Nauta can breathe again!

Well, at 9:15 this morning, I pulled up to Classic Auto Storage and picked up the Miata, nicknamed Nauta. When I checked my service log, I found that this year I picked her up almost a week later than last year ... I could have sworn I had waited until the 15th back then! I just couldn't wait any longer this year. And I picked the best day of 2006 to pick her up: sunny and temperatures in the 70's!

Nauta had been detailed over the weekend and just shined when I picked her up. The detailer there does a superb job and the price is reasonable ... plus as I age, I find that the wear and tear on my shoulders and arms from the wiping/buffing etc is literally and figuratively a pain. What's really nice is that the engine compartment is steam cleaned and looks like you could eat off the valve covers (well, probably not, but it is really clean).

(Rufus, the Mazda6 wagon, was left behind for just one day while I have it detailed ... its first coat of wax and a thorough interior/exterior cleaning.)

After picking her up, I stopped at HomeDepot to pick up a new remote garage door opener. (The remote that had been with the Miata had to go to the Mazda6 since it doesn't have HomeLink like the Passat did.) The new Miata remote is one of the small key-fob remotes ... very nice and was programmed in the blink of an eye.

Then it was off to AutoEdge in Mahtomedi for an oil change and a "just-out-of-storage" once-over from the techs there. When I talked to the owner there, he suggested I have the oil changed before putting the car into storage next fall ... which is what I had planned to do when the service tech there disuaded me and told me to wait until I took her out of storage.

Apparently that service tech is no longer with AutoEdge and his recommendation to me is symptomatic of the reason he's not there. Swell. But I doubt there was any damage ... it's just that I want to baby this car for several more years when I can afford to buy a newer Miata.

Drove back home and discovered that Barb was taking the day off ... so we went back to White Bear and had lunch on the patio of Washington Square. Also took a drive around and enjoyed a Minnesota Spring.

Alec wanted to play catch ... so we did. Remember the pain I avoided by not waxing the car? Well, I now am feeling it from tossing the ball back and forth for 45 minutes (grin).

So a great day to have the Miata back and to enjoy. Tomorrow it's back to work!