I bought a convertible. I’ve always wanted a little sports car, and decided I would treat myself to one after I retired. I spent years shopping. When I was stressed while I was still working, I browsed used car sites, and researched models and colors. I couldn’t decide exactly what I wanted, and then Covid hit and prices of all recreational vehicles skyrocketed- because there wasn’t anything else to do. My friend bought one, and she gushed about how much fun it is to drive. I thought I might want one like hers, but in the end, I bought the one I’d been wanting since high school. My homecoming date my senior year in high school told me that he thought his dad would let him take his dad’s brand new (first year of production) Mazda Miata to homecoming that year. He was wrong. He came to pick me up in his mom’s Nissan Maxima. Nowadays, that’s a pretty nice car. In 1989, it was an ugly square little thing. I was so disappointed!
When I was about 12 my parents bought a van to drive carpool with- my siblings and I went to a private high school 15 miles away from our town. Public transportation was not available, so the moms put together a carpool group to keep from having to drop off and pick up kids every single day. The carpool was a marvel of organization. Everyone who participated had to have a 6+ capacity vehicle- unless a student was driving- then it could have 1 less. My parents bought (what I thought) was the ugliest vehicle imaginable. A 9 passenger van. My mom told me years later that I looked at the van and told her that when I was an adult, I was going to buy a little red sports car. It turned out to be blue, and at least 35 years later than I orignally planned at age 12!
Do I think that the adorable blue convertible will make me happy forever? I do not. But it was cheap, and a ridiculously good deal. Its actually a 2002 Miata, and only had 54,000 miles on it when I got it. It was kept in a garage with a cover on it, and it’s in remarkably good condition for a 21 year old car. I could sell it tomorrow for several thousand dollars more than I paid for it. But it makes me smile every time I walk out of the door and see it.
What does make me happy? I was pretty obsessed with the science of what makes us humans happy for a while, so I have some ideas. I know that “stuff” doesn’t make you happy for long. On average, a new car makes you happy for about 6 months, and then its just your car. A new house makes you happy for a little longer, but not much. I know from experience that no matter how cool the location of your house is, sooner or later, you won’t get the same joy from sitting on the front porch looking at your view. It’ll just be your back yard.
I absolutely adored our little cabin on the river when we first got it, and we went every chance we got. I still love it, but my family has lost their crush on it. I can’t get anyone to go with me anymore. My husband wants to sell it. He says that all we do when we’re there is work on stuff. There is a bit of truth in that, but I’m not quite ready yet. Maybe in a year or two I’ll be ready to let it go.
I haven’t gotten tired of my garden yet, because there is something new in it every day. I never get tired of travel for the same reason. There is always something new to discover. Relationships make me happy too- or not happy as is the case this week.
13 years ago we built a house across the street from someone who would become one of my best friends. We spent a lot of time together over the years, and walked to each others’ houses frequently to discuss our day, share a glass of wine, or just talk. She moved a few weeks ago. She got a much better job, and moved five and a half hours north. We still talk, but it isn’t the same. I am happy for her, but I miss her. Close friends definitely make you happier.
Back to the convertible- at the moment just the sight of it makes me smile. That’s a good thing because I won’t be driving it much for the next month or so. Where I live is great for convertibles. I can probably drive it 8 months a year. The months I CANNOT drive it are June, July, August, and part of September. Its just too hot.
I hadn’t driven a manual transmission in years, and I’m having fun with that. Part of what makes driving a convertible fun is that you’re in the car, but you’re still outside. There is a much more heightened sense of your surroundings- kind of like driving a motorcycle- only less dangerous. Maybe it will retain the “happy” by making boring errands more fun. Or maybe I will sell it in a few years and let it cheer someone else up. I’m enjoying it now, anyway.
Fun retirement activity of the week- I’m going on an all day kayaking trip tomorrow (it was supposed to be scheduled for a weekday, but its now going to be Saturday because something came up.) We are also going on a mini camping trip next Wednesday. We are going to the mountains hoping that it will be cooler than here. Almost anywhere is cooler than here. The heat index here is 108 degrees right now!
