How to Love Your Luxury Beater

Ok, so, I've got this love/hate relationship with my car. It doesn't like to start; it makes funny smells (kind of like burning wood? It's probably wood-burning stoves. In several neighborhoods. And only when we take MY car. And only in the summer. Right.); it screams (bye-bye, rear axel. It was nice having you); and recently the panel that houses the switch for the moon roof fell off (it's tucked up above the passenger visor); and the AC seems to work only occasionally. But the leather seats are still smooth and comfy; the leather steering wheel makes my fingers sing; the heating in my seats still (mostly) works; the moon roof still responds to the switch; and I can still red-line the engine when I want to (though I've been trying not to lately).

So, since the interior of the car is black, and the AC is (to steal my SIL's line) a Unionized French beast (it works every other Tuesday and Thursday, except when those days are preceded or followed by a holiday, for approximately 15 minutes at a time, unless conditions are unhealthily warm), I've been loving the moon roof.

Since I haven't blown these speakers (yet), I get off work in the evening, hop in my car (just like Don Johnson, only, I open the door first), roll down the windows, open the roof and blast Georgia Public Radio (ok, or the local pop station). I arrive home sweaty, sticky, slightly more tan in all the wrong places, tired, wind-blown, and oddly refreshed. The loose ceiling covering even ripples and reminds me of seeing the ocean in my rear-view mirror. Does it get any better than this?

Observations

1. It's about like summer in the south east here, just not as muggy. All the heat, but no body to my hair. Muggy has its advantages.
2. I didn't realize shower stalls came in sizes smaller than the one in my house. They do.
3. It's REALLY HARD to shave your legs in a shower that small.
4. Everyone here is really friendly. Like, really.
5. I didn't really believe all the hype about how dusty it is here. It really is dusty.
6. Mosquitoes here (like everything else?) are dust-colored, which makes them harder to see both in daylight and at night than the ones back home. Bastards. But so far, I've only seen one fly, and I had heard there would be gajillions, everywhere, all the time.
7. All in all, it's not as bad as I had expected. So far.