They're hateful, hateful creatures, and horrible money pits. If it weren't for the need to cross the Bay Bridge and go to places not easily public-transit-accessible, I think we'd be much better off financially rolling ours off a cliff and just taking cabs everywhere.

We're probably lucky this car performs as well as it does. It's a '96 Ford Contour, so it wasn't wonderful to begin with and is getting old. What saves us is that both our cars (the other is a '99 Mazda 626) are low mileage for their age. We have short commutes. Right now mine is driving AB to daycare, then going to the park & ride to catch the bus. I haven't actually checked the odometer, but I think I'm driving somewhere between 2-3 miles/day. DH drives to work, but we're maybe 5 or 6 miles from campus, so that's still pretty short. And since all the travel we've done in the past 5 years is go home to see our families, we don't do road trips.

But I just hope we can get another year or two out of the Ford, and maybe 5 more out of the Mazda. There's actually a chance we might get bailed out of our financial woes by, of all things, inheritance from a long-lost relative. Only it's not so much "long-lost" as "complex family situation," and it's on DH's side and not mine, so I haven't and won't be going into the details here. Not my story to tell, you know? BUT--assuming the somewhat estranged relative who was in charge of the recently deceased relative's finances acted responsibly, we're due to inherit enough shares in stock of a major oil company (this being money that's been in one of the OK sides of the family since, well, oil was discovered in OK) to, at current prices, completely clear our debts with ample room to spare. But we just don't know whether the stock is still there yet, and due to various legal issues, probably won't know until some indeterminate point later in the year.

It's Schrodinger's oil stock, and it's kind of maddening. We're trying to live as if all the money is gone and we have to keep slowly whittling at the debt while we live paycheck to paycheck and angst every time something like this car repair happens. But there's that tantalizing possibility that maybe, just maybe we're going to be bailed out within the year, and I can't help thinking about it.

Sox, I'm finished work early in the afternoon. Would it help if I came to play with sidewalk chalk? It's not a full day, and Monday's no good, but if it helps you are welcome to my time.

Sox, I'm finished work early in the afternoon. Would it help if I came to play with sidewalk chalk? It's not a full day, and Monday's no good, but if it helps you are welcome to my time.

thank you so much D!!! that's incredibly generous. I'm taking Iris ice skating around 12 - so we're covered until around 2. I'm hoping that will wipe her out.

Ned had become almost content with his life. He had a successful pie business, his friends Olive and Orson Card, and someone to love, but not touch. There was only one problem. They all had good relationships with him, but not each other. Ned decided to remedy the situation – he was going to have a party.

Orson Card? That's an interesting slip from Emerson Cod.

Aaaaaand now I'm wondering what would happen if Ned touched one of Mrs. Lovett's pies. Ewwwwww.

Orson Card? That's an interesting slip from Emerson Cod.

BWAHAHAHAHA! That's how I hear it in my head.

Aaaaaand now I'm wondering what would happen if Ned touched one of Mrs. Lovett's pies. Ewwwwww.

Oh, now there's a horrifying and delightful plot bunny!

::looks expectantly at Jilli and connie::

For Valentine's Day, I got the kids strawberry flavored water in cute, little kid-sized bottles and for Christopher, I got him a new, spiral-bound atlas (yes, it is the geekiest of gifts because he likes to follow tv shows and movies with his atlas).

Raise your hand if you have no childcare tomorrow, as well as Monday.

Oof, sorry to hear that Sox. You could send her down here and I could see if they'd let her stay at Sass' day care! Imagine how tired she'd be! (And dirty, too!)

There's a student standing outside my office, talking to another librarian, lying through his teeth. Dude, I did not tell you that when you called!

Oh, now there's a horrifying and delightful plot bunny!

::looks expectantly at Jilli and connie::

I would be all over this if I had seen more than one lonely episode of Pushing Daisies.

Gosh, it's a good thing I'm working from home today. Otherwise I'd be able to act on my urge to go thwack a writer with a croquet mallet.

I'm scheduled for my first mammogram tomorrow morning. Yipes, I feel old. And saggy.