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We got our Toy-Go-Round cat exercise wheel so our Bengal, Sheba, would have some way of burning off her incredible energy in ways other than literally bouncing off the walls and ceiling (I kid you not!). Happily, three of our other cats also use it. Here’s Polly, our polydactyl Manx, strutting her stuff.

And here’s a very clever re-edit by Geoffo of Vimeo, a.k.a. Geoff of The Ark:

Van Clowder

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For Sale: My 1998 Nissan Pathfinder Chilkoot V6

My new job is only a block and a half from my house, so I don’t need my trusty Pathfinder anymore. This is a great car, and well-serviced. It has power, great pickup speed, excellent brakes, AC to die for on a hot summer day, and the 4WD is a dream in snow and ice and off-road.

It’s big inside, enough to comfortably seat 5 adults or haul all kinds of furniture home from the thrift store – believe me. The average 12-16 liters per hundred kilometers (highway-city) roughly translates to 15-20 miles per gallon (city-highway).

I’ll include all service records and receipts. Since last year, this car has new brakes, new spark plugs, new valve covers, new wiper blades, all new fluids and filters, and even a new windshield because of a crack from a kicked-up stone. In the previous 3 years the rear muffler and gasket were replaced, as were the headlights, tires, shock absorbers, front gas struts, and the upper and lower control arms and link bushings (an inherent problem with Pathfinders of this era). Additional maintenance and repairs have been made as needed. This is a very well cared-for car.

Here are some details:

There are prettier cars, I’ll admit, but most are not maintained this well. Run the VIN listed above for a complete maintenance history. Non-mechanical problems include rust on the front bumper, plus some on the exhaust pipe and rear axle surface (which the mechanic just cleared from any long-term problems). This and the slightly worn upholstery on the driver’s seat are signs of a durable machine. There’s also a hit-and-run dent on the driver side, plus the usual dings here and there. Hey, at least we don’t smoke or transport shedding dogs.

Buy This 1998 Nissan Pathfinder Chilkoot	Rusty Bumper and Side Dent
Typical Console	Fold-Down Seats Double Cargo Space

The VMR Canada retail book value on this car is $5,875, and I’m asking only $4,400. Yes, I know you want to pay less. There are cheaper Nissan Pathfinders out there, but they are less maintained and/or have far higher mileage and/or probably haven’t addressed the inherent upper and lower control arms and link bushings issue. Buyer beware! Our price is the trade-in value for this particular car. You may pay less, but you won’t get a better value than this.

Please email for more information or to arrange a test drive. By the way, I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I’m just saying…

Thanks!

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Malika, our beautiful purebred Savannah, is one year old today. Here are some scenes of her daily life. Malika sends her love to Joshua and Micah, and Connie and Rene.

Van Clowder

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This Tea Party movement sure knows how to get press. Their latest desperate plea for attention is posting a billboard version of their frequent rally poster comparing President Obama to Hitler and Lenin. Personally, I like that the Tea Party is flaunting their hatred, prejudice, ignorance, and total lack of historical perspective.

Somewhere I read that 80% of refrigerators are used as bulletin boards / organizers / scrap books. Ours pays homage to cats, coffee, and family snapshots, and serves as a storage area for various receipts and schedules.

Sheba, Polly, Malika and Mugsie of the Van Clowder appear in this nightmarish home video.