We went shopping for farm vehicles, cars that could get through the snow that we could rely on. The first two purchases were a full sized van and a Camaro. We went to the dealers with the best of intentions. The van was questionable as a farm vehicle for the family. It was light weight and fish-tailed on the snow covered roads. However, that was what Don thought we should buy that day at the dealers. Then he laid eyes on that red Camaro and I knew he was a goner. A Camaro? For the farm? This was the beginning of a long series of cheap cars we bought over the years. I think at one time we had five of them that cost us a fortune. We’d have been much better off buying a nearly new SUV for all the money we spent.
Back to the Camaro…I could not master this vehicle. In the winter, I found myself spinning off the icy roads, much to my horror. One time I ended up in the ditch and another, about a hair from some farmers fence. But it was the day I was travelling over the bridge to the States at Cornwall that really did it for me. I ended up on the other side of the road and back again. I was so shook up, I felt I was on borrowed time that there wasn’t an oncoming truck. I went into the customs office and asked for a coffee while I demanded an explanation as to why the roads weren’t sanded. Well, they didn’t work on the weekend, they explained. I told them flat out there’d be a serious accident this day because of that. I got back in the car and did my shopping on the American side. When I returned, there had been a terrible accident on the bridge which they were still cleaning up when I returned.
I went straight to a car dealership in Cornwall. I’d had it. I told them I didn’t care what they had, just give me a car that could stay on the road and take the Camaro for whatever you can give me. They came up with a mid sized car. It was burgundy. I didn’t really care what it was as long as it could stay on the roads. I transferred all my groceries to my new reliable car, and headed back to the farm. As anticipated, Don was not impressed. He sent me off the next day to get the Camaro and return my new purchase. I can’t believe we let the boys drive that car in the winter. Dealers told me subsequently that it was really a summer car in our climate. Don insisted I didn’t know how to drive. I was all bottled up; I didn’t know how to deal with him. That Camaro stayed on the farm for way too long. Today, it sits in some field at a Rod’s farm.
