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Congratulations! You have found the Habershons.com family website, started in December 2001. All Habershons and non-Habershons are welcome to wander around. Stick a pin in the Guest Map; leave a message in the Message Book; and if you're a Habershon, please let us know you were here so we can list you in our Branch Office. And if you are looking for stuff on Bikram Yoga or Mini Coopers, click on the pictures in the left-hand column.

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Thank you for coming by!

Catherine Athearn (née Habershon)

Home
My page
Waiting for Wendy
Picking up Wendy
Living with Wendy
The Horror
Wendy at the Body Shop
Home at Last
Wendy Meets Other Minis
Wendy's Journal continues

Latest news is at the bottom of this page . . .

	I'm on the waiting list for a Mini Cooper. If you live in the U.S. and you really really really want a Mini Cooper, you have to be very patient. Very patient. And if you want the souped up Cooper S, you have to be very, very, very patient. Of course, if you're willing to pay about $5,000 over the sticker price you could probably buy one tomorrow. But I'm a Habershon, and Habershons don't do that.
That's a Cooper S up there. Someone in Alabama was auctioning it on EBay. You can tell it's a Cooper S by the mail slot in the front. I owned a red Mini 1000 in the early 1970s. Her name was Wendy. I named her "Wendy" because her license plate was WAE something something something H. Her handbrake didn't work very well and she drank a lot of oil, but she got me from A to B, and I was very attached to her. When I left for Saudi Arabia in 1975 on a one-year contract, I left her in the garage at Coleford and asked Dad to start her up once in a while, saying I'd be home in a year. I never returned to England to live. So eventually Dad got tired of housing Wendy and sold her. The last thing I heard was that the lady who bought her drove her up the hill and the clutch went. She was quite annoyed.
	I stayed in Saudi Arabia for eleven years, with a brief stint in Holland. It wasn't until I went to live in the U.S. in 1985 that I needed a car again. It took me a long time to pick one out -- they were all so big. I thought about Wendy a lot, back then. I went to England for a visit in 1986, and there in a showroom in Bath was a red Mini. It had "Red Hot" written on it. I asked the dealer if he could ship it to the U.S. for me. "Nope." It wouldn't have met the specifications, not to mention that the steering wheel was on the wrong side.

	I got over Wendy, and in 1989 bought a blue Dodge Raider. It's been with me for thirteen years now and I love it. Does anyone have a picture of Wendy? Brothers? Somewhere buried in an old photo album? Take a look, will you? Anyway, BMW is now producing Minis. You can read all about them at this website. There are no Mini dealers in Texas, but I am on a waiting list in Memphis, Tennessee. Below is a record of my transactions so far. I've decided to record them because I think it's going to take nearly as long to get my Mini as it took to get my U.S. Citizenship. Oh, I should have mentioned . . . John is going to buy my Raider.
February 2002		Mailed $500 deposit to RoadShow Mini in Memphis, Tennessee
One week later		Was advised that I was #23 on the Mini Cooper waiting list.
June 4th, 2002		Dealership opened. I ordered a chili red Mini with white roof and mirrors, panther black seats, 16" run-flat tyres, and front fog lamps. The dealer, John Lloyd, says it will be two months.
July 2nd, 2002		John spotted a used yellow one at the VW dealership in Houston. It has 8,000 miles on the clock. He also saw a blue one in Montrose. I can't stand the wait.
July 10th, 2002		E-mail from John Lloyd at Roadshow Mini in Memphis. Wendy2 is scheduled for production at the end of July. It will be about two months in the factory so should be in my driveway late September early October. (How does he know I have a driveway?)
July 30th, 2002		First recall. Not my problem.
August 26th, 2002		Received an e-mail from John Lloyd. He told me how to track my Mini in the Owner's Lounge at www.miniusa.com It's somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean! Its status is "en route," which means: "Though still adjusting a bit to its sea-wheels, your new Mini wants you to know that so far the cruise has actually been a blast - great buffets and lots of partying with its brothers. But still, your Mini can't wait to dock, hit the road, and chew up solid ground again." John Lloyd thinks it will hit dry land on August 30th. Then it has to make its way to Memphis. Not long now!
September 8th, 2002		According to the Owner's Lounge records, Wendy2 is "At the Distribution Center." "Your Mini has arrived on U.S. shores and is going through one of its final stages of training and quality control at a U.S. Mini distribution center. The center serves as yet another chance for a comprehensive, bumper to bumper inspection. It's also where your Mini will be taught not to make fun of Americans who call the 'bonnet' a 'hood' or the 'boot' a 'trunk'."
September 9th, 2002		WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH! She's arrived! The Owner's Lounge says: "Your new Mini has arrived at your Mini dealer and is eagerly waiting to meet you. Your dealer will give your Mini one last shine and clean bill of health before calling you and setting a time for you to come in and bring your Mini home." John Lloyd called to discuss financing and floor mats (not included). I've just filled out and faxed him the finance forms and once they're approved I'll be heading for Memphis. I can't breathe!
September 12th, 2002		Financing approved. Heading for Memphis on Saturday morning. By car, train, bus or plane?
September 14th, 2002		My Mini, Part II