Back in 2006 I wrote about our beloved Honda. It had reached 250,000 miles. We were pretty proud of that. An update.

Late last summer as it was parked in front of my house a drunk driver crossed the street and totaled it. Thank goodness no one was hurt, but our car was no more. The funny thing is, it did not die. It ran and we drove it around sparingly for several months while we negotiated with insurance companies. It just cost too much to fix for us to justify keeping it as our only car. A deal was finally made and we now own a different 1994 car.

This one is a Volvo. It doesn’t get as good gas mileage, but it is in great shape. It belonged to my mechanic’s parents. The photo is sleet on Easter Sunday 2008, but that’s another story.

We’ve also “replaced” using the car with public transportation. Mary has been taking the bus to work for years now, and her employer has made it even easier by negotiating with TARC that their employees can use their company badge to ride TARC for free, anytime, anywhere. A very good deal. If only all corporations were that forward thinking in this area.

I go days and weeks without being in a car now that I am working in DC. Yes, I do fly a lot, but I also take trains and buses and subways a lot more than I use to. I love it. Gives me time to unwind and decompress. I’m also walking much more.

We miss our Honda, but are also enjoying the benefits of good public transportation, including our feet.