Lit up like a Christmas Tree

My dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree on Friday morning. I was about 1/4 a mile into my usual 2 mile commute, when the car just stalled. I pulled over and was dismayed, Hubby had just left with the children for school, and my first patient was due to arrive at the office in about 9 minutes. I tried the old trick, turned off the engine and restarted, it drove just fine, and I made it to the office in time. I knew the trick because this had happened last February, and again in the spring. The firs time the car stalled, I freaked. Zoe was with me, and we were about a block from home. I parked the car, and waited for Hubby to pick us up to get to Aidan's Chinese school performance. We took it in to our mechanic, and there were, of course, things to replace and fix. After all that money, it happened again in the spring when my friend Michelle was in the car with me, along with Aidan and Zoe. At that point, we decided to do nothing. I had secretly placed a Do Not Resuscitate order on this Volvo.

The Volvo had been trusty and faithful. We brought home Aidan and Zoe in the Volvo, we mopped up various barf in the backseat, and lots of excrement in the trunk. I was rear ended once in it, and then rear ended someone else a year later. The Volvo had heard lots of screams, Aidan's, Zoe's, mine.

But it was time for it to go.

We had discussed various options for its replacement, and was always dismayed to find that cars had only grown in size since we bought this car in 2002. We wanted something a tad bigger, but not a gigantic bus.

To be honest, I prefer a Mini Cooper. Forget the kids, and their gears, I want a car to drive off, speedily, like Jason Bourne. Actually, I think I want a Mini because when Aidan was 6 weeks old, we took him to a beautiful wedding in North Carolina. One of my best friend from college, my maid of honor, was marrying her best friend. They drove off from the reception in a Mini, while I held a screaming baby who had vomited and pooped on me hours earlier. Yup, the Mini is really about a dream of freedom.

Clearly, not meant to be, at this time.

We had realized that the car we buy will very likely end up being the car Aidan will drive in about 10 1/2 years. And when Hubby's car gets replaced in the next few years, that car will likely end up becoming Zoe's car. Totally crazy to think about it that way! Therefore, the new car needs to be safe, and frankly, a bit dowdy. No need for my flirtatious son to have a flashy car, you know what I mean.

So we decided to buy this:

It was a truly a miracle that we finished the whole process in about 2 1/2 hours. The children did great, I stayed calm, and Hubby was an awesome negotiator. The trade-in value of the Volvo started at $500. FIVE hundred. Hubby convinced them to go 5X of that. Woohoo!

I am looking forward to an unlit dashboard for a looooonnnnng time!