A Very Good Buy!

My husband’s 40th birthday was approaching.

It was hard on him.

This was a milestone that he was not eager to reach.

The year was 2004.

Suddenly he began talking about a cute sports car that he wanted to buy from a friend at work.

I kind of thought that was wishful thinking and when I heard the asking price of the car,$500, was sure that it was a heap of junk and there was no way I was interested in getting something like that. Why add a sports car to our insurance policy. I knew that would cost more than our very reasonable minimal coverages on the older vehicles we always seem to have. ( I cannot bear the thought of purchasing a new car and having payments or being the one to pay for the depreciation that is inevitable.)

Call me cheap…it doesn’t hurt my feelings!

We discussed the possibility of getting this car…which would seat, exactly two people at a time…there are five in this family…and I promptly forgot about it. I just put it completely out of my mind.

One day I came to the computer to check emails…and what was on the computer screen as the screen saver but this…


And this….

And this!


Oh, it was cute! I began to see the reason my dear husband was not giving up on this dream. I asked him for details so I could run it by the insurance agent to see how much it would cost to add it. Surely we couldn’t think of replacing a family car/van for this!

The asking price on the car truly was $500 if Warren bought it from this friend at work. If this man had sold it to anyone else, I am sure he would have gotten quite a bit more for it. Much work had been done on it not long before this.

I began to hatch a plan. I emailed and called family and asked them to help make this a 40th birthday present. I asked Warren if he would rather have this than a 40th party – yep! (Remember…I am cheap!) He was thrilled at the prospect of not having a party…and about getting the car.

I am sure that this was Warren’s favorite birthday gift… ever!

This car has been such a blessing to us. Most days it is Warren’s transportation to and from work. With gas prices being so high this car has saved us a bundle!

This is the car that carries Warren and a different child to their father/child breakfasts each week. The schedule rotates and the children almost never want to miss their turn! They always feel very special riding around in the convertible with Daddy!

There has been very little that has been needed to keep the car running happily along.

The best part…Warren still loves this little car…I tease him that if it stops running he can either pull a “Flintstone” and pedal with his feet…or pick it up and carry it home…how rude of me! But buying this car was a very good thing!!!

Now, if only we can convince it to keep running until Warren turns 50!