A Bit of a Pickle

Alright Internet friends I need your advice.

Here are the facts:

Chris and I have a car that we paid £300.00 for a year ago. It has been a great car and we've not had any problems with it. It has around 84,000 miles on it, which is quite good considering it is a car made around 1994.

I finally got my license and right now we are tying to get the car up and running. So far we've paid £109.00 for a new exhaust for it and today we got back from the mechanics and we are looking at another £300.00 to fix it before it can be taxed (tax is £66.00).

The lovely mechanic said that he'd do us a payment plan (£40.00 a week) until paid off.

So we could pay to get the car fixed (more than we paid for it and HEFTY weekly repayments)

OR...

We could go down to the car dealership, trade in the car we have now for parts and get a newer car for LESS than we would be paying to sort out the car.

This means we'd be in debt for the car and add to our budget another chunk of money.

So what do you think? Should we pay to fix the car we have now, or should we cut our losses and get a newer car with less repairs??

What do you think?

Random Things… Following the Crowd

I did this on Facebook and thought it would make a good blog post… enjoy!!
1. I didn't want to follow the crowd and do this, but couldn't stop thinking about what I'd put if I did.
2. I saw my husband for 3 months through out the 2 years we were dating - not recommended - but its worked for us.
3. I love it when my mom calls me Jamie-Jo - it reminds me of my amazing childhood.
4. I used to never tell my mom anything, but now I tell her everything (the wisdom of age).
5. Even though I live in the UK, I have never visited Wales or Scotland - but have been to France and Belgium.
6. In Junior High I was voted, by my peers, as "most likely to have 10 kids".
7. My 2 best friends have had that title for nearly 18 years - and we've known each other as far back as we can remember.
8. I lived in Hershey, Pennsylvania - where the air smelled of chocolate and the street lamps were the shapes of Hershey Kisses.
9. I've lived in England for nearly 3 years - I always thought I would live here at some point - even before I met Chris.
10. I LOVE the smell of rubber.
11. I have to look at the same websites in the same order every morning.
12. I have never heard my parents fight.
13. People in America say I am getting an English accent, people in England say I'm not.
14. I started my blog in 2005 WAY before having a blog was cool.
15. When I used to have braces, it hurt to eat popcorn.
16. I collect magnets from all the places I've travelled.
17. I used to have 2 cats named Sophie and Lola - named them from characters in musicals.
18. I once spent $90.00 on concert tickets for the boy I liked and told him he could take a date... he took me and the seats were horrible, but it was a good night because he picked me.
19. I went to Weber State University for a term and spent all my time chatting online, hanging out with friends, taking LONG drives just to sing in the car, and calling England - I went to classes no more than 5 times - all funded by my mom - I still feel guilty and plan on paying her back to this day.
20. I used to hate the fact that my hair was red and curly - now I really like it.
21. I have the same hands as my mom and grandma - I love that!
22. The night before my Sophomore year started, I got nail glue in my eye and had to go to the hospital they gave me an eye patch to wear (ironic because we were the Cyprus Pirates) - I missed school the next day.
23. I went on a date where my date prayed at the beginning and end - during the date he told an entire comedy club that he was a polygamist and also told me about his two other girlfriends who disappeared.
24. I love getting acupuncture and it works like magic for me.
25. I stole paper from my 6th grade teachers closet when she trusted me to clean it - I also stole a pocketful of mints from a family I was babysitting for - my friend Amy found out about it and reminds me of it on occasion.

I've Been Tagged (a.k.a. A Good Reason to Write)

