New Baby

A new baby was born into this world today — my husband's cousin's baby boy.  In honor of new births… the new baby boy whom I can't wait to squeeze, the royal George Alexander Louis, the darling buds of July… I would like to announce my new baby.

He's 35 years old, but he's the newest member of our family.  I don't have a name for him yet but I think he's a boy.  I've got to check his underside to be sure.

I've been obsessed with the VW Camper Van (or Kombi) for as long as I can remember.  I think this is THE MOST PERFECT CREATION in all history.  Anyone who knows me knows that nothing moves me like the Kombi.  If I were the type to get tattoos I would have sleeves of Kombis covering my arms.  For our wedding gift, one of my friends did a painting of a blue 67 Kombi with front split windows like this below (my favourite!).  For Christmas last year, I got the VW Camper Bus lego set.

What is more beautiful than this?  Nothing!

Nothing comes close to its beauty, design, concept, functionality, and certainly not its ability to invoke happiness.  These are happiness machines created to bring bliss into people's lives.  Only a design from divine hands can exhibit unrivaled beauty with a modest profile.

We are going to pimp out this baby.  All the dents will be smoothed out.  The rust will be sanded off.  A new coat of soft seafoam blue will replace the brown.  I will make window curtains in the finest linen.  Mila's college fund will now be spent to outfit this baby with new cushions and foam mattresses, pop up tent canvas, all new wood panels for the frame, new seals for all the windows and doors, brand new kitchen and appliances.  Nothing will be too good or too fine for this baby.

With the top popped up, this camper can comfortably sleep 4 adults.  We will purchase a new baby cot so that Niko can sleep above the front seats.  I'm practically foaming at the mouth thinking about all the dinnerware and cutlery that I will carefully arrange, measure with a ruler, straighten, and place in the drawers.  Then I will take them out so that I can enjoy the process of placing them in again.  I'm imagining all the lovely meals we will have under stars.  Espresso machine, toaster, solar panels, iphone dock, shower and toilet?  Only the best for my baby.    

The first meal in our Kombi, albeit in Fred's garage

  
With so much jaw dropping beauty and excitement, who has time to worry about the practical?  I know that these cars require a lot of work.  There are always little issues that pop up from time to time.  Currently the engine has been ripped out of the car and is sitting on the ground in the middle of our mechanic's lot.  An insignificant detail is that this car, in its current state, is illegal to drive in California.  We must swap in a fuel injection engine.  The other minor detail is that our mechanics from Fred's Garage are not optimistic about achieving this task.  But that's nothing a batch of cookies won't fix.  So a batch of cookies is exactly what I baked for them this morning.  The cookies, along with some sandwiches from my husband, will surely push this project along.  This might become a slight financial burden.  A second or third job will likely be imminent, perhaps another mortgage on this house.  I can sell my hair.  I'm committed to go the distance.

I'm nearly certain that this car will hear the sound of a roaring engine by the end of this year, perhaps even its own engine.  And I'm almost willing to bet that Mila, when done with college, without the help of our funds, will enjoy a meal in our dear Kombi, under the stars… maybe even a few hundred feet away from Fred's Garage (with a couple pushes from a few strong men).