Red, black cloth interior, 36-month lease, 18,000 miles per year, $0 down.

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CLAUDE List of Questions Before Entering an Automobile Lease

Cost basics

• What’s the total cost of the lease (all payments combined), not just the monthly payment?
• What’s the capitalized cost (the price the lease is based on) — and is it negotiable? (Yes, it usually is, just like a purchase price.)
• How much is the down payment / “drive-off” cost, and what exactly does it cover?
• What’s the money factor (the lease’s version of an interest rate), and what would that translate to as an APR?
• What fees are included — acquisition fee, disposition fee, documentation fee?

Mileage & wear

• What’s the annual mileage limit, and what’s the cost per mile over that limit?  (10K, 15K, 18K, 20K)
• What counts as “excess wear and tear,” and how strictly is it enforced at lease-end?
• Can I buy more mileage upfront if I know I’ll need it (usually cheaper than paying overage fees later)?

End-of-lease terms

• What’s the purchase option price if I want to buy the car at the end?
• What happens if I want to end the lease early — is there an early termination fee, and how is it calculated?
• Is there a lease-end inspection, and can I get one done early to fix issues myself (often cheaper than dealer charges)?

Insurance & protection

• What insurance coverage is required for a leased vehicle?
• Does the lease include gap insurance, or do I need to buy it separately? (Important — leases often require it.)

Flexibility

• Can I transfer or sublease this vehicle if my circumstances change?
• Are there penalties for late payments, and what do they cost?

Comparison

• How does the total lease cost compare to financing/buying the same car outright?
• Are there current lease specials or manufacturer incentives I should ask about?

TERMINOLOGY & DEFINITIONS:

[ GAP ] Gap insurance—short for Guaranteed Asset Protection—covers the difference between what you still owe on a car loan or lease and what your regular auto insurance says the car is worth if the car is totaled or stolen. May be included so don’t duplicate.

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UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE AUTOMOBILES FEATURES AND…

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 uses a forward-facing camera and radar to watch the road, traffic, lane markings, signs, pedestrians, and other objects. Toyota describes these as driver-assistance systems, not self-driving features. Toyota

• Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD): This is essentially your forward-collision watchdog. It can detect vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists in certain situations. If it thinks you’re closing in too quickly, it first warns you visually and audibly. If you don’t react, it can automatically apply the brakes to help avoid the collision or reduce its severity. Toyota
• Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC): This is adaptive cruise control. Instead of merely holding, say, 65 mph, you select your speed and following distance. If the car ahead slows to 55, your Camry slows with it; when traffic speeds back up, your Camry accelerates toward your selected speed again. The “full-speed range” part means it can operate into low-speed traffic rather than being useful only at highway speeds. Toyota says the system can be set above 20 mph and then uses vehicle-to-vehicle distance control. Toyota
• Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA): This watches the lane lines or certain road-edge boundaries. Above roughly 30 mph, if you start drifting out of your lane without deliberately steering that way, it can beep or display a warning. If you don’t correct, it can give the steering wheel a gentle corrective input to help bring you back. Think of it as “You’re drifting out of your lane.” Toyota
• Lane Tracing Assist (LTA): This goes a step beyond Lane Departure Alert. When you’re using Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and the system can identify the lane, LTA continuously makes small steering corrections to help keep the Camry centered in the lane. Think of it as “I’ll help you stay centered while you cruise.” You still have to steer and remain attentive. Toyota
• Road Sign Assist (RSA): The forward camera reads certain road signs and displays them in the instrument panel. That can include things such as the current speed limit, stop signs, yield signs, and some other signs. So if you pass a 55-mph sign and later wonder whether the limit was 45 or 55, the car may still be showing you the detected limit. Toyota
• Automatic High Beams (AHB): At night, you can leave the high-beam system enabled. Above about 21 mph, the camera looks for oncoming headlights and the taillights of vehicles ahead. When the road is clear, it can use high beams; when another vehicle appears, it switches back to low beams automatically. Toyota
• Proactive Driving Assist (PDA): This is probably the least obvious one. It works during ordinary driving, even when you’re not necessarily in a dangerous situation. Using the camera and radar, it can apply gentle braking or steering assistance when approaching a slower vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist, and it can provide gentle braking when going into certain curves. The idea is to make the car react a little more naturally and smoothly to what is developing ahead rather than waiting until the situation becomes an emergency. Toyota

The easiest way to separate the lane-related systems is this: LDA warns/corrects you when you’re leaving the lane; LTA actively helps keep you centered in the lane. And the easiest way to separate PCS from PDA is: PCS is primarily collision-warning/emergency-braking protection; PDA provides gentler assistance during normal driving situations before things become urgent.

