We bought a farm. Okay, not quite. But close.

Michael has decided he needs a car.  For a long time I counselled him against it because they're freaking expensive and I try and make my car available to him whenever he needs it, but circumstances have changed such that he would like to be able to go up to Penticton more frequently to visit his mother who, in the last few days, broke her hip.
I told him I'd give him my car for a good price.  It's a 1999 Honda Civic EX with low mileage and I've taken very good care of it, as he knows because he's known it since I've had it (eight years).
Today, after sleeping in and watching some golf (Tiger won!  Yay!) we moved some more furniture in to my place and then, jokingly, decided to go look at cars since I will need to replace the one I am selling to Michael.
In 2004 after my Supra crapped out on me and I managed to make it to the Safeway in Marpole where I locked the car and walked home, I went out to the Richmond Auto Mall.  Michael didn't come with me - neither of could remember why.  I do remember telling him I was just going to get a feel for what was out there.
Back then I looked at Corollas and Jettas and then I test drove this little Civic which was way fancier (at the time) than what I was looking for given my weird phobia of automatic windows (I want roll up windows because I fear ending up in a ditch filled with brackish water that is flooding the car and I can't roll the windows down because they're automatic but the car isn't running and so I drown).  It was out of my price range and had air conditioning which, again, I didn't want to pay for and yet I ended up buying the car.  Michael couldn't believe it.
Neither could I, really.  It all went down so fast.  It was a lease return with all the documentation that had been meticulously maintained and, though I ended up buying more car than I had originally wanted, it has been an excellent car over the last eight years and I wouldn't hesitate recommending a Civic to anyone in the market.  And I have absolutely no question that this will still be a steadfast and reliable car for Michael.
Today, it was impulse Civic purchase redux.  I couldn't believe it.  We went to Honda and they didn't have a great selection of used Civics... mostly because people don't trade in or sell their newer Civics.  We poked around at a few and I just couldn't believe the changes that the Civic has gone through in a decade.  It's like it's not even the same car.

And we were really supposed to be tire kicking.  I hadn't showered, was wearing yesterday's clothing that I'd worn on a hike with some friends, and had a bandanna on my head.  Seriously.  It was awesome.
We decided to wander around the auto mall a bit more and, at the Nissan dealership, we saw this Civic.  Two thousand dollars had already been knocked off the original price and so we thought maybe it had been in an accident.  We inquired about it.  We took it for a test drive.  We both loved it.  Goddamn it was fun to drive.  It was so out of my price range.  The salesperson did the "what can we do to get you into this car" pitch.  I was like "um, knock another couple grand off the price tag?".  I really couldn't afford it and it was, again, more car than I need.  A sun roof?  Lots of confusing buttons?  A smooth, quiet ride?  The sport edition?  We were ready to walk.
It was like a repeat of 2004.  I wanted the car, but I knew I should get something more frugal and so I was prepared to offer a frugal price, and I was equally content to walk.
Eight years later I bought the same car, for almost exactly the same price under the same circumstances.  It was hilarious.  I can't believe we went tire kicking and I came home with a 2009 Civic LX-S.  I'm not a material person and I'm wringing my hands over the purchase and feeling the need to flagellate myself, but unless this car is a lemon, I think I just got a good deal on it, and it's a beautiful car and it's fun to drive and the cost will be defrayed by what Michael will give me for my old car.
We drove up to Horseshoe Bay and had a celebratory dinner and then drove to Vancouver to take my mom for a spin and now it's parked below us in the garage and my other car is at my place and it's funny, but currently I have two fully insured Civics, so if anyone wants to head out to Port Kells this weekend, let me know.