Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Things Will Never be the Same

I am not sure what I like better about this car, the bungee straps, or the fact that holes had to be drilled in the hood to use bungee straps.

One thing is for sure though, I'll miss this car in the fleet. There's so much to miss. Where do I begin? I mean, it was great how you couldn't lock the car because the door keys would not work, so to lock something up you had to put it in the trunk and lock the glove compartment where the trunk button is. And of course if you did happen to lock the doors the AAA lock out service was just a call away (on speed dial).

I loved the mystery squeak in the back of the car, and the muffler pipe held up barely by a coat hanger. These features announced Mitch's arrival home long before he entered the long driveway.

The gas mileage and longevity of the '94 will be truly missed. When a run-in with a deer delivered the Topaz's last blow it was decided that we would help her make it to 300,000. With only 500 more miles to go, a plan was devised.

Enter, bungee straps, and a power drill to keep the hood from blowing open onto the windshield again. Her previous drivers, Trevor and Mitch, were instructed regarding the plan to take her on every short run trip possible.

Yesterday she reached her 300,000 mile destination. Today she was taken in as a donor, where she will give every usable part to Wes' '94 teal Topaz. She WILL live on, maybe not in all her dull white painted glory, but certainly through her radio, her door handles (not the locks), her glove box door, ignition, and tires. It will be beautiful.

But today we say goodbye, sort of. We'll see her again but it will never be the same.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

UFO Sighting


There were a lot of calls yesterday for UFO sightings around here.

"Something very powerful is in the sky! There, see it? In between the crack in those clouds!"

Turns out it was just the sun deciding to make an appearance.

Just the sun? Did I say just the sun?

Seriously, the sun has been in hiding for so much of the spring, not to mention the very long winter, that this is a pretty big deal.

The atmosphere was so gray, in so many ways. To encourage myself I would think of how the sun is still always shining behind those thick clouds, but it doesn't make me any warmer.

Today, I feel like a different person with this bright UFO around. It's been hanging around all day!

Suddenly, there is warmth, brightness, hope. And I can't help but think that if I did not know the depth of dark gray days, I could not possibly appreciate this day as much as I do.

Happy sunshine northwest Ohio!

Photo of Lake Erie by TrevorLeePhotography.com