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Rick and I woke up and headed over to Wilson’s restaurant in Paso Robles for some tasty breakfast. Usually the place is full of retired couples but today there was a kid invasion and we ate to the charming sounds of crying babies and soccer moms chatting about whatever they chat about. It was satisfying to hear the retired couple in the next booth over grumble about the ruckus. And then I worried that we were getting old and grumbly, too. Whatever. I’d rather be grumbly than deal with ruckus like that every day.

We met up with some friends at Avila Valley Barn in San Luis Obispo, a farm with lots of fresh produce, roasted corn, freshly-pressed cider, hay rides and a massive pumpkin patch. Rick and I picked up a huge (31 pounds!) oblong pumpkin (which I plan to carve in his likeness, including warts and missing teeth, heh) and a very tasty-looking pumpkin pie. I love Fall - it was sunny and breezy and not too warm and the smells in the air were delightful.

I rounded out the day with a mammoth grocery shopping trip and red beans and rice with cajun sausage and Caesar salad for dinner. Paul Newman’s refrigerated Caesar salad dressing is excellent, by the way. Am going to wait a bit to try the pumpkin pie as I am stuffed!

After months of constant dread that my Jetta would blow up and then 4 visits to the mechanic in as many weeks, I have finally rid myself of that clunker. Thursday saw me at Sierra Honda in Monrovia, purchasing a brand-new Honda Fit!

It’s a small 4-door hatchback that gets 31-37 mpg. The seats fold into 4 different configurations that are all cool as hell. In Tall Mode the rear seat flips up so that you can fit things like bikes in the back seat. Utility Mode has the rear seats folded down flat for carrying lots of junk. In Long Mode part of the backseat’s 60/40 split folds down while the front passenger seat scoots all the way forward and reclines to create a flat cargo area that can fit things up to 7′ 10″ long. But the best mode of all is Refresh Mode - the rear seats recline while the front seats scoot all the way forward and recline down flat to create a seamless lounge. You can sit in the back seat and stretch your legs out over the front seats and be comfy as can be.

Rick and I put Refresh Mode to the test Saturday night when we went to the San Luis Obispo drive-in theater with a couple friends. While they hung out in their truck bed with a futon mattress, pillows and blanket we stretched out in the Fit for a double feature: Halloween and Superbad. Damn that car is cool! It has to be seen to be believed.