Sunday, November 24, 2019

Taking Time to Give Thanks

In a combination of Thanksgiving blessings and Christmas gift giving, I decided to part with a piece of property I had in Virginia. I'd held it for over ten years and finally decided I wasn't going to ever build a house on it, so it was time to get rid of it. I contacted a realtor and she agreed to represent me, but told me it might take as much as eighteen months to sell. Much to the surprise of both of us, it was under contract within two weeks.


So, what did I do with the profit? I bought myself a Christmas gift. If I could find one of those big red bows you see in commercials, I'd have it tied to the top of this car. My new to me Jeep!


My old Jeep had been purchased as a used vehicle, and I drove it for thirteen years. I owned my car longer than I held onto any of my assorted houses. The Ohio winters had been very hard on the old boy, and the parts underneath had begun to rust together. It was past time to upgrade. On the final day of having the car in my possession, I took it through the car wash, had a final meal in the car, and got misty when I thanked it for a final time. We'd been through a lot together.


So now, I'll learn what all the buttons are for in the new vehicle, and become as familiar with it as I was with the old one. As long as it's a Jeep, I'm comfortable. My brother was the one to remind me that, when I was contemplating my first car way back when, I told my mother I wanted a Jeep and she persuaded me to buy something else, saying that Jeeps were for boys. So now I have purchased two of those "boy" cars. My brother is proud of me for finally realizing my dream. My mother would probably shake her head at my folly and tell me that's one of the reasons I never could find anyone to marry. I do miss my mother but maybe it was because of her I learned how to be a strong, independent woman, much like my heroines. 

What about you? Are you planning to buy something nice for yourself this Christmas season?

If you need a gift idea, here's one. My novella, An Unconventional Courtship is free right now. Grab a copy for you and your loved ones. https://claims.prolificworks.com/free/wPvUwkuJ




2 comments:

  1. Congratulations on the new car. Did you let go of that great tire cover when you traded in your old jeep? Added a lot of personality to your ride. I will buy the Christmas present that my husband and I have been treating ourselves to for years - a gift card to Signature Theatre in Arlington. I buy it the weekend following Thanksgiving since the face value will be increased by 20% over my purchase price. May increase from $500 to $700 this year since ticket prices have been creeping up. This will pay for next year's season's tickets.

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    1. I had to take the tire cover off the old one, even though I have no new tire to put it onto. It was so identifiable to me that I didn't want to confuse anyone. What if the person who buys it robs a bank? They'd come after me.

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