The Best One Ever

I bet you thought I forgot! Of course not. :) Lots of changes happened this year that certainly kept me as busy as I've been since grad school, but enjoying Stella is still one of my most favorite things to do in the world.  Lately, I've been thinking back on what a great year it's been! From the very first day of the season (a Sunday) when my husband brought her back to our apartment for the first time in over 5 months. I could barely stand the wait, and when I saw her parked in our car port I couldn't wait to get inside. 

We took LOTS of long, long drives in the country.  When I say long, I mean 2 to 3 hours long.  LONG and awesome. Winding roads, hills, not another car or traffic signal for miles. Just the two of us and that phenomenal car. 

Sometimes we preferred the attention and drove her in the city, the way we did on the 4th of July when we went downtown for fireworks.  Sometimes we preferred to stretch her legs, and took her far away from home with no GPS to tell us where to go.

Unfortunately, our long drives cost us dearly.  The passenger side rear wheel gave out mid-summer, burning itself up on the side of a country road.  We sat in the beating sun for over an hour waiting for the tow truck, but loved every minute of it.  Because even a broke down Stingray can make me happy.

It cost us almost our entire repair budget for the year to get her back on all fours again, but we did it.

And it wouldn't be an antique car experience without the generalized mass leaking of fluids from everywhere and at all times!

In late July we bought a house, and for the first time since owning her, Stella had her own garage stall to protect her from the elements.  My favorite part? Not having to cover her with a tarp every time it rained!

 Fortunately, we were able to do a few simple projects ourselves!

Summer eventually cooled off and winter came, and this year it felt so much better to park her in our own garage.  It was recommended after this year's wheel damage that we lift her up off the ground over the winter months and take her wheels off.  Now she balances precariously on 4 jack stands, and although she looks quite silly at the moment, it's so nice to see her everyday. :)

GM released the first model in the newest generation Corvette in January of this year. It was much anticipated and well loved by Corvette enthusiasts everywhere, including this one. It was the first model Corvette to be call a Stingray since Stella's year--1976.  It lives up to the name!

And although the new C7 could out race Stella in a second--even though only the finest and most high-end material s were used to make the interior--there's simply nothing that can measure up to the Corvette you get to park in your own garage. To the one you get to call YOUR OWN.

So here's to Stella--the best one ever built.