I finally got myself a new car. After my car was totaled I was driving my son’s twenty year old manual and the clutch was killing me. Now I have a brand new automatic. I still keep trying to put the clutch in but that should fade away.

The only other automatic car I ever owned was about fifteen years ago. I decided having a manual in the crazy Washington DC traffic was too much so I opted for a new automatic. The first day I drove to work, I parked it in my usual garage space. I could not get the keys out of the ignition. They would not come out. It was like they were welded into the steering wheel. I got out the manual and skimmed though it but could not figure it out. I finally called roadside assistance. “I can’t get the keys to come out”.

“Are you in Park”??

“Ummmmm”. I felt like a complete idiot. Seriously an idiot. I apologized profusely.

That is one lesson I will never forget. Ever.

Funny thing when I was paying for the car. I was sitting with the finance guy and he complimented me on my nails. He said he really liked my nail color. Then he said he wished his wife had that nail color. Her nails apparently looked like “Christmas”. After a while he speculated on the color. “It must be something like lavender…” I helped him out. “It is called orchid something”. Maybe he will buy her some.

Now I just have to figure out what all the gadgets and lights and messages mean on my new car. It is like learning how to use a new computer program. But, still, I like it a lot.