XLE? Don't you mean, P.O.C.???

I would like to introduce you to someone. 

This is Sylvie.  Okay, this isn't ACTUALLY Sylvie, but it is her twin. 

And yes, we name our cars.  Who doesn't?

Sylvie's large girth joined our family in the spring of 2005.  She was 3 years old at the time, and from the start, she was full of life lessons for us.

Life lesson #1:  Car dealers are NOT your friends.

Life lesson #2:  If a repair guy tells you that work is going to take 5 days, what he REALLY means is that he won't even have the parts to fix it for 10 days, and the work won't be completed for 3 weeks. 

Despite these life lessons, Sylvie has been a good car.  A dependable car. 

Granted, she would have been a whole lot prettier if THIS had never happened.  (For those of you who don't want to click on the link, it's the time Sylvie's door handle got ripped off by an Elementary School aid)

Let's also not forget about how much Sylvie has taught Roon about CAR REPAIR.

Despite all of Sylvie's best intentions, her health has begun to decline.  The rate of which steadily increased once she was paid off a year ago.  To catalog a few of her ailments...

1. She needs a new water pump.
2. She doesn't like the cold, and will turn off without warning because of it.
3. 1 power door doesn't work, and won't open beyond halfway.
4. 1 door won't lock
5. A door handle is missing (still).

Recently, we have added to that list.

Last Saturday, Roon decided it was high time (because I'd nagged him enough) to take our paper recycling bin over to the elementary school to dump in the fundraising recycling dumpster.  When he returned, he walked in the house and said "we just hit another snag, with the van..."

My heart sunk.  What could be wrong now?  I drove the van a couple of blocks the other day, and it stalled 3 times.  I assumed it had to be something with the engine.  I asked him to expand.

"When I went to grab the bin out of the back of the van, something popped.  When I got home, I couldn't get the back door to open at all."

Well, yeah, sure.  Why not?  That sounds about right...

So, I asked him what his plan was now.  After all, we have been "making do" without a door handle for a year, and I've adjusted to that.  Our plan requires 1 more year without a car payment to pay off debt, before we can afford the van we want.  If he could find a way to "fix" the back door, so we could make do for one more year, I was fully willing to adjust.

That is, until he went out to the van with a screwdriver. 

"I'm gonna see if there's a way I can jimmy it open."

Oh, please no. 

He came in with a smile on his face, and an "I got it open!  It should work fine.  All we need to do is keep a screwdriver in the car!"

You can imagine how excited I was to hear the news.

Later that day, we had to venture out to do our grocery shopping.  First stop, Costco.

After completing our shopping there, we headed out to our beloved, Sylvie.  Roon automatically went to open her the conventional way. 

I graciously reminded him he better grab the screwdriver.

I loaded the kids into the van, while my husband, by all indications, tried to break into our van.

I came around to help load our purchases, at the precise moment some piece of the handle came off in Roon's hand.

There is no longer any way to jimmy it open.

When asked what his plan was now, Roon loaded the groceries into the van through the rear passenger door that only opens halfway, and scowled at me. 

"Overtime".  He said.  "Lots and lots of overtime".