A Snapshot of the Future?

We were out buying a new car with J. today. Not for her mind you, but last time we went without her to buy a car 6 years ago, we came back with a lemon (2003 Chrysler Voyager. The transmission blew up last year about this time. $3500.00 later. Need I say more?).

She's always blamed us for buying this piece of junk. If only we'd taken her. Soo, this time we took her and came back with a 2008 Honda Civic. I like the car already, and plan to drive it until the wheels fall off. J. was disappointed it wasn't red. I told J. and Gary that I DON'T CARE. Good gas mileage (the van was doing good to hit 21 mpg) and low maintenance (read above). So we got dark beige. Taupe, I think, is the official color. Fine by me, won't show dirt.

But as we were waiting for the sales guy to "go talk to his manager" (yeah, yeah, we know this game, but we also know that we have the upper hand. We know how much blue book is, trade in is, and the dealer mark up thanks to Consumer Reports. And we're in a recession and we can walk.)

Out in the parking lot was a family and a young girl, maybe in her 20s. She was having her dad, I think, take pictures by a new Honda CRV (this was at the Honda dealership in Auburn).

J. let it be known that she'd like that to be her in 2 years. I told her try to picture herself NOT in the sportscar she had her eye on (a black and gold number that she said would match PLU's colors) but the blah Civic she just bought. Most likely, that will be her first car. And we'll take a picture then.

A Champion for the Bumbles

While I was rejoicing for the snow the other day, my daughter gave me a dirty look.

"What about all the bumble bees that are going to die!" she grumbled.

Here is the post I put up as it was snowing outside Thursday evening on my other blog.

Shopping for a New Dress

It was Easter after all.

And Jennifer headed out to the mall, with mom acting as the Easter Bunny (this is much more expensive than jelly beans) to buy a new dress. And I couldn't resist, I had to buy one for myself too.

Standing in line to try on said -almost strapless dress- for myself, I heard this exchange between father and daughter (who based on the slinky numbers walking into the dressing room, these were prom dresses, not Easter frocks).

Dad holds up dress from rack for daughter's approval, while she stands in line.

"Dad, I said nothing with sequins."

He holds up another offering.

"Not bows."

And yet another.

"That one gives me a headache," she sniffed, looking at the 1970s design of brown on orange.

I had to agree with her on that one. It made my head ache too, 30 years ago.

So, resigned, he walks over to darlin daughter and asks how much is the the slinky number she holding.

$150. Noticing his shocked look, she says "Now I told you it was going to cost that much before we went out."

He holds up headache dress. It's $60 cheaper.

"No way"

Obama Speech, For Those That Missed It

Of course, last week, there was some good news for Hillary as well. Whether this speech will push those ## or not, we'll have to wait until next week.

No Easter Beagle, Instead J. Wants to Talk Politics

This morning J. and settled down to check out our usual list of tivo'd stuff. And instead of looking through last night's "Dances with Stars," she paused on analysis of Obama's now-famous speech.

It was interested to see her reaction to this story. She really isn't buying the "I don't like some of his beliefs, but still go to his church" line. Also for the first time, I noticed that Obama called Rev. Wright "his former pastor."

Some of this you can blame on me. I just left a church I had attended for 20 years when some of the leaders literally ran the pastor out on a rail because they didn't feel he was spending enough time at the church (fyi, his wife has lupus). I learned later they'd pulled a similar stunt when on a minister that I didn't particularly like, but no one should be treated like that.

So, with some tears, I left. It does matter what the leaders of the church do, what they say and what they don't say. It matters. And your reaction to it matters as well. So I 'm not buying it either. BTW, here is some good news for Hilary supporters.

Weekend With the Daughter

Which was actually quite pleasant.

We went out to see "Horton Hears a Who," which was quite good actually, when to Thai, and then she slept with me and the cats in the master bedroom (G. was on a business trip). During the Thai dinner, she chattered on and on, about friends and boys and dropping such comments as "Yeah, no girl really wants to date D. He goes after anything with boobs and a vagina."

Okay, try not to choke here. And at least she's talking to me right? Couldn't convince her to go to church this am, (but she may next week), but she did go to b-fast. It was nice sharing the weekend, even if I had to help her build a cadmium model (don't ask.)

Civil Disobedience, Middle School Style

A text apparently flew around the school on Thursday to not cheer at the pep assembly at my daughter's school , because, gasp , the assemblies were rigged.

So when it came turn for the entire 8th grade for cheer in order to get their crack at the spirit stick, a few that didn't receive the text called out, but most were mute. I guess, my daughter tells me, some teachers are ticked, and will be letting the 8th grade know what punishment they'll get on Monday. It might mean their 8th grade end-of-the year dance is toast.

Okay, in one way I see the administration's point. It takes down the entire school spirit of the school if the 8th graders decide not to play ball. And even they agree, yes it's rigged. The stick is passed around in a 6th, 7th, 8th grade rotation. But the kids, you got to give them credit for imagination.

This is the same group that decided that one math teacher was "processing" sending kids to a mini detention, too often. So they made a pact to all get "processed" in one day.

The most normal 8th grade prank I heard about was setting off a stink bomb in the cafeteria in January.

Trying not to laugh, I told J. that yes, your group has imagination, but if the adults are not amused, you're going to have to suck it up and take your punishment....and plan the next act of CD.