May 8, 2010 8:09 p.m.

I hit the big 4-0.  Yep, that I did.........exactly seven years ago today.  I don't often get a new toy.  I usually receive clothes, books, and grown up things like that.  Never a toy.

This year, I got a new toy! A Sirius/XM satellite radio tuner and Speaker Dock. Self-Reliant Man installed everything today. He installed the antenna, tuner, and vehicle dock in my Hyundai. He also installed another antenna on the eave of the house so that I can listen to the tuner in the speaker dock.

Anyhow, I am loving the new world of commercial free music that has opened up to me.

Here are some photos highlighting this event in my day.   First of all, these tabletop roses were given to me by a special friend.  Aren't they lovely?

Here is the radio in the speaker dock in my kitchen. I think it sounds very good, like a Wave Radio might sound.  The tuner display shows the channel, the song title, artist, and sometimes even the year.  I am so bad when it comes to knowing song names and artists, so this is appreciated.



Self-Reliant Man had the existing car radio apart within minutes. He is amazing.  I am a retired electrical engineer, but I wouldn't be able to take these tasks on anywhere near how he does.  And certainly not so quickly.
  I think this little antenna is amazing.  It can pick up so clearly from the satellite.  This is before all the wires were concealed.



A couple of hours later, everything was installed, and it looks very professional, don't you think?  But the most important thing is, it sounds great!!


But if you ask me, this is my favorite birthday present by far!