This is the odometer of my trusty 2002 Subaru WRX. I love this car. It gives me no trouble. It's sturdy and safe but also small enough to tuck into tiny urban parking spots. As a bonus, it's not a "mom car" at all. I get approving nods from the 20-something guys at the oil change place because it is a sports car of sorts, and I have a fancy steering wheel (I've been told). And it's got a stick shift! Kazaam! I'm 46, haven't lost the baby weight, and I actually enjoy school board meetings. But I still drive a stick shift, so there!
Time in the car is a form of clutter. Yes, I want my wonderful car to last as long as possible, and I want to the $60 visits to the gas pump to be few and far between. But it's more than that. Car travel clutters up our life with stress. And not driving brings me peace.
My family does pretty well in this regard. I work three miles from our house; my husband about five. Our kids go to school seven-tenths of a mile from our house. Kung Fu is 1.4 miles away, and theater class is 2 miles away. We live in the San Francisco Bay Area, land of hiking and beaches and beauty all around. But to get to the beach, or the zoo or most attractions in San Francisco, you have to get on the freeway. And deal with traffic. And lately, I've found myself wanting to avoid that clutter at all costs.
We're lucky to have attractions close to home. We live just over the border from Richmond, California, which is known for its crime and poverty more than natural beauty. But natural beauty it has, in abundance... and which we enjoy regularly.
We're lucky to have attractions close to home. We live just over the border from Richmond, California, which is known for its crime and poverty more than natural beauty. But natural beauty it has, in abundance... and which we enjoy regularly.
Why leave home when you've got all this?
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