C is for ...

C is for Cars. Neither of my parents drove when I was growing up. My Dad took the bus to work, we lived just around the corner from a stop on the 21A Selby-Lake busline. When we moved to West St. Paul in 1976, we were just a block off of the 7A Thomas-Smith busline. My Mom was a homemaker and also an 'ironing lady'; i.e, she took in laundry--mostly work and school uniform shirts. She washed and ironed them, and hung them on a long closet type rod which hung in between the living and dining rooms. I used to love the smell of newly starched and ironed shirts. Later, she got a job at ABC Diaper Service, which was a short 3 block walk up Selby. I It was one block away from Richard Gordon Elementry School. I think she started there when I was in 5th grade. This was the time schools were just beginning to serve 'hot' lunches. Previous to this, students were dismissed to go home for lunch.
My Dad finally learned to drive when he was in his 50's. Looking back-although I am sure my siblings and I may have missed out on some activities during our youth- I feel it is a good thing he did not drive until we were grown. He is an alcoholic... now with almost 30 years sobriety!
I learned to drive in my mid-20's. Like my parents, until then I lived and worked handy to my places of employ, except for one job. Then I payed a co-worker $10.00/week to give me a ride to and from. Anyway, I digress. This is a list of the cars I have owned:

• 76 Mercury Monarch
• 87?Dodge Colt
• 91 Dodge Shadow
• 97 Dodge Shadow (I loved the Shadow! Still do)
• 95? Dodge Caravan
• 97 Ford Taurus
• 83 Saab (genuine beater car--the right quarter panel was held together with duct tape)
• 89 Mitsu Montero
• and currently: 97 Dodge Caravan

Cars are such wonderful things! I put $1300 into the Caravan during February to keep it moving, and two months later in April, I spent another $500 on it to make sure it would stop!!