about a car

It's finally mine!

Well, it will be when Honda mails the title. I officially signed the check for my last 2 payments on my car...it took 5 years. This might not seem like a big deal to most people. But for me this car is the only thing I right out own. I will be paying huge for my education for the next 20+ years and the housing market is too expensive here... so, for at least a good while, this car is the one thing that is mine.

I have always appreciated and loved cars. My dad instilled that in me. I grew up going to auto races every year and my Dad has a '66 Corvette Stingray convertable he bought brand new when he got out of the Navy. It hasn't been registered as long as I've been alive - but he has held on to it. Over the years there were a few times he took out classified ads to sell it. He needed the money. But my mom talked him out of it.

He loves that car.

My goal as a kid was always to help him fix it enough so that it could be registered and he could drive it. That hasn't happened yet. But his attachment to cars has translated to me. In the above picture, taken last January of my Honda, there is an old, white Volvo in the background. The Volvo was my first car. I didn't get my first car until I was 21 years old. During high school half of my paycheck each week was put in the bank for college. So, needless to say there wasn't any leftover to buy a car, insure it, etc. So I waited a long time. The Volvo was beautiful when I bought it. It was a 1984 but had so few miles on it and was in mint condition. The older woman I bought it from was sad to see it go. She had been the only owner and really appreciated it.

I loved that car.

It was built like a tank, had a sunroof and heated seats. Much more luxury than I could ever afford in a new car. But then it started having some fluke things go wrong with it and I had to buy my Honda. I really didn't want to. As a trade in they weren't going to give me much for the Volvo so I hung on to it. The idea was I would give it to my brother and sister. But that didn't work out and it just sat. For 5 years. Not able to run. Year after year my Dad talked to me about selling it. I just couldn't do it. How stupid is that? I was sad at the thought.

So this summer I finally parted with it. It seems stupid but for those 5 years I couldn't do it. The Volvo was then the only thing I owned. I had saved up for it for a long time, used money my late-Grandfather left for me to buy it and had taken out a small loan to cover the cost. The car was mine. Who gets attached to a car?

My dad and me.

Maybe the Honda will become the Volvo for me? But first...I need to take the bullseye off the hood and give it a break from people crashing into it. LOL!

Thanks for listening to me go on and on about my attachment to innanimate objects with four tires and a windshield!

Have a good evening! I plan on staying in...it is TOO cold here in Massachusetts! I'm giving myself a "free pass" from the gym. I just don't want to go back out there...