I know it has been ages since I have written.  I think when I feel sad, I don't like to write because, although it is highly helpful for me to write, I hate to have people think I am struggling or bore people with my complaints - of a life I picked.  But I just exercised (SHOCK) and am feeling like I should get something done.  Since I have a highly efficient husband (all the housework is done, thanks to him) this what I have to do, and to tell the truth I do miss it.
Since I check my friends blogs every night I noticed that Alison tagged me and, in a way, so did Amanda - so I will kill 2 birds with one stone - Sorry if it is boring, at least I am writing something... right?
Anyway, back to the matter at hand:
6 RANDOM FACTS:
1.  I love brushing my teeth, and could do it for a while except the very annoying fact that I gag whenever I get the tooth brush near my tongue or even just think about it touching my tongue. 
2.  I cant have a drink of water in a cup or bottle that has had juice or soda in it.  Even if it is washed I can taste the flavour and cant drink the water.
3.Whenever I go to a grocery store I have to go up and down every single isle, the same way, every time.  It drives Chris crazy, but I think this comes from when I used to go shopping with my mom she went up and down every isle - I do skip the pet food isle (most the time).
4. Sometimes when I play the piano at church for Sacrament meeting - I speed it up just to throw the congragation off and to get the song over with.
5.  As I have gotten older and the longer I live in England the more I hate meat.  I rarely eat it, and I cant stand to handle it at all.
6.  Every morning I check the same web sites, in the same order and NEVER deviate from it.
BLAST FROM THE PAST:
1.Did you date anyone from your high school? Yes I did, and after high school for WAY too long!
2.What kind of car did you drive? My parents lovely Suburban (that I treated like my own) and my Honda Civic.
3.Were you a party animal? No.
4.Were you considered a flirt? I didn't think so, but, some people say I was.
5.Were you in a band, orchestra, or choir? Madrigals for 2 years.
6.Where you a nerd? I don't think so.
7.Were you on any Varsity teams? Nope.
8.Did you ever get suspended or expelled?  No, me in trouble?? Never!
9.Can you sing the Fight Song? Nope but I can sing our school song.                                             10.Who was your favourite teacher? Mr. Moore
11.Where did you sit for lunch? "our table" as a Sophomore, and in the Drama and Choir rooms the other years.
12.What was your schools full name? Cyprus High School
13.What was your mascot? A Pirate
14.If you could go back again would you? Nope, it was a good time and made good memories, but would NEVER go back.
15.What do you remember about graduation? Nothing much at all, am I getting old??
16.Where did you go on your Senior Skip Day? I am sure I did, I was MIA most of my Senior year.
17.Were you in any clubs? Madrigals and I think that is all.
18.Have you gained any weight since then? Yes :(                                                                     19.Who was your Prom dates? I didn't go to Prom, boys choice - I wish I had though - oh well...
20.Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion?  Doubtful...

Tagged by Abbie

I usually dont do stuff like this on my blog.... but since Abbie asked and she is one of my favourite people - I'll do it!
A-Attached or single? Attached happily to Chris for almost 2 years!
B-Best friend? Honestly... I could say Chris but that is what everyone says...  I am lucky I have Chris and Amy and Abbie AND I think my mom and me are quite close.
C-Cake or pie? Yummy pie, oh wait, unless cheesecake counts.
D-Day of choice?  ummmm... I like Wednesday and Sunday.
E-Essential item?  a good book and chapstick
F-Favourite colour? Pink :)
G-Gummy bears or worms? Well they dont have either in England - but I like cinnamon gummy bears or frozen gummy worms.
H-Hometown? West Valley - never, NEVER Magna (no offence Magna people).
I-Favourite indulgence? Cheesecake and bubble baths
J-January or July? January - July is WAY too hot!
K-Kids? Nope and today I am quite content with that.
L-Life isn't complete without? Family and Friends oh, and music!
M-Marriage date? May 5th, 2006
N-Number of brothers and sisters? 1 brother and 2 sisters - all very cute and all amazing!
O-Oranges or apples? Well here we go, Clemintines (orange-like)
P-Phobia and fears? bridges and deep water
Q- Quote? With celestial sight, trials impossible to change become possible to endure.
R-Reason to smile? kind words from Chris, contact with friends and family (email or phone) and good weather and music!
S-Season of choice? Autumn - I love the cooler weather, but I must say, here in England in the spring we are bombarded with blooming tulips, daffodils and poppies and many many other vibrant flowers - growing EVERYWHERE, especially on the middle of the round abouts so I do LOVE spring here.
T-Tag three people. I tag, Rachel and Chris - dont know many others that read this.
U-Unknown fact about me? unknown by who?  Did you know while I was in college I was speeding and a cop saw me speeding and so I weaved in and out of the neighbourhoods and eventually lost him?  Or how about that time I crashed my friends dad's truck?? I think everyone knows about that -- well except him!
V-Vegetable? Ewwww I dont like veggies too much, but am trying I even eat salad quite often, but my fav. has to be sweet corn on the cob or garden peas.
W-Worst habit? Popping my knuckles...
X-X-ray or ultrasound? I guess ultrasound, less harmful and all that.
Y-Your favourite food? Mexican --- oh how I miss a good enchilada.
Z-Zodiac sign? Scorpio