Trading Volvos

It is a debate in our home whether our current car trade was "up" or "down". I'm pretty sure you'll all be able to guess who feels each way. After only a year of ownership, we just sold this beauty.

We have been having incredible weather the past few days, so I was able to have a few last top down days with my car before selling it. Friday was a great day, I just need to document a few of the wonderful things about it (and one of them was definitely my long top down cruise). Other good things about Friday....my OB appt went great and the ultrasound report said that everything looked "perfect" (can't feel better about an appt than that!), got my overseas dental screening and don't have any cavities and didn't even need a cleaning (take that pregnancy...you can't ruin my teeth!), FINALLY got my volunteer badge and all my paperwork is complete (longest process ever...and for what? to work for free), I felt great, the car said it was 84 when I went to leave the hospital (hence the reason for putting the top down), and to top it off, it was the beginning of a 3-day weekend for Grant. So yes, Friday was a good day, but also my last day with "mullet".

 Things I will miss about this car: built in bluetooth, retractable hardtop with the touch of a button, quiet smooth ride, seat heaters (yes, even in Oceanside I like them at night :)...

 Before I present the "new" car, let me begin by saying how this all came about. Grant has been obsessed with cars since childhood (a fact that I knew when I married him so I can't pretend he tricked me-however, I think the extent of his obsession has escalated in the last few months). We had talked about the fact that we were moving to Okinawa, we would save money while we were there and he could come back here in 3 years and buy a "project." I was happy with the idea and there was really nothing he could argue with in that logic. Then...a guy at church who had been to Oki was talking with him and said that officers would often take old Corvettes over and sell them before they left, making a huge profit since they aren't available on the island. He said the military would move the car (as part of our regular move), etc. We were under the impression that taking a car was pretty much impossible (or really expensive) so we hadn't even thought about it. That's when he found out that you CAN take a car, it just has to be older than 1976. Who would have thought?! And thus...a renewed obsession with finding an old car to now take with us to Japan next summer. He justified this purchase by stating it was a "family" car (not 2 door, has 5 seats, etc) unlike some of the other cars he likes. 

The car purchasing search went on for awhile (but nothing in California ever surfaced...until this one.) It was in running condition (which was one of my non-negotiables), pretty good condition, no rust, and exactly the car Grant had been searching tirelessly for. It is amazing how different we are. When we went to test drive it, we sat down in the car and I said, "This is the car you want to drive everyday for the next several years?!" and he replied, "Absolutely!". To me it just felt old, it's loud, not smooth, etc. To him, it was heaven on wheels (or it will be one day when everything he has planning in his head is complete). I made sure that he was happy with the way it is for the time being (because it will be several years until he actually gets to complete everything he has planned), and then when I had no more reasons to say no, we bought the car.

Grant felt bad that I had to sell our fun car in order for him to get this and said we could sell the protege instead, but I decided that since we had to sell both eventually, I'd rather get rid of the 2-door (which will be inconvenient with a carseat) and the one we have a loan payment on. So a couple weeks later, I said bye-bye to my convertible :( I miss you mullet. But enough with the story...all you want are the pictures! So here we go. Ice blue 1968 Volvo 122S (now complete with historic vehicle Kentucky plates).

I talk a lot of crap, but I do think it's pretty cute. All we need are some surf racks and stand up paddle boards on the top and we'll be ready to go! The top of the back does open (just the glass part) so we could stick boards inside too and have them hang out the back. 

What I like best about this car...it makes Grant ridiculously happy. What I like least...it has fueled his obsession (even though he promised it would calm the fire). I guess I'm a bit of a sucker.