Meet my new baby:



Pretty sweet, huh? One day old, and much, much less likely to just randomly cost me an arm and a leg for service than my old green Neon. Plus, being brand new, it's almost supernaturally clean, inside and out (certainly the last time that will be true). And -- AND -- the air conditioning works! Woo-hoo!! (Just in time for fall, alas... but then, the warranty will be in effect for the next three summers.)

Not that I didn't love the Neon, but I had been driving it for nearly six years, and it was an experienced vehicle even before then. Early this week the "Check Engine" light popped on, and that just tipped the balance. The thought of paying for another new muffler, or timing belt, or wheel bearing, or head gasket, or oxygen sensor, or battery, or idler motor (which it actually turned out to be), was just too much. That, plus zero percent for 60 months was just too good to pass up. Fortunately it was nothing that prevented me trading it in.

However, car payments being car payments after all, I am consolidating my monthly bills a little bit. Thus, my home phone line is going, effective September 12. I will still be 100% reachable on my cell phone (dialing the home number will give you a recording of my cell number for two months), at my work number, and by e-mail.

On another note, the following conversation (quoted and perhaps slightly embellished from memory) took place this afternoon:

*ring*

Brother: Hello?

Sister: Hi. I need a word. It means a person who's really good at expressing things, who --

Brother: Eloquent.

Sister: Thank you. And don't think the irony of this conversation is lost on me, because, um, it's not.

Brother: No problem.

*click*