Sunset over the Toyota dealer

37 comments on Sunset over the Toyota dealer
2 minutes

I’ve had a lot of insomnia over the last three weeks. We’re still dealing with challenging stuff at home and this is the latest way the stress is manifesting itself in my body. I saw my doctor the other day about getting back to sleep and I’m working the plan we came up with.

I haven’t been blogging much. You can’t tell because I post up to three weeks in advance. But the posting queue was nearly empty. I normally blog in the morning while I eat my breakfast, but not lately. Sometimes it’s because I’m in bed until the last possible minute so I’m less zombie-like at work. The rest of the time I’m just too damn tired.

I miss a lot of things about my old house: the gardens, grilling on the deck, enjoying the way I’d decorated the place. Margaret and I have had to focus on elderly parents, children, and work so much that we find ourselves unable to make our house a home and enjoy everyday life here.

Our home is typical of modern suburban subdivisions, with acres of vinyl siding and not enough windows. Our house backs up to I-65 and a new Toyota dealership was recently built between us and the highway. We’re blessed to be here but I do wish for an older home in town.

But zomg (as the kids all say) do we ever get spectacular sunsets here.

To fill the posting queue with stuff that’s easy for me and, I hope, interesting for you, all this week I’ll be sharing series of photos I’ve made of single subjects. I begin today with Sunset over the Toyota Dealer.

Sunset over the Toyota dealer

Pentax K10D, 18-55mm f/3.5-5/6 SMC Pentax DA-AL

Dealership

Pentax ME, 50mm f/1.7 SMC Pentax-M, Kodak Gold 200

Sunset over the Toyota dealer

Pentax K10D, 18-55mm f/3.5-5/6 SMC Pentax DA-AL

Sunset over the Toyota dealer

Apple iPhone 6s

The many moods of the Toyota sign

Pentax K10D, 18-55mm f/3.5-5/6 SMC Pentax DA-AL

The many moods of the Toyota sign

Pentax K10D, 18-55mm f/3.5-5/6 SMC Pentax DA-AL

Sunset over the Toyota dealer

Pentax H3, 55mm f/1.8 SMC Takumar, Agfa Vista 200

Sunset over the Toyota dealer

Pentax Spotmatic F, 35mm f/3.5 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar, Kodak Ektar 100

Sunset over the Toyota dealer

Pentax K10D, 18-55mm f/3.5-5/6 SMC Pentax DA-AL

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Comments

37 responses to “Sunset over the Toyota dealer”

  1. minenmineonly Avatar

    Awesome! :)

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks!

  2. J P Avatar

    Spectacular indeed! Although I have always associated Toyota more with a rising sun. ๐Ÿ˜€

    And I am sorry to hear of the stress overload in your life, something that a lack of sleep always makes worse.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      It’s been two plus solid years of one major bad thing happening in our lives after another. There have been moments of good and joy along the way, thank God, or we’d be in the rubber room.

  3. Andy Umbo Avatar
    Andy Umbo

    On the plus side, you’re right next to Tom Wood Toyota, where I used to get my car worked on (they were pretty good comparatively, altho I only went to their new place a few times, mostly went to their Lafayette place); you’re about 15 minutes away from the Brownsburg cigar shop (Smokers Choice); and as my friend Craig used to say: “…the farther northwest you live in Indy, especially along 65, the closer you are to Chicago!”

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I bought a car at the old Tom Wood and have owned three Toyotas in total, but I only ever got warranty work done in their service department. It bugs me a lot that they charge to read the OBD II code when your check-engine light is on. I have my own code reader, for which I paid 30 bucks, and can check my own codes in two minutes. Ain’t no way I’m paying anybody $100 to do that.

      1. Andy Umbo Avatar
        Andy Umbo

        Weirdly, different dealers have different policies. My Toyota dealer in Milwaukee did really good work and would take a “wave” on most all diagnostic fees, since they knew me for a long time. They were family owned for the 30 years I was using them, but when I moved back a year ago, they are not family owned now and I’ve heard questionable practices.

        When I moved to Indy, Tom Wood was down the block from me, and pretty much the oldest Toy dealer in town, so I gave them a try. They were pretty good, offered some aftermarket suggestions that saved my money on exhaust work. I find that the oldest Toyota dealer in an area has a tendency to be the best, since they made a commitment to the brand early on; instead of U.S. car dealers that got involved twenty years later when they were losing market share, and try to bring heavy-handed U.S. dealer hi-jinks into the process!

        Maybe Wood is charging for all services now to pay for that new building! I’ve used the dealers for years, but mostly because the really competent mechanics in my area charge almost dealer rate anyway!

        1. Jim Grey Avatar

          I have an independent guy up in Home Place (Carmel) that I’ve used for 10+ years. Though I bought a used VW Passat last year and it seems to throw him a little.

  4. jon campo Avatar
    jon campo

    That red light over the Toyota dealer looks very soothing Jim. I live out in the boonies which has its own set of problems but at this stage Iโ€™m not complaining. Iโ€™m a generation older than you and have gone through at least some of what you are going through. Iโ€™m sure you are aware of this but once you get through it all and come out the other side life can be pretty sweet. It will pass.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks Jon. I know all tough times end, if you just wait. The waiting is hard, though.

