Well, after maybe five years of (mostly) diligent service, like a mighty clydesdale with a broken leg, the time has come to shoot my car and put it out of my misery. I could probably jump-start it and it would probably start again tomorrow, but after six years of billowing smoke, a terrifying evening of driving through a cop-ridden road improvement at midnight without headlights, and this recent rash of stallings and not-startings, I think it's time to take the squirrel skull off the rear view mirror, recycle the mountain of coke cans, see if my copy of Werewolf: Past Lives is in the trunk, check one last time for spare change under the seat, and move on.

If anyone in the Austin area knows of a good deal on a car, do drop me a note :)

A brief pause for the better memories. Wedging seven Cammies in the car with Amanda in the back seat laying on everyone's laps. The road trip for five plus luggage plus camping gear to Ren Fest. More car-pooling than I can possibly imagine.

Rest well, brave Japanese import.