For the past forty years, one of Steve’s big Bucket List items has been to own a convertible. But of course, you know how it is. The time is never right, the money is never there, and the practical side of things never seems to mesh with what’s currently going on in life.
And so the Bucket List item languished for a very long time, right up until last week–when Steve, at long last, bought his convertible.
Let me just say that he was a happy, happy guy, especially as he sat out in the driveway and pushed buttons to make the top go up and down. (It can’t be readily confirmed, but he might even have said, “Vroom, vroom” a few times.
(The truck in the back ground was a loaner.)
Steve had been driving an Aurora Oldsmobile for about 7 years; you’ve probably seen it here and there in different blog posts.
However, about a month ago, the Aurora started having several problems, the worst of which was that at random times, it wouldn’t start. (We have found that having a car that starts is really quite helpful.)
Ever since we’ve been married, our Official Smith Vehicular Plan has been to pay cars off, repair whatever breaks and keep driving them until the wheels fall off. We’ve always believed it’s better to have a repair bill than a car payment. But when Steve took the (very high mileage) car to the mechanic and found that the repair was going to cost $2400 (the car is only worth $1200), we knew the time had come to start the search for another vehicle.
When we started the process, Steve’s Long Delayed, Convertible-Buying, Bucket List Item Dream started kicking in. He began looking online for used Mazda Miatas which has been his convertible of choice for many years. (Of course, he would have been quite happy with a Porsche or BMW convertible too, but they are priced just a wee big high.)
He spent several weeks looking and reading and researching and discussing with me horsepower, alloy wheels, trim levels, curb weight, transmissions, Bilstein shocks, limited-slip differentials, power trains and other mysterious terms. I just nodded sagely and said, “Uh huh. How interesting.”
Unfortunately, every time Steve found a car that he liked (that was in our budget range) it was off in some faraway state which didn’t help matters much. After he had spent hours and hours looking at every car website imaginable without any luck, I figured that maybe I should lend my own modest car-searching talents to the undertaking.
I didn’t have much hope I’d find anything since he had already peered into virtually every corner of Mazda-dom but I still sat down and gave it a whirl. And in just a few minutes of searching, a particular car that looked like a possibility popped up on the screen. Happily, it was only three hours away!
I showed it to Steve and he said, “Hmmmmm . . .” which is manspeak for, “That is interesting enough for me to want to take a test drive.”
It just so happened that the very next morning, he was scheduled to be in Durham for a church member’s surgery and the trip was going to take him to within just a few miles of the car dealership that had the Mazda. What great timing!
And even better? He has a pastor friend in that same area who he stopped to see on the way through town. When Steve mentioned that he’d been looking for a car his friend said, “Well, one of my church members is the manager of several large car dealerships in the area; I’ll put in a call to him and see if he can help you out.”
Guess what?
The car I had found on the Internet just happened to be on the very lot this guy manages. What are the chances of that happening?
Well, Steve test drove the car and loved it. It’s a 2008 with only 36,000 miles on it and has an automatic transmission with paddle shifters. (I told Steve I was NOT willing to drive a standard transmission.) The guy gave us a great deal and his company even delivered the car and picked up our old car for us, using it as part of the down payment.
Now here’s the thing. Throughout the car-hunting process I had been sort of humoring Steve along like, “Yeah, you want a convertible and that’s fine but I really could care less.”
But that was before I got in said convertible and took it for a drive.
And it turned out to be really, really fun!
In fact, last night I took it out for a sunset spin over the north bridge.
What a marvelous feeling to drive along with the top down–surrounded by a sunset over water, accompanied by the breezes of the early autumn evening. It was one of those truly golden moments in life.
What made it even better was that the whole time I was driving over and back on that 5-mile bridge, I only saw one other car. Talk about feeling like you have a whole sunset to yourself. It was magical!
(By the way, I didn’t take this photo while driving. Since there were no cars in either direction, I stopped for a minute and grabbed the photo.)
So there’s our car story.
One Bucket List item crossed off and two people who are going to have a bunch of fun in future days exploring the beauty of our coastal home with the top down, the sun smiling, and the wind singing.
Just call me the Miata Mama.
What about you? Is there anything on YOUR Bucket List you’ve crossed off in the past few years? I’d love to hear it! If you haven’t crossed something off, what’s something on your Bucket List you’d really like to cross off?
Oooh, very nice. Good for Steve and you! How are you going to pick up Nathan and family from the airport? I remember when it hit us that we were vanmaterial. Had our third baby and were all going to the airport to pick up grandmom, and were going to grab a dinner out on the way back. My oldest asked where grandmom was going to sit since the new baby carseat split the back seat so that he and his toddler were on either side of that carseat Ha, ha. Had to turn around and come back home.
Cath,
I’m glad you turned around before you got all the way to the airport! 🙂
We still have our trusty old minivan that we will use for all those airport trips and trips to Florida.
Congratulations Steve for crossing something off your bucket list. As I say to my husband, “Sometimes you have to bite the bullet”. His truck gave up the ghost 3 years ago and when he started looking around for another good “used” truck, we found that in our case, it was just as economical to purchase brand new. My husband at 52 years old had never owned a brand new truck in his life. We aren’t here on earth forever so enjoy while you can.
Mel,
I can only imagine how exciting it was for your husband to drive a new truck for the first time in 52 years. At least he really appreciated it–unlike someone who might only buy new vehicles and therefore, doesn’t ever get to the experience the “newness” of buying something new.
