the five "f's"

I owe everything to Ford or 5/3 Bank. Yikes! It's not five "f's", but there's a five and two "f's" so it's close enough. Hey, you come up with 365 titles to 365 blogs and tell me it's easy...

I digress.

This excludes utilities. And other expenses. So just our major debt is held in those two corporations.

Quick, go buy stock in both of them. Please.

With regards to the new car, the 2011 Ford Fusion. I like it. I really, really like it. It's the first Ford I have ever owned. Less than two weeks into it and I am happy. I like the way it drives, I like the way it feels, and over all I like it. I have only one small and very minor complaint and that is the visor is either all the way to the windshield or it's sort of in my face. The way the clip is manufactured, there's not an "in-between" spot. But that's what sunglasses are for, and I think my complaint is too minor to even care about. But it was worth mentioning in my blog.

5/3 has pretty much all of our other assets. If either of them ever go under we are either really screwed or really lucky. I'm not sure. But I feel better about being debt-free than I ever have been. Even if it feels like we are still playing catch-up from Bill's two weeks in-between jobs. I know we are luckier than most people and I thank God and count my blessings every day.

I don't know if this is a plug for either company or if I told you too much. It's just what is on my desk in front of me and since I needed something to blog about (I'm halfway through the year) this is it.

status update

This would have been my facebook status had I not realized how long it was. I decided it would make for a better blog.

It's Friday of a holiday weekend. I have a new car that is fantastic to drive (her name is Rosie btw, for Rosie the Riveter of WWII because she's Steel Blue -that's how my mind works), with a moon roof on a gorgeous, sunny day. I went to the Farmer's Market for the first time this season with Stephanie from the Nashville trip. I bought beautiful flowers that I can't wait to get outside and plant tomorrow when our friend Heather W. comes to visit. I'm working (after I blog this) and listening to the Police Scanner live online (it might be an addiction). It's going to be a great weekend!

See? that would have been an awfully long status. And it gave me something to blog about today. I really do like the way my new car drives (Mom, you should let Dad take you to drive a Ford. I think you could afford the Fusion and you'd like it). I'm also really addicted to the Police Scanner. It's so much fun to listen to. Who knew? (Okay, the people who listen to it knew). Is this dorky/nerdy/weird? If you think it is, try it. Google "police scanner [for your city]" (or nearest city or whatever city you want to listen to). They are entertaining. Here they call in to the hospitals as though making reservations at restaurants, "Party of three for Butterworth". (That's one of our hospitals.) Only, of course, when it's not a real emergency. I have no idea what all the numbers mean, except when it's the time. I've figured out it's code and their assigned numbers. I'm not good with numbers. But how cool would it be to be the dispatcher? That would be an intense job. Much like Air Traffic controllers. Stressful too. I'm sure it makes more sense on their end (dispatchers), but on my end it's controlled chaos. I am enjoying listening to it.

so, it's Thursday; here that means new car day!

Yup. Another new car. The lease was up on Haley, the Mazda 6, in September and so we had started looking around. We needed something with a smaller payment. That means less car. Or does it? Since we've been leasing with Borgman Ford/Mazda (I'll give 'em a free plug, their service dept at Mazda is OUTSTANDING!) they can give us several buy-out/turn-in/re-lease options.

I will be driving a new 2011 Ford Fusion. The payments will be cheaper (the insurance will not *shaking my fist at Michigan Insurance rates*) and while it doesn't have heated leather seats, it has the moon roof package. And while I don't need the moon roof, I have missed it (Lucy, the Protege and the CX7 both had moon roofs). It has a better stereo, it is also more comfortable albeit still loud. But I said to Bill, for the distance I drive I am willing to sacrifice road noise for comfort. Haley has been very uncomfortable. I will miss heated seats for sure, but Bill's car, Grandma Ruby, still has them. I'll just go hop in his car when I feel the need to have my butt warmed.

We have decided leasing is the way to go for us. While we care for our cars (extensively, we're both OCD about keeping them clean) somehow when we purchase one, they almost always start to fail. As Bill has blogged about Grandma Ruby giving us some problems, we feel it is financially smarter for us to lease. Bill likes to get a new car every few years. Do you know how expensive it is to buy one every three years? Yeah. It's a lot. With a lease, you get the warranty, the car, a payment similar to that when you're buying the car and in our case an extra month payment as the money down.

The alternate scenario is that we buy a car. We have to make a bigger down payment to keep the monthly payments low. We make the payments on the car and as the car ages (even though we have taken good care of it) it starts to have problems; transmission troubles, a/c fan breaks, suspension breaks, something goes wrong and it starts to cost us more money. We still have two more years before it's paid off and we've put more money into it than it will be worth. Am I preaching to the choir? People seem to think we're bougie when we say we're leasing. I'm sorry, it's more practical for us. We don't have to pay to put new tires on the car and we turn it back in before it starts to have any major breakdowns.

Maybe this should go in the blah blah blog because I feel like Bill could add some input. At any rate, it's new car day. I have to think of a good name. She's steel blue (which Bill doesn't care for), Haley was easy to name because her color is Comet Gray. Hello? Haley's Comet. Done. Steel Blue... Suggestions?