Random 5 Friday

1. After my jewelry post the other day, I looked in my jewelry box and decided I overlooked a few swell necklaces. I did something unusual yesterday and wore two necklaces at once. I think they looked good together. The bat came from Michelle at Rambling Woods, whose blog is fantastic. She knows I really dig bats and I think their little faces are beautiful. She thoughtfully sought out a bat necklace and gave it to me as a gift!

I love this necklace because it came from her, you can see the bat's sweet face and the cord is soft and black.

With this, I paired a purple necklace I received from a coworker. His grandfather passed away and left behind beautiful stones and jewelry-making equipment, so he asked his father to use the materials to make necklaces for some of the women in our office. It was such a thoughtful thing for him to do for his dad and in memory of his grandfather.

I think they look nice together.

The necklace I'm wearing today is my mother's. It is a Sarah Coventry piece she purchased in the 70s. I'm wearing this sweater and a dark green corduroy skirt with brown boots. It's a natural for the outfit! It hangs low to my waist, so it moves around a lot, but I really like it.

 

2. I'm on my third Toyota since 1995. I don't buy a lot of cars because I prefer to pay them off and enjoy a debt-free car for years.

This is not my car. The car pictured lives in warmer climes. My car wishes it were this car parked near palm trees. 

The 2008 Camry I have now hasn't produced the delight given me by my 1996 Camry. This morning I heard something that weighed me down like the straw that broke the camel's back.

That is to say, I was disappointed.

I took the car into the dealership because it is loud and hasn't handled well this winter. Long story to the short side, the guy who always looks after my car said, "I hate to say this, but it isn't the tires. It's the suspension." The suspension is making the treads a mess on my fairly new tires. The tires are still safe and new tires would only be ruined in the exact same manner. I said I liked the old Camry better and he explained that the newer Camrys are built on a sporty suspension, which gives them better response. He said this like it was a good thing.

A good thing, you know, if you don't mind wobbly tire treads and a loud interior.

I imagine if I were a balloon, I would have deflated. I drive a sedan and I want my old sedan suspension back. I don't need a sporty suspension. It's a Camry, not a Viper. 

3. So I'm thinking the Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Highlander or the Subaru Outback may replace the Camry. I'm not sure I'm ready to go into debt again. Any thoughts on those three cars?

This is a Santa Fe. It looks like it lives in a parking lot in Iowa/Southern Canada with the snowdrift in the background. Looks like the mall parking lot. 

4. I'm gearing up for spring break and it's supposed to snow tonight.

5. Lastly, I officially began my running season yesterday with a quick 2-miler walk/run/walk. Some of you may know that this time last year I was in pain with a back issue. That seems to be resolved now, but it took all this time to be able to say that. With the winter we've had leaving so much snow and ice on the ground, I decided to go off running all together rather than risk wrenching my back.

If this is true, then I may want to stock up on heavy sweatpants for the summer. I've earned nothing this winter but an extra handful of cookies or some chip dip. Revised for 2014: summer bodies are earned in the spring.