Answers to the Inevitable Questions

• I have my next dog’s name picked out. And it’s gotta be a girl.
• My MINI is for sale in case anybody is interested buying it.
• I have to go to the “damned V” (as Karlo likes to call it) tomorrow.
• I’m not a very good window shopper. If I pet the dog, I must own the dog. If I test drive the car . . .

How many more statements should I make before I state the obvious?

You guessed it. I bought another car. I didn’t really mean to. It was mostly an accident. Things got a little out of control, very similar to the time when I sold my motorcycle without really wanting to to.

So the question that I know is burning is “BUT WHY?” Why have I been cheating on my MINI and test driving other cars? Why would I even consider driving anything but a MINI? The story is almost embarrassing, but there is no doubt that Karlo and I will get a kick out of it ten years from now when we are reading my blog book, so here goes . . .

Three weeks ago we were watching a program on the History Channel about the making of the BMW Z4. It was a fascinating one hour show that detailed every step in the production of this car, from the engine being built in Germany to every piece of the car being assembled here in the States. Being in the manufacturing industry I was really intrigued by it all. At the end of the show this amazingly beautiful car rolls off the production line and just as the ending credits roll on the screen I say, “I want one. Some day I’ll have one of those cars.” I put zero actual thought into that statement. It just seemed like the fun thing to say at the time.

We turned off the TV and went upstairs to bed. Karlo climbs into bed all jittery with energy. I ask him why he won’t settle down and he says, “I’m so excited for you getting that car.” What is he talking about??? I didn’t say, “I’m going to go buy one of those cars tomorrow.” It was just a silly meaningless statement. “Now go to sleep and stop being ridiculous.”

But the next morning the curiosity got the best of me and I just HAD to know how much they cost used. Brand new the cars are outrageous, but I just wanted to see if it would even ever be within my reach. That was mistake #1. I looked. And I found out they are indeed within my reach. I couldn’t resist sending Karlo a link to used ones with the title “A Dime a Dozen” and I said I could get one any time I so desired. So that was that. We were done with that topic.

Yeah right. We all know Karlo and I better than that. The next thing you know we are home on a weekend with no plans. This is always a dangerous situation for us. We must keep ourselves occupied at all times otherwise we can get ourselves into all sorts of trouble. So we come to the conclusion that it would be fun to go and test drive the Z4s and Z3s (which are older, but in my opinion, even nicer looking). I blogged about that day and it was mostly uneventful, expect for me getting behind the wheel of that Porsche Boxster S model monster – the one that really ‘wowed’ me.

That started the fire that we just couldn’t seem to extinguish. I knew there was no turning back. We crossed over the line by which we went too far and it was only a matter of time. When I stumbled across a yellow one with low miles it was simply too much to resist. I am finally fulfilling a long time dream – not to own a Porsche, but to put my CHEEZ license plate on a yellow car!

Here’s my new baby.



The truth is that I still do love my MINI and it almost breaks my heart to give it up. And here’s the kicker. This car is just really to tie me over until I can afford my real dream car . . . which is the new MINI Countryman. I figure I will get the whole convertible sports car thing out of my system while the new Countryman (due out next year) depreciates in value. Then I’ll go back to the ultimate Paula car and stick with it for the rest of my life.

Who wants my MINI?