Last weekend I tried to get my car inspected, but the gas station 'round the corner discovered that the hood wouldn't open. So this week I brought it to my dealership for a diagnosis, they ordered the necessary parts, and today I left it there and took their shuttle down to work. At lunchtime they called to say it was ready, and I took a cab up ( Read more... )

• I have a Starveling Cat in Echo Bazaar now! Thank you again,
  ( Read more... )

Dear fellow drivers in winter weather:

Despite what you may have been told, driving in winter weather is not actually that complicated. Keep these two simple rules in mind and you will be fine:

1. You must change speed over a much longer distance than usual.
2. You must change direction much more slowly than usual.

(The observant will note that these ( Read more... )

Annual cookout yesterday. It started out very well (though if I'd realized that Chad was trying to convince one of the kids that werewolves are allergic to Nerf, I would've intervened), but a couple hours in my vision started going wonky. I took my contacts out, but I knew even as I did so that it was futile: sure enough, it was a migraine. My ( Read more... )

My car went in the shop for two days this week (replace all the tires, repair a mis-aligned headlight), and I rented a car from the dealership. On the phone, they told me that they'd give me a Corolla, which was fine since my car is a 2003 Prius, in other words small, and a big car would be awkward.

Instead of a Corolla, they gave me . . . a Scion ( Read more... )

A very material objects kind of week.

Tuesday the transmission in Chad's car died as he was turning into a parking lot; the replacement was finished by Friday evening, which was faster than we expected, at least. I'd been on my way to get a new iPod and a haircut when he called me; must remember to make another appointment.

On Wednesday I had an ( Read more... )

Oh, right, I meant to do a week in review post.

Car stuff: On Monday, I discovered a dent. I've only had the thing since Thursday. It's a very small dent, true, but ( Read more... )

Sunday night's dinner was lovely; mmmm, lobster bisque.

Monday was quietly productive.

Tuesday I went to a deposition for someone else in the office; the witness wasn't testifying about our part of the case, but we sent someone just in case. Then I picked up a copy of the anthology with the middle Peter Crossman story in it, On Crusade; Barnes & ( Read more... )

I'd never had my own car. In high school, I learned to drive on my mother's Ford Escort wagon, which I borrowed to go to my part-time job and to go out on weekends.

In college I didn't drive, as I was living in cities where cars ( Read more... )

I really need to start thinking about the start of the week when I write these up. Things actually happened last week on Monday (Chad's parents and the dog came up to help with house things) and Tuesday (long transatlantic phone call), but I'd never know it from the post.

Of course, now that I've said that, I can't remember anything in ( Read more... )