Life Lessons...... Kindly brought to you by Ford.

My Mamacita is fond of saying that the "Good Lord teaches us in mysterious ways."  Sometimes the lessons themselves are not as mysterious as the teachers who deliver the lesson.  Whoever would have thought that I would learn a major life lesson and a lot about myself from my Ranger, of all things.  

Curious?   Wondering what in the world the "Ah Ha" moment was?  Well aren't you lucky that I am in a giving mood tonight and won't keep you in suspense. The lesson was.......

  

"There are plenty of fish in the sea. "  

Now I know that you are probably thinking.... "Hello,  old news sista."  and that is so very true, but for me it was like a splash of cold water and has really made me start thinking about relationships or lack there of.

Confused?  

Good!  Now that you are questioning my sanity, your intrigue will spur you to read on.

For this all to make sense you have to know a little about me.  I am what you might call chronically single, for lack of a better term.  Now don't get all bleeding heart on me.  It is something that I have come to terms with and besides my "condition" provides me with a lot of time to pursue interests.  Normal things like reading, running, skiing and international espionage (caught that, glad to see your paying attention).   Besides, being spared relationship drama has done wonders in maintaining my youthful appearance...  I am really 65 years old!  Truly amazing isn't it!  

If you have never experienced chronic singledom,  you don't know that an amazing thing happens around year 6, or was that 7, I forget.  After years of looking for potential relationships around every corner and with every new person you meet, you just stop looking.  You become content in the one relationship you do have control over....  the one with yourself.   So although you meet people,  you don't expect anything because hey, your in a committed relationship already.  

Don't get me wrong, a relationship with yourself is not all roses and garden tea parties.  There are times when you don't like yourself, you feel your not good enough and your ready to throw in the towel and look for a new relationship.  This coincidentally usually occurs after visits home, when you have to face the firing squad of questions from your relatives, or, the weeks proceeding and following attendance at weddings.  But there is a silver lining.  As the years pass, family members give up asking and there have been amazing technological advances in pharmaceuticals to address "Weddingitis" (Kidding!).  

So, by the time you hit year 14, 15..... or say 20; singledom is old hat, something you are good. It also doesn't hurt that it feels as comfortable as your favorite pair of PJ bottoms.    This type of comfort is exactly what I have with the Ranger.  After 14 years of living together, I can tell just by the sound of the engine or the feel of the steering when Lil' Dude needed to visit the Truck Doctor.  Although my head occasionally turns to notice a random Sport Trac,  Titan, VW Bug or Jeep YJ, I have never taken it any further, as hey, I am happy in my current vehicle relationship.

The recent mechanical failings of the truck and the overwhelming number of choices that are available to look at and explore is what reawakened my interest in looking for a relationship outside of myself.  It also opened my eyes to the amazing similarity between dating, relationships and vehicle shopping.  The one benefit of shopping for a vehicle vs looking for a relationship is it is normally frowned upon to start searching for a new relationship when the old one is failing; but is highly encouraged and socially supported when your vehicle relationship is on the rocks.  

Will Max find the vehicle or man of her dreams?  

Tune in next time.

Same Ranger time, 

Same Ranger station.

Love at First Sight.....

It has taken me a while to come up with a topic to write about, but finally I have found one that I thought was important enough to document..... my 14-year relationship.  I could start the story at the end, but:

a) Where is the fun in that.

b) A little history never hurt anyone. 

c) Most importantly, to truly understand you need to know about how it all began.  

Besides beginnings always the best part of the story, aren't they?

I remember our first chance encounter, like it was yesterday.  It was a clear sunny day on the Prairies.  The type were only a few clouds are floating along in an ocean of the bluest sky, forming interesting shapes to entertain the masses.  It was a lazy day with no plans, no work, nothing to do and all the time in the world to do it in.  I had just finished University and had decided to take the summer off, my last hurrah before buckling down to a full-time job.   One of the benefits of my lack of life-plan was I got to spend more time with my Daddio, which lead the meeting of the love of my life or LOML.   

 

I know it sounds corny but as soon as I saw him I knew he was for me.  He had everything that I wanted.... rough, rugged on the outside, with a touch of softness on the inside.  The perfect mix of power and class... a real head turner.  When he spoke it reminded me of the soft hum of a kitten purring, and his smell.... ummmm that smell. 

The only problem- he was out of my class and it became apparent I was not the only one vying for his attention.  So I did something that I never do.... I threw caution to the wind and pounced. There was no thinking, no planning, definitely no pro and con list- just pure adrenaline pumping through the veins, heart pounding through the chest, action.  I decided on the spot that he would be mine at all costs and I won.  He was mine,  ALL MINE.... there was no turning back.  

I enjoyed the turn of heads as we passed by.  The admiring glances and the hint of jealousy in the eyes of the women, men and definitely the boys!  Who could blame them, we were the perfect match.  I knew just the sweet spot to hit to get him to change gears, he wooed me with the music that would become the sound track of our years together.  He never minded when others hitched a ride..... the more the merrier.  The Summer of '95 (hence referred to as the best summer of my life) was the start of it all.  

He helped me move to another province without a word and even endured my sister's and my Oprah worthy ugly cry, as the realization hit that it was not just another road trip, and I would not be returning back to the Prairies that I love.   He stuck by me as I forged a new life, in a new city and was there when I met new people.  He has been there through both the good and bad times, the ups and the downs.... my one constant in a new chapter of my life.  Without him I would have a hard time getting around in life as he is my truck-  Lil' Dude.  

What will become of Lil' Dude?

Will the relationship sever?

Tune in next time......

Same Ranger time......

Same Ranger station.......