The Party Bus and Romper Stomper

I’ve been saying for quite a while now that my next vehicle will be a Jeep Wrangler. Why? I know they are not the smoothest ride. Not the most luxurious. Not the quietest. They don’t have the fewest repairs. Midlife crisis? Maybe. I think mostly it is because I want a vehicle with a little character.

When I look at the list of vehicles that I have been a primary driver, only one in my mind had much character. My vehicles from current moving backwards in time:

• 2006 Pontiac Torrent (think Chevy Equinox)
• 1999 Chevy Malibu
• 1991 Saturn SL
• 1987 Pontiac Grand Am
• 1979 Ford LTD Station Wagon

The last on the list and the first car that was mine was mostly a hand-me-down from the family of a girlfriend. In early 1986 I purchased it from them for $1.

The LTD was huge. It was longer than a standard battleship, had more mechanical issues than a fleet of busses and came in a color green that I always describe as “If Pepto Bismol came in green, that would be the color”. You can find the exact car here.

That car had character. With two bench seats and a huge rear compartment, I could pack in 10 friends. I could carry a sousaphone (which I did from time to time). It got about 8 miles to the gallon but could turn on a dime (a much better turning radius than any other car I’ve owned since).

I named it the Party Bus as I was regularly carting around many other teens. The car had a novelty horn installed when I got it that would play 35 different songs (La Cucaracha, Happy Birthday, etc…). At one point prior to my ownership some water had gotten into the car and the headliner drooped down, partially blocking the rear view. I ended up tearing it down and if you were in the car for the first time, you were instructed to carve your name in the foam cushion that was glued to the ceiling of the car. By the time I got rid of it, it was so full of names that many were unreadable.

My best friend Chris, coincidentally, also had a Ford LTD. His was not the wagon and so it was nearly as wide as mine was long. His was nicknamed the Romper Stomper. The best car of my friend’s, though, belonged to Wendi – a Canary Yellow Ford Mustang.

Turkey Deli Wraps

This simple lunch is like a party in your mouth!

With deli slices and caesar dressing, this is so easy.

Mix the dressing and spinach.

Spread some dressing on the tortilla too.

Assemble.

A perfectly simple and awesome lunch.

Turkey Deli Wraps

| Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

4 cups spinach, shredded
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
4 chopped green onions
2 tbsp low calorie caesar dressing, plus more for tortillas
4 romaine lettuce leaves
8 ounces turkey slices
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine spinach, cheese, onion and dressing. 

On each tortilla spread a little Caesar dressing. Add 1 romaine leaf on top. Arrange 1 cup mixture over leaf. Top each with turkey. Salt and pepper to taste. Roll up tortilla.