Two weeks ago… our very beloved car Blue died.
She was feeling poorly… having blown a bit of her head gasket and seal but had seemed to be recovering from that with this wonderful magic gasket sealant stuff. However, the last few days, I was really getting worried… she was overheating a bit if you let her idle. Like at a drive thru or a very long light. It was not a good sign. The wonderful guys at Jerry’s were going to do a few things to her, like wire her engine fan on all the time, but we never got to that point.
She delivered us to town, to visit with a friend and also attend our Miss Sarah’s baby shower, and she got us home. But a mile or so from the house, she just didn’t seem quite right. But she got us home. I thought it might be a touch of bad gas, something simple, and since we were due at the shop to work on Monday morning, I thought I’d ask the guys about it.
However, she didn’t make it there. At least not on her own power.
We got in, got started and she wouldn’t back up. Nothing. Call Jerry and he talked me through various things. It was easy enough to realize, the transmission had gone out. I was heartbroken.
We love that old car. She has never once stranded us, she always got us home… she was such a good ride. Comfortable… best car I’ve ever driven and buddy, I’ve driven a lot. Sure, I’ve usually driven older cars, don’t mind that at all. But I have had a couple new ones and to be honest, Blue was such a pleasant drive, she beat all those fancy rides. Just loved that car.
Well, we were in a pickle for sure. There just wasn’t any change in the kitty jar for a new used car. And we just don’t have the credit necessary to run down and get a brand new car. We considered various situations and in the end, things were not looking good. It was very very stressful.
Jerry offered to fix up Blue, using donor parts from a couple cars out back. It was so very sweet and generous of him. But a new motor and transmission? And all the work that would be required? For a 18 year old car? I just thought that was too much. Besides, her heater was not working, her wheel bearings in the back were failing and the radio didn’t work. (Okay, the radio thing was not that much of a deal breaker but still… what next?)
She had done us well, she deserved a final resting place. It would be easier to get another older car until we can figure something out and hopefully get into something a bit newer… But what? And then it happened… a kind family came in to buy a car from the lot and they had his big old Ford Econoline camper van to trade in. Jerry’s a fair man, but he couldn’t offer them a lot on a 18 year old, 300,000+, giant gas guzzling V8 that no one would want. They knew that but the wife was afraid to drive the big beast in the wind and snow, and it was just too much for them. They would take whatever he could offer as a trade in for their newer used car purchase.
And that is how Sarge has come into our life.
We named it Sarge right away, it was the perfect name for this giant tough Army green and gold van. It’s got a bullet hole in the windshield and a bunch of army stickers and NRA decals… just sorta screams tough guy. He’s big and we’re going to be modifying him for farm use by removing a few seats in the back. We can get a lot of hay in there, as well as any animals I think we’d like to haul. And hopefully we can still look for something a bit more economical for our daily driver. We are so thankful for our friends at the salvage yard.
Of course, it’s a gift horse and like Jerry says, he hopes it will make it through the summer! They checked it over to make sure it is safe… and it does run pretty nicely. It’s just a real gas hog for sure! It’s got a $100 tank… it takes about $25 to get a 1/4 of a tank! Yikes! It’s a very good excuse to stick around the old homestead!!! (It’s spring busy time and lambing season… so we don’t mind at all staying put a bit.)
The girls are getting a kick outta it… it’s nice and big and just at one point was probably a pretty fancy conversion van. It’s even got fancy lights and a place for a TV…
Maggie loves the big old beast… so we decided that it can be her first vehicle when she gets her license. It’s a great motivator for her to get that test passed and get her permit. She’s getting better at driving around on the back lot at the yard and also in a few parking lots… just starting… she’s a good driver. She’s already got a few ideas on how to create her own little home away from home in the back part… it’s so huge in there! It will be fun to see what part of our Windhaven history that Sarge will be a part of.
Of course… I still miss Blue. I think I always will…
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