It's Really Gonna Happen
Graduation, that is. Last night Cici came to me with a box of graduation goodies - invitations, envelopes, cards with her name on them to pass out or put in the slits in the invitations. Oh, and one more thing, Papa, she said. What do you think?
It was the proof of her graduation photo, and let me tell you that it is one of the best photos I have ever seen of her. She has a big smile that shows her perfect teeth, and her hair is so long that it falls below the level of the camera. She looks confident, poised, and happy. I like it so much that I ordered a 15 x 20 to hang on the wall.
Last night I sent Cici a text message that she needed to move her car out of the garage to leave a place for me to park our new car. She complied, but when I got home she had me drive around to the front of the house in the new car so she could check on her lonely car sitting outside her bedroom window. I think the realization is sinking in that she has a car now, and is responsible for its well being.
I know the first thing she will do is clean it inside and out because she keeps everything very clean and tidy. The next thing she will do is personalize it, which I am sure will include a sticker for whichever college she decides to attend. She wanted to keep Eeyore hanging from the rearview mirror, which I think is appropriate even though she put him there for me. He is like a covenant that runs with the land at this point, and neither of us could see removing him from his home.
Don't forget that you need a sticker for the toll roads, Cici reminded me. I appreciated the reminder because I hadn't thought of that little detail yet.
The big issue was red or white. Ping suggested red and said that she believed Cici would also prefer red, but Cici vetoed red and suggested white or black. I vetoed black because I wanted to change colors. So by committee action, we ended up with white. By a vote of 2 to 1 against me we ended up with a CRV instead of a Prius v, though it was a toss up for me once we narrowed it to these two choices.
But back to this graduation thing. It is no longer some distant event. It is almost right on top of us. I know we will still have the summer after graduation but the girls will be in China most of the summer. I can already picture us with the Pilot loaded with Cici's things and us heading off to college with me wondering where all the time has gone.
It was the proof of her graduation photo, and let me tell you that it is one of the best photos I have ever seen of her. She has a big smile that shows her perfect teeth, and her hair is so long that it falls below the level of the camera. She looks confident, poised, and happy. I like it so much that I ordered a 15 x 20 to hang on the wall.
Last night I sent Cici a text message that she needed to move her car out of the garage to leave a place for me to park our new car. She complied, but when I got home she had me drive around to the front of the house in the new car so she could check on her lonely car sitting outside her bedroom window. I think the realization is sinking in that she has a car now, and is responsible for its well being.
I know the first thing she will do is clean it inside and out because she keeps everything very clean and tidy. The next thing she will do is personalize it, which I am sure will include a sticker for whichever college she decides to attend. She wanted to keep Eeyore hanging from the rearview mirror, which I think is appropriate even though she put him there for me. He is like a covenant that runs with the land at this point, and neither of us could see removing him from his home.
Don't forget that you need a sticker for the toll roads, Cici reminded me. I appreciated the reminder because I hadn't thought of that little detail yet.
The big issue was red or white. Ping suggested red and said that she believed Cici would also prefer red, but Cici vetoed red and suggested white or black. I vetoed black because I wanted to change colors. So by committee action, we ended up with white. By a vote of 2 to 1 against me we ended up with a CRV instead of a Prius v, though it was a toss up for me once we narrowed it to these two choices.
But back to this graduation thing. It is no longer some distant event. It is almost right on top of us. I know we will still have the summer after graduation but the girls will be in China most of the summer. I can already picture us with the Pilot loaded with Cici's things and us heading off to college with me wondering where all the time has gone.
Red paints require more maintenance to keep their luster, and black dictates more energy to keep cool along with showing every imperfection or spec of dust. White really is the only color to consider in a hot environment.
Of course that's why the EPA would like everyone to get light colored cars.
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I agree, Smitty, and I am enjoying the white vehicle. Ping really likes it too, and has been suggesting we should trade cars with each other every week. Dream, I told her, but I suspect she will get her turn. She has only put 20K miles on her car in two and a half years and it is in great shape. I like everything about it except it is not as comfortable for me as it is for her.
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