Good-bye Sarah

Sarah was my lovely car - a purple vauxhall corsa.

Before Sarah - we took the bus, we took the train, we begged lifts.

I was an expert at folding a buggy with one foot, while holding onto a baby and small child.

My dad gave me lifts to work - a lot of lifts.

And then he did the most marvelous thing and bought me a car.

When I first got her she was 3 years old and shiny.

Megs christened her Shiny Sarah and she was wonderful.

When I had 2 small children there were matching booster seats 

and we had adventures to parks and playgrounds.

When I had 2 teenagers she ferried and taxied and collected

{and we still had adventures.}

She took me to see friends - and she took friends out for coffee.

Very occasionally she had a long trip. 

Some holidays at the caravan.

And one very long drive to Essex in Olympic Year.

Along the way she collected lots of dents 

and went through a remarkable 3 replacement wing mirrors

{not ALL of the damage was my fault.}

There was a phase where she kept not starting - but a new battery fixed that.

In 2012 she developed a very intermittent fault 

where she wouldn't go into first gear from starting, 

but a little reverse always fixed that.

Then a year ago - on day she wouldn't go into gear at all.

I googled the fault. It was going to be a very expensive repair.

I called the RAC in a vain hope. 

A man came, turned the key and she worked!

But after that, every key turn I had my heart in my mouth,

would she work? 

We got through the winter. Al was going to get a works car.

Would Sarah keep going? We had a couple of very tricky morning school runs.

Then Al's works car came. I started to drive his car everyday.

And Sarah sat outside the house.
I thought that maybe Megs could learnt to drive in her - 

but the reality of the costs of keeping her going were horrible.

So with MOT, tax and insurance due....

I sold her to the scrap yard. She refused to start - she didn't want to go -

and they sent a man with low loader.

As he strapped her on Megs and I sobbed -

which is rather ridiculous -

but we loved her  - and all the memories and all that she represented.