was this the car that was breaking down all the time? Is this a blessing in disguise (once all the insurance headaches are dealt with?) Just trying to find a silver lining. Ya, I know. People want to slap me silly for that. It's a burden I carry.

Nope, this was the one I bought last January. Well, this one had some problems, too, but they went away with new spark plugs.

Andi found it on Craigslist the morning of my office Christmas Party, and I bought it a few hours later.

I just put a whole new exhaust system on it this summer after the F2F.

I really liked this car. We named it Shadow.

What the fuck, Daniel?? That's crazy.

In fact, I just got back in from scavenging what I could in the sub-freezing damp of outside.

Mostly I scavenged tools and parts from the trunk that I could bend metal to get at, stuff from the glove box, scrapers and shoes, etc.

I was able to wriggle out the short square spade that my dad bought for me the week before he died. I was glad to find that that was unharmed.

Maybe I'll find another Grand Am. This one was fun to zip around in.

DJ, that sucks. I know how much you liked working there.

DCJ, that also sucks, particularly the hit-and-run aspect. I hope they catch him, in part because someone who can't avoid a parked car, something which rarely does anything surprising, might not avoid a car with people in it.

Goodness. I'm glad I read the article but the end just completely broke me. Ooof.

God, this. SO didn't see the end coming. That was just heartbreaking.

DJ, I wish you a whole ocean of job-ma, mate.

Daniel - glad you werne't hurt, sad that some fuckhead squashed your lovely car.

So yesterday we had no school, because they found 5 kids with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease despite how vigilant we are about getting them to wash their hands every five minutes.

If one more kid is found to have it we get a week off school!!!!

...er, not that I'm wishing nasty viral infections upon any of the kids I teach. Um. But I'm sure there must be someone in the school who's been naughty, and who could take one for the team. And although I understand that there have been known to be fatalities, I also understand that it's not difficult to madicate - and we're RIGHT next to a hospital, and these parents can definitely afford to treat their kids.

C'mon, virus! Give us a week off school!

Ahem.

It was particularly nice to have yesterday off because Thursday had been our opening night, and so I got to have a (comparative) lie-in Friday morning - didn't have to be in school until 8.30. We still went to school, but it was a nice day of catching up and admin and finishing reports and assessment and stuff. And we had pizza in the staff room for lunch. Yay!

OMG, Daniel! That's horrible! I'm glad you and Andi weren't in it and aren't hurt, but there's still all the crap you have to go through because if it.

For all those who need a pick me up, the puppies are rioting!

Crap, I can't find my puppy link.

The puppies are gone and they're shrieking in terror. It's disturbing.