I'd like to--firstly--apologize to Denny and his new bride, Aprille. You see, Denny bought a Volkswagen Passat a little bit after I bought one, and I like to think I had at least some hand in him choosing to go with it. And I think he's been happy with it, and I know we've been pretty happy with ours (her name is Greta) but I gotta say, I don't get the feeling that she's a decade-lasting kind of car. I mean, we've had her for five years now, and she's served us pretty well (we're going to reciprocate with an expensive detailing and a couple of new floor mats soon).

But.

We're taking the first step in our multi-year car ownership plan (I would be surprised to hear Tiffany call it a plan, but I like my Plans, so it's a plan) that will result, eventually, in our owning a minivan and a commuting car. Right now we have Julia (bless her 13-year-old E-for-economy chassis!) and Greta. Julia feels like--and drives like--a go cart, albeit a very much loved one. And Greta has reached midlife.

We need to buy our commuter vehicle. Greta will continue to serve until we graduate to a minivan, and Julia, bless her again, will be sold off to a nice family in the country where she will get milk and cookies for the rest of her days. Right, Mommy?

We're not getting a Volkswagen. I love how Greta drives, and I love the turbo in her engine. I don't like how often we took her in during her two years of warranty. I don't like only two years of warranty. I don't like how we had sensor malfunctions (STOP STOP STOP THE CAR. DO NOT DRIVE FURTHER! Oh, wait, just a malfunction. So sorry.). I don't like how expensive she was for the quality I feel we got out of her.

So. Commuter car, I said? Small, maybe sporty. Good gas mileage. Not too expensive. Fun to drive. Reliable. A little bit of flair, maybe. Mazda 3? Golf? Impreza?

Nope. We're (probably) getting a Prius. Yes, a Toyota Prius. We snagged first dibs on a Salsa Red Prius already on the boat on its way to Nebraska. Small? Not really. Sporty? Well, it's not sluggish. Inexpensive? Um... no. But good gas mileage? Indeed. (EPA estmates 51 city / 60 highway / 55 overall! though online user reports suggest that is a little exaggerated... more like 44 overall) Fun to drive? By all accounts, it most certainly is... at least with all the gadgets. Flairific? What would _you_ call Salsa Red?

So. It arrives towards the end of the month, maybe the beginning of September. We test drive it. If we like it, she's ours. If we don't, we back out, and go take a look at a Mazda 3.

I'm just a little excited.