Decisions Decisions

I have been pondering on buying a new vehicle for a few months now. I usually will by a new car, pay it off within 3 or 4 years and then trade it in on a new one. I like the idea of having a warranty and knowing I'm the only one that's owned it.

The last car I purchased was a new 2005 Ford Escape. Its now 2013 and I still have it. I really wanted one of these and finally got one. Now I do not want to let it go. I still like it and its not gotten old to me yet. Its got two little dings in it. One where I backed into a car that was illegally parked behind me and the other is from a bicycle incident. Neither place is easy to spot unless you look directly at it. Its been a really good car. While under warranty, the computer went out and that was a pretty big deal but its all good now. I was planning on keeping it until my daughter graduated college. Well, she's graduated and I still want to hold on to this one. It's broken in. I do not have to worry about little nicks and dings. I'm comfortable with it and don't feel like I have to be so careful with it all the time anymore. It's just a part of me.

But.......

Things are starting to go wrong with it like, it needs new tires, shocks, a tune up or down, The seat is starting to split a little, etc.... I need to trade it in now before it gets to the point its going to start costing me or to the point where it will not bring a good trade in. It still has under 100k miles on it.

Oh, but what to do.... Do I make enough money for a new car? Not really. It will take everything I make to pay for one. I will still have to make payments even if its a used one.

What I drive now



What I really want
 


What I'm thinking about getting


What I can really only afford.
 
 
Do I want another SUV? or A sedan? After all, its just me, my husband and occasionally my daughter. But we want something that's comfortable to take on our beach trips. The payments will be about the same but I do not think Ill be real happy with a car now that I'm spoiled on an SUV.
 
I wish I could just keep the one I have now and buy something else. I'm gonna have to make a move soon though. I can just pay for it with a wing and a prayer.
 
Decisions, decisions.


UPDATE: Its July again but one year later than this original post. I finally did it. I purchased a brand new 2014 Ford Escape (black). Like the one pictured above that I was thinking about getting. This one is newer than the photo and has shiny chrome wheels. Man this car has everything! It even talks to me. 

A fish Tail

I have a foster fish named "Duncan Gaither FinNuckles". Excuse the poor picture qualities. Its hard to take a picture of a moving fish.

He is actually my daughters fish, but until now, I have been the one to take care of him while she was in school. This is our only pet.

Duncan is a "Half moon Betta". We purchased him a year ago. He is red white and blue. Sometimes, depending on his stress level, he may only be one color.

After we had him about four months, we noticed his tail disappearing into frazzled, choppy, painful appearance. I was concerned, so I googled the possibilities of what could be going wrong with the poor fella. After all, he is not the happiest acting fish I ever had. In fact, this one does not have much of a personality at all.

 
While searching for an explanation, I found that its possible he could have Fin Rot. This is due to a disease or fungal infection from poor water changes or diet. I'm sure this is what he had but I'm a little confused because I made sure I kept his bowl clean and fed him well, but what ever the reason, I know I needed to fix him. I did not waste any time and ran to the pet store for some aquarium salt. I read somewhere that you can add some salt to the water and it will cure the bacteria or infection that's eating him alive.

 
After I started adding a little salt to his water with every water change, I noticed he was somewhat happier and made big bubble nest like betta fish will do when they are feeling good or in the mating mode.
Its been about six months now since I started adding the salt. I'm gradually weaning him off the salt by adding less and less to each water change.

While feeding him today I realized, he's got his tail fin back!
 

He was really showing his colors. Its July! What a perfect time for him to be patriotic.
If anyone has any more suggestions I could use in keeping him healthy, please comment and let me know.