A heartfelt conversation unfolds as siblings Christian and Danielle (D) share memories of their family's automotive legacy. D recounts her first car, a 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity, gifted by their tough yet loving mother, and the sentimental journey continues with her current vehicle, a 2006 Honda Accord that holds cherished memories of their mother. The episode highlights the bond between family and cars, with humorous anecdotes and reflections on growing up in Louisiana. D's passion for theater and her advocacy for special needs families add depth to the discussion, making it a touching exploration of family ties and automotive history.
When Dee's mom surprised her with a white 1989 Chevy Celebrity after a sleepover, it wasn't just a car—it was trust, independence, and investment in her future. That Celebrity carried Dee to late-night theater rehearsals through high school, launching a lifelong love of performance.
Next came a green 1996 Honda Civic hatchback Dee negotiated herself (much to her mother's chagrin), learning stick shift on the test drive along one of Baton Rouge's busiest streets. That Civic saw her through college, marriage, and 175,000 miles—including an unforgettable moment changing a tire in a formal dress while a gentleman in a beat-up pickup offered her a cold beer instead of help.
Today, Dee drives her late mother's 2006 red Honda Accord—cigarette burns in the upholstery and all. Every drive feels like her mom's still there, and when daughter Ruthie (named after grandma) asks to "see the sky," Dee opens the sunroof in the same car where her mother once sat.
From brother Christian teaching her to change tires to discovering his Buick Skyhawk decorated with Mardi Gras beads and a cigar-smoking skull, Dee proves cars are never just metal—they're family.
This episode delivers relatable humor, poignant reflections, and the reassuring idea that our cars are more than transport – they’re part of the family, witnesses to our life’s defining moments.
*** Your Favorite Automotive Podcast - Now Arriving Weekly!!! ***
Listen on your favorite platform and visit https://carsloved.com for full episodes, our automotive blog, Guest Road Trip Playlist and our new CAR-ousel of Memories photo archive.
Don't Forget to Rate & Review to keep the engines of automotive storytelling—and personal restoration—running strong.
"...my first car was I believe it was a 1989 white Chevrolet Celebrity. Very boxy and it was used when I got it..."
The Chevrolet Celebrity is a car that was made by Chevrolet in the 1980s. It had a square shape and was often used by families.
The Chevrolet Celebrity was a mid-size car produced by Chevrolet from 1982 to 1990. It was known for its boxy design and was popular as a family vehicle during its production years.
"...my brother bought me a bumper sticker that said my other car is a Mach 5. And I'm pretty sure that bumper sticker was on until I don't know, like the date, amen."
A bumper sticker is a sticker that you put on the back of a car. People use them to show their interests or share funny messages.
A bumper sticker is a type of adhesive label or sticker that is often displayed on the bumper of a vehicle. They can convey messages, humor, or personal interests, and are popular among car enthusiasts.
"...my brother bought me a bumper sticker that said my other car is a Mach 5. And I'm pretty sure that bumper sticker was on until I don't know, like the date, amen."
The Mach 5 is a famous car from a cartoon called 'Speed Racer'. It's known for being super fast and having special abilities, like jumping over things.
The Mach 5 is a fictional car from the animated series 'Speed Racer'. It is known for its speed and various features, including the ability to jump and transform. The car has become an iconic symbol in pop culture.
"...the very, very sad, sad conclusion. The demise 1996, green Honda Civic. Two-door right."
The Honda Civic is a small car that's known for being dependable and good on gas. The 1996 version is part of a series of Civics that many people liked for its style and how it drove.
The Honda Civic is a popular compact car known for its reliability and fuel efficiency. The 1996 model is part of the fifth generation of Civics, which was well-regarded for its sporty design and performance.
"...the mechanic and they said, okay, well, it's definitely the distributor, I think, is what it was, not the clutch."
The distributor helps the engine start and run smoothly by sending electricity to the right part of the engine at the right time. If it doesn't work properly, the car can jerk or have trouble starting.
A distributor is a component in an internal combustion engine that directs the high voltage from the ignition coil to the correct cylinder. It plays a crucial role in the ignition system, ensuring that the engine fires at the right time for optimal performance.
"...definitely the distributor, I think, is what it was, not the clutch."
The clutch is what you press with your foot to change gears in a car with a manual transmission. If it doesn't work right, it can cause problems when driving.
The clutch is a mechanical device that engages and disengages the engine from the transmission, allowing the driver to change gears. It's essential for manual transmission vehicles to operate smoothly.
"...to try to throw money at repairing things without no, it is no, no, no, we just let it go just let it go so."
Repairing a car means fixing things that are broken or not working right so that the car can run smoothly again.
Repairing refers to the process of fixing a vehicle's mechanical or electrical issues to restore it to proper working condition. This can involve replacing parts, adjusting systems, or performing maintenance tasks.
