...Finally... after a year of waiting:



May I introduce you to my 2009 2.5X Limited Subuaru Forester, with built in GPS (and bluetooth and iPod connections to be installed shortly)...

I know, lame intro... but I don't know what to call her yet. We brought her home on Saturday evening and DH is happy to have his Outback to himself again.

She just needs a name - the right name. So far I've gotten Forester Gump (ew), Roo-ba-roo (eh), Q-T-pi (I rather like that one especially since she was purchased on Pi Day), Beep-Beep (it's cute), Soobie (because DH might give that up and find a new name for the Outback, in which case I'll take it!) and possibly Trillian. Nothing else is worth mentioning, although my MIL thinks I should find a foresty-kind of name, maybe even Middle Earth female Hobbit in nature, for the vehicle.

She's definitely a girl, so she needs a somewhat female name. And no, I can't call her the TARDIS - that's my computer's name. I just don't want anything corny (like the Gump suggestion above) - this is the name she'll live with for at least the next 10 years.

Reason I shouldn't have bought it - I'm a contractor, not a permanent employee and in this economy no one's job is safe.

Reasons I *did* buy it - it's been 15 years since I last bought a car (DH buying the Outback doesn't count as he did that on his own), sales tax is about to go up in California, Vehicle licensing fees are about to go up too, and I believe there are tax breaks on buying a new car due to the 'stimulus package'.

Oh, did I mention it's a PZEV vehicle? It's got that pretty little green leaf on the back that shows everyone I'm environmental and such. Funny that, our 2001 Outback already is at zero emissions - we just had the smog check.

But, the downside of all this is that I have to say goodbye to my ever faithful Jeep Cherokee, Kira (or Jeep-Jeep). She has served me well over the almost 16 years I've owned her. She protected me in a couple of fender benders that were more than fender benders (at least in one case), she helped bring home my two little girls as babies from the hospital, she's been indispensable to me for years. But she's getting old and creaky, showing her age and starting to lumber down the street instead of glide. That doesn't mean I love her any less or won't cry when I have to hand those keys over to someone else who will take care of her. I'm already tearing up at the thought.

She wasn't just a car - she was the first major possession I ever had and bought for myself. My first big purchase out of college. Her name was my wizard's name when I'd game (so I can't adopt it for my new car - because Kira was uniquely that Jeep).

So it's a happy time and a sad one as I say goodbye to my faithful Jeep and embrace my new Forester. And I'll happily take name suggestions...

...as long as they're not too corny.