Drum roll, please…

I would like you all to say hello to “The Edge”.

 

He is a Ford Edge and it made me think of U2 and Bono and “The Edge” guitarist guy, and therefore, he must be a male.  We threw around a few other possible name choices (which I won’t mention here), but this just clicked.   Maybe it’s a bit “Captain Obvious”, but as my friend Lisa reminded me, Big Red was no stroke of creative genius either.  <gasp> So there.  I don’t know why I am compelled to name my cars, but I just am.  All my cars have had names.  There was “Jetta”, “323”, “The Ru” and then of course, “Big Red” (may she rest in peace).  Surely I am not the only one who has such a compulsion??

As you can clearly see, he is not red.  Sadly.  He is more of a metallic pewter/silvery/gray/ color.  What can I say?  We were in a pinch.  You can see Big Red in the background.  Doesn’t she seem perfectly unaware that she is being replaced?  Pretty pitiful really.  I guess senility has really kicked in big time.

Though we are currently suffering from sticker shock–we haven’t had a car payment in 3 years–we are liking our new ride.  He has a roomy seating area and though we have sacrificed the third row, which we never used anyway, we still have enough cargo room in the back.  The first road trip will be the true test of that theory, however.

I am trying to remember if I’ve ever felt so nauseous during a car purchase.  It is incredibly stressful.  I thought Clyn was going to projectile yak right there across the table onto our salesman once we started throwing numbers around.  Then I started feeling green around the gills myself.  I mean, you test drive the car, you love the car, then you go haggle about the price of the car and then quickly, you slide down the slippery slope of wondering if you are doing the right thing.  Now that it is all said and done, I believe we have.  It drives great.  And when I turn the key, I know it is going to crank and that right there is priceless, y’all! 

Saturday evening, as we were driving The Edge home for the first time, Jacob says, “Mom, what are you going to write about on your blog now?”  Emma says, “ME!”  Ha!  That gave me a big ole chuckle.  But seriously, I am hoping that this will be the last car related blog I write for a long, and I do mean a LONG, time.  Big Red gave me lots of angsty blog fodder and I suppose now I will find my fodder elsewhere.  Blog fodder is easily found, if you are looking for it.

A HUGE SHOUT OUT to my sweet friend Torri who has spent a good bit of time recently shuttling me around on Big Red-related errands. It is MUCH appreciated. She did her last deed today as I took Big Red to her final resting place at my local Ford dealer.  Love ya, girl!

As we drove out of the parking lot, I looked over at Big Red one last time.  I bid her a fond farewell and thanked her for her service.  There were more good times than bad.  I had a fleeting second of nostalgia and then I said to Torri, “I feel like I should be sad, but I’m really not.”  And I’m really not.  I’ll tell you when I WILL be sad…on the 15th of next month when that first payment is due.  Of course now we’re paying for peace of mind and not to hold the pieces of our sad little car together.  There is a big difference.

My blog will still remain Red Van Ramblings, as an homage to Big Red.  Sort of an “in memoriam” kind of deal, I suppose.  Frankly, I like the name and “The Edge Ramblings” doesn’t really work for me.  Plus, I think it’s kind of carved in “spaces” stone.

So, as we say our final goodbye to Big Red, I thought it would be best done with a song.

Here’s to you, girl.

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam