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As of Friday April 13th I am the proud owner of a 2010 Kia Soul and I LOVE it! The photo attached here is a stock photo - mine actually has "privacy glass" (mild tinting) and came loaded with some fine features (bluetooth, upgraded safety, etc).

I do miss my CR-V but I'm a happy girl. It's surely nice to not have to pull up my "power" windows by hand; to not have to double-click the locking mechanism on the glove box every time I want it to close; to actually have power locks and an alarm; and an integrated ipod connection is pretty darn sweet!



Gas mileage thus far is on target despite the trips being almost completely limited to "city" driving - I don't do a great deal of "highway" driving anymore. Lucas and Zoe also completely approve of the new ride (this is an important fact).

I remember way back when I first brought home my beloved Honda CR-V - how I noticed an increasing number of them on the roads - and I'm noticing the same thing now with the Soul. It's a great car and I can also highly recommend Fred Anderson Toyota in this pitch. I got a great deal and an even more amazing deal on an extended warranty. Check them out if you're in the market for a new car: Fred Anderson Toyota.

Car shopping

I had to bid farewell to my trusty 1997 CR-V in mid-March, so I've been auto shopping since. I've honed in on 4 specific vehicles based on reviews from edmunds.com; rated mpg; and overall reliability. If anyone knows anything good or bad about any of the listed vehicles (in order of preference) please let me know.

1. Scion xD: Great used models available locally; low mileage; GREAT mpg; highly rated compact car

2. Kia Soul: Great used models available locally; low mileage; good mpg; great options; great cargo room

3. Honda CR-V (well duh...I loved my '97!): Extremely reliable vehicle; low mileage available; highly rated crossover

4. Nissan Versa: Highly rated compact car; LOW mileage available; roomy interior, good mpg

I'll be sure to post once I acquire my new ride!

Stereo update

Stereo is installed - although my fingers are sore from twisting all those darn receiver adapter wires. Ouch. One of my crazy neighbors sat on his car staring at me for the first hour while I worked and cursed to myself. It was embarrassing and very annoying.

I had to make two separate calls to the support line and I lost daylight before I could put my car back together again, but at least the stereo and the A/C both work.

As I told the Crutchfield staff on the phone, I was less than impressed with the way the instructions were laid out. There were several unnecessary steps, and had they been labeled as "optional" I would've saved myself at least 90 minutes.

If you're ever thinking of replacing your car stereo and you're not an automotive whiz, I suggest avoiding the headache and having your new stereo installed by a professional - or at least a knowledgeable friend.

I hope to put all the interior CR-V panels back in place without incident or difficulty tomorrow.

I sure hope sweating my ass off and stressing that I was completely breaking my car was worth it!

Delving into the unknown

My cd player in my 1997 CR-V broke almost six years ago, and I've been a slave to bad radio ever since. I bought an ipod adapter with a gift card last Christmas, but the reception is horrible, so I threw in the towel last Thursday and purchased a receiver from Crutchfield. My brother bought one for his wife several years back and recommended their store.

The installation task seems daunting, but after talking to my brother last night, I'm hoping I can handle it. We'll see. :CROSSING FINGERS:

Here's to hoping that next week I'll be free to enjoy my ipod tunes on my way to work.

Should any of my few readers have tips regarding car stereo installation, please pass them on to me :)

Happy listening!

CR-V love

I'm not the only one who LOVES my CR-V.

I always thought Abby preferred riding in my car as opposed to her mom's van just for a change of pace. After all, the CR-V doesn't have a DVD player and it's usually quite dirty with a healthy layer of Bailey hair covering the interior.

Although it sounds silly - as it is just a car - I thought it was so cute when Abby professed her adoration of my precious Honda. While circling my vehicle on her scooter, she looked up and said, "I really like your car. I want one just like it."

I replied in a rather sad tone, "I love my car, too! I want one just like it, yet new, but they don't make 'em like mine anymore."

They really don't. If I could somehow have a "new" CR-V made just like mine I would. Apparently Abby agrees because she then said, "So when I'm older can I have your car?"

I promised her than if it's still running in nine years and I don't need it anymore, she can certainly have it. Her excited response was adorable because seriously, how many people dream of being gifted with a car more than 20 years old?!

My one aversion to this exchange is having to think of the tiny girl pictured here DRIVING. These are old photos as she is now 7 1/2, but when I think of her in protective mode (which is quite often), I see her more closely resembling the girl below.





Here's to hoping that when the time comes she keeps a cleaner and safer driving record than mine.

Who Knew?

...that new tires could make a girl so giddy?

