bit of a change and more tightening of the belt...

...but it will be good in the long run! So, first an update and then pics (next post)!

My car was towed TWICE last week...it received a new ignition the week before, towed Monday night, a new starter on Tuesday and on Wednesday...I was stuck on the side of the road with something obviously melting. So...after two months of this I finally just sat down in my car, on the side of the road and cried. You know...I had been handeling it all pretty well...would complain a bit, was frustrated but was still saying things like, well at least I was at work when my car wouldn't start...yada yada, it could be worse. Well, Wednesday, on my way to class...all the looking at things as "could be worse"...out the window...well, I couldn't even open the window because the electric and everything died in the car so I was sitting in the car on the side of the road sweltering. So...I just sat there and cried while I waited for the tow truck. I called my folks and said I couldn't make it up this weekend and went home with my car since I wasn't going back to the same mechanic...they had actually been nasty with me on the phone....checked on the featherheads and went to bed.

After I calmed down, I thought about renting the car for the weekend...took the trip to see the folks, which was terrible traffic wise but great otherwise. Had lots of fun with my Mom especially (details in next post) and thought about my car situation on the long drive (the normally 10 hour drive took 13 hours on Monday). I looked around and realized that a regular "used" car was not that far off the price of a new car. I also realized that the car I really wanted was a $30 difference than the much cheaper made one. Well, except for the pickup but that wasn't in the budget and Ford turned down my credit (no one else turned me down). So...I have a 1 year old Subaru Forester! It is really what I wanted but didn't think I could afford (well I can't but it is no different than any other brand of car). It has LOTS of room and is AWD and has the roof rack. My NEED was a vehicle with room for a couple hay bales or a big dog crate and a roof rack for my kayak. I wanted AWD or 4WD and I need not too high a gas mileage. Most of all, it NEEDS to be reliable! Well, I got all my wants and needs in my new car! She is a misty green color and her name is Amadahy meaning "forest water" in Cherokee (Ama for short). Now, she and Aerandir (kayak) and I will have many adventures together...and carry lots of stuff! (might wait on the stinky feather heads and such for awhile...she is actually clean! My old car still has straw all over the place and a few stray feathers!)

So...anyone following this blog knows I am working on buying as little food wise as possible...it is about to get even more frugal around here! I guess my compound bow will have to wait a bit though. *sigh*