Goodbye To An Old Friend

I bought this 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS brand-new in December of 2000. She was my very first brand-new car. I ordered her built the way I wanted, with just the features I wanted, and nothing else. Got the strut-tower brace to stiffen up the front end, and the short-throw shifter to make gearchanges more precise. Named her Daphne (long story, but naming cars is a tradition in our family). 13 years and 194,000 miles later, she's lived a happy and appreciated life with Sheri and me. She is the only car I've ever had that I really felt completely comfortable in. The designers just nailed it with this one - she felt like an extension of me when I drove. I knew exactly how she'd respond to a given situation, and the all-wheel-drive and low center of gravity makes her stable as a rock. And I love the looks - like a little blue bulldog. I've lost track over the years of all the compliments I've gotten on both the looks and the color. But, she's finally starting to show her age, and I'm hoping our situation will allow me to get a new WRX in the coming year. Meanwhile, a friend who's also a Subaru enthusiast has been after me for a year to sell her to him - he's always wanted this particular model, and he knows I've taken care of her. So, on Thursday, I sign over the title and say goodbye to a loyal and trusted friend. I only wish the sky wasn't so gray and that there wasn't a light snow flurry on the only day I have to take the final photos...but maybe that's appropriate. Olympus E-M5, d. Zuiko 12-50mm