Making The Trade

Last weekend before hitting the highway for Chicago, we dropped D's car "Nancy" off to be inspected. We took it to a shop we've never frequented before, only choosing it because the Toyota dealer had no available appointments for the weekend, and the plates are due for renewal next week. 

Just as I was leaving the nursing home King Ralph called to say the car failed inspection--bad brakes, bad windshield wipers. The auto shop quoted $450 to make the repairs. King Ralph refrained from verbalizing his inner voice that was thinking: F YOU! We were left with no other option but to send D back to college with my car.

There is nothing worse than driving a car you're unfamiliar with. How do I move the seat? Oh ya, "Nancy" is a manuel ole gal. What, no automatic lights? Great, I hope I can remember to turn them off when I park. What fool designed a visor that hits the rear view mirror? Note to self: squint, wear sunglasses or adjust mirror constantly. Actually ole "Nancy" did me fine...once I gave her a full tank of gas.  She was dying of thirst. Typical college kid takes the car with gas, leaves mom with the car with none. 

On Thursday King Ralph celebrated "Nancy's" one year gotcha day by giving her new brakes, wipers and an oil change. If ole "Nancy" was a woman it would be like getting new shoes, sunglasses and a good drink for your birthday. The ole gal had a good day! King Ralph, not so much! He was pissed off when he was forced to replace brakes with ample pad left on them. 

Saturday we made the exchange. Drove the 90 miles to SEMO to reunite D with her "Nancy." It was while cruising down Hwy 55, smelling dead skunk after dead skunk, that we decided we'd check out an RV dealer in town. They had the model King Ralph had been researching. Here is what we learned

1. No power jacks, but an insulated under belly

2. 14" tires make the King question...thinks they should be 15" 

3. The recliner passed the man test

4. The counter space is doable for the woman 

5. The free standing dining table with storage in the seat chairs was a plus 

6. Pleather sofa sleeper would do fine for any tag-alongs. 

All the while D could be heard moaning "this isn't camping!" I suppose letting go of our beloved pop-up might not be as easy for some, as it will be for others. All that moaning from a girl who hardly has time to vacation with us anymore. 

Once we got a price quote we decided to chew on it a little. While it's not totally off the table, it's left us in limbo once again. Sigh.