missing

I forgot the item I miss the most about my old car! The thermometer! Not that it was ever quite right... clearly, it was not 121 degrees here last month when this pic was taken, but it was one of those things that I looked at every time I got in the car. Just made me happy. Also, when we went to the mountains, and it was below 34 degrees (I think they just gave it a 2 degree buffer to be sure), it would have a little picture of a snowflake... in case you couldn't see the real live snowflakes out the windshield.


As for that North/South thingy next to the temperature... never used it. Well, maybe I tried to use it, but since I am directionally challenged, it was never helpful. You would have to know which direction you were intending to go in order to have it be helpful.

different but the same

After 10 years of loyal service, I have retired my car. It was a happy-sad day... that car had a good life...

She (of course it was a female car) was the first car that I owned by myself (without sharing with my sister), she traveled cross country with me when I moved from Jersey to California (on the back of an 18 wheeler, but whatever, she still crossed the country). She took me up to the mountains for countless snow days, ran into the side of a snowbank once, ran into a stationary post in a parking garage once, blared music to dull my hearing on every trip, traveled to Oregon a couple times, helped me move 3 times, went camping on numerous long weekends (and never acted as a tent), survived a break in, drove me and my shiny new husband home after we were married, carted soccer gear, skis, furniture, friends, dog, and anything else that would fit. And on and on and on... which was part of the problem. 144,000 miles on and on... and we were just fearing the day she would tire of the routine, and give up on the side of the road... or, demand repairs in excess of her worth. So we decided to trade her in for a new car.

What did we get, you ask? Why, we bought the exact same car! A Nissan Pathfinder... yes, we own two Nissans... but at least they are different colors now! Ten years later, and still... it is remarkably the same... just a little bit different. For example:

• gas mileage: same... while some models of cars have made huge advancements, and Hybrid is all the hype, this mondo still consumes gas as if it lived in Texas, on top of an oil well.
• size: different - it is a little bit bigger (the better to fit the giant dog into)...
• radio: same - one CD player (thank goodness, those 6 CD changers just make it annoying to figure out what is in there, and how to get it out without selecting all the other 5 slots first)...
• radio: different - no more tape deck! :( How will I play my mix tapes now?
• air: same - it has the classic 2 knob system... turn to hi/med/low, turn to blue side or red side. phew! I HATE those fancy schmancy temperature control settings... I can't every figure out what temp to set it at, or how to make it stop blowing cold air when I don't want any more. (I know, you thought I was in my 30's from my profile... secretly, I am a 90 year old technology protester in a 32 year old body).
• steering wheel: different - my old steering wheel was open on the bottom, and I never realized it, but apparently I like to drive with one hand on the bottom of the steering wheel (steering at the "6"... it's the new "10 and 2"). The new shape of the wheel has a solid bottom, and I think I am going to jam my fingers one of these days!
• gages: same (ish?) - I think? I don't even know what most of them do, other than the one that lets me know I am going too fast when I see Poncherello parked on the side of the road.
• center console: different - bigger, so I can shove more stuff in it, but lower, so I can't rest my elbow on it while driving.
• color: different - old one was silver (so that our two silver Nissans looked like a matching set when parked in our garage), new one is shit brown. Well, they say "mocha"... but conveniently, it is the color of dirt, so we'll never have to clean it!

So there it is... my evaluation of our new (but markedly the same) car...

ROCK-a-bye baby

The little dude seems to really like music... when I am blaring the music in my car, he is bouncing around. I would say he is bouncing around to the beat, but it appears he has inherited both of his parent's sense of rhythm (which amounts to approximately 0.5 %), as his breakdancing is in no way coordinated with the beat of the music.

I told Scout how much his son likes music, and he inquired, "What KIND of music are you playing for him in your car? Eminem? I thought you were supposed to play classical music to babies in the womb." I laughed and replied, "Not JUST Eminem - I have been mixing it up for him... Eminem, 50 cent, Kanye, Black Eyed Peas, Beastie Boys. I am giving him the whole range of rap & hip-hop... he likes them all." But seriously... what am I supposed to listen to in my car? Classical music? I'd fall asleep and crash on the side of the road! I am that person that pulls up next to you at the stop light, and if my windows are open, you will turn your head and think, "Someone needs to tell that pasty white girl that she is too old and too yuppie to be listening to that music." But I can't help it - I love it! And so does my son. :) Good thing he can't understand the lyrics yet... I don't have the bleeped out versions!

best day EVER

Since I am fluent in dog language, let me translate Crush's thoughts on the 5th of July after we emptied the ice from the cooler for her...

OMG! OMG! OMG! (yes, she is very into the current lingo - from all the texting she does... a bit difficult with those giant paws, but she manages) They must really love me! I mean, I THOUGHT they loved me, with all the petting, and feeding, and walking, and playing, but... now I know for SURE they love me!

Where do I start? I'll just circle it and look for the best angle... No, I can't do this standing up - I should lie down and get closer... Yes, this is much better, standing was so much effort... Look at all this ice... I'll be here forever... oh, look at that part over there... let me move around to the other side... Maybe I should stand... No, I'll lie back down... Oh, they REALLY love me!

[15 minutes later]

Ohhhhhhhhhh... I shouldn't have eaten all that ice! I'll just lie here and rest...

[2 hours later]

Hey! Where did the ice go? It was just here! I was enjoying the sun, lounging around, and those people must have taken the ice away! I'll show them... what can I chew? Oh, that shiny new hose looks good! Mmmm... this hose isn't quite as good as the ice, but it will do for now...

UH-OH! That lady is coming out... I'll just look away, and pretend I didn't have anything to do with it... Oh, no! A piece of the hose is stuck in my jowels... Think she'll notice?