Preparing for the Road

 

       On my to-do list before we head up north was to take my car in to get it washed and to vacuum it out.  Notice I said, take the car "in" because who has time to wash their own car in 105 degree heat?  I would rather throw out good money than to worry about the time and effort in washing my own car.  It sounds so spoiled just writing it.  I used to wash my own car, sometimes by hand but often at the do-it-yourself places where you throw in quarters only to feverishly pump out the water and soap before the time ran out.  It was always kind of a rush and a bit wet.
  But I think I know what happened.  When Kenny started taking the car to get the oil changed, they always washed and vacuumed it and even gave it a new car scent, a package deal.  I guess after that, I just didn't do it anymore.  I just waited for the inevitable oil change. Then because we have 3 kids who spend lots of travel time in the car, the food-spilled rugs and crayon-marked seats came much earlier than a needed oil change.  It was then that I found this lovely little place right by the house that would do it and make it look better than I ever could.  All I had to do was sit in the a/c room and watch TV, jump on their wifi, or skim through a magazine.  They make it so easy.  Really. And then 20-30 dollars later, I have a fine-looking van.  Another one of those time vs. money issues.  We run across them a lot.
   But this weekend, "time" won out. And we spent most of our free Saturday afternoon cleaning, vacuuming,  and washing. We found lost socks, melted crayons, hair barrettes in slime, gobs of coloring pages and lost goldfish.  The heat was not fun.  Not fun at all.  But for the kids, playing around in a car without seats was better than a play ground. And hand-washing the car, as short-lived as it was, was better than the pool next door.  I'm not saying I've shunned SPLASHES CAR WASH, did I mention the time and the heat? But it was good to get a little dirty, and come out with a clean van ready for the road.  (Which of course will just get dirty again and I can start the cycle over.)