Now there's a plan

Aches about the same today as yesterday -- in fact, now that I've been up and around for a bit, even BETTER. By rights I should be worse. I bet last night's hot tub followed by piling lots of ice on my back was useful. Sadly, skipped a local gathering for that. Timing sux sometimes.

Nightmares all night, mostly about things crashing into & destroying things I like and want to keep. Oddly, my laptop was highly featured.

Had to reschedule this morning's flight. Weather. Hope to be able to go this afternoon when the marine layer burns off up at PAO. Taking Rob with me for safety - I haven't flown for months AND can't turn my head as well as usual.

Quote of the day:
Me: I found someone who might want my copies of the official repair manual and the complete electrical wiring diagram for the 1989 Corolla!
Rob: ...why?
Me: She has a 1989 Toyota Corolla. Same transmission, even the same color...
Rob: Maybe she'll sell it to you.
Me: I think she likes hers.
Rob: You could buy a new one and swap with her.
Me: ...

Violets!

Realio trulio I managed to start some violets. Green-thumbed persons, should these be separated into different pots? Is it too late?

Flying: Current again!

Six landings to a full stop. Took 1.5 hours, too.

That second-to-last pattern was a total clusterf***: "Fly across final, OK now make a U turn to come back on a left base, oops fly across final again, now turn right downwind to follow that Cessna" [too bad there was ANOTHER CESSNA following him already, controller goofed that one], "49D state your position, 540 state your position, who's the Cessna still on downwind, roger, 540 you're number five now for landing..." That was actually a little dangerous near the end there, but everybody was paying attention and did the best they could. Two people had to go around on that one because we were stacked so closely, though.

I flare high. Not dangerously so, but it's not elegant. Grump. More practice needed.

Overall, I am less rusty than I feared. I am perfectly okay in the pattern, even when it's a zoo. That feels very good.

Car choices

Test-drove a 2007 Corolla. If I buy one of those, I know exactly what I want on it. (Well, almost. Undecided about sunroof: just another thing to go wrong?) Spent lots of time fiddling with it in the parking lot and on the road, and it passed almost all of my tests.* That's pretty good.

Not at all firm on the decision for a Corolla though. Should drive a Yaris too. Better turning radius, a tinch better mileage, fewer frills available. Want to compare the two on trunk space. Would have done that today if I didn't have to get to the airport.

Should also drive that 2001 Prius before somebody buys the dang thing. Financially stupid to consider it, I know. Its batteries have half their useful life gone already, and I know darn well I don't drive enough to warrant a Prius even at used prices. Ah well. I may drive it anyway. :-)

____________
* Failures:
- No way to get cassette-playing capability. Would have to replace the radio right off the bat to get it.
- Cup holders suck. They're there but they can't be retracted and they fit only one size of object.
- Recirc exists only when the windshield air vents are turned off. Stoopid interlock.
- Timer turns rear window defrost off. Every car will fail this, though, and I know I can change it.
- Right-side mirror does not fold.
- Turning radius is distinctly mediocre compared to what I'm used to.