it's raining, but the tulips are out

I'm currently borrowing my sister's car - which has its own unique benefits and drawbacks.

Benefits: I can go to Winco without having to wait for someone else who also needs to to to Winco. It also keeps the rain off of my head as I travel from point A to point B. (It's raining as I type)

Drawbacks: It's stick shift. What's so bad about stick shift you ask? Er, well, let me expound. This car has seen better days. Currently it suffers from a collection of infirmities, including but not limited to: arthritis, asthma, and osteoperosous. And on top of that, this is only the third weekend I have ever driven stick shift. It has been an epic experience. The day Kristina taught me the basics, her ever faithful dog became positively seasick as I shifted from first to second and then, oh crumb, killed the engine again.

Reversing -*hem* I only stall and die about 67% of the time now, instead of 100%. That's progress, right? The fun part of the entire ordeal is that neighbors around here have a tendency to go to the same church as you do. "I see you're learning to drive stick shift!" one such neighbor says as a cheerful Sunday morning greeting.

"Yup."