Four weeks ago I returned from spending five weeks in Israel. I'm only starting to feel as if I am returning to myself, and partly because my plans for today were cancelled when a friend asked to postpone lunch.
I returned to the news Ashley's school bus situation was changing. Instead of taking her to her high school, the bus would pick her up with the public school kids, gather them together at the public school, then drive another mile to the Catholic School to drop them off. Fortunately we were already thinking about buying me a fun car for my 50th next month, and letting her take over the Corolla for her senior year in high school. This news just sped up the process.
The narrowing down process began last winter when Don suggested for my 50th he would buy me a used Saturn Sky (apologies for the Wikipedia link, the car ad links would likely disappear). The Sky is a 2-door, 2-seater, Roadster convertible about the size and trunk space of a car found at Disneyland's Autopia.
I test drove it on a wintry day and, yes, it was a lot of fun to drive.
Completely impractical, but fun.
Next I returned to my first favorite car and test drove a 1995 Saturn 2-door, 4-seater coupe. Also fun to drive, but oh so low to the ground and not much of a back seat, plus hard to find a nearly 20-year old car in really good shape.
Meanwhile driving down the highway was a 2-door Toyota Solara convertible that caught my eye. I told Don THAT was the car I wanted for my 50th birthday.
I set the parameters very tight -- must be light blue with a tan roof and interior, under 100,000 miles, within a reasonable driving distance, not too scuffed up. Ideally a 2008 (since that was the last year they made this model).
I figured this would take the rest of the summer to find, but that was okay. I was not in a rush.
Within a few days he found one in North Jersey with a black top and interior, and only 57,000 miles. Thought about it, but the salesman would not let me take it 15 miles away to have a Firestone mechanic check it out. I test drove it and loved the ride, but it was very scuffed, and the shady salesman turned me off.
Saw one with a tan interior, but someone else put a deposit on it to make sure the car was still there when he arrived from Florida (or was in Maine, the story kept changing).
Less than a week later one with a tan interior became available in Maryland and we took a day off from work to pick it up. We also learned our lesson and put a deposit on it so no one else could buy it out from under us.
The car does not have a scratch on it. Car Fax says the original owner took very good care of it. The other two owners not such great care (not bad care, but did not baby it).
I smiled the entire 2.5 hour drive home with the top down. The next day we took it to our mechanic, who said it was fine. Could use new struts, but that's normal for a car with this many miles on it. The car came with a three-day return policy, and a 30-day mechanical warranty.
Two weeks later I still think it is a very fun car drive. I'm enjoying the heated seats on cool nights with the top down. However, I have been told the back seat is not fun on the highways. Probably a good thing we waited until long past the car seat days.
Ashley has offered to go with me on road trips. Maybe the car will be good for some mother-daughter bonding experiences during her senior year. I'd like that.
PS: For my 50th I'm asking for donations to The Bridge Academy.
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