Yes I have mixed emotions. I didn’t worry about the kids eating and drinking in her. If there was a spill, her cloth seats really did clean up nice. I could haul small pieces of furniture purchases, a ladder and major grocery and Christmas shopping trips. She got a couple bumps and bruises, nothing major, no accidents to speak of. She just kept running dependably. I’m a self professed redneck,(probably more “down to earth” then redneck) from a small town in Washington state, and the word Dodge fit this self image. It was American made! With all the pride that goes with it. I bought her with the intention of keeping her for the long haul. And now at the tender age of 5 yrs old, I am giving her up. I hope that the Dirty White Dodge Minivan goes to a nice big family, who values her dependability, that they will take pride in her appearance, keeping her tune-ups on time, changing her oil regularly. She will be dependable for many more years if they do. She has overall low miles for a 5 almost 6 year old minivan. Most would be topping off somewhere around 100,000, not her, she just topped 60,000 miles. OK, enough of my sentimental meandering...at 5:30 today, I’m off to sign the papers that sets her course on a different direction then mine. Although I’m giving her up, I have my memories.

My travels will now be in a taupe (not BROWN, not GOLD, TAUPE) colored Toyota Sienna with taupe (yes I love taupe) leather interior. She will have a sun roof for letting in the fresh (ok pretty polluted) Arizona air. She has so many speakers, I gave up counting them before I knew how many there were. Just sitting in her, had me feeling out of place. I certainly can’t let the kids eat fast food with those leather seats. And how the hell will I be able to work the DVD player for the kids, since I can’t reach the controls from the drivers seat? And Satan’s Spawn (aka; Riley) having his own control to the air conditioning, my gas mileage is going go thru the roof! And who the Hell needs heated seats in Arizona?

And finally, I’m giving up my catchy little phrase, The Dirty White Dodge Minivan. Admittedly it was only a catchy phrase the way I said it with a song in my voice. And probably I’m the only one who enjoyed it. But after all, when it comes to your car, it’s only you who enjoys it anyway. The Toyota Sienna just doesn’t feel like MINE yet. I hope eventually it does feel like me. But I’m not convinced as she is far too complicated and fancy to fit me. I can’t possibly come up with a catchy title for a taupe colored Toyota Sienna. It just doesn’t have that down to earth, what you see is what you get mentality to it. The “I’m busy and don’t have time to wash it, who cares, it gets me where I’m goin” feel to it. It is taupe, I really like the color taupe. And due to its neutral color, it WILL hide the film of dust better then the Dirty White Dodge Minivan. (If my husband reads that, I’m in trouble.) Part of me is excited to drive off in her brand new prettiness, but a look in the rear view mirror, at the faithful ol’ Dirty White Dodge Minivan, will have me feeling torn with mixed emotions.




So this ends a month that has been far busier then previous months. And it is going out on a frantic note as well. I have one more post for Domestic Violence Awareness Month that will be posted in November, but one that I feel it’s important for me to put out there. As I’m a sappy believer in “All things happen for a reason” I’m going to assume that when it’s posted is when it will do the most good. (I sleep better at night, when I can look at things gone unaccomplished when they were supposed to, as that is the way it was intended)

Hope everyone’s week started off well and Happy Halloween!