baby, you can drive my car

9.5 years and we are still together

Today, I hit a milestone. No, there's no bun in the oven and I still have 2.5 years until the big 3-0. Nope, this milestone is purely personal.

Today, Penelope, my very first (and only car) logged 200,000 miles. The moment flew by but when I saw all of those nines go to zeros I thought about just how incredible the journey has been. I got Penelope on my 18th birthday as a present from my late grandfather. At the time, it was a super hip car and those of you that know me know that "hip" isn't exactly a word that one associates with me. Penelope and I have been all over this great country and she has been such a low maintenance and fun car to drive. I've crammed her with boxes, canvases and cookbooks and moved six times. She was gas efficient before gas efficiency was "a thing." She's delivered me safely to the slopes through Frostburg blizzards and has always made me feel secure during downpours and the worst Charlotte traffic.

We've been through a lot. I've cried on her steering wheel over boys that were wrong for me and words that I wish I could take bake. I've fallen in love with her windows down and the radio up. I've dropped way too many French fries on her carpet and inbetween her seats. There are dings in the paint from epic southern hail storms and gashes on the upholstery from trying to fit 2x4s in through the tiny space that is her trunk.

While I know our days together are numbered due to her increased age and my love of travel, I also know that I won't have as great of a car as Penelope in the future. They don't make cars like her anymore, this I am sure of.

So thanks for taking me where I've needed, wanted and dreamed to go, Penelope. Thanks for a great trip.