You’re right–enjoy life while you can! (As the budget allows, of course.) 🙂
Most of my bucket list is travel-related. I crossed one off, I went to Chernobyl two years ago and explored all the abandoned areas. Another I just crossed off last month, meeting my half siblings over 20 years after finding out they existed. I’ve ridden in a hot air balloon twice, so that’s done. Now I want to go to Barrow, AK (absolutely nothing there to do, but it’s a very remote, northernmost town that’s the total opposite of FL where I live!) I also want to see bioluminescent water, like in the Maldives and Puerto Rico, and wade in a pink lake like Lake Hillier in Australia. My last item is to ride in a blimp one day. I need to start sucking up to Goodyear now!
Melissa,
From Chernobyl to Goodyear; you’ve sure got an interesting collection of interests and bucket list-ness! I love the variety of your list and I especially love that you finally got to meet your half siblings after all those years. I know there’s got to be quite a story behind that; so happy for you all!
Don’t really have a said bucket list. But if I did traveling would be on top!! One day… Nice car! Enjoy it!!
Catherine,
I hear ya–traveling would be such a great thing to be able to do.
Very nice car!!! I’m sure yoiu will have great times riding around in it! I don’t really have a bucket list but since life is short I try to take advantage of any opportunity that comes along…
Michele,
Taking advantage of every opportunity is a great creed for life. Good for you!
My bucket list is all travel related. Up there at the top is seeing the Northern Lights, preferably in Iceland and seeing a total solar Eclipse from a cruise ship.
Jen,
You have very cool Bucket List Wishes. Whoever would have thought of seeing a total solar eclipse from a cruise ship? Be sure to let us all know when you finally do it!
Very nice car! Can’t wait to see Sarah driving it 😉
I don’t have a bucket list, which is probably not a good thing.
Lesley,
Well get that Bucket and get that List! 🙂
That is a great looking car!!! My first car was a 1957 Buick convertible. The only problem was that the top didn’t work with the button, so it had to have two folks put it up and down. Our senior yearbook page had large senior photo and a small whatever-you-want photo. In mine I was standing next to the convertible with a bucket, and the caption said “When it rains, she pours.” Fortunately, the teachers were always nice, and would let me leave class to put the top up if there were an unexpected rain shower.
Can’t think of any bucket list happening, but it is sorta amusing that a bucket was featured in the above tale.
Mrs. Pam,
Instead of a bucket list you had a bucket story. Works for me!
Wow! That is one sweet car!! And you both look awesome in it! 🙂 You and Steve will have many, many fun times and road trips in that car! Just last month, when our whole family was on vacation at Lake of the Ozarks, I got to go for a helicopter ride!! I have ALWAYS wanted to do that, but never wanted to pay the high prices. This one was a shorter, cheaper option so we decided to do it. Mark that one off the bucket list! It was my husband, my daughter-in-love, and me and it was amazing! Now I’m hooked and will definitely do it again!
LeeAnne,
How fun to get to do an helicopter ride! Thankfully, there’s no rule against doing Bucket List items twice!
I had always wanted to go to Pigeon Forge, TN, and Dollywood. My parents went several times but I was always working (before Jim and I married) and could not go with them. Last October we went to the Pigeon Forge area and stayed at Sevierville. I was delighted. Jim loves the mountains so he really enjoyed it. The car is awesome!!! Hope to see you driving it one day.
Ann,
How great to want to do something for so long and finally get to do it. I think the waiting and anticipating probably make your experience all the more enjoyable.
WOW that looks like a really nice car! And i can just imagine how much fun it will be for you to drive in it. Weeeeeeeeee!!!!
Jenna,
Weeeeeeeeeee is right!! Lots of fun.
How Awesome!! So happy for you guys! Good things come to those who wait!! 🙂
Sheri,
Next time you’re in NC, we two Pastorly Ladies will take ‘er out for a spin. 🙂
Love it!
Jessica–thanks. It’s been lots of fun!
That is one nice car! Our friends have the same (same color even!) and I have to admit, I’m a bit jealous of them (and you too!) haha 🙂 Enjoy the rides!
One of the things I crossed off my bucket list is going to Scotland. I had been dreaming of it since I was in high school, and I got the chance to travel there two years ago with my love, on my 26th birthday. It was amazing!!
Renee,
Scotland would definitely be on my list of places to visit. (Especially since I’m on Scotch Irish.) It’s sort of nice that you didn’t to go when you were younger because it made it extra special to get to go with your husband. So glad that worked out!
One of my things crossed off my bucket list was meeting the Smiths! Something I never thought would happen since I live in California! Cue in a good friend moving to North Carolina after retiring and I have lost count of how many times I was joyfully able to spend with the Smiths! Next up I want to meet Austin and hope that will happen in the next few months with a little luck?
Cindy,
Awwww. . . you’re so sweet. Hope you get to meet Austin, as well.
I’m really glad you like it.
LOL
Steve,
Me, too, since it’s now ours! 🙂
After driving a Mercury Cougar for 14 years, it was time to think about getting another car. My husband also had to get a different car. My dream was a Lincoln Town Car and unbeknownst to me my husband went on different web sites and told me he had found me. I was unbelieving because even though every time we would go places and I would see one and say, “there’s my car” – never in my wildest dreams thought we would get one. Well, I am now driving a 2004 Town Car. Wasn’t on my bucket list, but I’m really enjoying it.
Sharyn,
I had to Goggle the car to see what it looks like–that is one fancy ride. Enjoy!! (And what a thoughtful husband.)