Storytelling Sunday - I'll Miss You Honkin' Truck

I'm linking up with Sian today as part of this year's Storytelling Sunday, a fun blog event where she encourages us to tell our stories in words and photos. This year's theme is Pick Your Precious (although any story will do), so today I'm going to share with you about a vehicle that I truly loved.

If you've been around my blog for a couple of years, you may remember that I created a layout about my Ford Expedition called 140,000 Miles & Counting back in 2010. This past fall, we traded that wonderful vehicle in for a new Suburban. I loved the Expedition, but after 10 years and 160,000 plus miles we were ready for something new. When I cleaned out the file I kept on the Expedition, I pulled a few items and put in my Memorabilia File with the plan to scrapbook one final layout about it. Last week's challenge in the Library of Memories Community provided the perfect opportunity because we were encouraged to "create a page with memorabilia that we had diligently saved."

I created a two page layout. On the left page, I used the front of a brochure in the background, and on the right page, I created a pocket to hold other items I had saved - the original buyers order, a copy of the title, a registration renewal, an inspection report, a couple of bills, and the pages from the spiral notebook I kept in the glove box to record all maintenance and repairs.

Journaling reads: OH THE MILES WE’VE TRAVELED TOGETHER

My very first vehicle with an automatic transmission: a grown-up car, big enough that I would feel safe on the roads in Dallas, with plenty of room for lots of adventures. The first time I’ve ever given a vehicle a name – we dubbed you “Honkin’ Truck” because you were huge compared to the small cars we’d been driving. 

Over the years, you carried us to work, to school, to church, on errands, on vacations and weekend get-aways, on trips to visit family, to scrapbook stores and comic shops, to births and funerals and weddings and graduations and recitals . . . and always back home again. You’ve hauled family & friends, beds & TVs, groceries & Coca-Colas, bicycles & tricycles, sinks & toilets, presents & decorations, car seats and booster seats, suitcases & ice chests. You pulled the boat back and forth to the lake and even towed a U-Haul trailer all the way home from Ohio. We had to have the motors replaced in the driver’s seat and the window because you were well used and enjoyed.

For 10 years, 4 months and 6 days, we traveled together – 167,151 miles, across 19 states and through 1 border crossing. After 39 oil changes and 4 sets of tires, it’s time to say goodbye . . . 

I’ll miss you Honkin’ Truck!
Melissa – November 2012

I had other photos I wanted to include, so I added an 8x8 divided page that I'll put in between these two 12x12 pages in my album.


Journaling (on the tag) reads: The very first day, Robbie said, “We need to be careful about eating in this new car.” I laughed at the time & we both laugh now thinking about all the meals and snacks and drinks we’ve enjoyed (and occasionally spilt) in this vehicle through the years!

I'm really pleased to have this story scrapped and preserved in our 2012 album. Have you saved any memorabilia in a pocket page lately? Or added an extra page for additional photos?