A Drive Down Memory Lane

My husband had to take his beloved '99 4Runner into the "doctor" this week after his check engine light came on. I've never seen anyone love a vehicle as much as he loves Kirk (yes, we name our cars). Kirk has 150,000+ miles on him and the hubs is praying that he gets to see 300,000. He was very anxious and nervous while Kirk was away. Luckily, 2 days and a chunk of change later, Kirk is back home with a clean bill of health. Whew! The close call with Kirk made us reminisce about our 11 past vehicles. That's right - eleven. Here they are!

 
The 'Lero (and my old college roommate Sarah!)  [2002 - 2006]
This is the car my parents bought me when I left for college - major upgrade from my 1984 Mercury Grand Marquis!

The Jeep [2005 - 2006]
Loved this car - it stayed with us for about a year then went to live with Nathan's sister.
 

The 50cc Vino [2006-2007]
Yes, Nathan used to drive this around Fayetteville in below freezing weather. It couldn't go faster than about 30 mph (downhill, of course). Other drivers loved him. It was particularly awesome to see him on this tiny scooter, with full armor and helmet on!

The Honda [2006 - 2008]
This was originally Nathan's dad's car, then his sister's, then mine. We traded the Jeep for the Honda while I was commuting to Siloam Springs from Fayetteville. They never had a single problem with it - then I owned it and it broke down every other month. My ability to destroy mechanical things is really a talent.

The Vespa [2007 - 2008]
After growing tired of never being able to go over 30 mph, Nathan upgraded to the Vespa. We both loved this ride - he even drove it all the way from NWA to OKC for an oil change, in full armor and helmet of course.

The Passport [2008-2009]
This was Nathan's rainy day car - cost us less than our most recent Kirk repairs. It had the worst screech every time you turned it on, the A/C didn't work, and the doors didn't lock. We always hoped somebody would steal it...

Bonnie Lass [2008-2009]
When the Vespa no longer had enough power for Nathan, he upgraded once again. This time to a Triumph Bonneville that he and his dad drove to Atlanta to pick up. This exact bike used to belong to Alton Brown. He loved this thing - I hated it and spent many evenings praying for his safety!!

Ruby [2008-2009]
After killing the Honda (yes, I killed a HONDA), I decided I needed something new that would be more resilient. So, for the first time in my life, I had a car payment for this Ford Edge. That lasted less than a year - car payments are stupid. Plus Ruby had no power - I need some pedal to the metal action, friends.

Kirk [2009 - present]
God finally answered my prayers and helped Nathan get over his love of 2-wheels in favor of something safer and more practical. We bought Kirk off Craig's List from a family that was having their second child the next day and had just bought a mini-van. Their desperation to have one less thing to deal with worked in our financial favor!

Richard [2009-2011]
This was my "get out of debt" car. Richard - or "Dick" as I called him when he acted up because I'm classy like that - had a lot of get-up-and-go, which Ruby lacked. He is who we brought Nash home in, so there will always be a special place in my heart for him - despite doors that didn't lock, oil leaks, and torn interior leather. Still better than a car payment!

Ms. Patty [2011-present]
And finally, we've arrived at my current vehicle...Ms. Patty the Caddy. She's got get-up-and-go, a DVD player for road trips, and doesn't break my back getting a kiddo in and out. Not to mention she was in a wreck in her early days and has a rebuilt title, once again working in our financial no-car-payment favor! We're all about the the deals!



And last but certainly not least - the best ride of all! Nash is starting his car collection young!