Some random thoughts, with a serious ending

I wonder why car manufacturers do not standardise the set up of all the levers around the steering wheel. I have been driving the same Toyota Corolla for over 6 years - I should be used to the set up, but when I drive Natie's VW Caddy once in a while, I instinctively get it right to use the left-hand-sided indicator lever. Back in my own car, though, after driving his, I keep on accidentally switching on the windscreen wipers when I want to turn! It would be nice if they could all agree on a standard and make all cars the same, don't you think?

The other thing: headlights. I used to drive a small little Fiat Uno. It had the ingenious design to switch off the headlights automatically when you remove the key from the ignition. I like that. The Toyota has a very annoying alarm that alerts you to the fact that your headlights are still on when you open the driver side door and the keys are removed from the ignition. This is OK too, except it often happens that I then do forget to turn my headlights back on when I drive again.

That said, I do love my car. It is trustworthy and spacious and I know its engine will still last hundreds of thousands of kilometers. And it has gotten me to point B and C and everything after that without fail for as long as I have had it.

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Nina has been off the nappies for a very long time. Over a year actually. That includes the night-nappy. Which has been great. Except, she has been subconsciously anticipating Jodie's birth the normal way that every sibling does - with trepidation. Consciously she is excited for her new little baby sister to arrive, but obviously somewhere in her psyche there is the fear that she will be replaced. This has resulted in my having to wash wet bed linen almost daily for a couple of months now. Sigh.

Well, last week she had three dry nights in a row... and that made me think: maybe I should do what all good moms do - put a reward system in place! So I made a calendar, marking off the three dry nights with a star each and printed it out. I bought little star-shaped stickers, and told her that she could get to stick a star on the calendar each morning she wakes up with a dry bed. I also said that when she has seven stars in a row, she'll get a small reward. I have already bought two rewards. She is now on day six... I don't know who's more excited for her to wake up dry tomorrow - me or her!

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We have committed to be moved out of our house in exactly three weeks. I have not even started thinking about packing or even accumulating boxes. And there is a birth due in between. This is going to be a very different kind of move!

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I have the best husband in the world. He is thoroughly amazing. It is easy to love him with everything I have.