What's Wrong With This Picture?

Two things, actually. One, there isn't a quilt or anything on the sewing machine table. Two, there's no flowers anywhere. That's the ticket!!!! No wonder I haven't been sewing the past couple days, no colorful, sweet smelling, floral inspiration. Must fix that. A stop at Trader Joe's on my way home from the Gangs-R-Us (the Mall)  later will rectify that.

Kiwi Jubilee is neatly folded on the cutting table, patiently waiting it's return to the machine, which should be sometime this evening.

 

I've appropriated a new accessory...it's my 'procrastination basket'. It's where I can drop the sales flyers, the Guild newsletters, the magazines, the patterns I'm considering, the books that arrive. Then, at some point, when I've got a few minutes, I can pick it up and take it with me...in the car, in front of the TV, to bed, and clear something out of it. For the past couple days, I've only added to it, I think the point is I need to remove from it...I need to work on that.

Last night I made the giant leap and phoned the hubs on my way home and said I'd like to actually go out to a car dealer. It's been about 2 months since I decided that I needed a new car, and the Corolla has been a doll cooperating with me for this time, but she's tired, and I don't think she's going to put up with me much longer, without a cash infusion of at least $500 for a clutch, if not more (I think she found out what I paid the plumber last week and she's jealous).

Anyhow, the last place I want to be, next to Hell, is in a dealer's showroom...oh wait, that is Hell, isn't it. I digress. The hubs has this strange attachment to a particular dealership. Our daughter bought her first car from them and it was a pleasant experience, or so I'm told. I refused to participate. That was 5 or 6 years ago, and the hubs thinks that this place has stayed frozen in time and they're still the best game in town. I guess he must think the same people still work there, or maybe he's out buying cars every week and reselling them for sport before I catch on.Whatever, this is his go-to dealer. Now I can live with one of their cars--a Hyundai (though I may be rethinking that whole crossover thing), so this is where we headed.

Fortunately, before the salesman dragged me kicking in the front door, to find a car for me to test dive, the hubs asked their interest rates on loans, which was 4.9%, so I just said No! Nada! Nevermind! Big Mistake! See Ya! Gotta run! I think I left the iron on! Buh-bye!

Maybe it's the whole car-buying phobia thing, but I'm not financing a car for more than I could finance a house for. If I wanted to do that, I'd buy the car with an equity loan so I could deduct the interest on my taxes. Really, everyone is offering 0%, 0.9%, 2.9%, I'd have to be brain dead to take a loan at 4.9%. And, I guarantee, the  minute I signed the papers, they'd run an ad in the newspaper saying financing was now 0%...FISH!. So we walked--rather, I walked and the hubs was forced to follow. And he was not a happy camper. (I think he just wanted to drive something new...like I'm going to let him drive my car to softball games 4 nights a week.)

Next he drove me to the Nissan dealer, where they supposedly have better financing, but when we walked up to the Rogue they had sitting on their sidewalk and looked at the sticker, I panic'd, and said I really didn't want to do this, that I wasn't sure I wanted a Rogue (they didn't get the greatest ratings), and maybe I should go home and do some more research. The hubs sighed, said something about, how it only took 2 months to actually get me within 30 feet of a dealership's door, at least that was a small step, and whisked me out to Baja Fresh for a fabulous take-out burrito dinner.

It's obvious that this is something we are not going to see eye to eye on, so I think I'm going to now be sent out on my own for this task..assuming the Corolla cooperates on the sweet ride front. Oh well, this is seriously going to screw up my creative time and totally go against my New Years' Guidelines (do something you love every day).  Why can't I just use a coupon and order something from the Internet and have it delivered. Sigh!