~ from Jill

I’ve had a mini van since before my youngest child reached toddler-hood, approximately 6 years. I’ve loved it; the spaciousness, room for baskets and buckets of toys – space to separate the two of them from hurting each other, room to sit next to a crying toddler and console him in his car seat, to stash bicycles and bags from Target in the trunk.

Then my boys grew older, one is approaching Middle School. The van felt clunky, and with my school commute I was driving three times more than before. Being a used car, it also had the permanent smell of wet dog (I swear), no matter how many scented air fresheners I used, and the floor had a constant confetti of beach sand, gummy worms and Lego pieces.

So, it broke down again two weeks ago, and this time we found out it would cost half the value of the car to fix it (transmission issues). We had to rent a car the week it was evaluated, and, by a stroke of luck, I was given a PT Cruiser (when the economy car I paid for had a flat).

The shape, size, and console reminded me so much of my old beetle bug, it was like going back in time: I loved it! The brakes were so sharp I had to learn not to pump before a light. . and it was just plain F-U-N!

When our time with the rental was up, we traded in our van for a brand-new Electric Blue PT.

Since then, I notice these cars everywhere, and wonder whose driving them: someone with recent freedom from toddler-hood age children? A divorcee, getting a second lease on life? A college student?

A grandmother stopped me in the parking lot today, and confided that she has the same PT in the exact same color:

I’ve spent most of my life in practical cars, and this is the first car I bought just for me, don’t you love yours? she asked me. “People make fun of me, but I don’t care – every time I get behind the wheel I laugh out loud.”

“You know”, I said, “I feel the same way~ “

“Enjoy it!” she said, and I promised her I would.