Boys will be Boys

I've been wondering what to blog about over the past couple of weeks, feeling like there hasn't been anything to write about. Then it hit me earlier...I should share with y'all the craziness that I've been subjected to as Peter has obsessed over his FJ! :) (Perhaps it'll be therapeutic for me...) Let me see, where do I begin?? Back before Christmas, the FJ was backed into in our church parking lot. Sparing you the nitty-gritty details, Peter ended up with a check from the guy's insurance company to repair the damage. (I said, "what damage????" I didn't even see where the front bumper had been hit until at least a a few weeks later when I asked Peter to point it out to me. 'Course, I hadn't really been looking for it...) Somewhere in that 'check process' Peter got the idea to get a brand-new, upgraded bumper that he'd originally learned about on an FJ Cruiser message board online. Then, while waiting to have this fancy-shmancy bumper made, he discovered another bright idea on the message board: to paint his bezel and the Toyota logo on the front. So, he spent a fair amount of time down in the basement, spray-painting and sanding and spray-painting again...filling our house with paint fumes, which I can't stand. Last Saturday was finally the 'bumper install' day. He drove to Eagle Mountain (for those of you who don't know, it ain't close!) to his co-worker's dad's house to do the deed, along with his co-worker's help. Me and the kids got dropped off in American Fork to hang out with my sisters and their kids. When I asked him the night before how long it was going to take, he said it would only be a couple of hours. I silently told myself (usually I audibly tell myself things!) that was a joke; it would most likely be at least 3 hours, probably more. ...Guess who was right?? :) About FIVE hours after dropping us off, Peter arrived back in American Fork to pick us up before heading home! ......Anyway, I can admit that it looks neat, but I have had a VERY difficult time supporting all of the time, energy and money (we had to pay out of our pocket in addition to using the insurance check to cover the cost of the bumper) that Peter has put into this process!!!!! I think it's silly, to put it nicely & mildly. :) Peter has never been like this about cars until he got the FJ (which was almost a year ago). I'm trying to get used to it. Meanwhile, when I see the front of his car, I can't help but think, "the money for that bumper could've paid for AT LEAST a few days' get-away for the two of us, or a plethora of other things!!!" :) Oh well...boys will be boys, right?!?


Here's a view of his handiwork--taken by him, of course--shortly after a turn at the car wash.

Here's a closer-up view...these pics were taken on the 26th.