Our departure was abrupt. And I now feel the need to wax reminiscent. We bought the truck a year before the Teen was born. It was the vehicle we brought him home from the hospital in; strapped his little infant seat right into the front, and for the next year, he rode in the middle, right between Big Dude and I.
(what’s that you say? you can’t see the baby in the seat? he was kinda tiny. and Big Dude kinda looked like a baby himself. behold…)
But back to the truck … It got its first big dent not long after we bought it. Big Dude took it to an offroad park with several 4wd-ing co-workers. He drove right over a tree stump hidden by bushes. We later put black ink on our teeny-tiny, darling baby’s feet and pressed them right into the dent. The ink feet … amused us … and remained visible for about a decade, even through all the washings!
The impetus for buying such a big truck was to pull our boat. Which it did, faithfully. It also hauled junk to the dump, helped numerous friends to move, brought landscaping materials to our new home, carried us and our stuff and our dogs on about a gazillion road trips, and has been the only “tent” I’ve camped in since we bought it.
Speaking of camping, I spent the coldest, longest night of my life [not sleeping] in the back of the truck a couple years ago in Joshua Tree. It wasn’t the truck’s fault. We had neglected to bring our down comforter.
So this is my official goodbye. It’s a bit less abrupt than our car dealership departure. Goodbye, Truck. You’ve been very good to us.
11 comments:
That is where I purchased my Grand Cherokee back in 05...Love HB Chrysler...
I know how you feel. Somehow a reliable vehicle becomes a part of your family. One of the best decisions I ever made was buying my green 1997 Geo Prizm and I was very sad to pass it down to my brother and his wife after I'd had it for a dozen years. Gertie is doing well for them also and, though, she does moan and groan, she behaves as well for them as she did for us.
Grant is gonna be so jealous! Exciting for you though! Love the color and we love Jeeps. If we could fit all of us in a Jeep we would in a heart beat!
Thank you; I needed that too. :-)
I have a hard time saying goodbye to our cars too. They are like a part of your family!!!
I see your husband in your boys faces. Wow.
Just looking at the snow covered truck and thinking of you with out a down comforter...makes me want to cry. I like sleeping in a cold room, but NOT in a super cold tent without anyway to get warm!!!
What a perfectly timed post. We just said goodbye to our van of 14 years. I felt like we left behind many fun memories with our kids, trips, sports, driving around town...it was sad to see that go. I totally get how you feel.
When I first saw your younger husband I thought I was looking at one of your boys! Loved the trip down memory lane.
And I LOVE your new Jeep!!!
Hi Susan, I've only commented once before but follow your blog regularly. Loved seeing that Jeep you rented in Hawaii. I'm in Minnesota and buying a new Wrangler. May I ask, is yours a 2013 and is that color "Dozer" or "Crush"? We've been having a hard time seeing the actual color as these Wranglers sell as soon as they're on the lot. Congrats on the new Jeep - I bet all of your boys love it!
MaryLou - yes, it's a 2013 and it's Dozer (it's almost exactly school-bus-colored, or Catepillar bulldozer machinery yellow). We also saw the Crush color at the dealership. If you can picture in your head (or even google an image) a can/bottle of Orange Crush soda ... it's exactly THAT color. It's cute. We liked them both. My husband was slightly more partial to Crush; I like Dozer an awful lot. Have fun shopping! Let me know what you end up with :-).
Ha, I remember that Diet Coke bottle pic (and of course the truck). Funny, just last weekend at the Auto Show here, we went to "Camp Jeep" where we test rode a Wrangler through a course of logs, uneven terrain and this crazy steep incline and descent. Hubby and kids that it was all quite cool, I was terrified (though at least a bit relieved when the nice lady from Jeep explained to me that we wouldn't be doing the driving ourselves, we'd ride with a professional driver).
Just want to say hello and that I am a huge fan of your pictures.. :)
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