A Tribute To "Betsy"

Eight years ago after my mothers passing my dad very generously gave me her car. "Betsy" as we so affectionately named her, is a '94 red Subaru. Betsy is certainly nothing fancy but she has earned her keep in our family for the past eight years.

Her biggest contribution was that she was "paid for". She also was loyal to me, her primary driver. Anytime she decided to have a minor malfunction such as a dead battery, she always was kind enough to do it while Toby was with me. She never left me stranded and alone...well, maybe once. :-)

She was never a gas guzzler and she endured many a family outing that resulted in ground-in sand or dirt or french fries lodged in irretrievable crevices . She also carried us on long trips without a struggle, including the million mile trip to Austin and back a couple of times before we moved here.

Her strangest habit was occasionally self-locking her back door on the side that Summer sat on. I think she liked us. She's been a good girl....until lately.

Although Betsy probably has many more good miles left in her, she is beginning lack desire and enthusiasm. She has sprung a couple of oil leaks (incontinence) and her a/c went out several months ago (hot flashes). Lack of a/c in Texas is not a tolerated infraction...especially with my hotflashes.

Betsy has been such a loyal car that we seriously considered putting some money into her to extend her life. After considering it a little more, we decided that it would not be financially feasible.

Poor Betsy. She will be replaced but never forgotten.

Nevertheless, we have a new addition to the family underway. Tomorrow we will be signing papers for a 2009 Toyota Matrix who we have named "Sally". By the way, this whole idea of naming cars comes from Summer. She picked up the idea from her older brother who affectionately names all his cars.

I thought it was sorta weird to have an attachment to a car, but our salesman informed us today that he has had customers who physically kissed their trade in vehicles goodbye.

I guess cars are akin to homes. Most people spend more time in their cars than they do in their houses. A lot of memories can be made in a car...some naughty, some nice. :-)