"...I took it to the dealership, Like nobody could figure it out..."
A dealership is a place where you can buy cars and get them fixed. They usually sell cars from specific brands and can help with repairs.
A dealership is a business that sells new or used cars and often provides maintenance and repair services. They are authorized to sell specific brands and models.
"so the guy at the dealership said look for as old as the car is yeah to try to throw money at repairing things without no, it is no, no, no, we just let it go just let it go so. So if you'd have told me that we'd have traded that car in before we traded in my husband's ford f-150, which went and went and went and went, I would never have believed you. But we actually traded it in."
The Ford F-150 is a big truck that many people use for work or to haul things. It's popular because it's tough and can handle a lot of different jobs, but some people talk about how much it can cost to fix if it breaks down.
The Ford F-150 is a full-size pickup truck that has been one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States for decades. Known for its durability, versatility, and strong performance, it is often used for both work and personal purposes. Discussions around the F-150 often revolve around its reliability and the costs associated with maintenance and repairs.
"But we actually traded it in. We got a Hyundai Santa Fe and um, and my husband is driving it around to this day."
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a type of SUV that is roomy and comfortable, making it a good option for families. It's known for being dependable and has a lot of space for passengers and cargo.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is a mid-size SUV known for its reliability and spacious interior. It has been a popular choice for families and individuals looking for a versatile vehicle.
"Santa Fe 250,000 miles. Golly, you know, it still looks good, it still drives good man."
When a car has 250,000 miles on it, it means it has been driven a lot. Some cars can still work well even after so many miles if they have been taken care of.
Reaching 250,000 miles is a significant milestone for a vehicle, indicating it has been used extensively but can still be reliable if properly maintained.
"...'s wedding is in the middle of nowhere, like East Felicia, in a parish or something that, a plantation or s..."
The Skoda Felicia is a small car that was made a long time ago and is known for being cheap and practical. It's not very common today, but some people remember it fondly for being a good value.
The Skoda Felicia is a compact car produced by the Czech automaker Skoda from the late 1950s to the late 1990s. It is known for its practicality and affordability, making it a popular choice in Europe during its production years. Discussions about the Felicia often highlight its role in Skoda's history and its appeal as a budget-friendly vehicle.
"...aking this up. I asked Robert, this sounds like a Dodge Ram commercial. This happened to you."
The Dodge Ram is a big truck that people use to carry heavy loads or go off-road. It's known for being strong and reliable, which is why many people like to talk about it.
The Dodge Ram, now known as the Ram Truck, is a line of full-size pickup trucks that are known for their powerful engines and rugged design. It has a strong reputation for towing capacity and off-road capability, making it a popular choice among truck enthusiasts. The Ram is often discussed in the context of its performance and features that cater to both work and leisure.
"But, that was beautiful, but change the tire. we made it to the wedding and we have it a good time and you had a free beer, so you know it's it."
Changing a tire means taking off a flat tire and putting on a spare one. It's something every driver should know how to do in case they have a flat while driving.
Changing a tire involves removing a flat or damaged tire from a vehicle and replacing it with a spare or new tire. It's an essential skill for drivers to ensure they can handle roadside emergencies.
"my dad would not let any of us three children...drive a car until we knew how to change a tire and knew how to change the oil..."
Changing the oil means taking out the old oil from the engine and putting in new oil. This helps keep the engine running well and is important for car maintenance.
Changing the oil in a vehicle is a crucial maintenance task that involves draining old oil and replacing it with new oil to ensure the engine runs smoothly and efficiently. Regular oil changes help prolong the life of the engine.
"...this is one thing that that Danielle and I were talking about uh earlier today... the car she's driving now has uh has a wonderful provenance to it."
Provenance means where something comes from or its history. For cars, it shows how many people owned it and if it has a special background, which can make it more valuable.
Provenance refers to the history or origin of an item, often used in the context of collectibles or vehicles to indicate its background, ownership, and authenticity. In automotive terms, it can enhance the value of a car if it has a well-documented history.
"...I currently drive a 2006, um red Honda Accord, um, and it and it, actually it just hit 175,000 miles..."
The Honda Accord is a popular car that is known for being dependable and good on gas. The 2006 version is spacious and comfortable for driving.
The Honda Accord is a midsize car known for its reliability, comfort, and fuel efficiency. The 2006 model is part of the seventh generation, which features a spacious interior and a choice of engines.
"...when she's in the back seat, she'll say, let me see the sky, and so I'll open the sunroof."
A sunroof is a window in the roof of a car that you can open to let in fresh air and sunlight. It makes the car feel more open and airy when you're driving.
A sunroof is a panel on the roof of a car that can be opened to let in light and air. It enhances the driving experience by providing an open-air feel while driving.
"... Okay, so we have heard legend of the brown Buick Skylark. We have heard my brother's visceral dissonance."
