Having been on the List for only a few months, and having asked a dozen
questions but only answering 1, I wasn't going to pipe up. But I see a
statistical anomaly here, I think. Has anyone noticed the number of
successful long-term marriages that are part of these bios? Does this
somehow correlate to LBC ownership!? Do these little Brit cars somehow,
contrary to received wisdom, keep marriages intact? But of course! We are
Romantics in a jaded world!
My wife Ann and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary in December. We were
married at the age of 22 while going to the University of Washington. We
are now 52. I am a writer living in---oh, oh---Redmond, WA---but I'm not a
Microsoft millionaire. (Woulda, coulda, shoulda!) One of my public,
self-inflicted assignments is as staff reviewer of classical music for The
American Record Guide. I specialize in British composers (wouldn't you
know it!) such as Vaughan-Williams, Holst, Bax, Alwyn, Rubbra, Delius,
Elgar, etc. etc., but also Sibelius, Beethoven, Mozart, etc. I do
freelance writing and editorial work by the hour. I am in the middle of
revising a first (mystery) novel. (Anyone know a good literary agent?) My
son David is in college. His car left space for a third vehicle.
28 years ago, my wife and I sold our almost-new Triumph Spitfire. It was a
true lemon, and far worse than the MG Midget that got me through college.
I told myself that if I wanted another British sports car, I could always
buy one. Yeah, right. Everything went into our first, and then second,
house. With space restrictions, family obligations, and financial ups and
downs, it's taken 28 years to acquire another British sports car! That's
the TR6 I've been bugging you guys with. You can read all about what I
went through to obtain this neat little car in the _Tyee Trumpet_ (the
Tyee Triumph Club newsletter, P.O. Box 27668, Seattle, WA 98125-2668). A
plug for the club.
I don't work (much) on my own car; I usually let those who know what
they're doing do the work. But little by little, I'm getting my hands on
things. I sanded down and re-finished the floorpans and battery tray a
couple of weeks ago. Looks like new. And I'll end with the inevitable
list of owned vehicles, some of which, in retrospect, were pretty damned
interesting. My other automotove goal is to own a mint Fiat Multipla (with
sunroof, if such a thing exists). We can't all be sane, you know.
1960 VW Beetle (w/canvas sunroof) purchased when in a senior in H.S., 1965.
1967 MG Midget
1966 VW Beetle
1969 Opel station wagon
1969 Triumph Spitfire Mk III
1972 Datsun 1200
1969 (I think) Fiat 850 Coupe
1964 Plymouth Valiant
1950 Studebaker Champion
1980 Ford Fiesta (still owned and operated)
1989 Chevy Cavalier (my son's beater now)
1987 Subaru GL (current main vehicle)
1994 Suzuki Swift GT (to be my son's car when he turns 21)
1972 Triumph TR6 (Emerald Green, nice original, only 82,000 miles)
--Philip Haldeman
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