Foxela, the Ford Focus, is back in the driveway after shifting nicely all the way home, thank you. On the way, I tried out a couple of stressful shifting maneuvers (e.g., rabbiting away from a stop when the light turned green), just to see how the new transmission behaved, and it passed the tests with flying colors, acting as though it were no big deal.

In a couple of weeks I'll check the transmission fluid level, just to be on the safe side.

I live in a huge, sprawling city (500 square miles) and wheels of your own are essential, unless you plan to spend lots and lots of time getting from point A to point B, instead of the usual driving commute time. Often twice as long, or longer, on the MTA buses.

Not to mention walking to the stops and waiting in the dust and heat and wind and rain. And the "interesting" people you meet on bus benches in the less savory parts of town....

I'm grateful to own a car, and grateful I have enough good credit to pay for a guaranteed repair over a couple-three months (instead of all at once, or paying the fly-by-night repair persons and keeping fingers crossed).

Food, clothing, shelter--and transportation. Richard III: A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse! (or in this case, a car).