Half birthdays and car repair

I had to take the ugly practical Honda that I DESPISE to the shop today for routine maintenance. Of course, I was praying that they said it was ready to DIE ANY MINUTE; that the TRANSMISSION was going to fall out through the MUFFLER or something hideous, so I could say: "There's no sense putting good money in this CRAPPY CAR, so let's trot across the street and buy the car I REALLY WANT." Like THIS. Or THIS. Or even THIS.

But NO. The viciously evil car gods have decreed that ugly practical cars are also indestructible, evidently. So there was nothing wrong that a couple of spark plugs didn't fix.

How WRONG is that???

In happier news, Monday is darling daughter's half-birthday. This is a proud tradition that I started because I don't get to celebrate the kidlets' birthdays often enough. Once a year??? Come ON!! Once a year to celebrate an event that included hours and hours of LABOR and the word EPISIOTOMY?? I think not. So we do half birthdays, too. She'll be five and a half, and I made half a cake and she gets half a present (must do a treasure hunt for the other half).

What can I say? I LOVE that kid. When she turns 16 and a half, she can have the Honda. I'm sure it will still be going strong.