Friday, August 31, 2007

Labor Day Weekend

PREFACE: I just re-read my post and it seems like my sisters are spoiled and bratty and theyr'e really not, this is just one of those days...

I cannot believe it's Labor Day Weekend already! It doesn't seem SO long ago that I was excited for Memorial Day Weekend! Time really does fly sometimes. I love summer, but I really truly love the fall, it's always been my favorite season. There's something about the crisp (not FREEZING) air, foliage, sweaters... here's to a wonderful fall for everyone!

You all know by now that I have three younger sisters- - that makes four of us, obviously. By the time I turned 16 my mother was so ready to have a break from trucking us all over town that my parents bought me a car, well, technically they bought a third family car, but I was the only one old enough to drive. Let me tell you something about this car- - it was a volvo ((sigh, love)), but it was old- - REALLY old- - a 1984 turbo. This was before even the 240 model so you can imagine what it was like- - turn dial radio, no 5th gear just an overdrive button. It was old, but I loved it.
It looked just like this but it was a Sedan. Hot. I know. We had this car until my sophomore year of college. Let me clarify something though, at my college first-years were ALLOWED to bring cars to school but I was NOT because my parents felt that I needed time to adjust without being able to leave campus. This was their "parenting philosophy". Fine, didn't bother me too much.

The next sister got her license the summer before my junior year and my parents decided that, because there would be two of us driving it and I might be taking it to school occassionally, we should upgrade. And upgrade we did. To a 1990 Saab. Contain your excitement. Because I was away at school 80% of the time and when I came home I ran/rode my bike to and from work this car inevitably became Sister #2's car. No, she didn't pay for it. No my parents didn't give it to her. Yes, she called it "Her Car" and it was always a HUGE issue if I needed to use it to drive to the grocery store or something because. It. Was. HER. Car. DUH. You know what, I didn't even really care. When Sister #2 came to college with me (I was a senior she was a first-year) we got to take the car with US. Aren't I lucky? Because THIS. WAS. HER. CAR. It didn't matter that I never had a car at school and all of the sudden she's a first-year-and HASTOHAVEACAR, so POOF I get a car at school. Great. It was more convenient than not having one.


Cut to NOW. I have my very own, much newer Volvo that I love and that I don't have share or worry about someone claiming as their "own". Sister #2 is a junior at college Sister 3 & 4 are 16 and 17 and seniors in high school. All of them have their license. Sister #2 has HERCAR at school because, IT'S. HER. CAR. REMEMBER? So my parents are left sharing their vehicles with Sisters 3 & 4. Not a huge deal but that leaves the options of,

a. someone driving my sisters to school (this is what I did last year) and picking them up after.

b. someone bringing my dad to work at 6:00am and picking him up at 5pm leaving him at work for the whole day (he usually comes home for lunch).

c. my dad taking a car, and my sisters taking a car leaving my mom car-less and walking to work- it's not too far, don't worry.

None of these options are ideal and beacuse my sisters have Senior Privileges my parents want them to be able to leave school when they have a study hall. So, my dad starts thinking that he needs to buy another car to have in the mix when everyone is going in different directions. He comes home last night and tells us that he bought a 1999 Subaru Outback as the fourth family car- - HA. HA. HA. I think he meants for Sisters 3 & 4 because we know how that "additional family car" thing works out. I'm thinking, GREAT! They are so lucky to have their own car now and it's nicer than any car we've ever had for a "kid car".

Nicer, right? Well, Sister #3 FREAKS OUT. She starts complaining because she HATES STATION WAGONS. HATES THEM. WE KNOW THAT. WE KNOW THAT SHE HATES THEM. AS A SENIOR SHE WOULD RATHER GET A RIDE TO SCHOOL THAN DRIVE THAT CAR. THAT IS EMBARRASSING. CAN'T SHE KEEP MY DAD'S CAR? THAT'S SOOOOO MUCH BETTER! (and on, and on, and on, and on...)

Let's recap:

vs.

No further evidence.

Beyond mad right now. BEYOND MAD.

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7 Comments:

Blogger J said...

I can totally sympathize. I am the oldest of three girls and like you, my parents bought a third car when I got my license. When I was in college and my sisters were still in HS, I would come home for breaks assuming that I would get to use the car once in awhile because, you know, it was the THIRD car. Not my sister's car. But you would think she was being told she would never be allowed to drive again when my parents would insist she get a ride to school with a friend so I could do something important, like use the car to drive to a doctor's appointment.

Anyway, not to write the world's longest comment, but I totally feel your pain!!!

12:03 PM  
Blogger Libby said...

I don't have a little sister so I can't totally relate, but I do have a little brother who, as a teenager, was a complete drama queen. So, in a way, I've been there. My parents bought us each an old banger- my was actually a LeBaron- oh yeah, good times. :)

2:56 PM  
Blogger Paige Jennifer said...

My older sister got stuck with horrendous red station wagon the size of Texas. It even had rust spots. Me? New Jeep Grand Cherokee. So to all of you first borns - sorry!

8:22 PM  
Blogger k e r r y said...

I loved this post - I can't imgaine 1. having 3 sisters (I have 1) and 2. being the oldest of 4 girls! Your dad is totally out numbered isn't he!? My sister and I shared a car in highschool - and it ended up mine because I put so many dents in the darn thing my sister refused to drive it!

9:18 AM  
Blogger Michelle said...

LOL...That is too funny. I had an '87 Volvo 240 which had damage in 3 corners (yes, we all know they used to have corners) and I had to keep spare fuses with me because if I forgot and rolled up both front windows at the same time I blew a fuse! Love that car!!!

8:01 PM  
Blogger hot potato said...

i am still laughing. family politics. i agree with you, your volvo in high school was pretty sweet.

at least your sisters will be safe in the outback, with it's all wheel drive. free is free. but, they may not care about that until they are making the car payments and dreaming about when they didn't have to.

too funny.

1:10 AM  
Blogger Allie_in_Ga said...

Ugh I am mad for you, I am the oldest too and my little sister is beyond spoiled!

9:57 AM  

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