BEYOND THE MIDLIFE CRISIS! (Way beyond!)

Many of you know my age, so you know my mid-life time was more than a few days ago. But my father is 96, so maybe I am not too far off. I dunno. Anyway, I did not go out and buy a convertible when I hit my 40s, or a bright red Corvette, sailboat, or take a Cruise around the world as so many do to try to recapture the magic we all felt when we were younger (and ever so much dumber.) I have never bleached or dyed my hair – what you see is what you get – that’s me. I did buy my house when I was in my 40s but that was security, not a fling! I have not wanted much, so I have been content more than other people who are always wanting, wanting, wanting, and never being satisfied for more than a few weeks – until the next new thing came along. (Our iEconomy is based on that – the newest iThing and folks line up for blocks to get one…)

I have wanted something for quite a few years. A Pickup truck. As my friend Louie said, “You wan a Peeee Cup? But you a woomen. Woomens drive preeety leetle cars! Get a Beemer. I drive it for you!” No. I wanted something I could put concrete blocks in – for my next Stand-Uppity garden… plywood for the same… Remember that big piece of slate that went under that bench? We carried that in my van. Yeah, it fit, but I was not happy about it. Then, the next day, the boy that loaded 10 bags of mulch in the van split one bag – WHADDA MESS! Geez. I hate asking any of the men I know to borrow the use of their pick-ups. I don’t ever ask to drive them, I don’t know these guys that well. Or they offer to go get something for you and then they forget… and, well, how do you gently remind them? And how many times do you do that? And then you have to wait 2 or 3 more weeks for a dozen concrete blocks that you needed a month ago. SIGH.

Truth is, I have been wanting a PeeCup for quite a few years. And I kept waiting for one to come along. My name has been on several dealer’s lists, but nothing ever happened. Only one phone call in maybe 5, 6 years. Obviously I did not want something new. A second hand Toyota was my plan… a small one, preferably. All I really cared about was that is was not orange. I hate orange. Well, there are a few other shades of this or that I really did not want, but orange was definitely OUT! Then last week while I was having my van serviced, I got to talking with one of the service managers I have known forever, and well, one thing led to another, and what do you know? I now own my own PeeCup!  It is ancient, has 165,000 miles on it, but it is a Toyota, so it is just nicely broken in. It should be good for another 100,000 miles or so. My ex had one for 300,000 miles. I consider it an investment.

But, in spite of its miles, and the fact that it is bigger than I really wanted – a Tundra instead of a Tacoma – and we aren’t really sure what color it is – but know it is not Orange – well, it seems perfect. It has a power seat, something I really, REALLY need with my bad back, cruise control, for my bad knees, and extended cab minus the seat so I can store my little pink tools the guys are always borrowing (and returning because they are pink)… It is a V8 so I don’t have to hit myself in the head wishing I had one, it has a tow package, is 4 wheel drive, and has a big rubber mat over the bed-liner. Did I mention a 6 disc CD player? I bet it whistles Dixie, too, if I just find the right button. Best of all, it is already dinged up so I won’t have a heart attack the first time one of the guys bangs it when I go get stuff for the train station. It will hold our portable train layout so we don’t have to pull the trailer. But best of all, it purrs like a kitten. Well, it is a Toyota, who would expect less? I have ordered steps for it… it is HIGH UP there, so they come in tomorrow and I will get them put on. Oh, it has those thingies over the windows so I can leave them open a bit, and a sliding window in the back (for 12 foot boards, LOL!) and pop open windows in the extended cab.

I wish it were pink, but what the heck. One salesman tried to convince me it was mauve. Smokey Pearl is what the book says. Get real. A smokey pearl peecup?

So, I have owned it 4 hours and it has been to the Building Supply place for a dozen metal fence posts and then I bought a dozen concrete blocks just because I could. And I did not have to beg some man to go get them for me. And gravity helped me unload them into my wheelbarrow. I need a new wheelbarrow, by the way. My big one died last winter – the wood finally rotted thru… I could not replace it because I did not want to put one in the van. I could have if I put the seats down into the floor, but it was too much trouble. Maybe that will be tomorrow’s job. The guys at Jaxon’s will load it. Gravity will unload it. All is good.

And I can stand up in the back of the truck to trim my trees! Is this cool or what?

Funny thing is, half the men I know have already indicated they might like to borrow it for this or that… But so many of them have been so good to me, I will be more than glad to share. After all, that is what a peecup is for, right? And friends… sharing.

Life is good.