New Beginnings for the New Year

We spent Sunday afternoon shopping for a new car for Butch.  It was easy this time because we have a 2010 Camry XLE that we both really love.  I have been driving it most of the time and he has been driving a 2002 Dodge Intrepid since 2005.  It was time to trade and get him into a newer car because the Dodge was flashing strange lights on the dash every once in awhile.

Because of our love for the 2010 Camry XLE, we decided to limit our search to the 2014 Camrys.  We drove up to Sun Toyota.  I had looked online at their 2014 XLE inventory and seen one I thought was perfect for Butch...

I loved the color (typical woman's reaction) but not because of what most people would think.  I loved it because the first car my husband bought when we were dating was a Chevy that same color and no matter what color his car has been since then, I always think of him in a pretty blue car.

And this one is a beauty.  With a lot of bells and whistles.  We don't buy new cars often, normally keeping them for 10 to 12 years before getting a replacement.  So this one and my 2010 will probably be our last ones. So we went for the gold.  We're not "name brand" people.  Just give us the most we can get for our money and throw in good service, dependability and good looks.  We got it in the new Camry.

It will be our "around the USA" transportation some time in the next couple of years when we lock the doors on our house and head off for 6 months or more.

One of the fun things we encountered when we were buying this car was the "smart board" in the Finance Mgr's office.  We completed all the initialing on warranties, etc. using the smart board and then only had to sign once we'd reviewed everything and he printed out the paper.  No one had to pull out a pair of reading glasses. ;-)

We spent a pleasant 45 minutes while our salesman synchronized our cell phones and showed us how to work the different high-tech accessories. And four hours after we drove into the dealership, we drove out with out new car and a full tank of gas.  We didn't go straight home.  We drove to Sunset Beach first.  It was packed.  Beautiful sunset and no parking spaces available.  Then we drove out the causeway to Howard Park.  I suggested to my husband (who absolutely despises having his picture taken) that I's like to get a shot of him with the new "baby."  To my surprise, he turned the car around and parked along the causeway.  So Mr." I don't really need all this" let me know with that move that he was feeling pretty darn good about this portion of the children;s inheritance we had just spent.

Actually, it's probably because he knew it was too dark to get a good picture.  But the sunset is pretty, isn't it?

Our garage is a two car garage but that simply means the car in the garage shares it with Butch's tool benches, riding lawn mower and a million other "guy" type things.  I have been parking the 2010 Camry XLE in there for the last four years (and it still only has 15K on the odometer) but I suggested the new one needs to be garaged and the older one can go out on the driveway.  I'm still not used to seeing that beautiful "Clearwater Blue Metallic" vehicle when I go into the garage to get something out of the freezer or fridge out there.  I do like having my car on the driveway.  I don't have to back out and around the other car that way.  Besides, his is the one with the camera on the rear. ;-)

All of my friends need to be on alert.  When we do our around the USA trip, we will be visiting EVERYONE.  But it won't happen while we still have Beau so it will be a little while yet.

New laptop for me. New car for Butch.  We've both been reading manuals all day. LOL