Goodbye, dear friend.

While one may chalk it up to the hormones, I can honestly say that the pitiful crying fit and subsequent three hour nap I had this afternoon was truly because I was heartbroken. Heartbroken as I bid my wonderful, hard-working and sad little Accord goodbye. We had to take the title to the body shop, and they will take it to the salvage yard. My little Rosie (named after the salesperson, Roosevelt Adams) deserves better than that.

That car was the first new car John and I bought together. We (I) researched, we saved, we looked...the whole story behind it is funny in that the only thing I would have changed about my car was the black color. I wanted silver. I ended up with black because the day we bought it, John took me to a nearby town where I was going to have some sinus surgery. Before the appointment, we walked into a dealer that was on the way, told them what we were looking for and what we were willing to pay, and fell in love with the Accord. I thought we'd found the place we'd buy, and later that week, we'd head out there and pick up the car. Instead, I got a phone call the next day, as I was recovering, from Roosevelt, the gentleman we'd been dealing with the day before.

"Mrs. Ennis? Its Roosevelt from Joe Alcoke Honda. Your car's ready!"

"Oh, okay. Well, we'll plan on coming out there this weekend and see what we end up with."

"Well, the one I got you ended up with a moon guard and the racing stripe, but I won't charge you any extra."

"Uh, okay...well, we'll see. We'll talk about it and maybe head out there this weekend when I'm feeling better."

"But I have it here now."

"Have what?"

"Your car. You bought the car."

"I what?"

"You and Mr. Ennis...you bought the car yesterday afternoon?"

"I did? Was I awake?" (Keep in mind that I had NO memory of this whatsoever, and was in pretty significant pain from the surgery)

"Yeah...you were awake."

"Did I sign the contract?"

"Yes, there was a little bit of blood on it, but you signed."

(Incredulously, I ask the question I was afraid to ask....) "Well, let me ask you this. What color did I end up getting?"

"The black one."

Of course I did. Rather, JOHN did. Right now, thinking back to that day, and that conversation that I very, very vividly remember, I can smile and fondly remember how fabulous it was to go pick it up the next day. I remember driving from Newbern to Jacksonville thinking that I just LOVED the car, and right up until Tuesday, I didn't love it any less. That car and I have been through all sorts of trials and tribulations together. Rosie and I took a road trip with my mom from Savannah to Wichita to see my sister in the Mrs. Wichita pageant. I thought that trip was rough at times, but I'm forever grateful my mom and I had that opportunity, because the following year was about different travel. For about a year, that car and I travelled 6 hours south to be with my mom and her chemo over the weekend and the next weekend, travelled 6 hours north to be with my father-in-law and his treatments. One of my favorite pictures of my sweet Random and Raleigh is taken in the backseat of my car, as we were travelling somewhere as a family and the dogs were happy to be with us. That car...9 years and 178,000 miles of memories, and I'll miss it.

So, welcome to the family, Wally. (That's the new car's name...after Waldorf, where we bought it.) You've got some big shoes to fill.