a99kitten's Musings

Spent a few hours today washing, vacuuming out and emptying out my old car in preparation for selling it. It’s weird. I got kinda sad. Not that I don’t love my new car – I totally do. Like…more than I thought I would!

But I’ve had my old car since December 1995. That’s a long time :) I bought him (yes, he’s a him..not a her..just felt like it) after an accident in my previous car – a Miata. Not so long story short – driving it in the rain on Highway 280 which is very windy in some parts and spun out in the rain. Hydroplaned, spun out up an embankment and ended up in the emergency lane facing traffic in a torrential downpour. But everything was OK. Didn’t hit anything, I was OK. I went to work early for stock market hours so few cars were on the freeway. As I started my car back up (it had stalled out I guess) I saw headlights coming at me. I was partially in the emergency lane and partially still on the grass. No part on the actual freeway at all. But the headlights were coming fast right at me. I jumped out of my seat and towards the middle of the car (Miatas are small – not much room to jump! And BAM – a truck crunched the entire drivers side into the middle of the car. Rain was now pouring in and I was basically sitting in the center console. I wasn’t scared though – I was angry. What the hell?

I had a car phone (an old relic nowadays but then it was quite fancy!) and called 911. I also called my boss to let him know what happened and that I’d be late.

When the police arrived, they pried my door open and got me out. Made sure I was ok, etc. After taking statements, turns out the driver of the truck saw my headlights facing him and in that split second slammed his brakes…in the rain. He hydroplaned just like I did but hit me instead of nothing like I did. Thanks. Oh…turns out uninsured, unlicensed illegal Mexican immigrant. Great. The police were very nice, very fast and got me a tow truck quickly. The tow truck driver said to me, lucky you thought to jump out of your seat or you would be part of that twisted metal. Ok.

After that, I decided I wanted a tougher car. Especially if I was going to be driving up to Tahoe a lot (which I was since I took up snow boarding the winter before and my boyfriend at the time was a pro snowboarder.) So I test drove a couple and decided on the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was quite the luxury SUV at the time since Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, etc didn’t make SUVs then. And it drove so nicely. I loved it.

Broke up with said *cheating* snowboarder boyfriend and met my husband. So I’ve had my car longer than I’ve had him. In fact, he will still remember how on our first trip up Tahoe with friends (we weren’t dating then) I wouldn’t let him bring leftover dinner food in the car. Hey pal – it’s a nice, new car. Keep your food out of here! I will be the same with my new car now. The huskies, they can do what they want but people – nope.

So over the years as we worked all the time, he went to Stanford Business school, we started our own company, etc. I lost interest in snowboarding. Sliding my face on ice didn’t help either. But then I got a puppy. And then another. And my car was their car. And so it went from the “cool, snowboarding chick’s” car who kept it immaculate to the fluffy, sandy, muddy, snowy husky mom car :) But they make me much happier than any day/trip snowboarding could. Yes, it gets fluffy. Yes, it needs to be vacuumed and cleaned a lot. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So 200K mikes later, it became clear I needed a new car soon. I wanted the H2. Yeah, yeah..gas-guzzler, carbon footprint, big American beast, whatever, whatever. I love it. Kinda the same reason I loved the Miata when it first came out (I had the first year) – it didn’t look like any other car out there. It was totally different. Plus it was DEFINITELY safe. I test drove – LOVED it.

But, the back was pretty small and it was higher than my car which means harder for the buds to get in. So I did eventually give up on that car. But didn’t really want any others. All other SUVs looked the same – boring. And I wanted a SUV and more room for the buds.

Husband finally got me to test drive the Range Rover Sport and I liked it. I knew I would – I’ve been an anglophile all my life so it was quite likely. And it’s quite fancy which I kinda like :) (and now I have an excuse need to buy more shoes, bags and jewelry to fit in with my car!) Plus it’s FAST. So I set out to find one. Found one at 50% the sticker (who pays that for a car???) in Texas. Supercharged even (I really, really, really need to watch my lead foot) and the color I wanted (silver). Bought it – love it. Really do. I bought a fan for the dogs and just put a bed in there today for them. We’ll see if they like it more now. They are used to having the run of the Jeep and this car has super soft fancy leather so none of that….for now anyway…

Also had a license plate frame made for it – chrome silver with black lettering “My Millennium Falcon”. Geek? Sure :) But that’s ok. My personalized plate (husky related) is now also on and it’s officially 100% the car I drive now. No more Jeep driving.

But in emptying my old Jeep today I did get oddly sad. Not that I don’t want my new car. Trust me – I do! But I’ve had that car longer than anything else I possess (except a raft of Star Wars toys and collectibles which will NEVER be sold.) Have had even longer than I’ve had my husband. So it’s weird to say good bye to him. But he’s worked hard protecting me and the huskies. So he deserves some rest now :) And my Falcon awaits some new travels!