Naturally Optimistic

After I got my new car in November, I noticed a disturbing trend. The heater didn't really work. I mean, it worked...but it worked on it's own schedule. I couldn't adjust it for fear of it blowing freezing cold air. We finally figured out that if we turned the knob all the way to cold, and then back, it would start working again. I'm terribly slow (and short on cash) these days & just dealt with it through the cold months of winter. Sure it was a pain in the butt, but we survived. Last week, though, I couldn't stand it any more. It was 55 degrees outside. It was HOT in my car and I couldn't get any COOL air to blow. Just hot. My turning the dial trick didn't work. I was dying...ugh. I had to have the windows down just to breathe. It was annoying & made me crabby. Steve was in the car with me & said that that was just stupid & I should get it fixed. He was right, of course. He immediately called the auto shop & made me an appointment. So, ...

Goodbye my formerly trusty 2002 Ford Focus. You have served me well over the past 7 years. 76,000 miles, two road trips out west (including the "I'm-turning-30" trip to Yellowstone & the Proposal trip to Oregon & Washington; you've carried me, our family, all of our crap daily for a long time. I will admit I was a bit sad when I walked away from you for the last time. *sniff* Hello to my new 2005 Toyota Highlander! Hello to reliability, 4WD, lots of cargo room, a tow package & roof rack. Hello to being able to drive up my driveway in the winter. Hello to many camping trips in the future and many family adventures.

I'm trying to reconcile my inner-hippie-green-living-self with purchasing a SUV which gets not great gas mileage and is BIG. I love having a tiny little car that I can squeeze into virtually any spot, I only have to fill up twice a month and has a relatively small 'foot print' in general. I hate also having a car that is so small that trying to go away for the weekend is a tetris-like exercise in packing. I say to myself "I don't drive *that* much." My commute is negligible (1 mile? 2?) The only other places I go regularly are to the grocery store (3 miles?) and it's rare that I hit the road and drive down to Austin (although if I had a car that wouldn't feel as if it were to fly off the road, perhaps I would go more often!) or on road trips...but I still feel guilty. How do I balance out my AMERICANISM (ie: lots of stuff, big car, following the herd) with my GREENIE-WANNABE? If someone says 'hybrid' I will say YOU'RE RIGHT! But sadly it...

...that I need a new car...BADLY. I was driving home from errand running this morning on Arrowhead Road...(just off Haines Rd for any Duluthians). It's 41 degrees outside but in the shade some areas are still "frosty" from last night. Not "icy" just "frosty" I started fishtailing (!!!!!) in one of these areas. Scared the crap out of me (going about 45. Lovely). Made me want to stop the car and walk home (but that would entail several miles + lugging groceries = um, no.) I'm going car shopping on Thursday - I HAVE to find something. This will not do. (thankfully I was in the car by myself!)

So I'm looking for a new car. "New" to me, that is. I think I have it narrowed down but I waffle a little bit. I'm pretty sure I want to go with a Toyota Highlander. They seem to get great customer satisfaction reviews, hold on to their re-sale value like crazy (ie: they're expensive even with a lot of miles on them), I know it'll last a long time and it would have enough space for 2 kids, all of our crap, a canoe, bikes, etc etc. I also like the Honda CRV, but I fear ultimately that it's not "big enough" - I hate saying that because I love small cars and would love to continue to drive one, but I know how we are. I know how we are ESPECIALLY when packing up for a weekend or even an overnight trip somewhere! We have a lot of crap! I don't want to be stuck in a car (which I hope to have for 10+ years) that I don't think will 'fit.' (I looked at a CRV when I bought my Focus...I really loved it but it was too much $$ and used!) Part ...

On my way from visiting the world's cutest niece & nephews to my father-in-law's cabin yesterday, a lovely 3-hour-drive on mostly 2 lane highways, my right rear tire blew out! Well, more like cracked and disintegrated...which was unnerving enough. I had recently (within an hour) put air in the tire (to the correct PSI) and was taking it easy just to make sure when suddenly the car pulled to the right and I thought, Hmmmm, that doesn't feel right. I better check that tire. I pulled over on the shoulder (luckily I was on a 4 lane divided highway at this point somewhere in Wisconsin) and sure enough - my tire was smoking & crumbling (!) right there on the roadside. I called Steve who was at the cabin already and barely had a signal and told him what happened. While on the phone a mini-van pulled up behind me with a family in it. They had seen my tire go, gone past me, turned around and returned to help me! The mom & daughter helped me unload my car (filled with a b...