Yay, tiggy. It's nice when unexpected expenses don't end up being that bad.

Ah, I shall thank or curse you once I try it, Kristin. Though I bought pom cause I like it more than cherry. I think. Maybe I should try both.

But only after I renukify the hot pack and melt into the couch a bit more.

We are having the prettiest sunset right now. All shot through with pink. And many, many mountains were out today. I saw Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens. Never got to a place where I could try to see Rainier so I can't report if it was visible as well but there was a whole lot of mountain out today.

Speaking of happy surprises with car repairs, the neighborhood garage replaced our battery as well as did a couple incredibly necessary fixes that saved our car from basically coming apart at the seams (we had a rotted transmission line as well as an about-to-snap tie rod) if we'd done any hghway speed driving, and it only cost $600. Which I know sounds like a LOT, but the preemptive repairs saved us probably 10 times that, and more, 'cause we'd need to get a new car, because this car ain't worth more than $1-2K in repairs a year. (which we try to budget for.)

In conclusion, I'm *incredibly* thankful we called the garage as soon as we figured out there was a problem, and that we don't commute any significant distance, and that we did not drive to CT this weekend. But I'm also a little wigged about how close we came to disaster. Not a lot, but a little.

I think we'll need to get the mechanic to do a look-see more frequently now that things are starting to need replacing on this 8 year old, 110K+ mile car...

Yikes, Nora! I am glad you stayed home this weekend.

What Shamu Taught Me About A Happy Marriage

It is annoying because it treats husband as animal and it comes off very manipulative. However, it is interesting because it has a few ideas that make sense , taken out of the animal context. Praising things you like - and at the same time ignoring the stuff that won't matter 10 years from now, is sensible. Also, looking to see how your behavoir is escalting something, and then not doing the escalting behavior - logical .

It just reinforces my tendency to call the mechanic about pretty much any stupid thing. Stich in time... saves nine... blah blah blah.

yay for good mechanics - and sadly I expect a car repair to cost 500.00 when in the normal/routine level. so 600.00 sounds good to me.

Yay! Unless it's a repeat business discount.

ha! no, that's their actual fixing a tire price. the guy told me that they sell the most tires in all of middle tennessee, which i found hard to believe because they're one of the smallest places.

It's nice when unexpected expenses don't end up being that bad.

totally. thanks, sj.

that is very good news, Nora! cars can be expensive things, can't they. i'm still going to have to eventually get my windshield replaced now that the tiny rock crack has started spiderwebbing. it took it about three years to do that though. all this hot and cold crap is speeding up the process.

So my friend K is going on and on about her great weekend with her boyfriend (another good friend of mine), and how they both played hooky from work today, and how she's so put out because she shut off her phone all day today being "impulsive" and caught merry hell from her parents for not returning their six phone calls (we mock her for how connected to her cell phone she is), and I have a strong desire to just scream at her that I despise her for being so damn happy and I don't care and slam the phone shut.

Horrible person? Need a nap? Need a good shag? I look to you, my Bitches, for guidance. And murder avoidance.

Not a horrible person, Ailleann. Sure, a really good shag would likely change your attitude but until there instagoodshags for the rest of us? Well, we do what we can.