OUR NEW CAR ADVENTURE: FROM FIAT TO THE FUTURE

elivering us to work, school, and taking us on holidays, the car is an undeniable cornerstone of modern life. For me, however, this functional role has always been the extent of its purpose. I've often lampooned those who lavish so much affection on these mechanical steel boxes, a habit born from observing our society's over-reliance on these four-wheeled chariots. It's a peculiar phenomenon to see people treat their cars with more devotion than they show to other people.

And yet, I'm a hypocrite. While my work commute is a treasured time spent in the saddle of my bicycle, I rely heavily on a car for everything else. It's how we do the weekly shop, visit relatives, and, most importantly, make those special trips to our happy place. Nearly eleven years ago, a brief window of opportunity came up to lease a car, and we upgraded to a Fiat 500L—the "L" for large. It was a perfect compromise, as my wife, Morticia, had always wanted a Fiat 500, and this bigger model finally made it a practical choice for us.

A year later, we were able to buy the car outright. For the first time ever, we owned a car that had been ours since it was brand new.

Over the years, this car became more than just a family runaround. She has taken us on trips far and wide and, most importantly, to our happy place in Wales countless times. Inside her, we've laughed, we've cried, we've sung loudly, shared quiet moments of love, and even slept. We never gave her a name, but we grew to deeply cherish our time travelling in her care. If you believe that objects can absorb emotions and energy, then this car is truly overflowing. After eleven years of serving our family, she holds so much of us within her steel frame.

This car holds memories of two very special arrivals. It's the same vehicle that brought Magnus, our little dog, home for the first time as a puppy. More importantly, it's the very same one that carried our wonderful grandson, Atreus, home from the hospital after he was born.

But after a year of constant mechanical problems, we made the difficult decision to replace our beloved car. We'd poured money, time, and stress into fixing it, but it was time to look for a new vehicle. So what's next? Our previous car, a Nissan Qashqai, was a real contender for the top spot on our shortlist. It had been a great car for the years we owned it and left a lasting impression.

We spent a day sorting out the finance and creating a list of potential cars. The following day, we hit the road to start our search. We eventually narrowed it down to two contenders: a Nissan Qashqai and a Citröen C3. Although the Citröen was smaller than we'd initially planned, its unique look made it a strong contender.

However, fate intervened when the garage called to tell us the Citröen had been sold. The choice was made for us!

So we'd like you to meet Ozzy, our new car. We're looking forward to many happy journeys and new memories on the road with her.

We've even treated ourselves to a private number plate.

Life is all about change, and this new car represents a significant one for us. It has a lot to live up to; our Fiat was a fun mode of transportation that will always be remembered fondly. She's now off to a new owner, and we hope the positive energy she contains serves them just as well as it did us.

I can’t shake the fear that I am tempting fate even now. The dread is a heavy blanket that will cling to me for months to come. Is that a new problem waiting? Was that sound a sign? The scars from the last year's battle are still fresh, and they will not heal anytime soon.

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