Ahh, that new (well, used) car smell!

After a mostly pleasant 7-year relationship, we had to say a tearful goodbye to the Windstar today. ... And HELLO to a new Honda (well, NEW to us)!

We found a decent deal on a 2006 Honda CRV with low mileage so trekked up to Wausau today to test drive it and eventually take it home. Hubby says this is the first time he's bought two vehicles in a row by the same manufacturer. I don't think us girls pay attention to that sort of thing. I just know I like our Civic and have enjoyed riding in my sister and brother-in-law's CRVs (yes, plural).

It will be good to have two reliable vehicles with decent gas mileage. And this one might even last until Carter gets his temps ... but let's not think about that just yet!

Star light, Star bright...

They say when the stars are aligned just right, good things will come to you that day. Today was not one of those days. In fact, if I got my telescope out, I'd venture to say I'd see them scattered about like a game of pool or bocce ball.

I learned it is possible for everyone in a household to have a bad day -- or at least a challenging one -- in their own separate worlds.

Mommy had a fitful night's sleep so woke up feeling cruddy, had a bad weekly weigh-in and suffered through technical difficulties most of day, exclaiming, "I hate computers" at least a half-dozen times.

Daddy also didn't sleep well, but his computer worked today. Unfortunately, the mighty Windstar's window broke on the way home (we were taking the van in for "service engine soon" problems tomorrow anyway). Then he had to coach the Bad News Bears in a 10-1 tournament loss. And it looks like his Cincinnati Reds are losing by a similar margin as we speak.

I bet you can guess why Carter's day was bad. Coach Daddy Buttermaker had even tried to bribe him. "If you get just one hit, I'll take you out for ribs Wednesday night." Carter did get on base with a walk and hit (as in he was hit by a pitch), but no official hit. I think he was more upset about the ribs thing than the loss. But as a consolation, he may get an ice cream treat at Shivers tomorrow night.

That's not quite everyone. We can't forget about Sylvester. Yes, our feline princess puked on our white carpet in the bedroom tonight.

So I'm going to log off now, hope Blogger doesn't bomb on me and lose my blog in cyberspace like last night... and go find that telescope...

Petty Cash

I'm always amused when someone comes into some unexpected cash and people say, "What are you going to do with all that extra money?" If you think about it, there's really no such thing as extra money. It can always be used for something, right?

Yesterday, the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved a multi-billion-dollar plan aimed at "spurring the economy" by sending rebate checks to millions of taxpayers, offering tax breaks to businesses and trying to ease the home lending crunch.

I might just use mine to throw myself one heckuva 40th birthday party. Naturally, you're all invited.

Seriously, while I won't mind receiving the rebate come summer, I don't think it will spur millions of citizens to go shopping and jump-start the economy. Since the recipients are labeled as low and middle class, I suspect most of us will be paying off bills. I mean really, how far can $1,500 go? That wouldn't even cover anything major we'd dream about -- like getting the driveway surfaced or buying the lot next door.

This is who would get the rebate: $600 would go to singles making less than $75,000; $1,200 to couples making less than $150,000; and $300 rebates will be given per child.

I'm wondering if Congress thinks the Austins will use theirs to get that large, hi-def, wall-mounted flat-screen TV they want. Or maybe a riding lawn mower. In all likelihood, it will go into savings as we prepare to replace the high-mileage Windstar.

I am going to keep the option open for a birthday bash, though. I'm pretty sure we could accommodate everyone who reads this blog and still have a little left over for a birthday gift for hubby the following week.

If the president does sign off on this deal -- and it looks like he will -- how will you use your rebate (I mean besides my birthday present, of course)?

Dream cars

Whether they realize it or not, everybody wants a dream car. What makes a dream car? It depends who you ask. It's pretty subjective, depending on a person's taste (or lack of it), their knowledge of cars or maybe even their background. Money, however, is no object. These are dream cars after all.

Jim has been hinting for at least a year that he wants our next vehicle (the one after one of the current ones dies -- keep fingers crossed) to be a Jeep. I tell him he is too young for a mid-life crisis vehicle. It's so impractical. It can only seat two and the gas mileage would require one of us to get a second job.

I guess part of me is just jealous of his dream because I know he'll get one in a stick and I'll never be able to drive it!

I've always been partial to a Mustang or Corvette -- something hot and sporty in this one particular shade of orangish-yellow I like. (Not that I've been thinking about it.) But these days I'm thinking something a little "taller," something I can sit in to see over the dash. Something practical (sort of) yet sporty and manageable in size (more like a Toyota Rav4 than a Hummer).

Today Carter found a dream car or two or two hundred. I took him to the Iola Old Car Show. We cruised around the grounds on our staff golf cart and he got to see a cool Dodge Avenger and some '57 Corvettes. He used my employee discount to buy 6 car books and was thrilled to meet the guy who authored half of his purchases.

Thumbing through the books on the way home, I kept hearing "Wow!" and "Cool!" coming from the back seat. When we pulled into our garage, he informed me he now has 254 dream cars (I think he counted every one in the Ferrari book!).

The big boys like the cool cars they see on TV mainly. They also think our minivan rocks! I kid you not. At some point in time, while they were young and susceptible, Daddy convinced them that the Windstar rules the road.

Every time he'd pass someone, he'd whisper loudly: "Winddd-staaarrrrr!" Now, all the boys do it unison when we're on road trips. I just smile and think to myself how great it is they still humor Dad even if they've stopped believing.

Or maybe they haven't. What makes a dream car? One man's Windstar may be another man's Ferrari.

Dream on ...