The Buick Skylark is an older car that many people remember fondly. It has a classic look and is often talked about because it brings back memories of the past.
The Buick Skylark is a mid-size car that was produced by Buick from the 1960s to the early 1990s. It is significant for its classic design and is often associated with a nostalgic view of American automobiles. The Skylark is frequently discussed in the context of vintage car culture and the memories it evokes for those who grew up with it.
"...it's actually a Skyhawk. It's a Skyhawk and it's a cacaw, cacaw Of the fecal brown color, if I remember yes yes, Skyhawks are known to make the noise caw, caw, caw as they fly..."
The Buick Skyhawk is a small car that was made by Buick many years ago. It was designed to be sporty and was part of a group of cars that shared the same basic structure.
The Buick Skyhawk was a compact car produced by Buick from 1975 to 1989. It was known for its sporty design and was part of the General Motors X-body platform, which included other models like the Chevrolet Citation.
Select text to request an explanation
all the cars I've loved before.
Carslovecom.
Welcome back.
We are in season two.
Very special guest today we are.
Our guests are always quite special.
I'll have you know.
Um.
This is your co-host, christian, along with my more esteemed, skilled but less but less handsome co-host, doug.
How are you doing, partner?
How are you doing today, buddy?
Well, I just got some Botox, so I'm feeling pretty good, good to be back Looking handsome as ever.
Good to see you.
Thanks for joining.
And hey, you know, make sure you're checking us out, not only on your podcast streaming platform of choice, checking us out not only on your podcast streaming platform of choice.
Make sure that you're following the show and downloading the episodes like good boys and girls, because that helps us make a make, make good decisions on on how to get to our audiences.
And, as ever, please keep the feedback coming back.
Christian at cars lovecomoug at carslovecom, let us know what you think.
And um, I have uh, doug, you know I was, I was going through the um, the analytics, as they say, and uh, again, we got got a ton of downloads, ton of likes.
Uh, how are people listening to us?
Apple podcast 44, which is pretty cool, but through the web.
Did you know that?
Surging in second place at 26%.
So that, to my brilliantly keen, mathematical, beautiful mind, says that more and more people are hitting us up on the website carslovedcom.
Doug's been doing a lot of work on the website.
Please do check it out.
Carslovedcom.
In third place is spotify 13.
Uh, let's see what else do we have here.
So devices uh, far and away, people are listening on an apple iphone 71, windows computer 16, apple computer 9, android phone 1 and an unknown smart tv.
We even got one download on that.
What do you make of that?
Like?
Are we on Netflix?
Are we on Prime?
So an unknown smart TV, a smart TV who shall remain nameless.
I just thought that was very fascinating.
I know.
I don't know what to think about that.
I know Any thoughts.
Don't forget the Chromecast.
We got this unknown smart TV and we'll keep running analytics till we figure out what it is right tv.
I mean, I'm a pretty good looking guy.
I wouldn't.
I wouldn't really blame anyone if they wanted to check me out on television.
I I'm, you know, I do some of my best work while I'm streaming streaming, quite frankly well.
But um, anyway, keep in keep in mind, this is audio only, so nobody cares.
Oh sorry, well should have told me that before I did my hair.
Moving on to today's wonderful guest.
You know that today's kind of a first time here, so we're well into season two, as you know.
Thanks to everybody who's been following.
But thank you, you Guess what?
Until now, neither Doug nor myself has interviewed anyone from our immediate family.
That all changes now because we have my wonderful sister who's going to join us.
Yeah right, but she's really.
I look up to her in so many ways because I still live in the basement and you know, one day I'm really going to get out.
So I'm very, very proud to introduce my little sister.
Her real name is Danielle, but she to be very cool and hip, like the children today she calls herself D, as in the fourth letter of the alphabet, d, danielle.
Welcome to all the cars I've loved before D-E-E.
Welcome to the podcast.
How are you this fine evening?
I am just absolutely fabulous and thank you both so much for having me and actually the reason why why.
That's all we have time for.
Check us out please shut up, please continue our parents never loved you, okay.
So actually the reason why my name is d is because uh is because when we were little people used to call uh, call my brother mr c or or little c or something like that.
That is true, that's actually a true story.
I wanted to be just like my big brother.
Is that really where it came from?
That's family lore.
I didn't know that.
I believe so because our dad was CJ and I think you were like Little C or something.
Mr C, I remember, I remember.
Yeah, chicken of the Sea is more like it.
That was funny a joke at my expense.
But for hey, downloads and likes, I don't mind that's right welcome to life with christian, where he never pays attention to anything that happens in our life and just continually surprised look, it's like I tell everyone there are three things.
I'm not into Preparation, facts or caring, and it's like what I.
You know, what I lack in motivation I make up for with incompetence, and that's really my life motto and the standard that I've set for myself.
We're planning for the podcast.