  5. Dan James Avatar

    Some stunning sunsets indeed Jim. I really like the one with the Spotmatic F where you obviously got a little closer and the whole foreground is the sunset reflecting on the lake…

    Sorry to hear about your sleep. We have a new addition in our household, so I can relate to an extent!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Well congratulations on adding a new little one!

      1. Hayulurx Emmar Avatar

        Very cool to have a great sunset jim

  6. DougD Avatar
    DougD

    Very nice indeed. We have had some great sunsets this year too, but there’s lots of mature trees which impedes viewing.

    Lately I’ve been getting great sleep but still super tired. :(

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Blocking trees has been an issue everywhere else I’ve ever lived.

  7. tbm3fan Avatar
    tbm3fan

    I’m going to have to go back to find out the reason you sold your home to move where you are now. I must have missed it along the line. Like new cars I do not like new homes at all. Tend to look the same as new cars. Tend to have tight property lines and I like a nice large backyard to kick back and relax in. All two stories, rather than one, at least out here in California.

    As for the stress I don’t know what I can tell you except it affects everyone differently. When I have been under stress, as in starting a practice then having the partner blow it up, my stress takes place in an eye twitch lasting a few months. That’s all that happens to me.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I remarried and moved in with my wife. I had been happy but lonely before. Now I’m not lonely, but our lives are overall not happy. These difficult times will pass, soon hopefully.

      1. Hayulurx Emmar Avatar

        I am extremely for you dear

  8. fishyfisharcade Avatar

    I suffered from insomnia last year following some personal worries. While I had no problem getting to sleep (indeed, I could have easily fallen asleep come 8pm), I would constantly wake in the early hours and be unable to get back to sleep for a couple of hours or more. Then, after a bit more fitful sleep, I would awaken again at around 5:30 – 6:30am with horrible anxiety.

    For a while I took some sedatives that had been prescribed by my GP but, although these worked, they left me tired, as though it wasn’t proper rest that they granted. After a while though, I found a solution that helped no end – bananas!

    After doing some research, I found that there are a number of foods and beverages that can help with restful sleep. Bananas are one, but there are a number of others (from memory, these include almonds, tart cherries, oatmeal, camomile team and others). I chose bananas as we usually have some in the house (even though I’m not a big fan of them). They contain magnesium and potassium, which are both muscle relaxants and help with restlessness, tryptophan, which acts as a sedative, plus vitamin B6 which helps you produce melatonin which helps regulate your sleep. They also contain carbs that are slowly released and which help reduce early morning anxiety because your body doesn’t wake with the feeling that you must have food.

    Once I started eating a banana each evening before bed I found that my insomnia reduced considerably. Although I would still waken needing the toilet sometimes, I would easily fall back to sleep again, and the morning anxiety decreased hugely.

    Now, I’m not a medical professional, so take what I’ve said as personal opinion (although There’s lots of info online backing it up), but bananas are a pretty healthy solution and, even if they don’t work, you’ve had some fruit to eat which can’t be bad. Once I found that bananas worked for me I didn’t touch the prescription sedatives again.

    Anyway, just thought I’d offer this up as something that might be worth a shot. Hope you’re feeling better rested soon.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Because of some food allergies (essentially) I have to avoid bananas (and a weird list of other foods), but I’ve heard the same thing about potatoes. I tried eating a baked potato with butter every night before bedtime and it did seem to promote better quality sleep. This was several years ago now, though.

    2. Hayulurx Emmar Avatar

      Oh!sorry about that

  9. Martin Cutrone Avatar

    Sorry to hear of your ongoing challenges, and now, sleep disturbance. Hope things will straighten out for you and your family. You sure have had some great sunsets!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks Martin, they will in time. The sunsets here really can be spectacular. It’s an unexpected joy.

      1. Hayulurx Emmar Avatar

        Yeah you are right jim

  10. Reinhold Graf Avatar

    I hope you get back to conditions, where you can enjoy everyday life soon.
    The one made with the 35mm lens is the most pleasing to me.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks Reinhold! That one sure does give an expansive view.

  11. M.B. Henry Avatar

    Wow – these pictures are absolutely fantastic! And I am so sorry to hear about the insomnia. I have battled it on and off for years, so I definitely empathize with you and I know how frustrating it can be. I have tried a dizzying array of things, so if you ever need any other suggestions, feel free to ask. I hope the plan with your doctor goes well, and I wish you very restful sleep in the near future!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Insomnia sure can be challenging to treat. I had it this bad another time, about 15 years ago when I was going through my divorce. Nothing my doctor tried really helped and I just had to suffer through it.

      1. M.B. Henry Avatar

        It is definitely challenging, I sure hope you get some restful sleep soon!

  12. Kurt Ingham Avatar
    Kurt Ingham

    Extremely cool pix!!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks! It’s great when photographic scenes show up in your back yard.

  13. Hayulurx Emmar Avatar

    It extremely Great one… Awesome!!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks!

  14. yellowbricksofhope Avatar

    It will get easier, I’m rooting for you! those sunsets are beautiful, I live to see skies like those, it makes me so happy.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      It really is great when we get a sunset like one of these. We all stop and gape.

  15. Jeff Heigl Avatar
    Jeff Heigl

    Thank you

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I’m not sure what for, but you’re welcome just the same!

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