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Sunday, December 21, 2008

Ode to my Pontiac Grandam

Today we traded in my car for an SUV. I thought I’d take a moment and reflect on the last 3 ½ years with my car.
Ryan and I started dating in 2004. In February of 2005 he proposed- and we planned to marry in June. Around May my dear ‘92 Saturn (another story- I loved that car). Passed away unexpectedly, (while Ryan was driving it ;-) ) . Because Ryan flew in from Arizona every weekend to “date” me, I had the ‘wheels’ in the relationship. His truck stayed in Arizona. Without my Saturn I would not be able to pick up Ryan from the airport or drive up to Bountiful (Where his parents live) from Pleasant Grove (Where I lived) to see him. Around the time my Saturn died I was starting to get cold feet about getting married – so Ryan decided it was time to buy me a car.
I only had a couple of requirements… it had to have a sun roof (just as my beloved Saturn), had to have a back seat. We searched high and low at car dealerships on State Street in SLC. One day we came across ‘my baby’. She had just come in to the dealership. She had not been detailed or priced. I was not going to let her get away.
We bought the car 
After we were married we stuffed the Grandam with our wedding gifts (Luckily Ryan’s dad is a professional packer) and drove down to Arizona to live. We gave the car a very nice tint job- legal in AZ not in UT.
A few months later we stuck the car on a trailer for Ryan and I to tow up to New Jersey..
our new home. Unfortunately Ryan took an off ramp too fast… in the dark… while it was pouring rain. His truck and my car did a 180 degree turn and the front of my car rammed into the back side of Ryan’s truck. It was a sad day.



February 11th 2006 I drove my car from New Jersey back to Utah… In the middle of a blizzard. Thus began my hatred of driving in the snow.
The following years my car moved from my parents, to my inlaws, to our new home. It took me to my three week training of working for the “airline” … took me to the places I nanny… shopping. It took me to the hospital when I had Jayden… and from home to hospital every day while he was in the NICU. On July 27th 2008 it brought my baby boy home 
Last Thursday I was driving down to Sandy to nanny. By the time I hit the I-15 interchange it was a snowy mess. My car was not doing well. Luckily nobody was going over 30. I was fishtailing all over the place… Knowing I had Jayden in the car with me and if I got in an accident it wouldn’t just be me I had to worry about was really stressing me out. The closer I got to my exit the worse the roads were..
Off the exit I came to a slight “bump” in the road. And my car got stuck. Tires were spinning- my dashboard reading “No Traction” (As if I didn’t already know)… cars were cautiously tried to pass me… no matter what I did I could not get up the stinking “bump”. Finally I pulled off as far right as I could and stuck my hazards on. I called the family I nannied for to let them know I was stuck. It was decided that I should probably turn around since this was just the beginning of “bumps” . So I sat in my car and cried. What can I say? Im one tough chica! ;) … I didn’t want to turn around and face the roads… And I couldn’t go forward either.
Finally I went in reverse down the bump and attempted to turn around… I made it home safely and called Ryan who put up with my crying about my day.

3 comments:

Chris and Tara said...

How did we not know the story of Ry taking the off-ramp too fast? If only you were a professional driver... Ü

Amy said...

I think we passed you on Friday, we felt bad for you but couldn't stop because we were also in a sucky car and would've been useless anyway. I'm sorry!

Anonymous said...

See you in these things, I think, I started feeling good!
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