I never did mention that there is a new Jetta that gets me from place to place. It is an '84 this time around with just over 300,000km (though the diesel engine has only seen about 40,000km, unlike the previous '86 Jetta whose original engine made it some 440,000km). It is old enough to have the fancy old VW hubcaps. I have grown quite fond of it, and Orion has been kind enough to help me with some of its quirks . . . these include getting the stereo and even such frivolous items as the parking brake and signal lights. He also managed to get the driver's door sorted out; I had been unable to exit the car using the traditional method (though my original idea of leaving by the passenger door turned out to be kind of dumb as the external handle was just a window-roll-down away).

I am also a master at parallel parking this new car, despite its lack of a right-side mirror and non-power steering. (Having published this statement in print, I am sure to fail spectacularly next time one of you is around.)