I LOVE my car, but my care of it (service, oil-changes, etc.) is strictly no muss, no fuss. I can't remember the last time I washed or vacuumed it, despite the Norwegian Elkhound that frequents the "back back" seat. When I was told after my last oil-change that I'd soon need new tires, I thought, "ok, sure, I'll get to it eventually."

On Tuesday I purchased my second set of tires for my 1997 CR-V (really the third set if you include the original tires that came on the vehicle). Odometer reading at the time of Tuesday's purchase: 141,900. I think that's pretty okay, considering that the alignment has been "acceptably out of range" since I was hit by a drunk driver in 1999, I've suffered one slow-leak and one flat tire, and I spent a little over three years on Michigan roads where I annually traveled approximately three times more miles than I do in NC.

I drove away on my new tires feeling like I was in a brand new car. What a difference new wheels can make without even splurging!





I got four BF Goodrich Premier Touring tires, P205/70R15 at Costco. Total cost for installation, scrap tire disposal, life-time rotation and balance and 5-year road hazard warranty: $379.19, and the whole process only took about 45 minutes.

My car now rides beautifully. Any revival of the beloved CR-V is greatly appreciated!

Automobile karma? jinx? or just bad luck?

I think my Love My Ride post jinxed the health of my beloved automobile. She's had two recent bouts of extreme fever - the first episode occurred exactly a month ago, the second last weekend. After the second I knew I had to drop my wait and see attitude and have my girl checked out, so I made an appointment for her at our usual shop, WASP Automotive. I really love those guys. They provide top-notch, honest and trustworthy service at very reasonable prices. (Of course if you live closer to downtown Raleigh, I also adore Tao Auto, with which I trusted my CR-V exclusively before leaving NC for Michigan in 2000. Note: Both WASP and Tao specialize in Japanese makes).

At WASP, I'm pretty sure customers are left to the luck of the draw when it comes to the mechanic assigned on any certain day, so I was extremely pleased to be met by Kevin when I arrived, as he rescued my air conditioning a couple of years ago. He is thorough and extremely courteous, and that is a HUGE plus in my opinion, because women don't often get respect in these types of situations. But I suppose I should add that I've always been treated fabulously at WASP. For example, the very first time I took my car there it was for an inspection. I had not been in the waiting room for five minutes before Pete came in and said, "We've got a problem." Without too much back-story, I will try to explain why this statement sent me into panic mode.

Apparently the CR-V (or mine at least) has a bit of a faulty alarm system. I used to work at Michigan State University and parking was far enough away that one could not hear their car alarm sounding. Well, mine went off all the time. I'm sure there are people at MSU who noted my license plate and planned severe vandalism of my car, although I'm happy to report the old girl was never a victim of such. But with the lack of required inspections in MI, those of us with every intention of returning to a state requiring such inspections were often met with the news that repairs (and many) were in order. The fact that no one in Michigan cared that my horn - after extreme repetitive use - was no louder than the bleat of a baby goat quickly became a major issue.

Case in point, upon moving back to NC, the old gal was due for an inspection and she failed miserably. While most of her shortcomings were not all that disturbing, I must say that having to order a new horn was humiliating. You might not think so, but if you say it out loud, "Yes, hello, I need to order a new horn for my car," I promise you'll feel a bit weird. Having the Honda sales rep laugh at me - openly on the phone - did not help. She probably thought I was one of those obnoxious people who lay on the horn at anyone for the slightest reason, so therefore I deserved to suffer the cost of a new horn. By the way, I'm not at all like that.

My horn - original and current - has collectively been put to use a maximum of 35 times in 11 years. I'm one of those people who will let the person in front of me sit at a green light for 2 minutes before I'll honk. In my mind, everyone makes mistakes, so far be it from me to point out the mistake of the person in front of me on the road who may very well be perfect in every other aspect of his or her life. This is not for me to judge. (By the way, the aforementioned situation is one of the only ones in which I display any patience. Do not be fooled - I am NOT a patient person). I have entertained a tangent, pardon me.

Anyway, back my to explanation for loving the WASP guys. All Pete really wanted to tell me was that my registration had expired. Here enters the superior customer service aspect (especially since I was a first time customer). Pete drove me to the DMV, waited for me to renew my registration, then drove me back to the shop and inspected my car. He did all of that with a huge smile on his face and without hesitation. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought that was fabulous!

I digress even further. Back to the original reason for this post. Kevin informed me that my baby CR-V had a cracked radiator and non-functioning fan and both had to be replaced. Boo hiss!!! Even so, the old gal was fixed up like new - oil change to boot - in about three hours, and that included delivery of the necessary parts. Thank you Kevin! CR-V has 137,864 miles under her hood (as of this post) and I expect her to travel 85,000 or more before she's done. My fingers and toes are crossed!

