This and that

Things have been so busy lately, and I can't seem to settle my mind into a decent post, so I'm all for bullet points at the moment. A smattering of is currently rumbling in my brain:

• I'm going to have to buy another car. I detest the thought of it, but I think I'm at a loss. My poor old car has had its share of woes recently. Our SUV is having transmission issues (again) and the sedan is simply old and decrepit. What's worse is that we need to get a decent vehicle before our vacation at the end of July.

• Spyder is rereading the Harry Potter series, and (unlike before) I let him continue with book 5, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. We've had long conversations about the emotional overtones, and he knew what to expect, but we're continued with our discussions as he read because it IS such a dark story. He's about midway through book 6 now, and he'll probably be finished with that by Monday.

• Spyder has taken a small break with Harry Potter this evening, and he started recording books using his Readio software. He did Dinosaurs Before Dark tonight, and he wanted to do The Knight at Dawn, but it was too late at that point. I'm sure he'll be up and recording before church tomorrow though. We've had it for a couple of months, and I never could get him interested in it. Today he went into it full-force. Typical Spyder behavior.
  

• Skeeter is starting a new job at the beginning of July. It's not really a new job though. He's been a contract employee for the past 7 months, and the company has decided to hire him directly. It's been a strange transition, but he's pleased with it. It will require us to move in a couple of years though, and I'm a bit sad about that.

• The new job will give us dental insurance once again. Sweet blessings! Spyder is roaring toward orthodontia, and I wasn't looking forward to it.
  

• The pantry is very close to being empty. I bought a few things tonight, and I should be able to last next week with those few items and what we have now. After that, it will be time to scrub out the refrigerator, then shop.

• Skeeter played in a golf scramble today, as part of a company team, and he won a "Roadside Assistance Kit." Considering the car woes, I laughed loud and long over that. It actually a very nice kit though, complete with jumper cables and the like.

• Skeeter and I completely emptied Sass's room tonight. So far, I've got two boxes and three bags for the thrift store in the trunk of the car. And that doesn't include the four bags I took earlier today. It's taking me a lot longer to put things back into her room than I anticipated, but I think it's because I'm culling things. I'm being pretty thorough with it, and I'm only putting back what I know she plays with.
  

• My homeschool group had a curriculum sale today, and I didn't go. You can't imagine how I had to restrain myself. But really, we have what we need for next year, with two exceptions, and I asked a friend if she'd look for those two things. I knew that if I went, I'd find loads of things that I want but don't really need. So I avoided the temptation. It was harder than I expected.