I didn't want to buy a car or have him get a job because I don't want people to think that we have given up on going to the mission field. So now that's out there; this move is not a cop out. It's just what we need to do, for the time being.
Back to the story. When we moved, Todd drove the black truck and I drove this little thing. It was loaded to the gills and had one little girl in it besides me. That was actually kind of fun, and she found out that the license plate game is more fun from the front seat because you can see so much more. We played "I'm going on Noah's Ark and I'm bringing..." which was schoolwork, but she didn't even complain! About an hour into the 5.5 hour trip, Todd called from the other car to ask where I was, and then why I was so far behind him. I had to tell him that his new little car got the shakes at 65mph!
We spent $1,000 on this car. To cure the shakes, we put three new tires on it that week. We also put in new headlamps and bought a stereo for $25, because it was missing. It's a 1991, in case you were wondering, with 80,000 miles on it.
A week later, as you know, we totaled our truck. Todd very kindly tells people that "we" totaled it, allowing them to believe that he was driving. He wasn't. But that's sweet of him, isn't it? He did pull the brake controller on the trailer though, so he figures his hands were on the equipment, too.
Anyway, this little buggy has been our main mode of transportation for the past three weeks. We do have another car which was loaned to us. That car doesn't fit the entire family, but it has allowed us to be in two places at once or to get the whole family to church in two cars. I want to thank our Pastor and her daughter for the brave loan, especially considering what comes next.
One day two weeks ago, I sent Todd to the grocery store for something missing from dinner. It was getting late, so imagine how dismayed we were when he called and said it would be longer than anticipated. Why? Because he got into an accident in the grocery store parking lot!!
You have got to be kidding me.
No, really.
At least it wasn't his fault. The other driver stopped at a stop sign, then went through it because he didn't see him. Here's the damage:
The other driver's insurance company was kind of slow to respond, so we took the car to the body shop we are familiar with. He gave us a nice estimate of about $1,600. Scroll up...yup, we paid $1,000 for the car, and it is totaled, less than three weeks later. Eventually they sent their own estimator up (he makes house-calls??) and he wants to give us $1,800, minus the $225 salvage value. Me, laughing? No, that's Todd you hear.
Have all the vehicles gone insane?
We expect a check in the mail any day now. We might take the car to the vocational training center to get the dent pulled out by students before snow flies.
In other vehicular news, we picked up the new minivan on Saturday morning. It was agony waiting for the check from the insurance company (for the camper; we're still waiting for the one from the truck) to clear so that we could get a cashier's check. We had found out on Wednesday morning that we "won" it in auction at the bank (it was a repossession).
Here it is: a 2005 Saturn Relay 2 or 3, depends who you ask apparently.
In that case, nice=safe. I hope that this one is the same. We registered it this morning (ouch!, $522!). Now, it needs the windshield wiper arm (and hopefully not the motor) replaced. That happens on Thursday.
Assuming we get the two remaining checks from the insurance companies, all's well and I won't have to put up any more posts about vehicles.
Posts, Julie. That's for you.
Hey, I almost didn't see you said 'posts'. I read to the bottom of a post about cars! You must have impressive writing skills.
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