Each Friday I make my to-do list for the weekend. In a busy household with five kids there’s always something I could be doing. The point of my to-do list is to limit what I attempt over the weekend so I don’t feel I’m losing my days into administrative tasks.
Anyway, this weekend’s very limited list included this must-do: Apply for a parking spot at the high school for the remainder of the spring (the seniors leave in early May) into the next school year. The hope is that the (almost) 17-year-old can drive both himself and then next fall his little brother, who will be a freshman.
(Longtime readers know that we have been driving to the high school every morning because the bus is so early and we’re trying to let the household sleep a little longer.)
While, theoretically, this didn’t need to be my job, the application had enough steps (involving copies of multiple vehicles’ insurance and registration — you can register more than one car that won’t get towed — and various other things, plus writing a check), and the stakes are high enough (we would really like a parking spot as there is zero street or public parking near the high school) that I project managed this with my teenager’s assistance. Fingers crossed.
Of course, if we are successful, this means my teenager will be getting my car during the day. There is no way to do this half-way; once you get a parking spot you are no longer eligible for bus service. So, this means that I now need to move forward on another project: getting myself a car.
It is hard to convey how much I am dreading this. Maybe it’s because the stakes feel so high — not so much the cost (though I don’t like spending money), but that I drove my current car for 13 years. That feels like a commitment.
I guess it was going to have to happen eventually. Here’s where it helps to be a satisficer. There are lots of cars in the world. Most likely whatever I wind up with will be fine. I just need to put this project on another week’s to-do list! Though I’m happy for recommendations. It doesn’t necessarily need to fit all 7 of us comfortably.
In the meantime, here’s another spring-themed sonnet:
Kwanzan cherry
Pink petals wound up tight inside the bud,
‘til each one stretches, reaching toward the sun —
an elongation, as the April mud
dries in the mid-day heat, I watch for one
to pop. Just in a moment, there’s a flower,
a bursting bloom that wasn’t there before,
a crown of blossoms thickening by the hour.
Ridiculous fecundity — what for?
Late April rains will wash this all away.
The measured green of summer, sober, wise,
remembers all that lavish, large display,
a little sheepish, smiling at the skies.
Were you once reckless, young and giddy too?
So bold and brash — like all the world is new.
Or you could buy a car for your son and make him part of the project of buying. We called it a “roll up the hill car.” We would put a certain amount of money towards a car that could roll up a hill and then if they wanted more they could put their own money against it. A great opportunity to go through the car buying process with your kid. We had our kids looking at used car postings, contacting the sellers, setting up meetings, going to look at cars and all the research. We did say that then this car would be theirs going forward. As they got into later high school their jobs paid for the gas ect. They are at a local state college so they have taken their cars with them …..
@Shelley- I haven’t heard the phrase “roll up the hill” car before…I didn’t wind up buying my first car until I was 32 so I guess I hadn’t considered this as a young adult rite of passage (a lot of urban living…)
I love the sonnet as usual. A beautiful picture of spring and the passage of time. Fingers crossed on the parking spot!
@Lori C- thank you! I appreciate it 😉
I have become a Lincoln fan over the last 4 years. We first got a giant Lincoln Navigator XL (I can sit comfortably in the 3rd row and I’m 5’11). Then, when we gave our daughter our old 4Runner, we replaced it with a Lincoln Nautilus which is the same size as an Acura MDX. I love both vehicles for different reasons but one of the best parts is that a 3 – year old Lincoln drops way off the sticker price of a new one and still is very nice inside. The Nautilus is a joy to drive, but the Navigator would hold your crew and makes road trips enjoyable.
@Calee- ooh, interesting. Lincoln was really not on my radar as a brand.
The Lincoln black label program is where they pick up your car for oil changes and such and leave you a loaner. That was how we ended up with the 2nd one. But love the program since there’s no wasting time getting oil changes and maintenance at dealer.
Your sonnets are very very good. Thanks for sharing a few, now and then.
@Kamala – thank you! I hope to keep sharing them as I’m writing them. Some are definitely more worth sharing than others…
I hate buying cars too!! Am ashamed to admit that I have never purchased one- husband has chosen and bought all of mine and I have loved them so no complaints there. The prosess is so boring though..