Well! Car-shopping has impeded my ability to post here - who knew that destroying our last gasping remnants of personal financial security could be so time-consuming? Not me.Our marriage is surviving this ordeal, but barely. What with quarreling over how to act toward the car salesman (can I help it if I like to make friends with everyone?) and disagreeing on how many seats we actually need in the van (Larry says 8, I say 7 because Theo is almost out of here) and holding spirited conversations about whether the Smith's light green Sienna is pretty or a color you wouldn't be caught dead driving in, it's a miracle we're even speaking to each other anymore.
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Anna is angry at me. I knew you'd be surprised. Suffice it to say, it was necessary this evening to reiterate the basic tenets of personal responsibility and how it's not all about her. Anna regarded this mini-lecture as an unpleasant experience best to be ignored, especially as the information was coming from a person who is obviously a loser; in fact, enough of a loser to have spent the past 15 years or so raising her when she would have been perfectly fine on her own.
2 more years, folks, 2 more years...
That Anna is a pistol. My girls aren't going to turn into that - right?
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the car search. Dealerships should offer one free marriage counseling session as an incentive with your purchase.
Try shopping online. Local dealers almost always have a site and you can check out the stock and prices before having to deal with salesmen.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, we are definitely getting Internet quotes. But we had to visit one dealership just so I could test-drive a Sienna. I'm so short, some cars don't work for me.
ReplyDeletemine is always mad at me, funny considering we are planning his college education and he has zero money- you would think he would be kissing up a little
ReplyDeleteThis is actually supposed to be a good time to buy a car--since dealers are having such a hard time moving them. Still, the price tag makes you gulp.
ReplyDeleteWe opted to spend $300 on a new vehicle. The thing runs like a top. Of course it'll be a different story when the van needs replaced. I hate car shopping.
ReplyDeleteBuying a car is never easy. And you are a better woman than I, because you are raising a teenage daughter.
ReplyDeleteOoh, shiny!
ReplyDeleteYou should take Anna to see the movie Taken and then explain to her that, except for the father managing to rescue the girl, it's a realistic situation. She, and you, will probably never leave the house again.
I hadn't heard of that movie! Good suggestion - I do love Liam Neeson.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the free marriage counseling session. With all of the other incentives out there right now, I am surprised this one hasn't surfaced!
ReplyDeleteGet the 8 seater. You'll be surprised how many times you'll need to haul extra people--friends, cousins, youth groups, whatever. We went from an 7-seater to an 8 and it's been wonderful. (Honda Odyssey. I would marry it if I could.)
ReplyDeleteI like my honda pilot. I just hate getting my kids in and out of it. Good luck on the shopping. If you are the one driving it primarily, I say your vote is the veto.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how those little angels with bows in their hair become horrific teenagers. Our twin girls will turn 20 next week...it gets better...not much...but it does get better. Hang in there!
ReplyDeleteIs that a photo of your new car??
ReplyDeleteThe car dealer should throw in an extra seat for free, and be glad to make the sale! And I laughed at Mama Bird's suggestion. They should have a marriage counselor on site. :-)
ReplyDeleteyeah shopping for a car can be horrible! We have a Dodge Grand Caravan and it seats 7. Love it! It has 2 built in carseats, so my 3.5 year old is in that and then when her little bro is big enough, 25 lbs, then he can go in the other one.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck to you!
And good luck with Anna! I have 4 total, 16, 13, 3.5 and 1.5 and a step, 15, the older ones just seem to know EVERYTHING and we know nothing! IF that were even close to the truth.....
Car shopping is only marginally worse than car selling. And genital surgery.
ReplyDeleteAaahhhhh......the Women's Colony......during my long. long inernet-less spell, I had forgotten about the Women's Colony!!!!
ReplyDeleteAaaahhh....sweet longings.
I'm sorry to hear Anna is still a teenager.
Aaahhhhh......the Women's Colony......during my long. long inernet-less spell, I had forgotten about the Women's Colony!!!!
ReplyDeleteAaaahhh....sweet longings.
I'm sorry to hear Anna is still a teenager.
Teenagers do get better with age, really. My oldest 3 (19, 17 and 15) are usually cooperative and helpful. The 13 yr old, on the otherhand, is really lucky mom does not believe in corporal punishment, as she has an attitude and a mouth on her sometimes. I would like to smack her sometimes, but I don't. It's a much better punishment to take away a privilege or possession when she acts up. :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad the marriage is surviving the car search. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteNEVER buy a new xcar in a down economy. Go to Carmax, or Hertz or Enterprise rental divisions. Cars are only 2 years old and all 3 companies have the 140 point check of the engine. I got a 2 year old FULLY LOADED (airbags, a/c, all electric etc) with low milaeage of 17,600 (eNTERPRISE rental and it was blueberry color, turns out that color wasn't popular so I scored)for $11,500!! That was in 2000 and I've never had one problem.
ReplyDeletethat is exactly our van . . . same color and everything.
ReplyDelete