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USB Ports

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Mark Jacobsen Toyota in Durham

The Sunday before I got the new car I drove all the way up to Durham because I had heard that Mark Jacobsen Toyota had at least one red Toyota Camry Hybrid. Before I got there, I had googled and knew that they would not be open, but I was hoping to see the car on the lot. It was a bright sunny afternoon, and I think it was about 3 pm when I got to MJT.

No one there, but I was able to drive to a parking area that looked over the new Toyotas on the lot. And yes, I saw two new red Toyota Camrys and took a few pictures. I then forgot about taking them until a few days ago when I was washing my car for the second time at the car wash in Lillington.

At some point, at the rear of the car I realized that I could still see the logo that had been on my car before they put on the Fred Anderson logo. Sure enough I could make out the outline (in adhesive) of Mark Jacobsen Toyota, so the car that I took a picture of, that Sunday, was the one they brought down, and that I bought.

Isn’t it all?

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Image from the TV show, “Steve Canyon” who was an Air Force pilot played by Dean Fredericks (“The Phantom Planet”). Includes Claude Akins, Ron Ely (who played Tarzan on TV – 1966) and Naura Hayden (“Irish” from “Angry Red Planet”). This was perhaps the only time that I saw Akins play an evil character. He is the commanding officer (not sure he was an officer) over Ely’s character and Akins wants to move in on Ely’s girlfriend. Also in this image Hayden is only an unlisted bit part that is interested in Akin, but Akin is brushing her off here, turning his back on her to focus on Ely and his love interest.

Oddly, she spelled her name several ways and Naura Hayden was her as an author. And several of her titles leaned toward a sexual bent. And her cookbook was published in 1972 when she was 41-42 years old.

This reminds me of one of my favorite “B” actors, Charles Aidman, who I’ve only seen one movie or show in which he played an unsympathetic character. It was a transitional war film, “War Hunt” from 1962. This film included John Saxon and was the introductory film for Robert Redford. *But I know I’ve seen Redford in several earlier TV shows such as Twilight Zone in which he was a young police officer AND the Angel of Death.

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NIGHT VISIONS: “A View Through a Window“

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This is one of the classic sci fi/horror themed stories I’ve ever seen and it along with a selected few stories from the Outer Limits and Twilight Zone have stuck with me through the years.

Major Darnell’s son has died and as a result he has also lost the affection of his wife. He is called by the Army to the desert where they, the Army, has found an anomaly of a window into another universe (?). They can see in to a small, idealic farm family. That family is unaware of the Army viewing them and there is a barrier stopping them both from going “to the other side.” Darnell sets up a way to determine if and when the barrier disappears by firing ice cubes at the barrier at timed intervals. Eventually, he can determine when the barrier will go down for a brief few seconds. The ice cubes were a way of breaching the barrier, but melting so the unaware family would not realize they were being watched.

Darnell falls out of favor with the General who has him put in the brig, but Darnell plans to go over to the other side when the barrier falls again. Sure enough it does and he runs full speed from his detention tent and jumps through to the other universe and the barrier closes behind him.

Now the beautiful woman sees him and comes over to examine this visitor. But very quickly her ravenous, monstrous creature reveals itself and she begins to tear into Darnell’s flesh. Her other family members come running to the feast she has started. The soldiers can see all of this, but are helpless to breach the barrier.

The father figure from the other universe opens a “magical” book and utters a spell and the window disappears, the soldiers can only see endless desert… but on the other side, we now see the family testing the barrier, apparently with one of Darnell’s leg bones as the little boy beats it in rhythm on the barrier from their side. Now that family can see the soldiers and desert from their pastoral view. The idea is that we will become their feast once again. — I’ve seen this story about four or five times over the years, but I think this is the first time that I realized that the leg bone (still with some flesh and blood on it) the boy is beating the barrier with has to be part of Major Darnell. *An attention to detail was that the pocket watch that the father figure is using to measure the barrier timing has strange written characters on it. I’m not even sure that it measures the same number of hours (in their day).

