August 26, 1959 started it all… SO now as I sit after a full day at work and I think about how a little car has changed my life. I am amazed at how the Mini has really changed me from a comic book, technology, animation geek- into a comic book, animation, Mini Cooper, technology geek. I have gotten to know the ins and outs of the car… I know the subtle differences between model years (but with 50 years of history, I know I don;’t know it all). Today one of my brothers tests drives a Clubman and seems to be fairly serious about purchasing one. I did some shuffling and have Tink ready to go to school tomorrow and hopefully she’ll be all shined up for the Fisher’s Car Show on Saturday. Have I really changed that much over the past 4 years… has it really been only 4 years since I bought Penfold? July 2005- my how things change so quickly. If you had told me then that I would have two other Minis including a classic, that I would have traveled over 18000 miles in one summer with a large portion of it revolving around the Mini, I think I would have thought you were nuts. Here I am- the one who is nuts- and loving every minute of it. So Happy Birthday Mini! and thank you for all you have done for me.