Hey everyone-
So last Thursday my father passed away from cancer. He was 74.
I've mentioned here and there that I've been driving from Indiana to Ohio a lot. The reason I've been doing this was, at first, to help my dad when he was sick (he was being take care of, heroically, by mom at home so I was helping share the load when I could). In the past 5 days it was to help plan and execute the funeral arrangements. As I now joke (dad would have laughed at this): try not to die, it is a lot of work!
It also explains my desperation to buy a car (see also: my Introduction post). I actually really needed it to help mom and dad out. It also explains why I was so incredibly upset with Carvana when they screwed me over on the delivery date multiple times. I actually got upset and emotional with them over this.
It may also help explain why, when I saw that I could just take the money I had to buy a nice used car and instead just buy a brand new car off the lot, I jumped on it. I had thought this was an impossibility in 2023, and it was literally just a couple days before I was to head off to Ohio to help Dad for a week. If I hadn't found this car, I would have probably needed to have my wife drop me off *and* pick me up each way for the 3+ hour drive. I would have done it, but it sure would have made it much harder.
And it should also help explain why I post so darn much here: It has been a welcome distraction. It is hugely stressful to have a beloved parent fall ill, and even more stressful when it is clear that you are entering the end-of-life phase in that person's illness. So to come on here to chat cars was frankly a lot of fun. I am *not* a car guy but for some reason I found it to be a great escape to just post on this forum about the dumb little things I was doing with my Mirage.
And, of course, I've learned alot from you guys which is really neat.
Anyway- I hope you don't think its weird that I'm saying this- but it is what it is! And obviously I'll continue to post here as I've grown to like this community. I'm guessing my posting frequency will go down somewhat, but it shouldn't completely dissipate as I'm sure I'll keep doing silly little things to the car over time. And I find the fuel mileage log to be fun- much like a video game of sorts (I drive my wife and kids nuts with how I track it, haha).
That's it everyone- just wanted to say thanks for this community during this weird time in my life. -rohoGames