My girl is sick

Holding on to hope here, but Miss Zoe is not on the up and up. Poor girl had a seizure Monday morning and hasn't been anywhere near herself since. I'm wishing (hard) for some kind of recovery. I can't let her go just yet.

All Zoe fans please point your thoughts our way!

Favorite pen

This is my new favorite pen! It's a 7 year pen made by Seltzer Goods. Provided I hold on to it that long, it will write 1.7 meters a day for 7 years. I love the way it writes (very smooth) and I really love the "Need Coffee" message since I always need coffee! Lots of other designs are available.

Like they say on the web site, this pen is "Eco-Friendly, Swiss-Made, 7-Year Ink Supply, Lots of Fun." I concur!

If you live in the Raleigh/Chapel Hill/Durham area, you can find these pens at Parker and Otis in downtown Durham.

Quote of the day

"Bringing out your own unique brand of creativity into your life and the world can be the most significant thing you'll ever do."

~Lorna Catford

This one is a given, but I've found it to be very relevant lately.

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again."

~T.H. Palmer

Auto update

As of Friday April 13th I am the proud owner of a 2010 Kia Soul and I LOVE it! The photo attached here is a stock photo - mine actually has "privacy glass" (mild tinting) and came loaded with some fine features (bluetooth, upgraded safety, etc).

I do miss my CR-V but I'm a happy girl. It's surely nice to not have to pull up my "power" windows by hand; to not have to double-click the locking mechanism on the glove box every time I want it to close; to actually have power locks and an alarm; and an integrated ipod connection is pretty darn sweet!



Gas mileage thus far is on target despite the trips being almost completely limited to "city" driving - I don't do a great deal of "highway" driving anymore. Lucas and Zoe also completely approve of the new ride (this is an important fact).

I remember way back when I first brought home my beloved Honda CR-V - how I noticed an increasing number of them on the roads - and I'm noticing the same thing now with the Soul. It's a great car and I can also highly recommend Fred Anderson Toyota in this pitch. I got a great deal and an even more amazing deal on an extended warranty. Check them out if you're in the market for a new car: Fred Anderson Toyota.

Car shopping

I had to bid farewell to my trusty 1997 CR-V in mid-March, so I've been auto shopping since. I've honed in on 4 specific vehicles based on reviews from edmunds.com; rated mpg; and overall reliability. If anyone knows anything good or bad about any of the listed vehicles (in order of preference) please let me know.

1. Scion xD: Great used models available locally; low mileage; GREAT mpg; highly rated compact car

2. Kia Soul: Great used models available locally; low mileage; good mpg; great options; great cargo room

3. Honda CR-V (well duh...I loved my '97!): Extremely reliable vehicle; low mileage available; highly rated crossover

4. Nissan Versa: Highly rated compact car; LOW mileage available; roomy interior, good mpg

I'll be sure to post once I acquire my new ride!