DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Rita At The Richfield History Center

Q: How did you acquire your baby?

A: I wanted to have one new car in my life, so I started looking. At first, I wanted the Ford Escape. I wanted something that sat up a little higher. Most people my age really like that.

Q: The back support is important.

A: I found this car and it drove beautifully. My daughter really needed a new car, so I thought I'd pass mine down. My car was seven years old. It didn't have that many miles. Her son had just turned 16. He took her car!

Q: The double hand-me-down.

A: We called it the ripple effect.

Q: How did you find this car?

A: My sister and I would drive through the car lots on Sundays. We looked and looked. Then we saw this car. I first noticed the color. I love green and it was gorgeous. I said, I think that's the car.

Q: Was it love at first sight?

A: It was. My husband was a Ford person. He is probably rolling over in his grave because I didn't get a Ford. I know it's silly to get so excited about a car, but you know it's the first car I ever bought on my own. My husband has been gone. It will be six years in November.

Q: I am so sorry to hear that.

A: Me, too.

Q: What was the first car you and your husband had together?

A: My husband was a mechanic. He loved Fords. We were married in '59. We had, I think, a Fairlane 500 or whatever they were then. We drove it to Pike's Peak for our honeymoon.

Q: That's such a nice memory. How did it feel buying that first car all by yourself?

A: It was scary writing that big of a check. It was hard to fit all the numbers in. I paid more for the car than we did for this house, and the addition!

Q: What year did you buy this house?

A: It was 1961. I've lived here for 50 years.

Q: So you are really settled in. Do you have a nickname for your car?

A: My Baby. She is just wonderful.

Q: That really is a beautiful color.

A: It's called opal sage metallic. It looks blue in some light, but it's really green.

Q: Wow, it is sure fancy in there, and it has such a great new car smell.

A: I step up just a little and the seat is so comfy on my back. There is a spot right here for my purse. This one has everything: the GPS, the Bluetooth, a CD changer. I don't know half of what's going on yet.

Q: I hear you go on a lot of road trips.

A: I love my road trips! My sister and I went to Ashland, Wisconsin about three weeks ago to visit family. We stopped at...<whispering> I shouldn't tell you this...Turtle Lake Casino. Twice, on the way up and the way back.

Q: There's nothing wrong with that. Did you win anything?

A: Yes, as a matter of fact. I made off with $130 dollars on a penny machine.

Q: What music do you listen to in the car?

A: I like a lot of everything, but Steve Tyrell sings this song "In the Wee Small Hours" and that one is wonderful. I have a lot of Rod Stewart too.

Q: Steve Tyrell and Rod Stewart really shows your wide range of taste.

A: I like it all.