We always say, you know themes we could have brother and sister on, we could have best friends on, we could have siblings, yeah, yeah, because really, automobiles are, are a very shared experience and, um, it's just really exciting to have to have a member of the family on.
So, hey, first off, thank you for doing this.
So thank you guys for having me.
I love the show.
I listened to all the episodes and I would thank you I would even if I weren't related to you, so doug has a few for working with this.
Thank you, you're starting to tear up.
Lovely, you're too kind, so so, yeah, there's, uh, there's a lot of intersection.
You guys are somewhat close in age, I think, and so there's a lot of intersection.
You guys are somewhat close in age, I think, and so there's a lot of intersection with cars and your family.
Right, definitely, and that's what we're looking forward to hearing about, and there's probably a little bit of overlap.
There's a story of your mom I'm not going to give it away and your current car, but we're going to get there.
Yeah, yeah, that's a wonderful tease, well described.
And so, yeah, let's go in the way back time machine as to when we were younger and you weren't as wise, but I was always pretty much as wise as I am now.
So let's go back.
And what was your first automobile?
May we ask where that automobile came from and your first thoughts around it?
Yes, you may ask.
So my first car was I believe it was a 1989 white Chevrolet Celebrity.
Very boxy and it was used when I got it and one of the things that is that is really special about the car is that is that our mom bought it for me.
So you know, just to understand a little bit of our, a little bit about our family, you know our mom was so loving but but a very, a very tough cookie and so she wanted you to do and so she didn't.
You know our family wasn't like Merry Christmas I bought you a car.
That's just like something like the Lexus ad right.
Ours does not, ours does not, right.
And so, um and so, uh, she had picked me up at a, at a sleepover, but like got lost or something.
So she's very, very upset.
When she picked me up and we rode home and I and I was, and so we drove up into the driveway and I was like mom, whose car is that?
And she said, well, it's yours, you learn to drive on a Chevrolet celebrity.
Is she a rich?
Because she, she had a Chevrolet celebrity.
Same car right A few years earlier.
I thought it was the same car.
Hers might have been, you know, a year or two older, I just can't remember.
Hers was gray, mine was white, and so that was just a really.
It was a really great moment, and you know, and it was, a nice surprise.
Yeah, and it was an investment in me.
I mean, it was her saying well, you are smart, you are independent, I trust you.
You're not your brother, thank goodness, and so have a party Very cool.
And did your mom have the celebrity at the same time?
That I actually can't remember Christian, do you?
remember.
Funny thing is I remember having that driving that gray celebrity around.
I don't know if she what exactly happened, what exactly happened, but you know, in my misspent youth I would have a motorcycle, wreck a motorcycle, have a job, not have a job, you know, need a car, not need a car.
And so at some point I had that.
So that persisted even before I moved off to the, to the big city, to find fame and fortune, which I am shockingly low all these years later.
You're still looking for it.
You know my only problem with the Chevy Celebrity great car, but the only problem with the Chevy Celebrity is it's always being tailgated by a Chevrolet paparazzi.
Other than that it's really a fine automobile, and it sure as heck was when I was driving it around Baton Rouge, louisiana, in high school.
Indeed, indeed.
Ashley, you mentioned that she got it for you because she was trusting you.
And where were you going with this car?
Right, it sounded like she really enabled you to do something that you cared about.
That, maybe, and as a, as a parent of a 17 year old that just got a car and her license, um, you know, I'm happy to create the freedom and to enable them, but where, where were you going in the car?
Sure, so, um, so I uh got really involved in theater in, um and I would say, eighth grade or summer.
I was at a very snooty Catholic school and um, and for some reason I got cast as Madonna, like early, like we'll play, and so I got caught and like I had beat out like the cheerleaders in order to land, in order to land this role, and so that started a very, and so that really sparked a love of theater, and so I was in play after play after play after play, and if I wasn't working backstage
I was on the stage.
If I wasn't on stage, I was helping sell tickets or I was designing flyers or something, and this and this and this persisted all the way through college.
But, but to answer your question quickly, doug, like I played some nights until like nine, 10 o'clock at night.
So I think that was one of the things too, is she needed to work late.
She was an elementary school principal.
I I was in rehearsals really late, sort of building my resume, and so I think that probably had a lot to do with it.
And yeah, she was cast as Madonna and she sang Material Girl, madonna's Material Girl, in front.
And I remember this, I remember this now Like it was.
At my proudest moment as a brother was her singing in front of a Catholic.
This place was so uber Catholic and she sang a Madonna song, a material girl on top of that, and the parents were like, who is this child?
What is this family?
How do we excommunicate the whole lot of them?
And she was kicked out of this Catholic school for singing a Madonna song and be material girl at that.
I was so proud.
I couldn't be prouder I'm.
I'm just bowing with pride right now.
Anyway, please go ahead.
And the funny thing is, Christian had gotten kicked out of Catholic school for doing the same thing.
