Hearts & Automobiles

It may sound very "important" and like I know what I'm doing, when I tell you about board meetings, budgets and book keeping, but it's only some volunteer work I do for my son's basketball team. In fact all members of the board are volunteers; parents from the club.

Anyway, I went to such a meeting yesterday, this time we decided to keep it at our chairman's house. More relaxed, and she'd made fantastic blueberry muffins for our coffee (after all she is American, so she should know how to make muffins...). We managed to work through a lot, where the main focus stayed on the website, which desperately needs some structuring, and the financial situation. That latter part was my responsibility and I felt like a cheap mum telling them that "No, you can't buy that, we don't have any money left". All in all it went well, and the conclusion was that we need a more steady income. Especially now since the government finally is getting monopoly over the vending machines, and we don't have such a strong culture for sponsoring in this country.

We were about 7 or 8 leaving at the same time, and everyone by car. Our secretary arrived last so she had no problem getting her car out. I pointed to the little spot she'd managed to squeeze her vehicle into, and said "Sometimes it's good to have a small car!" and she replied "And that's how my life is - small car, small flat, small income...". "But your heart is big!" I told her back, and she smiled.

We were in "posh country" surrounded by huge, dark colored, fancy cars like BMW, Audi and Volvo. The houses were big, and I'm sure their owner's salaries too. I've been there myself, but I can't say I miss it really. It wouldn't be fair to claim that all these people are heartless social climbers, but for myself I do feel "nicer" after my life turned "small".

But can I please have just one more Swedish car before I die, without my heart turning to stone? (I "grew up" in a car like the one in the picture...)