Test Drive

After a delay to get the heat fixed in the townhouse (the pilot light on the furnace was out), we went car shopping. First, I stopped at the Honda dealer and drove the Fit. They didn't have any used base model Fits, and weren't particularly helpful on how to get one. It was okay, but it doesn't accelerate particularly well and brakes slow. The fact that the rear seats fold completely flat is a plus. The car salesman was the stereotypical fast-talking, annoying car salesman. Also, the dealer has "Ladies Night" on Tuesdays, during which any "ladies" who come in to test drive a car get a free manicure. Seriously??? Throwback to the 1960s much???

The upshot is if I wanted a certified used Fit, I'd probably have to go to Chicago to get one.

Then we went to the Kia dealer. They had a used silver (my color of choice) 2013 Kia Soul, which I drove. I liked the way that it handled better than the Fit; it meshed well with my driving style so that I almost forgot that I was driving a strange car (while I was feeling the Fit out the whole time). The salesman, thankfully, didn't talk non-stop, but let me drive. After we came back, his boss gave me a hard sell, including dropping the price, but I told him that I wanted to sleep on it overnight (and stuck to my guns). The price was cheaper than the new Fit, and the car is still under Kia's warranty, but the dealer also offers a "forever" warranty (if you remain in the state of Illinois, which I might not be in forever). I told him that I was awaiting payment for the Civic, and he told me that I could post-date my check, but I'm not really comfortable with that.

I just checked Consumer Reports, and it rated the Fit higher than the Soul, but both got decent ratings. US News and World Report ranked the Fit number two in its rankings of "affordable" cars, but it ranked the Soul as number six, which is pretty good.

I'm probably going to get the Soul.

Question for you handy types

My fireplace screen has feet that keep it out from the wall for a couple of inches, which to a cat is like a superhighway. (See the picture.) Do any of you have any thoughts on how I could put it flush against the wall but still have it be stable? Thanks.

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I Now Have Wheels

I'm now the proud owner of a (slightly used) Kia Soul. I signed the papers today. I'm not going to pick it up until Monday so that they can put the equivalent of Scotchgard on the interior and protectant on the car's finish.

However, the guy who runs the dealership would not stop talking while I was making decisions. I came close to telling him to shut up so I could think. Maybe I should have told him that. That fried me out.

Then my mom and I came home and, after dinner, hung some pictures. That also required some decision-making, and I reached a point when I couldn't make another decision or do anything more complicated than folding laundry. So now I'm on the Internet....

Tomorrow I'm going to stay home and putter. My mom is leaving tomorrow, so I'll just be hanging out with the cats, which should recharge my batteries.