Ode to a Minivan

Two weeks ago, I lost an old friend.

My trusty '96 Honda Odyssey - an invaluable gift from my mother-in-law about four years ago - finally died. I used to laugh about it and wonder why I had to be the childless soccer mom driving around in that thing, but truthfully, it was the best vehicle I could have ever had for that time in my life. It got me around campus while I was still in school (especially in the dead of winter - how on earth did I live without a car freshman year??). It helped me help friends who needed rides, and it fit ALL my stuff for coming back home when I graduated from Hillsdale. From the very start, I used it for hauling art and art supplies. These things take up a lot of space, you know!

After I got married, the minivan came with Steve and me to Texas, and when we were buying furniture for our new house, we fit an entire bedroom set in it! The van was there for me when I needed to transport art to competitions, or deliver a finished painting to a client. Best of all, it was able to accommodate our entire booth setup for art festivals around DFW without having to make two trips. Steve and I could put the tent, the carpeted panels, all of our supplies, and all the paintings in that one trusty vehicle, and know that we would get from Point A to Point B without a hitch.

Well, two weeks ago--and ironically, just a day after Steve finally fixed a funny noise that the van had been making for over a year--I was driving around, running errands, when the van just shut off and quit responding. I was fortunate enough to be at the grocery store parking lot, so I literally coasted into a parking space and sat there for a moment, wondering what to do. I called Steve; he left work and came to my rescue. We ended up having the car towed to the Honda dealership, and as I saw it taken away, I assumed that I would have it back tomorrow. I didn't even get to say goodbye!

Yes, the van was totalled - a pin had come loose, which caused the crankshaft to become loose and damage some valves.

So, Steve and I are car shopping this week. As an artist, I'm torn between the beautiful (an Infiniti G35) and the practical (an SUV with lots of trunk space). My new car should probably have enough space to accommodate a framed painting at least 37 inches wide...an odd criteria for buying a car, I know...but important nonetheless.

We'll see what happens. For now, rest in peace, my dear old Honda. You served me well.

Quick update: a local dealership gave us $3000 for a trade-in if we could get it there! Steve was actually able to drive it there safely, even though it stalled four times in transit! We took home a new Lexus suv! It's perfect for my business. I'm pretty sure I can fit a VERY good-sized painting in the back...

Ode to a Minivan