200,000 Miles!

Del is very proud. He had a great moment this past week. This beauty, his green Honda Accord hit the 200,000 mile mark. I say "beauty" with a smile in my voice, because my husband is very hard on two things. Cars, and clothes.

He is known to cram up to three motorized wheelchairs in his car at a time. Hence, the rip in the leather on the back seat. He is also prone to putting sticky notes all over the dash board, and not really taking note of his muddy shoes on the carpet. He is also driving constantly. To all kinds of doctor's offices, and health care facilities, and back and forth from his office to our home in the Sticks.  But luckily this is just in his car, not the family car.

As far as being hard on his clothes, let's just say there is a lot of dry cleaning going on here.

I guess it could be worse. There is a man at my health club that I see at least twice a week. And I am not kidding, he is working out in a dress shirt and slacks every time! I mean full on, sweating it out on the eliptical machine!  I always find myself stopping to stare for just a second. It is so odd.

Wake up, take shower, dress in work clothes, slick back hair, spritz on some cologn, hit the gym. Huh?

Okay back on subject.

I remember when we went to look at this car. The lady he bought it from pulled up in front of us in it, and Del said something like, "Yup, I think I'll buy it."

And buy it he did, The only way Del likes to buy anything. With cash.

 On the flip side of the muddy shoes and such, Del is very kind to the engine. He is always making sure it is up on it's mantainance. And it is still purring along! Del came in after it hit the big 200,000 with a smile on his face and said, "I think it is going to go to 300,000!"

One of the moments that sticks out to me is when an autobody shop guy lifted the Honda's hood, and told Del, "Look at that engine! That is a great engine!"

It was like someone had just complimented Del on his first born.

And nothing could please my thrifty minded husband more than this mile marker. Del is also a bit competitive, so this whole, "How far can the car go?" game is a lot of fun to him. Nothing to motivate this man like making money, and lack of needing to spend money on a new car.

 I am sure that one day, just as he had with past cars, he will have driven his car into the ground. And I will get a phone call from the side of the road to come pick him up. And we will start this all over again.

But don't tell Del I said his car might see the end of it's days.

He would be very sad.