My Awesome Car is Back!

I drove the weenie-mobile for nearly a month.  I got my Explorer back the other day, just in time for a snow storm!  Hurray!

During the weenie-mobile month, I came up with three reasons why I love my own car.  They are Size, Technology, and Arm Rests.



Size does matter.  In cars, anyways.  I was always sort of embarrassed when walking up to that weenie car.  One day this past week, when I arrived at school, I pulled into a parking stall between two SUVs. One of my students saw me get out of my rental car as he rode his bike to school and he said; "Hey, you're right, Mrs. Watson!  That car is tiny!"  Yup.  Even a 10 year old thinks it's weenie.

But, before you think I am totally vain, it's not all about looks!  That weenie car vibrated and thrummed to the very texture of the road surface.  It was noisy and obnoxious!  My Explorer is such a smooth and quiet ride in comparison!  And, as I mentioned, I got my car back just in time for a snow storm.  I much prefer having my heavy all wheel drive instead of that lightweight little thing.



Technology.  You don't realize how much you rely on it until you feel its absence.  I have come to rely on the buttons on my steering wheel to control the radio and my phone.  I love that my phone is synced to my car!  If my phone rings while I am driving, I can answer it with the push of a button on the steering wheel and the call is routed through the car's speakers.  Bill and I came up with a code phrase to let him know he was on the car speaker system while I had passengers to make sure he didn't share something not meant for other's ears.  I just answer the phone by saying, "Hi, Bill, you're live."  The phone sync also means I can push a button and tell the car to call someone specific.  The car will connect to my phone and dial for me.  Complete hands free phone access!

With the phone sync I can also choose to play my own music rather than listen to the radio.  I can tell the car to play a specific song, artist, genre, or playlist.  Handy on long road trips for those of us who aren't willing to pay for satellite radio.

I also missed the sunroof.  One whole month of perfect sunroof weather completely wasted!  Phooey.



Arm Rests.  You don't think much about them until you don't have them anymore!  The weenie-mobile didn't have any and I was constantly at a loss over what to do with my elbows.  I wanted something to rest them on.  Bill doesn't like the armrests in the Explorer, because they are at the wrong height for him and he is constantly banging his elbows on them.  But, they are just the right height for my elbows!



All in all, I am very happy to have my car back!