Why I have a Big Car

In this era of global warming and wacky gas prices, I have tried to reduce my carbon footprint. I think I mentioned here earlier my efforts to use less electricity, make fewer car trips and, in general, reduce, reuse and recycle. One thing I have not given up is my big car. Yep, I drive a big old 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis. It was passed on to me by my Dad and has a lot of dings and dents in it. It may not be pretty or energy efficient but it has a HUGE trunk. My son jokes that I could hold a few dead bodies in it without anyone knowing the difference.

Yesterday, my need for a big trunk was definitely justified. Here's how my day went...

I left the house at 9:00 am with a purse, a tote bag of knitting books for the middle schoolers and a pair of scissors for a holiday gift swap. By the time I got home the car was stuffed with:

• two large bags of yarn donated for the middle school knitting club,
• a grocery bag of yarn and needles donated for the middle schoolers,
• another grocery bag with prescription refills,
• two more grocery bags with loot from Kohl's,
• two large white poinsettia plants,
• a Side Winder bobbin filling gadget from the gift swap,
• two fat quarters of fabric, a small recipe book, a candy cane, and three (!) door prizes (3 Daiwoo Fat quarters, a fusible wall quilt kit and a set of fusible stained glass fabric windows) from the Quilt Guild holiday party,
• a piece of jewellry bling as a holiday gift to myself
• three half empty bottled beverages,
• and a bulliten board and easel for the Quilt Guild meeting.

I got home at about 9:30 pm last night and spent at least another half hour unloading and semi-organizing everthing before dropping into bed to seep the sleep of the just.

So next time I start wondering aloud about a new, more efficient car just knock me upside the head and remind me that nothing that could carry yesterday's haul could possibly be considered energy efficient.

Have a good weekend!