Yes, the turbo mini van has returned home from its adventures with the car thieves. And it’s a bittersweet reunion.

On one hand I’m glad we don’t have to have a car payment at this time. On the other hand, I had found a car that I really really really really wanted and was prepared to get it with the turbo mini van replacement money.

How did I find out about the mini van being recovered (that’s cop speak for they found it)? I found out when I called the insurance company, trying to figure out how much the check would be and when it would get here. Instead, a few minutes later I got a call back that the van had been found. A week earlier.

I wasn’t a happy camper and I pretty much lost it for half a day. Why? Because I ventured out into the land of car salesman! Sure, we had a nice experience (seriously, go visit Wickstrom Chevrolet in Roselle, they rock!), but I let myself really fall in love with that new to me car (it was a certified used car)!

It had everything…way more than the turbo mini van. Which I thought had a lot, and maybe it did back in 2003 when we got it. But cars have a whole lot more technology-wise now! And I could taste it. Of course, not literally. But you know what a techno ho I am…the car excited me.

I had to deal with the disappointment in not getting the car I wanted. I had spent hours getting paperwork together for the insurance company. I had to search for the title. I had researched cars on the internet.

All in vain, because my car sat in a auto mechanic’s lot for a week without me knowing it. It wasn’t even five miles from my home! But no one called me–apparently there was some miscommunication between the cops. Still, it cost money every day it sat there. And it sat there while I worked hard to get paperwork done and then fell in love with a different car.

I had written the turbo mini van off. I know, not much loyalty there. But he was violated! Not only by the people who stole him, but by others! He had been abandoned in a nearby hotel’s lot and the owner and his son went through it several times looking for information about the owner. At least that’s their story–because our information was all over that van. They didn’t think to call the police…

Now the van is home with very minimal damage–a scuffed bumper. It also came home in better shape then it was in when stolen. For years my 6 CD stereo has been broken. It wouldn’t hork out the CDs and it wouldn’t play them. Suddenly, it works perfectly! And I recovered some Sarah McLaughlin CDs, Garbage, John Mayer, Boston…

Alas, they did get away with the Barry Manilow greatest hits CD. And my Depeche Mode. I hope they fry…

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