I know, I know, yeah, I could rock a red chiffon dress with long white sleeve gloves.
Like brother, like sister.
So, if you will, so you really kind of were a celebrity.
I hate to over abuse that, but you were a celebrity.
That's a good observation.
You were in plays right.
Producer for a TV show and on yeah theater major, yeah, definitely so so the the um, any redeeming qualities of the car.
I mean, we know it's special to you because your mom bought it and was a surprise and, as you said, it is an investment in yourself.
But oh, is that?
No, I would say, I would say I would say that that card was definitely a means to an end.
And then, at one point, the air conditioner broke.
And if you are a listener an avid listener of the podcast, you know that we grew up in South Louisiana, like not even close to Arkansas, like well south, well south.
Baton Rouge right, baton Rouge, okay.
And so the air conditioner broke in the middle of the summer, and I think what happened is the air conditioner in my car broke at the same time that our home air conditioner broke.
My mother chose to repair our home air conditioner, but not the one in my car, and so I, and so I was, um, so I was pretty happy to actually be be rid of that.
I was, I was kind of happy to be rid of that car, um, because, um, I used it to trade in and get my next car, um, which I was really proud of.
It's um, I, I, I negotiated it all by myself.
Um, I didn't know that Really, yes, I did.
Well, mom was there with me, but at one point I, I was being so difficult about the, about the trade and uh, price of the celebrity, my, my mom was actually like that's a good deal, you really need to take it, and I was like, oh, okay, well, there we go.
And so, um, and it was uh, and mom, told you not to be difficult I know there's something.
So I was so proud of myself and I had like, just like I had I'm proud of you.
I had a very fledgling knowledge of how to drive a stick shift.
I was by far proficient, but I fell in love with this car and it was a stick shift.
I was like, well, guess who's going to learn to drive a stick shift.
So I was far from proficient, but I got in the car for the test drive.
Mom was in the back seat, this really nice guy was in the passenger seat.
He said so you know how to drive a standard transmission, don't you?
And I was like we're about to find out.
And he was like I'm going to trust you.
And I was like, okay, we're going to see what happens.
And so then, of course, I pull out onto Florida Boulevard, which might be one of the busiest streets in the area, in the capital city, but obviously I made it around the it's like if blind people drove on the autobahn you, you would have something.
Like florida boulevard, you could have something like florida boulevard, so, um, but we made the block and I was like this is my car and I, you know, and I and I got them down on the price and, um, and I took amazing care of that car.
I absolutely, I absolutely loved it.
And then, um, what I really loved about that car was my brother bought me a bumper sticker that said my other car is a Mach 5.
And I'm pretty sure that bumper sticker was on until I don't know, like the date, amen.
So that one, just that one.
What 270, 280,000 miles last last.
No, okay, so here's the, here's the very, very sad, sad conclusion.
The demise 1996, green Honda Civic.
Two-door right.
Say that again, Doug.
Two-door.
Was it a sporty two-door?
No, it was.
it was a four-door right, uh, say that, was it two-door, 42 door?
No, it was, it was a four-door.
It was or hatchback hatchback, which was good, because in college you know you're moving in, and actually that was the car.
I got married in 2004 and, um, and my husband and I moved to beautiful charlotte, north carolina.
That car came up with me, so it was really good for, like, falling props and you know, and all that type of great stuff.
So so here's the really sad thing about the Honda Civic I made it to about one hundred and seventy five thousand miles and it developed this very strange, this very strange problem.
Like it would it?
Like it would when I, you know, I, when I, when I was in first gear and I was start ease, easing the car and I was a very, very good, like gentle, like gentle driver, it would jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk, jerk, and so, and, and so I took it to the mechanic and they said, okay, well, it's definitely the distributor, I think, is what it was, not the clutch.
Something, it was something like that, right.
So they repaired it in the same problem and it was like the problem never resolved.
Like I called the guys I took it to the dealership, Like nobody could figure it out.
Like I called the guys I took it to the dealership like nobody could figure it out, and, um, and the guy, geez, at that point, at that point I think it was yeah, at that point it was 2010.
Cause I was because I was like eight months pregnant with my son and I was like, okay, well, I, putting a newborn in a car that jerks a lot is probably frowned upon in in some circles.
So uh, uncomfortable.
At least baby might not sleep too well yeah, so so the guy?
so the guy at the dealership said look for as old as the car is yeah to try to throw money at repairing things without no, it is no, no, no, we just let it go just let it go so.
So if you'd have told me that we'd have traded that car in before we traded in my husband's ford f-150, which went and went and went and went, I would never have believed you.
But we actually traded it in.
We got a hyundai, santa fe and um, and my husband is driving it around to this day.
How many miles on that?
Santa Fe 250,000 miles.
Golly, you know, it still looks good, it still drives good man.
And we got a good deal on that too, but I'm pretty sure.
