'Baby you can drive my car...'

Today was a big day!
I finally got a new (to me) car...a 2007 Pacifica...Navy blue---(GO NAVY!)
It was weird and refreshing all at once to drive a car that actually had a working gas gauge, a driver's seat that did not lean to the left...and did not smell like foul milk. I have a 'grown up' car.
My 'new' car is 'mac daddy'...to me at least. Granted, my mother owns it, and bought it...so, once again,at 43, I am driving 'my mom's car'...visions of being 16 again dance in my head. But, whatever...it will get me from point A to B in leather wrapped style.(I did not want leather seats because they make me hot, and my legs stick to the leather when wearing shorts...plus when you move around it sounds like you are passing gas...but I will deal with that!)
I miss my 10 year old Blazer though.
I have always had a love affair with my cars. My first car was a VW Golf...ah, college in a city, parallel parking expertise, and all the fun that college life entailed...
When my first daughter was born, I traded that one in for a smokin hot Teal Ford Taurus wagon...then, when my son was 18 months old I got my Blazer.
I loved my truck! Living in the mountains, on the top of a very steep hill, my 'Blaze' could handle ice, snow and all the slippery leaves. I could throw mulch in the back, transport a muddy slobbery dog, and still feel good about it. Men admired my 4 wheelin' style, and I NEVER got stuck in the mud...plus, being a tomboy, I always wanted a 'TRUUUCCKKK' anyway.
My X father in law---one of the kindest, most wonderful men ever to grace this earth---bought it flat out for me. He wanted me to be safe---I was transporting precious cargo! (me,(he adored me) and his 2 grandchildren!)
In my divorce settlement with his son, I had to chunk out $11,000 to my X for it. My father in law had passed on by then, and I KNOW he was twirling in his grave knowing I had had to repay his gift to me...
Anyway...my Blaze and I went through a lot together in 10 years.
Moving to a new city,picking up and dropping off my kids, being 'hit and runned'...but I always took comfort in it's safety and durability. It was indestructible. Liberal bumper stickers, surfing stickers, Navy stickers, Moms Rule! stickers...Save the Bay...you name it. It was my rolling testimonial that we all needed to get it together!
This summer I had a radiator leak, and the engine flat out cooked on me.(I hate to think that the really deep puddles I drove through to create a huge wake may have contributed to the leak...but it was fun!)
I was driving home from the beach,with 2 of 3 kids, and it just started steaming...I pulled off and put more coolant in. A homeless guy helped me out, and I gave him $20 for his help. My son was like, 'MOM! I can't believe you just GAVE him $20!'...hey, he was down on his luck, a really nice person...and perhaps an angel in disguise. I hope I set an example for my son...he still talks about 'the homeless guy you gave $20 to'...
We got a little further down the road, and the engine got hot again...and just went. I was on I-95,it was getting dark, and was NOT going to pull off there! (They would have found our dead bodies in Missouri in a shallow grave...95 is notoriously dangerous, and with 2 gorgeous blonde children, I was NOT going to advertise to the next 'Bundy' that we needed aide!)
So we rolled in to the 'Oasis' Travel Park.(Yes, I sang, 'midnight at the oasis...send you camels to bed...')
We did not make it all the way in...so, my son, who is 11, had to sit in the drivers seat and steer while I pushed my truck. I was putting all I had in to it, and the car was NOT budging...my son had forgotten to take his foot off the brake. (Thanks, dude!) Two men came and helped me push it...checked the engine...and went,'ahhh'...(not a good 'ahhh'.)
'Yer injun eeus cooked, ma'am.'
Huh?
'It ain't gonna do nuttin for ya, eeits deeuhd.'
Oh, SWELL! I was about an hour from home, in the dark, 2 kids...S#^%!T!
Called AAA...and they sent a tow...I was relieved when the guy got there...and really enjoyed 'Derby's' Satan tattoo on his neck. He was cool though...and we waited for my H to get there to pick us up. I think my kids ate 4 donuts each---but at that time, I did not care...'here! look at the sparkly object! No we are not in peril, do not freak out...we are fine!'
Nothing says togetherness like being a one car family. It is like being 16 again---'hey, can I take the car? I gotta go to bank and the store...'

3 months later I have a new handsome Navy man in my life...my 'mac daddy'...
I wonder what will transpire over this next 10 year relationship?
A Navy man never let's his girl down...right?

(Now, I did have a '59 Edsel...Ed. He was a knock out...but that is another story...)