My first car was a Renault Dauphine.

Volkswagens were heavy compared to this car. Ostensibly it was Mom's car, but once I learned to drive, it was mostly mine. Ours was that ubiquitous greige color, and I loved it to distraction.

A friend and I hung out one afternoon with her bf and another guy, who decided to impress each other with their strength by lifting the car by the wheel wells. After having custody of the car over the weekend, my dad wanted to know what I'd hit, or what had hit me. I was mystified. He took me out to show me large, curved dents in the fenders, and honestly, you'd think I'd remember an impact that left that kind of evidence. It was a few hours before I connected the lifting with the dents.

My mom drove it to church one weekday evening, and four teenaged boys picked it up, pointed it in the opposite direction and set it down in the same spot. She went out to get in it, and had a cow. She went back inside to talk to somebody about those rowdy boys, and when she came back out, the car was facing its original direction, thus proving her mental. One of the guys told me later they were desperately trying to think of a way to get it up a tree or on the roof.

Then there was the time we slipped on a mere slick of ice and did a pretty 180 with Mom driving. She took it as a sign and went back home.

I miss that car.

All possible good wishes, ND.

Safe travels, ND, and peace to your family.

I went off to college driving a Mercury Comet. DH and I dated in that car, we eloped in it, moved to NJ and then to VA in it, and shipped it to Germany when he was posted there. It was driven over tank trails and cobblestone streets, the Autobahn, up the Rhine into Holland and back again. It brought both our babies home from the hospital, and came back to the US bedecked with student and staff parking stickers from one high school, a college, a university, three military posts, the "D" football for Deutchland, and a USARER lisence plate. Before we could obtain a NC lisence plate, someone wrote the local paper inquiring, "Whuzzah?"

It took a huge chunk of family history with it when we traded it. I miss that car, too.

Much ~ma to you, ND. I hope your travels are safe and timely.

Safe and swift travels, ND.

Bev, your little Renault reminds me of a roommate's car from when we were stationed in Spain. [link] She got parked in one time by a quartet of scooters and a couple of cute Spanish boys came by, lifted the car up at both ends and carried it into the street for her.

Thankfully within 30 minutes of getting the call I was able to get a direct flight from Boston to San Diego booked. 15 minutes after that on the way to the airport where I am now. My flight leaves at 5:15 and I'll be in San Diego around 8:30. I have a rental car reserved there so I should be at the family home by 9:30 is my guess.

Dad took a sudden turn for the worse, I believe our plan is to put him into home hospice care. My sister tells me that he is not lucid and doesn't really know where he is right now. The hospital is not sure they can get hospice set up before the end of the day today so he will most likely be in the hospital through the weekend. Right now my first hope is that nothing happens to him while I'm flying across country tonight. After that we'll deal with things one step at a time. It sounds like we may only have him for a few more days, but I don't have any solid information right now.

Thank you everyone for your support right now.

Oh, fuck, Drew. I'm so glad you were able to get a flight, and may he hang on until you get there. My love to you and yours.

Our thoughts and get there ~ma are with you Drew.

Oh, fuck, Drew. I'm so glad you were able to get a flight, and may he hang on until you get there. My love to you and yours.

Plei beat me to it. All very much the same.