Ch-ch-ch-changes

By leaving Boston behind and moving to Julian, CA, we're making some big life changes. We're trading skyline views from the roof deck for patio views into the forest, the Patriots for the Chargers (the jury's still out on Red Sox fandom), and "spring" for spring. But the biggest update we're making is becoming car owners. After 8+ years of relying on feet, subways, buses and, when necessary, the genius that is car-sharing Zipcar, this is no small change. But life in rural California leaves us no choice: We are now the proud owners of a 1998 Toyota Camry.

Never have we actually considered buying a For Dummies book, but this might be the occasion, because boy do we have questions: Should we have a gas credit card? Where does the windshield wiper fluid go? How, when it looks so much like so many others, are we ever going to find this car in parking lots? Do we have a spare tire? You need to do what every how many miles? Why does the California DMV make license transfer so difficult? Can you install an iPod-friendly auxiliary cable in a 10 year old car? What kind of bumper stickers are worthy?

Our odometer on our first trip behind the wheel

Despite these obstacles and our initial reluctance, these are exciting times. All of a sudden, we're equipped to do things that previously have been the enviable domain of only our car owning friends. I speak, of course, of long weekends at home, and trips to Target, farmers markets and soccer games. There will also be post-swine flu road trips to Mexico. Look out world!