As she heads off to her job at the U.S. Census Bureau, Jessie continues a long-standing family tradition. I worked for the Census in 1980, my mother in 1970. Count 'em: three generations of weak-kneed service to the government. It's funny, Jessie thinks it's such great money for a job while in high school, which is exactly what I thought back in the day. Another similarity: we were both bored to tears by the training.

Of course, this is not Jessie's first go-round as a federal employee, as she previously served as a Senate Page (according to her grandfather she was actually a Senator, or she ran the entire U.S. Senate--though I'm not sure anybody would want credit for THAT.) Anyway, she finally dipped into the money she earned while in D.C. and bought a car, which means her mother gets to be a grown-up again and have her own car.

The car, in case you're wondering, is a 1994 Volvo. Jessie points out that Jake, who was born in 1990, has a '92 Volvo, so each of them owns a Swedish car sold during their terrible twos (though neither has been terrible a day in their lives). By this logic, Evie will need to purchase a '95 Volvo--though I see her more in a F-150. Good thing because that was the last year of Ford's square-nosed beauties.

As many of you know, I've owned more trucks than Carter has pills; so Evie, you go girl!!!!!!