This sweet car came into my life in 2002 when I was looking for a convertible in which my dog Murphy and I could cruise around our corner of the Pacific Northwest. It was a disaster when I first saw it . . . flat tires, covered in mold and mildew from sitting abandoned for several years. But with a little elbow grease and a tune up, it turned out to be adorable. 

Occasionally I would email my uncle Allen in Wyoming, a classic car buff, to ask for advice about maintaining the car. He would address emails back to me "Dear Princess Valiant" . . .

Soon, I decided it would be the namesake of my coffee company and that I would deliver my fresh roasted coffee in the car.  A classic 1965 Plymouth Valiant Signet V-8 automatic (on the floor) convertible, it was great for drawing customers to the Farmers' Market during my first three years in business.

Though it served me well as the persona for my coffee company, in 2008 I felt it was time to find it a good home with someone who could restore it to its original beauty. On June 18th a Valiant afficianado from Gonzales, California flew to Port Angeles to take possession of Princess Valiant. He has a lot of experience restoring Valiants and was so thrilled with the prospect that he braved driving it all the way back home - south of San Jose, California! A few tears were shed as I watched my beloved car go out my driveway without me. I was on pins and needles waiting to hear if the new owner got home ok, as I had never taken the Princess on a long trip. I was very relieved to get an email that he and the car made it all the way there without a hitch. He promised to send pictures of the restoration progress and
I hope to see her again someday after her makeover.