New-to-me Car and Home at Last

This is Lucas, the salesman at Toyota of Olympia. We were patiently waiting for Bob, the finance man to finish up the paperwork. Word of the day? Stellar- to describe my credit! However, Bob and Lucas would only use it with prompting. I would recommend anyone by a car from Lucas. He gave me his pen.

This is Angie chatting up Lucas, though it looks more like a vice-principal/student conversation. The whole process took quite a while. Angie was trooper. We went from dealership to dealership in the pouring rain to look at other cars so I wouldn't look too desperate when I went to see Lucas. But how do you not look desperate when you walk into the dealership soaking wet, chilled to the bone, and no way to get home if Angie should decide to abort the mission? Angie gave me some good tips: don't give them your keys (didn't have any); don't go inside with the salesman (though she caved like a house of cards at the Honda dealership( I had to pull her away like Odysseus strapped to the mast). Don't tell them how much you want to spend (she told me that after I showed my proverbial cards); we'll walk if they don't take our offer (in the rain????? again???? where?????).

Here's the new car! Garbage cans, damn it! That's my regret! My CR-V could hold three garbage cans and Berkeley in the back for a dump run. It's Berkeley's good day when he gets to go to the dump. He gets a biscuit from the dump lady if he doesn't bark at her. I told Tyler once he would too, but he wasn't excited. Nor did he bark. Now I am back to wandering the halls of school crying ,"Dinner for dump!"

I am so close to home now I can taste it! Angie made the experience fun, as did Lucas. So, buy a car from Lucas and take Angie with you.

This is Tyler back at his house. You have to coax smiles out of him for pictures. Profanities pour right out, though. As you may have read, he proposed to Jesse Christmas Eve. (I suggested he put some time and distance between family festivities with us and inviting her to join the family---time makes one forget.) Anyway...He has liked Jess since grade school. When he was in 5th or sixth grade he wrote her a note "Will you go out with me? Yes No Maybe" complete with the check boxes so popular in grade school. She said yes but by recess has buyer's remorse, and the relationship was over....fast forward to Christmas Eve: he had nesting boxes with pictures in each one. The last and smallest one had the ring in it with a note: "Will you marry me? Yes No Maybe". How sweet is that?

Oops, this is out of order. This is Berkeley after walking out to meet me at the car (I had to park out by the "parking lot" on the Long and Winding Road). Tracy and the dogs came to help me pack things in. Note the snow balls on his legs. That's why he needs boots. See the floor? I refinished those two years ago with a little orbital sander....one day I hope to regain feeling in my right arm.

This is Jess and Tucker at their home. How cute are they? As I write this, I am wrapped in the fleece blanket Jess made me for Christmas. She and Tyler were so thoughtful and generous at Christmas. They got me running shoes for my next marathon; a fleece jacket, for here and the road trip; and ongoing love, kindness, and thoughtfulness. How lucky am I?

Kelly update: Yesterday she had lunch with her new room mate's aunt and some friends. She loves Christina (new room mate); they seem well suited to each other. She and Robby have gone out on the town. She seems so happy. :) Robby is mad that Kelly is now three time zones away, so when I call at 6:30 am, it will be 9:30 for her. Robby realizes he will still receive my six-thirty calls!

I am going into school today to get organized.

:)