Thanks Old Girl.

A milestone.

I pull my car over. To pause. And reflect.

We've been through a lot together I say. Rubi looks at me and cocks her head. She thinks I'm talking to her. But I'm talking to the Aging SUV.

In the span of 100,000 miles, one could drive around the earth four times.

Note: But that's only if you have a car that actually turns into a boat or something cool like that.

In the span of 100,000 miles, one could drive nearly halfway to the moon.

Note: But that's only if you have a car that actually turns into a rocketship or something cool like that.

My Aging SUV has seen me through more important things than traveling around the world or traveling through outer space. My Aging SUV has seen me through the last ten years of my life.

She has taken both kids to college more than once, overflowing with pots and pans and computers and bedspreads and tears, yes.

She has endured family road trips when our family was still all living under the same roof. She has survived her windows decorated with green and gold paint as we traversed to the Oakland Coliseum. She has parked in three different garages in three different homes and although she is now resigned to parking in the driveway, she still sparkles under the layer of dust. She has a comfy spot for everyone, especially the dog, who enjoys her perch between the front seats.

That Old Girl lived in Utah with the kids for a semester when the weather was treacherous and I couldn't bear to see them drive Sis' tiny little car over the Sierra Nevada. She has hauled bricks and bark and garbage, lots of it, and lumber and plants, yes, many, many plants and tomatoes from Dad's garden, big juicy tomatoes, as big as your head, almost.

And that Aging SUV saw me safely through the most difficult days of my life as I made the grueling six-hour round trip, repeatedly, while my Mom was hospitalized before dying on a blustery, wet December night.

I raise my fuel nozzle to you, Old Girl! Here's to the next 100,000!

Heck, yes!