Monday, January 12, 2009

Big Ella was a big hit, and saying goodbye to Christmas

Spouse & I decided to take Big Ella out for some exercise on Sat. We figured we could run a few errands while enjoying a leisurely ride. Big Ella was a big hit!

Our first stop was the gas station. As I was filling up her tank and adding the lead additive (cars made before catalytic converters and unleaded fuel need to have a lead additive), the older gentlemen at the next pump asked me what year she was. When I responded 1959 he said he was guessing 1960, then said it was nice to see old cars like that again.

After exiting the gas station and waiting at the traffic light, I noticed a guy in a Ford Ranger pick-up leaning across his passenger seat. He pulled a camera out of the glove box, rolled down the window, and took 2 pictures of Big Ella - from the passenger side of his truck!

Our next stop was K-Mart. (Of course I parked out in the middle of the parking lot where there were no other cars.) Spouse was looking for an insulated coffee mug and we thought we might find one there. As we we were about to step inside the store, a 12-year old looking boy said "What kind of car?", to which I replied "Cadillac, Sedan de Ville". He then asked "What year?", to which I replied "1959". His important questions answered, he simply summarized "Cool."

Next we drove into downtown Rehoboth Beach, where a fellow driver tooted his horn to get my attention and then mouthed the words "LOVE your car!" I mouthed back "Thank you." We drove down the boulevard, and then into the state park so we could see the ocean for a few minutes.

Not having found his insulated mug at K-Mart, our next stop was Walmart. Spouse also likes to get his herbal supplements there because they are less expense than at the vitamin stores. Again I parked Big Ella way out, away from all other vehicles. No one spoke to us about Big Ella at Walmart, but we saw a car load of teens/early 20s drive by and point at her in obvious admiration.

Our last stop was Home Depot. We had some Christmas gift cards to use and wanted to pick out a new shower head. Again, I parked Big Ella at the perimeter of the parking lot. As we were walking toward the store we passed a male customer pushing a cart toward his car. It appears he had seen us walking from where we'd parked her, and he was either cruising us big time, or wanted to say something about Big Ella. He never spoke to us, but his stares spoke volumes!

Once inside, a 'greeter' welcomed us to Home Depot then followed up by saying "That's a beautiful car. I'd park it way out there, too, if it were mine."
Literally everywhere we went we received questions and/or comments about Big Ella. It was almost like her 'debut'.

On Sun we took down and packed up all the Christmas home decorations, cards, tree, and mantel decorations. It was a little bit sad to say goodbye to Christmas for another year, and when we were finished, the house looked a little 'bare'. As usual, after gently pulling the Christmas cards off the ribbons hanging in the foyer, I briefly looked at each one and smiled as I thought about the friends who'd taken the time to send them. I mean, it does take time to address cards and write personal message inside, and I felt a real sense of happiness over the friends who took the time to send us a holiday greeting.

I never throw away Christmas cards. Ever. I just can't. Even though the practical person inside me knows I will most likely never look at these cards again, I just can not throw them away. Instead, I place them in an envelope and write the year on it, and place the envelope in the attic with the others. I have every Christmas card I've received since I began celebrating Christmas in 1993. I rationalize that one day I will learn of some fantastic project or re-use for these cards, and I will already have my supply ready and waiting for me, in the attic.

Do you save Christmas cards? Do you know of any re-uses for them?

Crush du Jour: Jakub Stefano

8 comments:

David Dust said...

Big Ella sounds like a fun gal to hang around with!

A friend of my family cuts up her old Christmas cards and uses them as gift tags (or "from and to's", as we call them). One one side you have the Christmas decoration form the front of the card, and on the reverse you have the white "card" part that you can write on. Obviously you can't use 100% of each card (because of the old writing/greeting inside) but I always thought it was a neat way to reuse Christmas cards that you truly never will look at again.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Mistress Maddie said...

I felt the same way you did. We took all the trimmings down here at the estate on Friday.It does look bare after it's all gone. In the pass I have selected some of my favorite Christmas cards that I like the designs or picture of and have framed them. When Christmas rolls around again I switch out some of my smaller art on the walls with the framed cards for the holidays. And the crush today. I want dinner off his pecs!

RAD said...

Big Ella looks like big fun!! Happy Monday!

Anonymous said...

I save cards too. I thought it would be funny and "going green" to send them back to the people who sent them to me, not every year mind you, just once. I was informed that I was the only one who thinks that would be funny. I still might one year.

Bob said...

Loving the fins!

They don't make 'em like they used to, sad to say.

Joy said...

What fun to drive around and get all that attention! Big Ella rocks (and rolls)! Couldn't resist that.

Anonymous said...

I don't think it was Big Ella that the guy in the pick-up was trying to get a photo of, but rather the occupants. ;-) I save Xmas cards, but not to re-use. I know a friend who uses old cards as name cards for place settings once they're cut down to size.

larry said...

cool car! love the fins... and chrome for days...