What I've learned as a single woman

I've spent most of the last 10 years of my life living on my own. While I admit that a life without roommates can make certain things far more difficult (like finding a dog sitter or getting a ride to work when your car is broken), in my experience, what I am forced to learn and do for myself proves to be of great value.

Example 1: Circa 1999
I moved into a cinderblock hell-hole that I lovingly referred to as Satan's Lair. Satan was a despicable redneck who freely spouted racial slurs and told me that he was going to run my dogs over with his tractor. (In my defense, I only lived there for 3 months). Upon taking up residence at the lair, I had to hardwire half of my own electricity, rewire my telephone connection, repair the plumbing, install new doorknobs and deadbolts and put up a fence for the pooches. Knowing I wouldn't get any of my deposit back from Satan, I did not feel at all bad about the quart of paint I spilled in the living room. Sunny yellow, semi-gloss.

Example 2: 2004-2008 at Kinglet Ct.
I've become a fairly decent plumber since moving into my house, having replaced a little over a half-dozen parts between my three toilets. I've also become a pro at repairing garbage disposals, servicing a lawn mower and pressure washing. Oh, and let's not forget the landscaping. I very much enjoyed ripping up most of my holly bushes and replacing them with azaleas, gardenias and assorted perennials.

Example 3: August 19, 2008
On my way to Costco, there was a great deal of traffic. I sat through many lights, some more than once, and just as I was about to pass through the last light before my stop I noticed smoke rising in front of my car. Upon realizing it was rising from my hood, I started to panic. Then coolant started spraying onto the windshield and that's when I looked down at the temperature gauge. It was off the chart - beyond the red zone and the white that borders the red zone. Long story short, I made it to Costco, did my shopping and then drove across the street as a test run. The gauge seemed fine. But on the way home, any stop at a light longer than a minute or two caused the gauge to creep into the scary zone again. Nevertheless, I knew I had to get home, so I continued on. I made it home, consulted my Honda book, walked across the street to Kroger to get some Prestone, mixed it up and added it to the EMPTY radiator. In fact the reserve tank had also been depleted. I performed the checks necessary and all seemed well. Disaster averted. However, when I called my dad to get his opinion he immediately doubted me, "What did you buy? Did you add water? How much did you add?" I know he doesn't mean to question my intelligence and I really wasn't offended. I thought his inquiries were more humorous than anything else. Future note to dad: I can read, and I do have a tendency to read instructions before acting! The CR-V is due for service soon anyway, so until then we'll live on the edge of overheating.

Through these examples I by no means intend to make myself out to be Rosie the Riveter, but I do feel like I've done pretty okay on my own. I've never wanted to be portrayed as the "damsel in distress," and I think I've averted it well. To all my girlfriends, feel free to ask me any "how to" questions!

Love My Ride

A summary of my CR-V acquisition and deep devotion...
In July of 1997, I drove my old Honda Accord to Rehoboth Beach to visit my roommate who was lifeguarding for the summer. Long drive. Way too long on 1-95 (I loathe that highway) and small country roads. For perhaps a three-hour segment on a two-lane highway, I followed a Honda CR-V. They had only just become available, so this new tiny SUV (oxymoron, I know) caught my eye. A mental note was attempted, but then I quickly tried to forget it, reminding myself that a new car was nowhere in my future - near or far.

Then fate stepped in. On July 23, 1997, I was on my way to a doctor's appointment when the driver of something like a Lincoln breezed through a red light and plowed into my poor Accord. After I was spun around about 3 times and managed to gain my balance, I came face-to-face with a seemingly inebriated lawyer who exclaimed, "Now how am I going to get my golf clubs out of the trunk!" I nearly punched him, but I am happy to report that he was found to be at fault and reparations were in order. Enter the beloved CR-V. Many ecstatic hoorays follow.


As seen in the dash photo, my precious CR-V has been with me for 136,828 miles, and has never let me down. Eight moves, three dogs (really a couple dozen dogs if you include the ones I've cared for that aren't mine) and two severe collisions later, the Honda remains stalwart. Prime automobile. Highly recommended. Devastated that Honda has obliterated the original design, which is perplexing since I received maybe eight letters between 2000-2004 begging me to trade mine in because the demand for the model was so high, yet entirely unavailable. I do not try to make sense of such things.

Maybe the only point of this post is to express my admiration of my 10+ year companion, but I'm okay with it being a shout out to Honda - particularly the original CR-V. Drive on.