Berberine is a plant compound that has been studied for its possible effects on blood sugar control. Research suggests it may help lower fasting blood glucose and A1c by improving the body’s response to insulin, reducing glucose production by the liver, and possibly slowing some carbohydrate absorption in the intestines. In some studies, the effect has been meaningful, though results vary and berberine is not considered a replacement for standard diabetes treatment.

Because berberine can lower blood sugar, it may add to the effects of diabetes medications and increase the risk of blood sugar dropping too low in some people. It can also cause digestive side effects such as cramping, constipation, diarrhea, or nausea. Anyone taking glucose-lowering medication should discuss berberine with a doctor or pharmacist and monitor blood sugar closely when starting it.

NOTE [08/3026]: Well, apparently Berberine works pretty well toward controlling blood glucose. I woke up and got to my phone and started my STELO app. My bgl was below 70 and showing in red. That’s worrisome to me, so I ate a date and some walnuts, and then fixed a bowl of cereal with both blueberries & strawberries and added some coconut sugar and agave nectar.

I rarely have had to worry about low blood sugar, but have read that it is very dangerous if it gets too low. Not sure how low is too low for me.

So, I don’t think I will need to take two tablets a day, and might even have to work out if I can half the capsule (it’s not a tablet).[end NOTE]

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Red Cabbage Slaw: Mostly red cabbage and sweet onion. But also have added grape tomatoes and broccoli sprouts with Dukes Mayo.

Polenta: I’ve added chicken stock & butter to soften it. But I also added onion & hot peppers to it.

Pork & Assorted Peppers with Honey Habanero seasoning.

Baked chicken from Harris Teeter.

The baked chicken, with polenta & peppers, avocado and the red cabbage slaw with onion & tomato was a real surprise as it was almost flat line regarding blood sugar.

But this morning adding the polenta to my breakfast caused it to spike to 225. I had hot Italian sausage, poached egg, polenta & spinach.

Shrimp, Kielbasa & Zucchini Soup: This spiked my blood sugar to about 250, but I plan to use less pasta shells and that should even things out. I probably could just replace the pasta with avocado. Not the same, but I know that avocado works well with the this spicy soup.

The peppers both mild and hot came from Moore’s Produce at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, North Carolina. The hot are extremely hot, some being 1 Million Scoville Units +. I don’t like anything over a Jalapeno or Poblano.

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I recognized this as a favorite pet’s headstone, with the fish swimming above his head and the mice and balls of yarn at his feet. I just changed it so that he is sleeping, as most cats do quite a bit of. How appropriate to be sleeping and dreaming of these favorite things.

ALLULOSE

MONK FRUIT

BERBERINE

Necessity is a mother.

I have a current version of Spaghetti Sauce that I make in my Instant Pot Mini (3Qt.). It includes ground beef, green bell pepper and white button mushrooms. Well, with the cost of beef, and ground beef being about $7 a pound, I decided against buying enough at Food Lion to make my usual spaghetti sauce. I actually thought I had at least one patty of hamburger in the freezer, but when I got home I couldn’t find it. So, what to do?

I came up with the idea of replacing the ground beef with clams & shrimp. Odd, in my imagination, but worth passing through the AI. The AI thought it might be a “souped – up” form of a “Shrimp fra diavolo” which is an Italian-American classic dish featuring succulent shrimp tossed in a spicy, garlicky tomato sauce. The name fra diavolo translates to “brother devil,” a nod to the fiery kick from crushed red pepper flakes.

I had “Shrimp fra diavolo,” perhaps the only time I have had it, at a small restaurant in Washington, North Carolina. I was visiting Leo and we stopped there. I was surprised by the heat of the dish and started coughing uncontrollably.

So here is what I ended up making, and it was delicious. Would definitely do it again.

I decided against adding any shrimp, but might do it at another time. I used chopped clams which I added after the High Pressure cooking in the Instant Pot which I only did for 5 minutes and it was perfect, except the sauce was watery, but I just used a slotted spoon to add the sauce to my Angel Hair pasta. I added white button mushrooms and green bell pepper, and onion, and diced tomatoes with Roasted Garlic and RAOs Marinara starter sauce. But the additional item was a small diced zucchini. Oregano, garlic powder, S&P, red pepper flakes. *Tried this with both shrimp & clams in the one sauce and did not like it. Changed the flavor.

I’ve not tried this, but it looks good. Still, not sure.