The car search

Turns out that Bituach Leumi (nat'l health insurance) doesn't have a good plan to offer for getting a car that I can drive, at a budget that we can afford. They offer to cover all the tax on a *new* car (tax on a new car here is 100%, just double the regular price of a car), but we'd have to come up with the monthly car payments of the actual price of the car. No way can we do that, so taking advantage of this only offer is not an option.

So, we are looking now at the option of buying a small used car, automatic transmission, fuel efficient, to use along with keeping our van. The van is pretty inefficient for city driving, which is the majority of what we do. Also, there are plenty of times that 40-50 shekels a day ($10-$13 US) is needed for various cab rides because of owning one vehicle. Anyway, Robert, being so good at crunching numbers, realized that buying a small-ish used car for me is the best idea as far as budgeting.

So, I've now test driven 3 cars. This is the only way to narrow down options. I quickly realized that low-to-the-ground bucket seats are NOT for me. Even though the transmission is automatic, my hip wants nothing to do with that type of seat. Ow. But, we saw one car that
perfect for me; fuel efficient, smallish, and the seats are perfect- high and straight, but it is too expensive. Again, I feel like Goldilocks in the Three Bears, this one is too small, this one is too big, but *this* one is Just right... except for the category of it is too expensive.

It is a Hyundai "Atos" (pictured)
But, so far on the websites for 2nd hand cars in Israel (or 3rd, 4th, hand, etc), we haven't located one that is automatic, and affordable. We will continue searching, and I'm sure something will come up in a few days. Either this car, or another one that has the right kind of seats for me. (nice picture, though, right?)

The appointment with my GP ended up with a referral to the pain clinic here. I'll go there, but I'm not sure what my reservations are about getting into it. I just want the pain to go away, simply, and I don't want to try 10 other new things. I don't want to. But I should. It could change my life to be out of pain, while taking care of the disease properly. But I just don't want more new doctors, telling the story more times, and I don't know, I don't want to admit that this pain will be long-term enough that I need a pain clinic. It already *is* long term enough, I know. I can't totally work out what hang-up I have against the pain clinic, but I'll give them a call and make an appointment. Probably.

And I am good. (used in the "we're good" usage, slang sort-of... )