Car Shopping

/

We're car shopping. The 1994 Saturn station wagon I inherited from Blair's mother may soon be delivered down the line to another relative, meaning Dena gets a new car!

"New" meaning "used" of course.  I will never own a new-new car. Waste of money driving it off the lot. Years and years ago, we bought a brand new Toyota Corolla. The thing was cursed. Made me a believer that "new" doesn't always mean better.

So your role, loyal blog readers, is to offer your opinion on what type car Dena should get. Hopefully you will render your opinions in a nicer tone than my best friend Trisha who, when informed I had my eye on a 2002 Toyota Camry, blurted out, "That's a great car... if you're a hundred and five." (She loves me. She does. She just has a  hard time showing  it.)

Here are my requirements:

  • Good on gas mileage. No SUV's!
  • Safe. Reliable.
  • 4 door. Automatic.
  • Something that won't cost $1000 just to set foot inside the dealer service station (read: Lexus)
  • $8-$11k range
  • Looks decent. I don't care about sporty. My focus is no rust, dings, or mismatched doors.
  • Average size. Don't want itty-bitty but don't want to haul around a sedan, either. Trunk space is nice.
  • Sunroof is nice, but not required.

Resale value isn't important as I drive a car until it dies. Which is why this decision is vital. Whatever we go with, chances are I'll be driving it for the next 10 years.  There is an adorable neon green (my favorite!) Volkswagen Beetle for sale right up the street. The price is right and I considered it, but I think I'd grow tired of it after a year or two. Think long-term when choosing a car for me.

Are you ready? Okay... let's play...PICK... DENA'S... CAR!!!!!

Typical Sunday In Harris Household

/

Ever wish you could spy on other people and see how they live their lives? Here's a quick peek into a standard Harris Sunday:

6:10 AM: We purposefully do not inform the cats of the time change and the spoof works. We are allowed to sleep in until just after 6 before the clamoring for food begins.

6:20 AM: In preparation for the morning's run, I eat 2 pieces of toast with honey while Blair eats a bowl of Cream of Wheat.

7:15 AM: Leave the house laden with water supplies which I have volunteered to set out for the group.

7:30-- 7:45 AM: Set out water supplies at 3 different points on the 13 mile stretch we'll be running.

8 AM - Meet running group at parking lot. Eleven of us are there. We complain about the cold weather (30 degrees) then head out.

8 - 10 - Run, run, run.

10 - 10:45 - Group heads to Brueggers Bagels for hot coffee and carbs.

10:45 - 11:30 - Collect water supplies and head home.

11:30 - 2 - Clean house. Damn lot of cat hair is all I have to say.

2:30 - Eat lunch. Blair - Spaghettios. Me - Sandwich, yogurt, dark chocolate.

2:30 - 4 - Read Sunday paper.

4:30 - Decide that lunch didn't do it for me and instead of dinner proper, what I really want is to watch a movie and eat a bag of Doritos. Blair is not hard to convince to join my plan. He heads to the Dollar Store for Doritos while I pop in the final Matrix movie.

5 - 6:30 - Doritos and movie.

6:30 - 7:30 - Long overdue call to Mom to catch up. (Cute sidenote: She was playing "Garage" with my 4 year-old nephew and his toy cars. As he went to push a car out of the garage after being fixed, Mom said, "That will be $3." "Oh," said my nephew. "I only have one money.")

7:30 - 9 - I have no memory of this time period. Must have been doing something vital like filing my nails.

9 - 10 - Read in bed. Fall asleep as soon as lights are out.

Such is the exciting life of the Harris's. What did you do with your day?

Gettin' Girly

/

I'm not a girly-girl. My idea of a fun evening out NEVER involves having my hair and nails done, slipping on a ball gown, and wearing sparkly eye shadow. I hate shopping for clothes. I cave in to my husband's urging to wear comfortable versus stylish shoes.

Still. I go in stages where I have the urge to pretty myself up a bit. I'm entering one of these stages now. I know because I highlighted my hair on Wednesday. And while I was waiting for my stylist, I flipped through a beauty magazine and read with great interest how a few fake eyelashes at the outer corners of the eye can add drama and effect. I'm heading to CVS today to get me some of those. (Prepare for a forthcoming blog on how I had to call 911 to remove eyelash glue from my eyes.)

I went to a book signing last night for my friend and fellow GSO author, Quinn Dalton.  I found myself paying attention to what the women were wearing.  And the fact that most women had their nails done. I gave up on nail polish years ago. I do so much typing on the computer that I can't make a polish job last even a day. But I admit... I was feeling "less then" because my my poor little nails were naked.

I blame TV. Watch an old episode of "Friends" or "Desperate Housewives" and check out the $2000 outfits these women lay about the house in.  At the moment, I have the urge to hit the stores and buy new clothes so I can feel pretty sitting at my desk. However... is that really necessary? Does it make sense to pay $150 for a blouse and wear it around the house where likely no one will see it and--knowing me--there's a good chance I'll spill something on it during the course of the day?

But I'm in girl-mode. I want padded bras, matching silk underwear, new eye shadow combinations, chunky jewelry, oversized rings, high heels, glossy lips, extra-conditioned hair, skirts, floral prints, and six different ways of styling my hair. I want it... and I want it now.

This too shall pass, and I will return to my normal mode of jeans and my "dress up" pink t-shirt. And hopefully the phase will pass before I spend too much money. To begin, I'll satisfy myself with a little trip to the drugstore for eyelashes, eyelash glue, nail-polish, and maybe a new lip gloss. Just to lift the spirits.

Cheers to all women who have to do SO MUCH MORE CRAP THAN MEN to look good. =)