Mental Junk

Just trying to figure out how to get an OSK to work properly in a touch screen.

Today is family photo day.

First thing this morning we are all going to have showers, primp and preen and head over to get our photo taken.

We do this, so years down the road we can look back to see how we looked.

Uh… wait….  we don't go around wearing monkey suits every day, so this is a false sense of history, isn't it?

Oh well.  I know it will be nice to actually look back to see the pics, I'm really just moaning until the picture is taken.

UPDATE: Here is one of our mug shots:

Just disposed of the Dodge Spirit this afternoon.  In fact – just walked in the door from doing so.
I am a little down over getting rid of the car, but I am still in a great mood.  We still have one car!

When we first started looking at buying a car – I had expected to have to take the Spirit off the road, I even looked up how to Get A car Loan for this.  We were able to handle the financial burden of both cars for just over three years.  This is, in my mind an amazing accomplishment.

I don’t expect that we will be able to afford an additional car for another couple of years – not until we have paid off the Intrepid, at least.  It will be tough – only because we haven’t had to manage it, but I am sure we can.  After all, there are many families out there that have no cars.

In the end, the Spirit served us well. It wasn’t perfect, but it got us where we needed to go—through work commutes, grocery runs, unexpected errands, and even a few road trips. It’s hard to say goodbye to something that’s been such a reliable part of our daily life. There’s a strange kind of attachment that builds up with a car over time—it quietly becomes part of the family’s routine.

I keep reminding myself that simplifying can be a good thing. Fewer vehicles means fewer maintenance bills, insurance payments, and logistical headaches. And now that we’re down to just one car, I think it will force us to be a bit more intentional with how and when we travel. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. We’ll learn to coordinate more, plan smarter, and perhaps even walk or bike more often when possible.

Looking ahead, I’m hopeful. Life throws curveballs, but we’ve proven that we can adapt. I believe this next chapter—navigating life with just one car—will come with its own lessons and unexpected positives. Maybe it’s not just the end of the Spirit, but the start of something more balanced, more thoughtful, and more rewarding for our family.

There was a train derailment 1km from our house.  Friends of ours were evacuated for fear of chemical contamination, but were permitted to return after a few days.

Amazingly, no one was injured or killed.Train Wreck