Sunday, April 24, 2011

Single on a Holiday

Happy Easter everyone!

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When you are married - or live with a mate - you have a filter. The filter that says 'shouldn't you be cleaning the house?' and other assorted sanity checks. When you are single, that filter does not exist.

So fast-forward to today. It's Easter Sunday. I've done all of the housework I intend on doing, I've been off work this past week so I've done the visits and fun things and now I'm bored. No relatives to visit, (that I would care to visit anyway), and my closest friends live miles away - far enough that I don't feel like getting into the car and onto the freeways. So now what?

Let's check email and surf the net. I get a vehicle maintenance reminder and go to the website to schedule the appointment. (What did we do before the internet?) From there, I start to look at used cars. I do need something with a hatchback for hauling larger items. Maybe a PT Cruiser. Let's see what they have.

I find one and it's dirt cheap. Just a 4-banger, but for what I'd be using it for that would be fine. So, as I wave good-bye to Paco and his sad eyes, (you're going somewhere without me?), I hop in the car and drive to the dealer.

The Cruiser was indeed a good deal, but it was Snowblind White. I'm not kidding - I've never seen a brighter white in my life on a car. Too bad I hate white cars. The posting said 'Sandstone White', so I imagined a creamy white. I could have lived with that, but not Snowblind White. No way.

So I look around the lot. I looked at Jeeps - those looked fun. I looked at mini-vans. Nah, not my thing. Then I saw the Dodge Nitro. Bigger than what I was originally looking for, but it's kinda cool. I test drove it and it was all over. It is now sitting in the driveway.

Nitro

This is the pic from the website. It's a 2010 with 17,000 (+ change) miles. It was one of their weekend specials. Of course, I checked out Car Fax and Edmunds before I test drove. Good reports and reviews and the price was way below what Kelly Blue Book indicated for that year-model-options. So, I think I made a good deal. If not, I'll just live in denial.

I didn't trade in my Sebring - I love that car! I don't know if I could ever live without a convertible ever again. This will be my utility vehicle.

And that is what one can do without the 'mate filter'. How was your Easter?