In case you're not on facebook much

And you missed the goodbye picture of the van...

We sold the van.

It was a bittersweet moment. I realized that I'd been driving that van since the twins were 1. Actually we bought it shortly after our trip to UNE for Larry's medical school interview with twins and couldn't fit pack n play and stroller and suitcase in the subaru trunk. Actually Pack and play and suitcase a 2 umbrella strollers maxed it out.

I also miss the Subaru. I'm a nostalgic sort of person.. but if you're ever looking for a vehicle that can travel through snow well.. go get yourself a Subaru. We got the Subaru to replace my Civic which I spun out on my way to work driving a straight line. Aside from that I miss my Civic, too. It's an illness of the mental variety, I think, this sick nostalgia thing.

Anyway... the transmission has been increasingly unhappy in the van. When my parents were here my dad drove it and wasn't impressed. I think he said I was going to kill myself. (uh, no. But it clunked and lurched at inopportune times) We had it flushed and it was working smoothlessly for a few months. But then the clunking and lurching returned with renewed strength and then the newest engine knock developed and suddenly the grass was greener anywhere else car-wise.

But we didn't want to sell it to some poor soul who then would have to replace the transmission in 1-600 days from now. I guess the transmission *could* continue to thunk along for a while. But we didn't really want to find out how long it would because then it would cost us money to get it towed and out of our lives. Since we could motor it to CarMax under it's own power, they were willing to give us money for it. Not what we could have theoretically gotten trading it in on a new car or selling to a private person, but we weren't in the market for a new car and our conscience is clear about selling it to the poor person who would buy it. 

So.. we'd been playing with the thought of a TDI. The problem with a TDI is the only one that holds 6 people costs $50K and it's a brand new model, so it's not like you're going to find it used for a good 3 years and even then a 3 year old $50,000 car isn't generally in our budget.

So we're going to get a TDI that seats 5. And commit to using the truck if we all are going somewhere. Sonia's almost the size and weight of an adult. She'll get the front seat until Joey passes her.

We've found a 5 year old one on Craigslist and are going thought the somewhat lengthy and complicated process of buying a used car from a 50-something year old Hungarian woman via her 20-something year old son who alternates persona's between tough-guy and scared little boy. His selling point was "it's been only been driven my moms - my mom drove it, before her a mom drove it"
I laughed til I peed myself internally. (mentally, my pants stayed dry. I think a snort escaped)
Out loud I said "uh.. *I'm* a mom.. that doesn't really mean anything" and finished the thought "HAVE YOU SEEN THE PSYCHO MOMS DRIVING THEIR KIDS AND PICKING THEM UP FROM SCHOOL?!!??!!"  Anyway.. we should have it Sunday. Maybe Monday. Once I have it in hand I'll post a picture or dozen of pictures. It appears his mom hasn't driven to parent pick up at school in about 10 years, so this car will be in for the experience of it's life when it goes to parent pick up and drop off times.

You see, Mom and Dad.. in someways I'm repeating your past. Gas prices are going up and what are we doing? buying a diesel. Did you know there are still Dashers out there? used. and rather frightening to think about driving.. but there was 3 last I looked. They have 40 horse power. No wonder that thing couldn't exceed 70 unless falling off a cliff.

Of course we're a little, uh, odder than you in that I didn't want a new wagon. Don't get me wrong.. I did want one.  They're really really nice. I test drove one. I *almost* was ready to buy a new car on it. new -  me - practical used car girl.  Contemplating a new car. almost.

BUT... you can't run biodiesel in the new ones. The last year you can successfully run bio diesel is a 2006.. so that's what we're getting. And it should get over 50 mph, have zero carbon footprint (which I still think the concept is a crock of crap but I like the thought I can be better than the self righteous people in Prius' here on their holy carbon footprint grail What's the difference between a porcupine and a prius? The pricks are on the outside of the porcupine.)

Don't get bent out of shape. I'm kidding. Mostly.  I know a few nice prius drivers...