I have to tell you all that they were effective beyond my greatest hopes - and there was a bit of God's sense of humour involved.
First off, my daughter in Memphis. When I last posted, she was close to despair. She could not see how she would be able to find transportation of any kind for the $$$ that the insurance company was willing to offer. Some one who overheard her mentioned that his boss had an older used car for sale, and maybe she would be interested? So she went out to see this car - and it turned out to be a near clone of her (wrecked) car - same year, same model, lower mileage and a very different color - for around half of what the insurance payment would be for her old car. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away - blessed be his name.
Meanwhile, my husband agreed that we should probably get another car for me, since I put around 20,000 miles a year on a car (driving 100 miles round trip to get to work). I spent some time Tuesday on line researching cars, and then Wednesday (yesterday? was it only yesterday?) I picked up a 1 week rental car when I got off work at 0830, and started working. Hit a used car lot, saw an OK car but it didn't feel right. Went by the credit union to verify credit and get a ball-park number and interest rate quote. Went by a dealer recommended by two of my staff. Asked if they had any (used) of what I was looking for - I had my heart set on a PT Cruiser - and was told that they had just taken delivery on two fleet lease returns - one with 7000 miles, one with 9000 miles. Both with the 7/70,000 warranty - and both blue. One was electric blue, the other a darker blue they called patriot blue. Both within my price range, too. So I brought my husband over to the lot and we agreed that we would go after that car, subject to financing.
Now you guys have to realize that I am not terribly fond of buying things on credit. We haven't had a car payment in more than 20 years (paid off the one and only car we previously bought on credit in 1980). But we really hadn't anticipated needing to replace this car for another year or so. I was filled with trepidation on the whole thing.
The dealer said that he thought we could get a better interest rate than that quoted by my husband's credit union - and he did. Through St. Mary's Bank (actually a credit union founded by the Quebecois who lived in Manchester NH and weren't allowed to bank with the WASP bankers of their day).
I just now realized that the Blessed Mother must have been behind some of this. Blue, whether sedate or electric, was not exactly my first choice of car colors. I tend to the maroon, burgundy palette, or failing that to deep greens. But a blue car finanaced through St. Mary's Bank has got to be some kind of message.
Tomorrow, we will call the parish and ask if Father would be willing to bless the car.
