I just cannot with the minivan. Crossover, yes. Station wagon, also yes. minivan, cannot.

clearly just my issue, nothing practical.

It's the extra seats that's the issue - with a family of 4, 5 seats isn't enough to give anyone else a ride. (Technically there's a center seat in the back, but anyone small enough to squeeze in there should really be in a booster seat.)

Accomplishments for the day: Got up early, spent a few hours working at Panera (not for Panera, AT Panera), bought a house, and am now eating spanikopita from the Middle Eastern grocery.

A full day's work, then! That's great news about the house. Does it feel good to be able to cross that off the list?

Ergh, I probably need to get a new(ish) car soon. Mine is 16 years old and will probably need expensive work done soon. It runs OK for now, but considering that I'm the one who drives Rose to and from daycare every day, it would really be great not to feel like my car could just break down on the highway at any time.

Yeah, I don't know how anyone does it these days--we didn't get a minivan until I was a junior in high school, prior to that it was three kids in the back seat--but we didn't have to have boosters and car seats that lasted until we were like, ten years old, like kids do these days! I mean, I remember a long road trip when my brother was about 2, and I don't recall him being in a carseat (my sister and I fought over who had to have him sleep on their shoulder when he'd fall asleep) Though we did have a station wagon and sometimes got to fight over who sat in the "way back"...if there was room among the luggage/shopping/etc. I suspect that doesn't even exist anymore.

My next car will almost definitely be a minivan

I loved my Toyota Sienna. I kinda miss it.

That's great news about the house. Does it feel good to be able to cross that off the list?

For sure. And it feels great to have no plans to speak to anyone connected with a mortgage company, title company, or realtor's office any time soon. The closing took over two hours.

But now I get to plan where to put my books in the new house! Muahaha!

Woot, Dana!

Yay new house, Dana!

I have this phone pre-interview in twelve minutes. I should probably go outside.

After we talk about the position, and if it looks like they're really interested, I think I'm going to be straight with the guy about my family situation. I love Portland and might otherwise be willing to move but right now it's not quite an option. Possibly in a year or two, though.

Hooray, Dana!

My transportation.

Some day I may have a car ... but it's ridiculously expensive in the city (hence the popularity of the Car2Go Smart Cars).