The New Car Conundrum

Back in July, I had a little windfall. Not much of one, really, considering that, combined with my salary, I cleared just a tad over what I'd made at my previous job.

One of the things I seriously considered (on the urging of my then-bf who has purchased more new vehicles than I can count) is purchasing a new car. After all, my car -- which I bought for less than $10K and was already a year old with 36K miles -- is 10 years old, has been paid off for five years, and is closing in on 160K miles. My car is the epitome of no-frills. No cruise control, no tilt-wheel, no sun roof...it doesn't even have a rear-window defroster, an intermittent wiper setting, floor mats, or hub caps. The fanciest accoutrements (sp?) it has are an automatic transmission and dual airbags. It wheezes up mountains, has the pep of a tortoise, and the engine noise is so loud you almost need earplugs.

"You know, I worked really hard for that windfall. Really hard," I told myself. "How many chances will I have to purchase a car, brand-new, outright. No interest. No car payments." In my ex's eyes, it was a no-brainer. And for many others, it would be as well.

But I wasn't ready. So I socked the cash into my savings, where it earned .0000000001% interest. I felt better having it there while I pondered the possibilities of what I was going to do with my cash.

Blow it on an exotic adventure for my 40th birthday, like a trip to Beijing for the 2008 Olympics? Prague? Amsterdam? Maybe. My close friend is traveling to Marrakesh during my birthday to stay with her friend whose son set her up with a free place to stay for a month. I'm hard at work figuring out how to gracefully invite myself to join them (I'd get my own lodging) without looking like a vacation-poacher...keep your fingers crossed! After all, I have become extremely resistant to traveling alone anymore, because of the state of the world these days, not to mention the fact that traveling solo doesn't hold the "I'm so cool and independent that I don't mind traveling alone" romance it once did.

Invest in home improvement? You know, this is a great idea. Statistics show that the best investment you can make in your home is to spiff up your kitchen and bathrooms. And mine desperately need it: new cabinets, new appliances, new sinks. But I don't want to spend a fortune on improvements that may not pay off once I sell. Besides, I have no intention of selling any time soon. I love where I live. But, it seems to me that this is the perfect reason to upgrade. Why spend my hard-earned money upgrading just so someone else can enjoy it? Shouldn't I be the one enjoying it? So, I'm going to look into inexpensive ways to upgrade that will increase the value of my home without eating up my money. Hmmm....

Sock away money in my IRA? I went back and forth on this one for a loooong time, but I finally decided it was in my best interest to put the max into my IRA. I still have plenty left over, thank goodness. I just wouldn't feel right if I didn't do it. So I did.

Give some money to charity? I did that, to. Gave a pretty fat check to my church, which just celebrated its 2-year anniversary and had to be self-sufficient at the 2-year mark. I felt good about that.

For the time being, rather than buying the Yaris I want, I have decided to keep my car after reading this article on MSN Money. I have used every weapon in my arsenal to feel good about the decision. I bought a set of Michelins for less than $300 at Costco (the old girl's earned herself a nice pair of shoes), steam-cleaned the upholstry and carpet, and keep up on oil changes. I'll be getting her a new timing belt soon and maybe a new paint job. I figure I'll save gobs on money in insurance (I only carry liability and pay maybe $500/year) and property taxes (I pay less than $70/year). It's a no-brainer. She works great. My mechanic says I can get her up to 500K miles if I continue babying her the way I have. And well, that's pretty cool to tell folks I'm in a car with a half-million miles on it, right?

My dad's mentioned buying the car from me for more than I'd get on trade-in. It's tempting. Between that and what's left over from my windfall, I could very well be able to afford to buy a car outright. But we'll see.

In the meantime, I'm still in the Tabbymobile everyone knows me by. But who knows. Come New Year's, I might be in a new Yaris!

Farewell, Sparky. :-(

Sparky Carnes
1990 - October 3, 2007 @ 10:45 a.m.

My mother called today to inform me that my 17-year-old cocker spaniel, Sparky (aka "SparkCaaaaaarnes!") has an appointment with the vet tomorrow at 10:45 a.m. to be humanely euthanized.

This dog...what can I say? He was a "consolation gift" from an ex-boyfriend who thought I needed company while I struggled to keep myself together in the face of crushing heartbreak and venturing away from my hometown of Lexington, KY for the first time.

We lived in Charleston, SC together and were absolutely inseparable. He went everywhere with me: to Folly Beach to feed boiled peanuts to the seagulls, on excursions to Georgetown to see the shrimp boats dock, to Edisto Island to hunt for shells, to downtown Charleston to stroll the historic streets and people-watch. Every Sunday morning, I took him with me to Vickery's on Beaufain Street. We sat on the patio and I got numerous "oohs and aaahs" over how beautiful he was.

He is an exceptionally beautiful dog.


There is no question in my mind that I could not have survived the "rite of passage" I experienced in Charleston if Sparky hadn't been at my side every step of the way.

After leaving Charleston, I took him to my parents' house in KY while I was in grad school. I had every intention of reclaiming him after graduation, but he'd become so attached to my family (and vice versa), I didn't have the heart to take him away from a place that made him so happy.

My mom know how much I missed him, so she had a great idea. Whilst on a field trip with my nephew to visit a frontier woman who makes her living weaving yarn from the hair of the llamas she raises, she decided to ask her if she could weave yarn out of Sparky's hair. She said she could.

So, for the next nine months, every time Mom took Sparky next door to get groomed (my neighbor's a professional dog groomer), she took Sparky's clippings home in paper grocery bags.

Eventually, it became this:


I won a DVD of "Lilo & Stich" for calling this story in to the Bob & Sheri Chatroom several years ago. :-)

So, by this time tomorrow, Sparky will have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, a place all pets go to live out their lives playing, running, and basking in forever-sunshine and doting animal-lovers.

I have no doubt Sparky will have unlimited access to things we, his earthly family, found annoying: used napkins, stinky garbage, kitty litter and dirty diapers. Yes, he was a "gross little dog," which I reminded him constantly by saying, "What the heck is wrong with you, Spark Carnes? That ain't no way for a cocker spaniel to act!"

Sparky, you lived a happy, full life surrounded by people who loved you. You were my faithful, happy, beautiful companion during the absolute darkest, loneliest time of my life. But you always greeted me with a smile, a wag, and a nudge to my hand when you saw the pain I was in. May you have a never-ending supply of squeaky toys, and may a human always be there for you run and show them to.

I love you! And I will most certainly miss you.

It's kind of cheesy, but here's the poem titled "Rainbow Bridge"

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

-- Author Unknown