parting with a dear, old, gas guzzling friend

4 and half years ago Adam and I drove off the Dublin Toyota lot in our brand-spanking new, gold Highlander. As I tearily parted with my beloved navy blue Honda Accord, I claimed a proud ownership to a new 2003 Toyota Highlander. With all it's bells and whistles, not to mention being higher than your average sedan driver, my Highlander successfully turned me into a very devoted SUV, and Toyota - gotta love those Japanese - lover.

So why are we passing on our Sequoia onto yet another SUV lover?

Ah, that's just the way life goes sometimes.

Oh, did I mention that 3 years ago we upgraded from a Highlander to a Sequoia? With 2 nephews, a neice and a sister to cart around we decided that a Highlander, with it's capacity to only hold 5, was just not enough car for us. Not to mention every time I pulled into a gas station an attendant would walk out, knock on my window and politely ask, "excuse me Miss, which arm should I cut off?"

Okay, so that never really happened. But it could have considering we lived in a region where gas was a dollar well above the national average.

So, fast forward three years later.

In our garage sits my cherished, rather large two-tone silver Sequoia, detailed and buffed to a pristine clean just waiting for another owner to come and snatch it up. And I'll say good-bye with all the diginity of a grown up all the while holding back the tears for the car that has become like a third child. Silly, the attachments we develop for things that don't have a heart beat.

Then I'll start the ignition to my smaller, more fuel efficient SUV. But will I love it as much as the monster truck I used to drive? Never.

Well, okay I'm sure I will eventually. I'm sentimental like that.

No doubt you are wondering what smaller, more fuel efficient SUV will occupy the space in our garage. Drum roll please...

It's a 2009 Astin-Martin.

For those of you paying attention to this post you're thinking, ya right.

And you're correct. I just had to throw that out there. The only way you'll see my name on a pick slip to a car that costs more the than the Gross National Product to a small country is if Adam and I win the lottery. I think i read somewhere that you have a better chance of being struck by lightning. I think that sums up my chances very nicely.

Sadly, to answer your question... we don't know. No SUV has been special enough to catch my eye. And I'm not picky.

Okay, you caught me again. I am just a little bit picky. I can't help it.

Until next time...