Yeah, I remember his saying, I remember his story about it.
Yeah, Pretty sure though it was, because I was eight months pregnant and I looked like I was about to.
It was August, or it was like July or something, and I was about to go Vesuvius up in there.
Dealer had a, like a sympathetic pregnancy, if you will.
There you go.
Yeah, so it's very interesting.
That's good stuff, man.
I'm learning low.
All these years later and we're still learning about each other.
That's, that's what the podcast brings family together, friends together, people, absolutely.
And actually you want to know my favorite memory of the little green Honda Civic.
Was that?
I just thought I thought about this earlier today in the shower.
I just thought I thought about this earlier today in the shower.
So we had OK.
So my college roommate Robert and I were like his cousin's wedding is in the middle of nowhere, like East Felicia, in a parish or something that, a plantation or something like that.
So he was dressed up, I was dressed up, and I was like I'll drive so so, so, so we're driving along Flat oh dear the tread just was whoa right out there.
so, um, so I pulled into this little tiny, um, this little tiny country.
I mean we're like in the in, in like the sticks and this is pre-cell phone days, you know, because I'm ancient so, um, so, so, so.
So I pulled over into this gas station and I was like, okay, all right, okay, well, we've got to change the tire.
And robert was like I hope you know how to do that, because I, because I sure don't, and I did because my brother taught me how to change a tire, in case that never happened.
So Robert says, well, good, I'm going to go have a smoke.
So off he goes.
And so I'm changing a tire in my dress, in my formal dress, in my heels, and changing my tire at this gas station and here's the best part of the story this guy in this beat up pickup truck drives up.
He says little lady, I can tell you know what you're doing there.
So I'm not going to offer to help you, but I do have a nice chest full of cold beers.
Would you like one?
And I was like, yes, I would.
Thank you very much.
You're making this up.
I asked Robert, this sounds like a Dodge Ram commercial.
This happened to you.
Yes, and I thought it was surprisingly progressive for this Louisiana gentleman in this beat-up pickup truck to not man.
And the best part of the story is the guy that pulled over and gave you the beer.
You ended up marrying him right, that is not true.
Okay, well then, it's certainly not a Dodge Ram commercial.
But, that was beautiful, but change the tire.
we made it to the wedding and we have it a good time and you had a free beer, so you know it's it.
It's funny that my uh, you bringing up the tire.
So my dad would not let any of us three children, one sister, older sister wouldn't let any of us my brother, my sister or I drive a car until we knew how to change a tire and knew how to change the oil, and so fast forward, literally.
Today I'm talking to my daughter, just got her license and I said so what are you going to do if you get a flat tire?
The car breaks down?
She's like I'm going to call you or mom.
I'm like kind of slapped myself in the head and I'm like we'll talk about this later.
But times have changed.
Like not call.
AAA not call AAA, call mom or dad.
Wow, she loves you and she trusts you and she knows, and she knows that you'll figure it out.
it's gonna be hard.
It's gonna be hard to help her when she's hundreds of miles away at college.
But we'll, we'll see how it turns out, but uh man, what a great story, but it's awesome that your brother, this wonderful guy, handsome, handsome young man, yeah, he, he taught you to change a tire.
Do you remember that, christian?
Um, no, but you know what Of all of my wonderful feats and great deeds that I've done over such a long lifetime.
It it, quite frankly, it sounds like me, and maybe that's where that's where this epilogue should end, and I would do anything for my little sister that she asked so hey here for you.
Great story, love that, but.
But we have to keep this show moving along, and so and this is one thing that that Danielle and I were talking about uh earlier today or maybe we were texting is the car she's driving now has uh has a wonderful provenance to it.
Yeah, I can't wait to hear about it.
That's right, yeah, so, um, so, first mom, mom provided the first car.
Mom provided the car that I'm currently driving.
So I currently drive a 2006, um red Honda Accord, um, and it and it, actually it just hit 175,000 miles.
Um, she, when she uh passed away.
She passed away in January of 2014.
And so, and, and, at the time, um, at the time, you know, my brother, my sister and I were, you know, sort of talking about what to do sort of with all our stuff and I said, okay, well, if you guys don't, if you guys don't don't want or need her car, I would love it because it has our.
Our mom was a lifelong smoker.
She loved, she loved to smoke her some cigarettes and so to this day, it's got her like cigarette burns in the upholstery of the car, and so it's just one of those things that whenever I, whenever I drive it around you know I was I always kind of feel like like she's still in the car.
That's, that's nice, that's it.
That's it.
That's a good story, yeah.
I feel the same man and I feel like when I'm in there it's kind of hard to describe or hard to put in words, but I think you described it well.
There's a presence, you know, and I cannot stand the smell of cigarette or cigarette smoke.
I mean, I've never smoked before but for some reason in that car it borders on the comforting.
