Back in 1999....

When I traveled to Hawaii for the first time, I rented a Sebring Convertible.

And I fell in love....

But I knew it would be a love that couldn't be...because they didn't sell Chrysler Sebrings in Germany.  

At that point in time I never....ever....thought I would end up in Hawaii.

But Life happened and I wound up in Hawaii and after a few years my car dream came true and I bought my first Sebring

and I named her Gracie. She was cheap and wasn't perfect. She had some many flaws. The hood wouldn't close all the way, not all the windows worked, the top had to be closed by hand.....and, and, and but she was a Sebring and sitting in that driver seat, I felt at home. We had wonderful, topless times together. 

Then, a little more than a year later, October was coming around and the time for her to get the annual safety check getting close. One thing was sure, she wasn't going to pass and the money needed to fix her - the math just didn't add up - so I had to let her go...and missed her every day.

Since we had a 2nd car and we didn't really NEED to have two cars, we opted to be frugal and not to get a replacement.

Fast forward to January 2011 - I was unhappy, always stuck in the apartments, bored out of my gourd and  it was time to get another car. I was lucky and oh so blessed that I was able to get another dream car - A newer model, much better condition

Enter stage left, Dolores, Dolly for short...

Actually won a photo contest with this picture and it landed in a Sebring Convertible Calendar

Daily morning drives to the beach, cruising the Island with the top down - I was me again! Loving Island life, still in love with a Sebring.

Last November hubby had his right of way taken and the accident totaled our other car. Here is the post about that mess.

Hawaii is a no fault state - no fun.

My tip for you, if you are ever here, never, ever have an accident in Hawaii.

Anyway, this time the decision was different. We had other things to take into consideration. We bought the ranch, we might be moving...maybe...having two cars, it was complicated. I didn't want to load a 2nd car if we were going to move...and who knows when that could happen? Sooner? later?.  So No 2nd car for us.

Dolly was our one and only and this time I took it in stride. If I needed a car, I'd drive Hubby to work and pick him up again. On the weekends I got to go for my beach walks and be the driver when we went shopping and such. It was a part time love affair.

Last week I had a friend visiting the Island and I drove Roger to work so I could have the car. We had a great time driving around the Island. Visiting some beautiful places - enjoying topless views. 

This week Wednesday hubby arrived home from work, much later than usual. He said that Dolly over heated and he had to stop several times on the way home. Said she kept dying on him.

So he called in and stayed home from work yesterday to take the car to the shop. They called and said that as far as they can tell there is a part that is broken. It might solve the problem - it might not. they won't be sure until they fix the part they see is broken. I was feeling a bad case of deja vu.

We sunk a lot of money in our Astro van and it wound up dying anyway - losing all the money we put into it.

We weren't about to let that happen again.

So unhappily we went to the dealership and traded Dolly in for a new car. Not a convertible, but for an economical 2011 Hyundai Accent. We don't have a name for her yet.....but that'll come, once we get to know each other better...

Aloha A Hui Hou!

Accident update

We (finally) received the police report from Rogers' accident. It doesn't say much, but it does say that the other guy has insurance. That means our insurance won't go up AND we will get our $500 deductible back! Phew! I was so worried we were going to get stuck holding the bag!

Aloha Hui Hou!

Accidents happen

Roger and I have this thing going on. He leaves for work at around 4:50AM, and around 6AM I get the call that he made it to work safely. I feel better knowing that he made the hour plus drive from our place, along the coast to the North Shore safely. Sometimes he'll get busy right away and I'll give a quick call "to have a piece of mind"*.

November 7th was different. At around 5:30 AM my work phone rings. Wondering who could have a problem this early in the morning, I pick up. It was Roger. My first thought is that he forgot something, wanted me to check something. But no, he tells me he's had an accident, by the Hygienic Store. He always says that's the area he fears the most, because it is not well lit and "crazy people cross the road wearing dark clothes". Roger is so worried about driving thru there that he even turns off the radio so he can give the road his full attention.

Poor guy, he's a bit shaken, but he is able to tell me that he was ok, just got the wind knocked out of himself and that he hurts. He was also able to tell me that he wasn't at fault, that the guy took his right of way.

About 15 minutes later Roger calls me again, said the police were finishing up and asks if I could come and pick him up.

As I drive over I have the radio on and the news guy says that an accident just popped up over by the Hygienic Store and that the road was blocked in both lanes and traffic was being detoured thru the Store parking lot. Kind of a strange feeling when you hear that and you know your loved one is involved.

From a distance I see the flashing lights. I see Roger sitting in a chair in front of the store. Because of the closure I have to pull into the gas station across the road.

What a mess. There is our Itsy, all banged up. The airbag was hanging limply out of the steering wheel, like a sad party left over.

The other car was a pick up truck. The impact of the accident must of been great because the trucks front tire was broken off the axe.

Roger says he was coming down the road and the truck just pulled out of the gas station, to cross the road. Not making a great effort to get out of the way. Roger tried to avoid truck, but there was no getting away.

The ambulance was there, but Roger said he wanted to go home. Would rather go see the doctor later. So that's what we did.

We got home and I checked him over. You could see that there was a bruise developing across his tummy and chest. Over the course of the day it went from a shadow to a HUGE bruise that covered his entire tummy (1foot+ by about 2 feet large bruise). The one on his chest was about fist size. A week and a half later the tummy bruise is fading, the one on the chest is still going strong.

When he was ready we drove to Honolulu and they checked him over and took some x-rays. For now he was sent home with some codeine pills and told it will take some time for it to feel better.

The next day we went over to the junk yard to take a look at our Itsy - she looked sad.

From what the insurance lady told me, in most cases when the airbag deploys, it means that the car will be deemed a total loss. And that's what happened. Heard from them yesterday and our insurance will be paying for the car and we will be getting some money back. So that's a good thing. Sad thing is it will take about 30 days to get the police report and find out if the other guy was insured or not. Hate this waiting.


Roger says he is still sore and can't wait for it to go away...

So that's that for now...

Aloha Hui Hou!

* Inside joke - This is a commercial we laugh about....happy that the woman can get a "piece" of mind....