When you're in an accident and your airbags don't deploy is that a good thing, as in we mustn't have been hit too hard, or a bad thing, as in these things don't really work very well, do they? My Excursion will go in the shop Monday for an undetermined length of time, at the end of a very long line of hurricane damaged cars, after someone decided to make an abrupt left turn from the right hand lane directly into my path. Lucky for me there was a Sheriff right behind me who witnessed the event. My driving record remains unblemished, it was 100% the other guy's fault, but even still, I know what people are thinking as I drive around in my oversized, crumpled vehicle with one dangling headlight, "She can't handle that big thing." O ye of little faith, I once whipped into the poorly engineered municipal parking garage at the Fort Lauderdale main library, effortlessly backed into a spot designed for a compact car, and was greeted with applause from the bikers who had been eyeing me warily from the adjacent parking space.

L jumped into my bed this morning to ask if was a school day. She was very disappointed when I explained weekends to her. She told me that on Monday I don't need to drive her to school, she will get up early and ride her tricycle there. "Do you really think you could ride your tricycle over the big bridge all by yourself with all those cars and trucks zooming by?" I asked.

"Well, Daddy will have to fix my bell first."

I'd better get up extra early to be sure she doesn't start out on her own, or hope that the ramp onto I-75 slows her down some.

Later S exhibited her amazing, inherent musical talent when she serenaded us with Lenny Kravitz, Green Day, and old Black Sabbath tunes, picked out on L's Lights 'N Sounds Festival Orchestra ( a toy we most assuredly did not buy.) We really must think about purchasing another piano or at least a keyboard for the poor girl. L is also the only child I've met who taught herself to whistle at the tender of age of three. She accompanied S, whistling along on "Iron Man."

S and I spent the day clothes shopping, my least favorite thing. The mother-daughter time was silly fun and you cannot beat the Old Navy clearance rack; shirts for $1.97, dresses for $3.97. We went a little nuts. She is growing up so quickly.

Monday, after Larie goes to school, after my car goes in the shop, after I get a rental, S and G will begin carschooling while we ride around Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte in search of distressed properties for my brother-in-law and his ready, willing, and able partners to invest in. Carpetbagging, they call it. Lots of potential for commissions. Unfortunately, money doesn't motivate me. I am motivated to find some quiet time and relax with a good book.