Max! Bring 'Round the Car!

I really do think I need an Isotta Fraschini, although I don't know how much success I'd have in getting Mr. Muscato into a suitably Stroheim-esque uniform (although he does look terribly dashing in tails, so perhaps he can be Bill Holden instead, far more suitable).  I'll have to inveigle Miss Rheba into the uniform.

You see, we find ourselves in the market for a new MuscatoMobile, and rather suddenly.  I hope you don't think I don't tell you simply everything, but the truth is that last week we had a teensy accident.  Really nothing serious at all, the tiniest of fender-benders - or so I thought. And then this morning the nice man at the insurance company rang round to let us know that our poor old clunker is - that saddest of vehicular phrases - a total loss.

The Mister was driving, poor man, and he's only now just venturing behind the wheel again.  The most important thing, I should note (as the insurance company does, in a funereal sort of way, every time we speak, which is often) is that no one was hurt (however much the befuddled gentleman who hit us might deserve a good rap on the head).

The good news is that the settlement will pay off the old one and set us on our way toward something new, or at least new to us.  As much as I'd like to splash out on lynx upholstery or an in-car phone (remind me to tell you a diva story or two about those someday, do), neither of us are particularly car-conscious, and we liked our now dearly departed mostly because it was so determinedly dowdy.  It was the sort of car I could see The Provincial Lady tooling around the countryside (you have read The Provincial Lady books, haven't you?  Diary of a PL, The PL in London, The PL in Wartime - richness all.  If you haven't, do promise me you will.  You'll thank me.).  So we're really not looking for all that much - comfort, room for the dogs (and some groceries, and the occasional flea market find), that sort of thing.   Any suggestions welcome.

But I do think one could find a way to justify an Isotta as a practical sort of purchase, don't you?  I haven't thought of it yet, but I plan to keep trying.