We're keepin' the "soccer mom" vibe alive with our new (to us) car, a Honda Odyssey. And while my daughters aren't thrilled with this new vehicle, I am overjoyed. I just returned from a little road trip to the Oregon Coast to meet up with my mom and sister and I relished every minute in a car that A.) would start when I turned the ignition key and B.) well, my mind just kind of stops there because I am just so happy to have a car that works.
I had an odd realization as I reached the sea of family cars in various shades of grey and white, I didn't note what aisle my car was parked and I couldn't remember my new license plate number. I know that our new van is graphite grey and that it's a Honda Odyssey. There. That's all I got. So here I am, slowly walking through the parking lot with my remote control keychain clicking the Door Open button on any Honda Odyssey I find.
This one? Nope. This one? Nope. This one? Nope. This one? (Please dear God don't let Security come after me). I'm beginning to panic. Do I call the Lost and Found? What would I say and not sound like a nitwit? Do I stay until closing and see which grey van is the last to leave? One last attempt, this one? Yes! This is the one! I try to look nonchalant as I place the jackets inside then dig through my purse to find a pen and paper. I go to the back of the car and write down my license plate number, make a mental note that I'm parked near the gazebo with a rusty sink then head back to the park.
I don't mind having a car that looks like all the rest, I just need to find a way to stand out among the pack.
The other day I chaperoned a group of kids to Oaks Park. It's Portland, OR own amusement park and it's adorable. I'm not the only one who wanted to get in that last summer hurrah and found our van joining a slightly busy parking lot. We grabbed our things and I strolled while the girls ran to the ticket booth. I knew their hoodies wouldn't last long because we were experiencing an usual heatwave, but my voice somehow didn't register in their excitement.
While the girls were standing in line for a ride they called The Squirrel Cages they asked if I would hold their hoodies. Instead I told them I was going to take the jackets to the car and off I went to the parking lot that had now tripled in size.
I had an odd realization as I reached the sea of family cars in various shades of grey and white, I didn't note what aisle my car was parked and I couldn't remember my new license plate number. I know that our new van is graphite grey and that it's a Honda Odyssey. There. That's all I got. So here I am, slowly walking through the parking lot with my remote control keychain clicking the Door Open button on any Honda Odyssey I find.
This one? Nope. This one? Nope. This one? Nope. This one? (Please dear God don't let Security come after me). I'm beginning to panic. Do I call the Lost and Found? What would I say and not sound like a nitwit? Do I stay until closing and see which grey van is the last to leave? One last attempt, this one? Yes! This is the one! I try to look nonchalant as I place the jackets inside then dig through my purse to find a pen and paper. I go to the back of the car and write down my license plate number, make a mental note that I'm parked near the gazebo with a rusty sink then head back to the park.
I don't mind having a car that looks like all the rest, I just need to find a way to stand out among the pack.