One of my very best friends for the past 5 years or so, my 1997 Pontiac TranSport van, has officially been declared dead. We have been so many places together: New Haven, CT to visit Bill in college; New York City to visit Laura in college; Old Orchard Beach, ME to walk on the beautiful beach; Lancaster, PA to enjoy the beautiful Amish country; Boston, MA to see the aquarium and Quincy Market; Greenville, SC for a rescue mission - it is amazing all the places we have been, and now I will be left alone for a while. I am going to have to start looking for another vehicle, but I am not sure if it will ever take the place of this one. This van carried me through a very busy time in my life, with 2 children in college, one in high school - lots of chauffeuring to do. We drove my daughter and her boyfriend to the Senior Ball, went to plenty of track practices and study groups with Mike, helped move Bill to New Haven to continue his education. I guess I must have worn the poor van out.
The loss of my van makes me want to cry. I am not sure where I will find a replacement or how I will find the money to pay for one. Fortunately, my mom rarely uses her car, so she is letting me use it most of the time. I am sorry to say that the stress makes me want to eat ice cream (ice cream must be for me like alcohol is to some people - to drown my sorrows). But, I am resisiting. I will make it through this intact. Next weekend, I will start looking around for a car and hopefully will find something I can make payments on that will last me awhile. Maybe it was just time to get a new car anyways. It is a good test of my willpower not to succumb to the cravings for junk food that come with the stress. Oh well, onward and upward - a new day awaits !!!