Today we enlisted the grandparents to babysit (a first with two kids for them) and we headed to the car dealership to get me a new car. I can't say new car without using the "Price Is Right" announcer voice. It's a NEEWWW CARRRR (imagine me using that voice now if you will). Oh how I love a NEW CAR. Doesn't everyone? The smell of dangerous off-gassing, the gleam off the new wood replica trim, the supple touch of new leather. Mmmmm. Anyhow, we headed to the car dealership after a lengthy Internet search that started, oh...I don't know...two weeks after we picked up the last NEW CAR three years ago. In lieu of whining about the various issues we had with our 'luxury car' because seriously who gives a shit what kind of issues you have with your expensive car (you pompous assholes- it's a recession), I'll just talk about the new, NEW CAR experience. So as I said, we headed off to the dealership. There was some discussion about what we
needed versus what we
wanted. There was talk about options and add-ons and protection plans and on and on... Most importantly was the discussion about the COST, as in, the COST should be LESS than the old one. Being the level-headed, responsible, some might say anal-retentive couple that we are, we agreed on all these points and walked resolutely in to the dealership. We want a NEW CAR, we would say. We want to pay THIS MUCH. We don't want any extras. We want your BEST deal. We won't take NO CRAP from you. The rest of this fantasy plays out like this; we find exactly what we want, no scratch that- we find what we NEED, we negotiate a fair deal, we LOWER our monthly payments, we all skip off into the sunset singing and holding hands.
The reality was more like this. We go in, we don't see the car we want. Wrong color. We agree to test drive a DIFFERENT car. We agree that this car has everything we NEED, everything we AGREED we should have. It has NO extras. We DON'T like it. Nope, we hate it. Can't see ourselves driving it or liking it. We have a new agreement. We NEED extras. We find the car we WANT. We start a painful negotiation process. They give us the price. We don't want to pay THAT much, we want to pay LESS. They can't go THAT low, but they'll throw in a pen if we agree to this HIGH price. Back and forth we go until finally we all feel bad. We AGREE that feeling bad is good for all of us. The car is ours.
We have just bought the most expensive model they offer with all the extras, even the things we don't need or want. But hey, it's not all bad...we did lower our monthly payments. This NEW CAR costs us exactly $15 less a month than the last one. We'll be living large now.
Here's some advice. Don't send us to barter for you.
Just look at that sweet face. Who would think she turns in to a little screaming, vomiting banshee when placed at a gentle 45 degree angle and hurled in metal bucket at high velocity.
Today we enlisted the grandparents to babysit (a first with two kids for them) and we headed to the car dealership to get me a new car. I can't say new car without using the "Price Is Right" announcer voice. It's a NEEWWW CARRRR (imagine me using that voice now if you will). Oh how I love a NEW CAR. Doesn't everyone? The smell of dangerous off-gassing, the gleam off the new wood replica trim, the supple touch of new leather. Mmmmm. Anyhow, we headed to the car dealership after a lengthy Internet search that started, oh...I don't know...two weeks after we picked up the last NEW CAR three years ago. In lieu of whining about the various issues we had with our 'luxury car' because seriously who gives a shit what kind of issues you have with your expensive car (you pompous assholes- it's a recession), I'll just talk about the new, NEW CAR experience. So as I said, we headed off to the dealership. There was some discussion about what we needed versus what we wanted. There was talk about options and add-ons and protection plans and on and on... Most importantly was the discussion about the COST, as in, the COST should be LESS than the old one. Being the level-headed, responsible, some might say anal-retentive couple that we are, we agreed on all these points and walked resolutely in to the dealership. We want a NEW CAR, we would say. We want to pay THIS MUCH. We don't want any extras. We want your BEST deal. We won't take NO CRAP from you. The rest of this fantasy plays out like this; we find exactly what we want, no scratch that- we find what we NEED, we negotiate a fair deal, we LOWER our monthly payments, we all skip off into the sunset singing and holding hands. 
A self portrait. I spent hours setting up a different shot with mediocre results. Later I shot this one in the mirror and preferred it even though it was less 'technically perfect' than my other choice. 
I wanted to send this one but thought that as far as self portraits go this one wasn't showing enough face.
What do you think?
The site is http://www.fontcapture.com/. I thought I should add that this would also be a cool way to capture your child's handwriting. I'd do it...if either of my kids could write.
I've debated over purchasing a Moravian star fixture on eBay for about, um, 3 years. I love them. I don't like the $300 and up price tag though. So I've waited and looked and looked some more but I still hadn't found one until this. London Drugs had these stained glass candle lanterns for about $30. I bought it, brought it home and gave it to my Dad. Now who said that having a master electrician for a father was only handy for basement developments? Not me- that's who because several weeks later these lovely fixture is hanging in my office. Isn't it lovely and only a fraction of the cost of the ones I was looking at. Granted I'd have preferred clear glass, but this one has character. 
She's been part of our lives now for 3 days and I can't imagine another moment in my life without her. I ache to hold her when I see her laying down or when Daryl is holding her. It's truly staggering how much I long for her. I've been lucky that Daryl has been able to keep Veronica occupied while I spend time just adoring this new little creature. Although keeping V occupied has been no small task. She's definitely feeling some jealousy so we've been going out of our way to pay attention to her and lavish her with love too, even though she's pushing her limits. Tonight she sat and held Zoe, which was good for all of us to see. She doesn't know what to think of her and she won't quickly tell you that she likes her sister anymore if you ask. Hopefully we will settle in to a routine soon, one that involves V relaxing and being sweet again. 
1. This is sitting beside me thanks to my wonderful husband. Maybe, just maybe, you can look forward to better quality photos now. This thing is awesome.
No progress is being made on the baby front. We're anxiously and impatiently awaiting labor to begin and I've reached such a state of discomfort that we're pretty much sequestered at home now. At my last appointment they told me I was measuring over 42 weeks thanks to all the extra amniotic fluid. No one should be this big.
All this construction has had mixed emotions from our family. Veronica loves walking all over the stacks of wood. A gopher has taken up residence under the junk pile. My birds won't come anywhere close (and I see today that the workers knocked off my feeder, emptying an entire feeder of Niger seeds on the ground - can you say weeds?). I'm going crazy with the damage to my lawn, flower beds and the overall mess, not to mention the strange men needing to use the bathroom and the fact that we're sequestered in the house during the day. 
Oh how I love that sweet little angry face. I promise to give him a long cuddle when we're finally sitting comfortably on the new deck. 
