#2,500 Ouida Wagoneer, Like New.

I finally got the call this morning from Roy Rogers Body Shop that my girl Ouida was finally finished and ready to take home with every dent, scratch and rust spot repaired, the entire body repainted in the factory dark Baltic blue with all new wood grain and decals from Team Grand Wagoneer, and custom leather and plaid wool interior by J.R. and Son just down the road from us in Ellisville. With a total investment much less than a brand new SUV, this car is still the nicest thing I’ve ever had. And I plan to drive it forever. Surrounded by steel on all sides, I’ve never felt more taken care of in a car. What is it about old cars that make me feel so good? So HAPPY?

I think it’s that I can imagine the places it’s been, the families she’s safely toted from here to there, and the design and craftsmanship of the older days that was so divine, designers in 2016 are still trying to capture that style, that feeling.

Speaking of designers, I will never be able to explain how much this group of people, the Home Town design team, have meant to me, how talented they are, how hardworking they are. We missed you tonight, Luke!

It may look like I get these houses done pretty much by myself when you watch it on TV, but it takes a village. An amazing village. I dropped by the next to last reveal house tonight to check in on things and found my little design family there and it felt like coming home. The only thing missing were PJs and pizza. And I’m so glad our new friends, the Corbins, got to make the looooong trek down from Maine for a couple days.

It’s amazing how this little journal has connected us with so many good people over the years.