I FINALLY have a reliable car!!!!

This week I got a car. For the past 10 months, I've been driving an '85 ford bronco. The poor vehicle has been as steady as it could, but was slowly falling apart. We spent a buttload of money getting it up and running so I could get around town, but things were going bad little by little. The first thing I can think of is the starter/ignition switch. The switch wore out, that in turn messed up the starter, and it was in the shop for a week or so. After that we had issues with the driver's side window. The switch stopped working, so I couldn't roll the window down, or I had to take the door apart to get it back up. It would also randomly fall down while I was driving, and I got really good at driving with my right thigh so I could reach over and push up the window and hold it up. This was especially important during the winter months when it was below freezing outside. The gas gauge never worked while I drove the bronco, so every time I filled up the gas, I had to reset the mileage counter so I could count my miles per fill-up. We could go about 150 miles between gas stops...I know, not very far because the bronco only got about 7 miles to the gallon. Gas costs have been killing me.

ANYWAYS, I got a ford taurus station waggon. Andrea made fun of me because I got a station wagon, but hey, at least it's not a mini-van (not that I have anything against mini-vans, but I don't have enough kids to fill one, and I'm not domestic-house-wifey enough to deserve a mini-van). But the station wagon I got is NICE! I promise. SEE??? It really is nice!!! At least as far as station wagons go....

So I picked it up today, and here are some of the highlights of my afternoon: 1) When I stopped at the ATM, I didn't have to open the door of the car to use the machine, the window went down, then back up!!!!! 2) when I got gas, although I reset the mileage counter thing instinctively, I watched with facination as the gas gauge went up past the full mark rather than sitting lifelessly below the E. I'm happy with my car. I feel like a new person almost. Funny how some stuff can do that huh? I don't know what that says about me though, that something so superficial can make me feel good. It's not necessarily having a newer car that makes me feel good though, it's the fact that I don't have to worry every morning as I pull out of my driveway that my car may not make it to work and back. I've lived with that nagging feeling for the past 8 months, and it's not a good feeling. Getting stranded on the freeway at 11pm can do that to a person, I guess....

In other news, I'm on a company soccer team. We're not much good at all, but I have a lot of fun playing, and it gives me something social to do besides work. I think that's healthy. I've missed playing on teams since I graduated. One of the highlights of my grad school was the intramural teams I played on. I learned how to play basketball--I'd never played even though I'm fairly tall. I also re-learned soccer, and ended up being pretty good at both sports. I forgot that I used to be really athletic and that stuff made me happy.

Skye was sick on Friday. At least she had her teacher call me from school and tell me she was. So I picked her up and brought her with me to work. It's amazing how skittles and fruit punch can cure a sore throat...I have a nagging feeling I got suckered into taking her out of school. It's ok though, we all need those vacations sometimes.

Well, it's time to study. The bar is coming up in a few weeks, and I feel far behind on my studying. I can't wait to go home though. This trip serves two equally important purposes: 1) take the bar; 2) go home and REST (as much as is possible with studying for the bar). I haven't been home in over a year, and I think this trip is well-deserved. It's been a rough year. Full of changes and challenges and trouble and lots and lots of therapy. Thank goodness for therapists who remind us that we're not crazy--or that the rest of the world is just as crazy so it's ok.

later.