It’s a 1998 Mustang SVT Cobra convertible. Black with a black leather interior. Picked it up at 3 pm today.

A little background. In my callow youth, I drove a 66 Mustang GT. That was my ride when I was dating the girl who became my wife. I stupidly junked the car when it died. If I only knew how much a restored one would eventually be worth. But it was gone.

For years, Laurel and I talked about eventually getting another Mustang. When she was dying, she told me one of her biggest regrets was that she had been saving to buy me one but hadn’t saved enough. In the nearly three years since she’s been gone, I have alternatively looked and held back. A week ago I finally took the plunge and got it this afternoon.

I’d like to think of this as a milestone. As an indication that I am leaving the woe is me stage and moving into being able to celebrate the 43 years we had together. Laurel would have wanted me to have this car. Somewhere, she is happy. We finally have another Mustang.