For, for you know, for the reason that you said, the car from the outside, and from the inside it's, it's still a good looking car.
It's drives like a champ, this thing.
And my daughter, when she's in the back seat, she'll say, let me see the sky, and so I'll open the sunroof.
And I think it was nice too, because I think that this was when our mom became a principal and started earning more money.
I think that you know that this was a slight, this was a nicer car than she had probably ever, than she had probably ever driven, so like it has, you know, a five CD disc changer and always try to keep one of her CDs and they're just kind of for time's sake and um, you know, and so uh, and so yeah, it's really a, it's, it's really a cool.
I don't know, it's a.
I mean, it's just a wonderful car.
It just really is a wonderful car, and I think I would love for my next car to be electric, but I would.
But geez, it's going to be hard to consider something that's not a Honda Accord, which I guess.
There you go, that's not a Honda Accord, which I guess.
There you go.
Yeah, now I see from our earlier talk and I want to make sure we get this in your favorite car now.
That's your favorite car right now, but your favorite car in the past was actually something that belonged to your brother.
Oh my gosh.
Please tell us the story, okay.
Oh my gosh, Please tell us the story.
Okay, so we have heard legend of the brown Buick Skylark.
We have heard my brother's visceral dissonance.
A Skyhawk?
I misspoke, it's actually a Skyhawk.
It's a Skyhawk and it's a cacaw, cacaw Of the fecal brown color, if I remember yes yes, Skyhawks are known to make the noise caw, caw, caw as they fly, that's right, right, yes, and it did definitely make some sounds.
I don't think that those were safe, but you know so it's obvious.
It's obvious that my brother has had some unresolved issues with this vehicle.
And I think you know, one of the things that I've learned listening to the podcast is that you know people feel closest to their cars when they're truly a reflection of like who they are, and so I think my brother discovered this very early, because he tried like hell to make this car as cool as he could Tell me.
Yeah, okay.
So I don't know if it was because the floorboards were really dirty or if we just had 17,000 Mardi Gras beads that we just didn't know what to do with Mardi.
Gras beads that we just didn't know what to do with.
But he piled Mardi Gras beads on the floorboards, which was very this car was so unattractive.
This car looked like they put Tron in a garbage compactor.
It was just bizarre angles and crumpled, and so, yeah, I threw Mardi Gras dangles and crumpled and so, yeah, I threw Mardi Gras.
I mean, it was basically this car was like an interior Mardi Gras parade.
I don't know what to say.
It was Okay.
So imagine, if you will, you are sitting in the doo-doo brown Buick Skyhawk and you look up and the plastic rim that goes from the dooramb to the upholstery of the ceiling there was like this plastic lip.
He had taken playing cards one by one and shoved them in the plastic thing.
So when you looked up it was like, oh, it's just a poker.
A full house.
It's a flush over the driver.
Who is that?
Okay?
And if that wasn't special, then in the then he had um in the back of the car.
So in the back of the car he had somehow ended up with a replica of a skull and I mean, I hope it wasn't a real skull, even though you never know.
You never know with him.
It was from the other sister.
I didn't like, so he had this replica of a skull and he put it on the back.
I did.
On the back so that if you were stopped behind the car, you would be faced with this skull in the back and it was a realistic looking skull looking.
I've never seen that before.
That is very creative.
Well yeah but, but, but the piece de resistance which I will say is that I don't know, maybe, maybe the, maybe the skull was very threatening.
We had a, an oversized plastic cigar and he put it in the skulls around to sort of I did.
I had forgotten all about this yes, oh my you know, it seems so cool at this at the time, but you, you, you, the way you describe it makes me sound like a real imbecile, and maybe that's kind of where I was, or well, I you know, and if your car, if you were trying to achieve a reflection of what you are and you're an idiot, then oh I see oh yeah, okay I think good job you did it the apple doesn't fall far from the tire jack, I'm learning
.
That's brilliant.
Thank you for sharing all of my faults.
That's great.
No, I thought it was clever, I thought it was so, you and I thought it was just such an expression of how creative and zany.
Oh well, thank you, I think she's turning red.
And I think I really like the crop because it made it.
You know it was better for my short legs, so really it was a win-win for me.
Oh, I see.
I was thinking that was small.
Hey, method to the madness, method to the madness.
Well, thank you for sharing how wonderful you are and thank you for sharing what a dullard I've been my entire life.
No-transcript oh, freaking who oh gosh oh right, you didn't grow up in the same house.
I don't know who did uh, do we have any more stories?
Doug, are you well?
you know I would like to um, you know, just thank d, but also ask if there's any, uh, anything she's passionate about outside of cars that she'd like to share with our audience.
And if you don't have anything, that's fine, we know you have a.
You really like Buicks, but anything else?
I would.
I would say so.
So, in addition to working full time and being a sort of PR and marketing professional, I am a wife and I'm a mom.
