Alright, those of you that have known me for a while and/or read this blog for a while know that I occasionally digress from sewing posts. Here's one - either read on or go to your next blog!
In the last post, you heard my saga about my van - in the shop, taken in while on my way to a studio tour, yada yada yada....
I had a call from the mechanic today. I began writing down his dictation of the list of repairs that need done, then finally gave up - the list was just too long. We have a 1999 Dodge Caravan with 151,000 miles. It's ready to be put down. We knew this was coming someday.....just not TWO WEEKS after my husband's 1991 Toyota truck died and we purchased an economical used car for him. Karma? Fate? Unlucky coincidence? And irony on top of irony - as I rode my bicycle into the parking lot of Hip Stitch today, my BIKE started making a clackity-clack noise.....my BIKE. (easy repair, I'm sure)
So here's my marital debate: I came home today and proposed to my husband that we see if we can get by with one car. His response: NO. I came back with: reducing our carbon footprint, saving on insurance and gas and car bills and getting into better physical shape with walking and bike riding, and planning our shopping trips more carefully, and.....and.....and..... His response: We need 2 cars! Let me explain us a bit. I know, I've always been the one with rose-colored glasses. I come to him with grandiose ideas - let's move across the world for a year! Let's take the kids out of school and travel the country for a year!. Let's add on to our house and have my mom move in with us and we'll all save money! Dan is, well, realistic. And that's a good balance, I think. I love him dearly and he's the best guy around. I'm NOT complaining about him - let me make that clear! Those daisies that have been on the counter at Hip Stitch since Easter? from Dan. An occasional bowl of chocolate on the store counter? usually from Dan. He's the guy who will bring over things to the store that I've forgotten from home - an iron, an extra sewing machine, a spool of thread.
So what are your opinions? Do I need to take the rose-colored glasses off? Yes, there are times where we need to be in 2 separate places that both aren't within walking distance. But aren't there ways of working around it? Give it to me - the cold, hard truth.
And the next studio tour? Well, I'm working on doing a virtual one....stay tuned.
4 comments:
I think it is possible but it will/would be an adjustment. Basically your going to be taking a break from two cars while the decision is being made, so a trial run I suppose. But realistically there are things you wouldn't be able to do or have to wait to do. Especially living in the NE heights. Being farther from public transportation linkages will make it a bit more challenging, but if you want to you can make it work. Nothing is impossible.
Try it! You can buy a second car later if it is not working out for you. We have one car that we share. I sometimes use the bus or the bike or my feet ;). But I live in Norway, you live in Albuquerque, I don't know if that challenge is too much in your city?
Greetings from overseas
Heike
Wow. That post sounds really familiar. My husband and I have had this and similar "discussions." I like what anonymous said "you can buy a second car later if it is not working out for you." Maybe you are being overly optimistic. What it boils down to is how well your family can handle a lack of convenience. At my casa we manage admirably without many 'convenience' items such as most stuff that comes in individual portions (bottled drinks). Others, not so much. I think your best bet is "try it and see." You will want to have a good solid emergency plan though. I have a kid with heart issues and getting stuck relying on ambulance service to get him to the hospital is not in the picture. Make sure you have those types of bases covered and give it a go!
Not knowing your commute distances, or what city for that matter ... try the one car way for awhile and see how it works out.
Each day you only drive one car, you save some.
I have a little motor scooter ... just need to tune it and away I go. And since it is a scooter, 49 cc/35 mph top speed, I didn't need extra endorsements on my license.
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