Crazy Carol came to visit me at the end of September. Her birthday was the 26th, and we spent the day eating lunch at Buzzard Billy's in Waco, going to the DCB CD Release Party ("how sweet that David's throwing me a birthday party") and taking my not-so-trusty vehicle to the car doctor after it broke down on the highway. Yes, that was a costly endeavor.

My car quit working at the most convenient of times as is always the case. While shopping with my mother, I had just purchased my first two real pieces of furniture, pictured above. One is a delightful vanity and the other a chair for me to sit in while I play nintendo. That of course set me back a couple hundred dollars. But it was worth it and afordable. What a big girl I am.

Plus, it was mom's birthday. So we had to get manicures together (in fifty-blah blah mumble years, mom had never gotten one!). Then lunch with my poor (literally) friends two of whom were refugees, and then, just when i was getting so proud of my money management and spending it on my mom and friends just cause i could... "um yeah, yer starter's gone cuz there's a leak in yer valve probly caused by yer belts which shoulda been replaced at 60,000 miles."

17,000 miles later, mom and i are driving down the highway at 40mph in 108 degree heat with the windows up (cause they're broken too) and the air conditioner turned off for fear that the shuddering the car was already doing might actually shake the car to pieces. yikes.

All that to say, in one weekend i spent $1,100. Never before in my life. And hopefully not again for a long while...