news from across the counter

 Greetings everyone!

I apologize for not posting since August.  It has been very busy and sometimes difficult to move vehicles through the shop.  And, for two reasons.

#1 Because of the present administration, people are confident about the economy and are feeling free to spend their money on vehicle repairs.  We will see how this election pans out; whether-or-not people remain upbeat about the economy if Biden gets in.  I understand some of you take that as a political statement, but I track very carefully how people are thinking in regards to their pocketbook, with many discussions across-the-counter, and this is directly related to which party is in office.  The last time people spent money like this was in the late 1980's.  They have been spending money on things that are not necessary for the running of their vehicle. 

#2 The price of new vehicles is getting ridiculously inflated.  The used car market is booming and more often than not, if you are selling a vehicle you can get what you are asking and maybe even a little more if you barter correctly.  I am telling customers that are selling used vehicles, to figure what they want for it, and then add a $1000 to the price.  You can go down in the transaction but never up.  Many of them are getting the extra $1000.  And, of course, more used vehicles means more repairs, which makes us shops quite busy keeping up.  

On another note; since we all had our trial run with Covid-19 earlier this year, we are now in the real deal with numbers going up.  I was hoping to open the office completely, but have had to go back to customers using the door bell and the "Covid desk" outside, weather permitting.  Janell and I have made tentative plans for me to use the shop to isolate away from the rest of the family if one of the children becomes ill, or becomes a contact with someone at school so that I do not have to quarantine and can keep working.  

Covid-19 has not been the best to us.  Janell's father passed away from Covid-19 complications, and my oldest brother also just recently passed away from Covid-19 complications.  Several of our children became ill with the virus, but they seem to have come out of it without issues.  

I apologize for the inconvenience doing business outside, or limiting customer's travel in the shop.  Please be patient as we all make it through this difficult time together.  Let's help each other, and pray for each other.  The Lord is faithful to deliver if we call out to Him in humility and repentance.  

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise." Psalm 51:17