Out For A Sunday Drive

Saturday, I took a few hours for myself and drove 2 hours to visit with my great bloggy friend Connie from Hartwood Roses.  Connie is just the best, and we have so much in common so anytime we're together it's always a fun day!  I'll be posting about our adventures and about her gorgeous house in an upcoming post!

Mr. Tide returned from Saudi Arabia on Thursday, and after the crazy few weeks I've had, I was in need of some "me" time so off I went to Virginia to see Connie!  But when I got home yesterday evening, Mr. Tide said they were having a beach party at a small town nearby and did I want to go have dinner there.  Our son was also working the event, so I said sure why not!

By the time we arrived in Leonardtown for the beach party the sun was low in the sky, but everyone was still having a great time and there was plenty of good food, fun, and music to be had.  I'll be posting pictures of the the party in a post this week!

As we made our way past the fire trucks, vendors, and other amusements, I spied something shiny!

Actually it was several shiny things in the form of beautiful vintage cars!!!  Now you may not know this about me, but I'm a car lovin' girl!

I always have been, there is just something so stylish and sophisticated about a shiny car!  And the vintage ones have always held a special place in my heart.

I think it may have to do with the fact that like a great pair of shoes or a fashionable handbag, cars are also a reflection of the fashions and design trends of each era.

The futuristic dashboards of by gone eras, the colors that represent the whims of each decade, even the new fangled fabrics which were introduced through the auto industry spoke to Americans and the dream life they wanted to experience each time they slid behind the wheel!

Although I've never been someone who is defined by what I drive, I do feel like what we drive is a reflection of who we are and can speak volumes about our sense of style.

Just as we do with our own homes, cars are often picked because of their practicality or to fill a need, like station wagons and minivans!

But sometimes we are drawn to the nostalgia of it all, like our first car, the one we drove cross country in, or maybe it was even a model owned by our parents or the one driven by a past love.

And sometimes it's just the color that catches our fancy and makes us swoon, like baby blue, candy apple red, or jet black!

Like that special black cocktail dress, or those perfect pearl earrings, cars can also become a favorite old friend that we go to over and over because we know we can rely on its simplicity and classic beauty.

Often times, people think that it's the men who have a love for everything car related, but I'll admit to dating a few guys not "just" for their cars...umm that would be shallow right?!...but hey it never hurt when a date picked you up in a really nice car right?!  But there are lots of women who love the power and agility of a well designed car.

My love of cars is not really shared by Mr. Tide.  Don't get me wrong, he can appreciate a nice car, but he'll take a fast airplane over a fabulous car any day of the week!

My son Bugs has inherited my love of cars, and I think my daughter also has a good appreciation for a really nice automobile, but it's Bugs who babies his car and polishes it often!

I was like that once upon a time, weekly washings, a waxed finish so shiny you could check your hair by looking down on the hood.  But then minivans, spilled juice boxes, happy meal toys, and sports equipment happened.  And a shiny well kept car didn't seem so very important anymore.

And although I would never trade a snazzy car for my wonderful husband and children...

I can still get a little weak in the knees, want to caress the leather seats, feel the wind in my hair as I accelerate, and drool just a little over layers of lacquered paint.  It's like seeing a huge flawless diamond, or a pair of designer heels, the sheer indulgence combined with power is something that will make this car girl's heart skip a beat!

Thank you everyone for your wonderful support and comments over the last few weeks!  I'm sorry that I'm so behind in responding or even visiting other blogs!  Every spare moment lately has been taken up with getting our son ready to leave for college, visiting Ms. M, and finishing up stories which are due this week!  I WILL get back into a routine, but for now I'm treading water, so thank you for understanding and for giving me a life ring to help me get through this busy time in my life!  xoxo