minikin

Last night, I decided to use my time off from work to sort the rest of the receipts from the messy box out of the fireplace clutter. Flar was eating dinner with a work associate, so the boys and I had frozen pizza. I watched Meet the Fockers and some Bebop while I was sorting. Now we have old envelopes to put in the attic, and the most recent three years in brightly colored enveloped in a translucent plastic drawer set in the fireplace. On top of another translucent drawer for storing Tigger's current school work as he brings it home. I went to bed reasonably early, and set my alarm to get up before noon.

Then I slept in, trapped in a dream. One of those dreams with a plot that you want to follow and finish. But, when I turned out to be in danger in the dream, I decided maybe it was time to wake up after all, and then the phone rang. Bébé was disappointed to learn that Critter was already in school, and then decided the phone connection was too muddy to understand me trying to help him. Does anyone else have trouble hearing me on my bedroom phone? It may be time to replace it...

As I didn't really get going until after noon, and Flar said there was a chance of rain in Louisville, I offered Tigger a movie instead of Hurricane Bay. That would also give me time to run errands. The only movie playing was Dukes of Hazzard, so I went to see the movie starring an orange car (the reason Tigger wanted to see it) and ended up enjoying it after all (much to Knight's amusement).

Before we left the house, I called Mook's and found out the total for fixing the car (aside from AC and tires). It's high enough that I've talked it over with Flar and decided to get a loan and a reasonably newish used car and either trade in the minivan or sell it for salvage. I'm beginning to think Critter will miss it more than I will, based on his reaction today.

Anyway, after discussing it, Flar suggested I find out if USAA would pre-approve me for a car loan. So, after hanging out at Wal-Mart while Knight got a pair of new tires for his car and a nifty $5 end-of-summer clearance purse for me along with his shop-while-waiting purchases, I dropped off Knight at home, and called USAA on the way to work.

The upshot is that they've approved me for a car loan, and are sending a blank check. While I was on the phone, I also opened a savings account with them (something I've been meaning to do for a while now). I left a note for Opman, asking for the direct-deposit paperwork, and I'm going to have my paychecks deposited to the savings account. I'm also going to put the insurance money in the savings account, and once I buy a car, set up automatic payments to come out of the account. I'll get a 5.95% loan that way, and won't have to worry about making the payments on-time. Plus, the loan has no pre-payment penalties, so I can pay it off as fast as I have money to throw at it.

So, as soon as the check comes in, Flar and I will start car shopping. I promised Critter that he could test-ride, so if I find a car over the weekend I'll have to wait until Monday, after he's back from the con that he's going to with Knight and Ro. But, I'm hoping to find something I like sooner rather than later.

It means continuing to work five days a week until I get the loan paid off, but it also means I'll have a newer more reliable car, and be done with car-stress.

Meanwhile, I'm still driving Knight's car on his nights off. And I'll pick up my car from Mooks before he's scheduled to work again, as it should have at least a week of driving left in it without pouring more money into it.

There was enough indexing to keep me occupied tonight without scanning, and easy indexing at that.

So, all in all, a pretty good day.