I have two kids.
I've referred to both of them.
My son, anthony, is 13.
My daughter, ruthie, named after our mother, which is either a really good idea or a really bad one, because she is.
Great idea.
I think it was a great idea.
I think it was a wonderful idea.
Yeah, she is, she is six, she's, I mean, and they're both, they're both just amazing kids, and I know everybody says that about their children, but they really are.
And but my, my son, anthony, who is 13, has special needs.
He is nonverbal, he has autism and sensory processing disorder, and so I think something that I'm very passionate about is ensuring that all of our parents and caregivers of special needs people, people, adults, whoever that they have the support that they need and that they also have a place to you know they they have a place to really process and
and and and go when things are really tough, because I think that that's that that's hard.
That's that's hard in our Instagram world, right, everything has to look good.
I've've got this, you know.
Well said.
Right, and I think that you know it's okay to not be okay.
So I'm a big proponent of mental health and all that type of really good stuff.
So I think those are the things that I'm probably most passionate about, In addition to being Christian's sister.
Well, we know you're a big fan of your big brother.
We don't want to know things you'd be embarrassed about, but thank you for sharing that other beautiful stuff with us.
That's fantastic, thank you, and the good advice to listeners and parents of children with, I'll say, neuro diverse issues.
Oh, thank you very much for using for using the right.
That's what I like to use, yep.
Very good.
That's what all the planning and research will get you.
Yep, thank you for sharing that.
That's good stuff, of course, and thank you for again.
Thank you for being willing to be on the show, and it was great having you.
You can come back anytime and insult me for half an hour.
That's just really a great way for us to to to catch up, and even if you want me to come back and insult you for an hour?
just drop your house, do it, yeah, and we're hoping to have some more family shows, if you will, whether it's um.
In the past, we had Adam and Melissa.
They're a couple, but we had them separate.
Yep, we are talking to one of our guests, jim, about having his wife on and share her experiences of how she was so supportive and pushed him to get fantastic by the way to get his dream car.
Yes, and so here we have.
You know you're talking about your cars, but you fit your brother in at least into two stories at minimum what's so interesting is is it's amazing how much family comes into this show about about relationships, come into this show.
It's really just as much about love and relationships, important people and special events as it ever is about a hunk of metal.
It can bring us together, just like sorry, sorry, dee, just like your daughter's.
In your daughter, ruthie, is in your mom's car and wants to see the moon, see the sun, right.
And so you take down the sun in your mom's car with a daughter named after her.
It's just very touching.
Very full circle, and so I don't know if this is a good idea or a bad idea perhaps both, but when you're talking about bonding, I think if we were to do a podcast with our dad he would have so many things to say about all of the terrible things that we did to try to facilitate them.
To try to facilitate him, which was bad because, you know, driving from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, it's a bridge, it's a lot of water.
We could have really distracted him and ended up in the bottom of the swamp If we were to do a podcast with our dad.
I just, I don't know.
Oh my God.
Yeah, we don't want to uncover too many bad memories.
Yeah, he's a good old guy.
Oh, no, lovely maybe, maybe we'll share the format with him first.
How about we run him first?
We'll see what he says, his cellular phone has a rotary dial.
I don't know how that's possible, but he's kind of in a he's kind of an analog.
So am I, you know it's all right.
for sure it's all right.
For sure it is all right.
Awesome.
Thank you guys for having me.
This was wonderful.
It was wonderful Trip down memory lane brother and sister, mom, daughter, son, wonderful stories and, of course, I've been friends with your brother for 30 years.
So I think over 30 at this point.
Yeah.
Yeah, yep, 30 years, so I think over 30 at this point.
Yeah, yeah, yep, about well, thanks to our thank you to our co-host, our lovely, wonderful guest.
Love you to death, danielle, we'll see you soon.
Thank you for being here.
And, uh, to everyone else, you know what to do carslove To all the cars I've loved before.
Follow, subscribe, visit, email, like, follow, send us $20.
Whatever is important to you to connect with us.
Hey, let's get the party started.
Let's get the conversation going.
Anywhere around the world.
Yeah, if you want to be interviewed, be on the show.
Hey, we are easy company, bud.
I'm at christianatcarslovecom, he's at dougatcarslovecom.
That's this week's episode.
Have a great evening, whatever you do talk to us, follow like that's a wrap.
See you soon, Take care.
Goodbye everybody, Take care.
Request an explanation for:
9 cars
Scroll for more
9 cars featured
Request an Explanation
Heard something you'd like explained? We'll add it to this episode.
Sign in to request explanations for terms you heard.
Want to learn more?
Browse our glossary for plain-English explanations of automotive terms, jargon, and concepts.
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark.
Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.
Report incorrect info
Suggest better explanations
Flag missing cars
More from To All The Cars I've Loved Before: Classic Car Restoration, JDM, and Automotive History
