...And then there was one.

I sold Mean Green, the other Dodge Caravan, yesterday. Only two people came to look at it. Both offered me 1500$ for it. Only one had 1500$ cash with them when they came. Guess which one took it home? Now I have to get the Cavalier back on the road; shouldn't be too difficult. I just wish I didn't have to work on it outdoors. I also wish I didn't have to bicycle to work in December...but you do what you have to do.

I'll be heading over to Kathy's today to visit my folks and do "Uncle Brian's Bag-O-Gifts Exchange". It really isn't that difficult to wrap up a dozen or so gift items for under 100$ I also got Kath and Grant a present just for them. The kids will swap amongst themselves for what they want. Nobody is excluded except Jacob...it will be a few years yet before I'll be including him. The game only works with gifts that nearly all ages can use, and Jacob is still at that age where gifts have to be tailored specifically to a preschooler.

I've had a good Christmas thus far. In spite of spending most of it alone, I have still visited and talked to family and friends, got to play with my kids, and had a pleasant Christmas Dinner with the Newtons and Flores' families. Thanks to Kerry for inviting me. He's been a true Brother and a good friend all through the separation.

Coming up, I'll be selling the Cavalier as soon as it is fixed. I'll probably have to clean out the garage because there is a good chance we'll have more snow sometime in the following weeks and I just can't see myself fixing that steering rack in a snowbank. I'll also be purchasing another car, and possibly another curbing project (we'll see). I have also laid the groundwork for a re-arrangement of my finances with an eye towards finally laying aside all my credit debt this year. That trip to Disneyland I didn't get to go on this year? - It's going to happen next year, Lord willing and the creek don't rise. I've also got the papers together to file for divorce. I was advised to see what options BC Family Law society could offer towards getting all the interested parties 'round a table to discuss a less expensive joint filing plan. I'll try that, I think, but if that doesn't work, I'll be filing solo and all the custody and property arrangements will have to be hashed out in court. I'm hoping the expense of that alone will persuade my Ex and her mother to play along with a mutually agreed upon joint filing.

We'll see. Here goes nothing...

Kudos and Props...

To Scott Road Husky Service Center.

They not only ran the van's engine thru an analyzer, and "scoped" the ignition timing, but they also took the van through AirCare for me - thus saving me the trouble of doing it myself. The van runs very well now and I consider this money very well spent. Wayne's only advice to me was to swap out the lower-temperature thermostat for one in the normal temperature range. He says fuel injected engines run best at the higher range. It's an easy fix so I'll see to it sometime in the next few days.

Got a nice Email from Paul. Had a nice visit with Gloria. She "surfed" my couch last night and I got her to the ferry terminal this morning. She's visiting her Mom on the Island. Kelli made me some homemade chicken soup (YUM) and a nice card.

Also got to see Mom and Dad. They're in town for a few days.

Red Mittens: who knew?

HBC is selling (about 10$ each pair) Red Wool Mittens. The mitts in question have the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics logo and are lined with polar fleece inside. The stores have been running out of them constantly. It seems everyone wants a pair; and at 10$, how can you go wrong?

Of course, I work at the warehouse...and shipments and stock do get "misplaced" from time to time. Such a mishap resulted in a couple of cases of the coveted Mittens ending up at our HR office, offered for sale to the DC staff. I bought a few pair. I have connections.

Why does technology have to be so difficult?

I've got a new phone...

And a new phone number.

The new phone I was planning on...but not the new number. I was told that my old phone number could be "ported" to the new phone if that phone was being activated with a new account.

However...

I signed up for the Bell Mobility account through HBC's Associate Buying Club. It was all automated, and my new phone and contract arrived already activated and with a number assigned. I was informed that I could pay extra to have my old number added to the new phone...or I could just tell everybody I've got a new phone number. Hmmmm...pay extra...nope, I don't think so.

It's also been a major hassle getting Rogers to shut down the old account. I may have to visit my friendly neighborhood Rogers retailer and see about getting "un-accounted". It seems that somebody (me?) set up a PIN for the account and since L doesn't know it and I can't remember either...We eventually got Rogers to accept that since L already has a new single user account and I am with Bell now, maybe they should cancel our old, expired, joint wireless account.

After the joint phone account is gone...the only remaining "joint" possession L and I will have is the house...

-I don't account my children as "possessions".

This sounds like a good juncture to get going on filing "the paperwork", eh?