They let me know you were gone

Today we mourn the passing of a dear friend, Little Red. Little Red was born to her single mother, Ragged Around the Edges, in the summer of 1996. Red enjoyed drives to Target, going to Dairy Queen and a good vacuuming.

Red will be sadly missed by her step-brother, Stratus, and her cousins, Focus, Blazer, Toyota and Saturn. In lieu of flowers, Red requested that donations be made to the Ragged New Vehicle Fund.

Red will take with her many memories. She was a fine friend, a dependable partner and always up for any challenge whether it be moving her owner from one home to another, long drives to visit friends or even short trips to the bookstore.

She will be missed and can never be replaced. (However, her owner is hoping that she can find a suitable car two to three years old and in her price range.)

As you can tell, my dear little car is no longer. The mechanic called yesterday and gently broke the news: my head gasket was blown and it was far too costly given the age of Red to fix it. We will pick her up this afternoon, patched back together enough to be a viable trade-in, and make plans for a “replacement”.

So sad. So sad. I know that most people would realize this as a sign and go about enjoying the hunt for a new car. However I am filled with anxiety about this new chapter in my car life. I tend to become rather attached to vehicles and it’s tough for me to even begin thinking about the debt, the payments, choosing a suitable used vehicle. It’s too much. It’s too much.

Tomorrow the hunt begins. I am already getting far too much unsolicited input from everyone. “You need an SUV.” “I think a truck is the way to go.” “I can’t believe you are thinking about a foreign-made car.” “Four door cars are for old men.” “Go new. Go new.” I think that many have been on standby with advice just waiting for Red to pass.

Cynical and I have big plans for an extensive search and multiple test drives tomorrow, but my heart’s only half in it. The other part is mourning my Little Red. I bought her new all on my own many moons ago. I was so proud. I kept her shiny. I kept her clean. I even changed her oil religiously in homage to the car gods.

However, a lot has changed and I think I am "splurging"* and getting a CD player, automatic locks and even power windows. Welcome to the new millennium, Ragged! (My car was a car, no bells and whistles, nothing extra. A basic tape player, crank windows and push button locks. Red and I were the butt of lots of jokes and watched many ride with us in awe that we were so “basic.”) We liked it that way.

I am kinda looking forward to that CD player though. Sorry, Red.

*Ok, I know this stuff is standard now, but this is high style for a girl like me.

In other big news, guess what joined our little family yesterday? Meet Canon Powershot A95. The photo I am showing here was taken with the new camera of a tree in our front yard. It's the same tree that Little Red was parked beneath each day. I thought it a fitting tribute.