The First 5,000

Since February, I’ve been getting acquainted with my new used car. How a car can be considered “USED” when it only has 13 miles is a puzzlement. But, that’s exactly the way it was sold to me. A “USED” luxury car with 13 miles on the odometer. Because of its status, it came with a 6-year-unlimited-mileage-warranty. Something I’ve never heard of, but something that definitely fits my situation perfectly.

Let’s see. In six years, I will be well into my 70th year. I, too, will be enjoying unlimited miles of scenic tours from sea to shining sea. My average speed by that time will be 35 mph. This mature woman and her brand new car are a match made in heaven. Until then, I’ve been learning the power and speed of this new car. Just yesterday I found it necessary to pass an overloaded semi on a long stretch of desert roads. Just for a moment, I felt what 102 mph feels like. In this car equipped with its turbo engine, driving feels more like flying over the ground.

The first 5,000 miles have taken me from the Pacific beach to the Sierra Nevada’s. From the Gateway to Yosemite to the high desert plains I call home. It’s carried me to the shore of the most beautiful lake I know. It’s kept me safe in snow storms and warm during one of the coldest winters on record.

My new car has features even Barbie hasn’t dreamt up. It took awhile, but I now know that with the swipe of my foot under the rear of the car, the back hatch opens automatically. Hands-free. Once I’m home, t will bother me with texts if I forgot to lock up. It will also not allow me to lock the car if the keys are inside. It finds directions to places I don’t even know exist. And, like my Jeep, it has gauges for pitch and roll, as well as a compass just in case I ever decide to go off-roading.

When I first saw her right outside the show room on that snowy day at the end of February, the salesman told me I wouldn’t be disappointed in performance or service. So far, he’s been correct. That morning, I had to wait to see her for the first time. She was being filmed for the weekly television ad for the dealership, being so special. I wonder what the advertisement would have said? It never had a chance to run.

“Step right up and buy this amazing used car. 13 miles on the odometer. This is a one-of-a-kind!”

When she was done filming, they drove her down and the rest is history. I still remember being in a daze while getting my picture taken next to a car with a bright red bow on the top. I didn’t get to keep the bow, but it was fun to take possession of a car with a bow.

I did have something to celebrate at that time. Grievinggardener had just passed 500,000 reads. Quite something for a little old lady that gets up at 4:30 every morning to put out a blog meant to help fellow Grievers get through the day.

I plan to name her very soon. Her name will be “PAGES” and she’ll quite possibly by my last car. There are somethings in life that we can’t deny. The passing of time is one of them. Until tomorrow comes, I plan to drive her down my roads of today.

K and T, (my kids that aren’t kids anymore) came to visit before Easter. They were relieved to see that my average speed at that time was 34 mph. Ha Ha Ha. Silly kids. I need to ask the dealership to disconnect that feature next week. Otherwise, it might be a keyless journey of “Off to the Home” for me.

With the weather still unpredictable and very cold, I’m stuck at my desk while planning my next road trip. Summer 2023. MM, Me, and PAGES. Let the adventure begin. No worries. We have unlimited miles.

More tomorrow.