Life's Milestones

Life has many major milestones – first grade, graduation and marriage, children, etc.

There are other important milestones that sometimes slip past with little recognition. The youngest Atkins boy recently experienced one of these – making his first major adult purchase. This also meant creating his first debt.

Gregory Michael Atkins has purchased a Dodge Ram truck and what a truck it is! Like new, looks great, low mileage, and after trading in his graduation gift, a loan he can handle. What's more, he got his dad's advice before making the big leap. Smart move.

Perhaps the most important part of this transaction is that the youngest Atkins boy seems to have learned a very important Atkins lesson: Never buy anything you can't afford to pay for.

So, with careful thought, an employee discount, and a two-year loan, he bought a great truck from Akins Ford, the dealership where he's working while finishing up his degree.

Good choice, Greg!

He's A Winner!

Last week the two younger Atkins boys attended their first antique car show of 2010 – a sure sign that spring is just around the corner after an unusually cold, rainy, dreary and snowy winter in Georgia.

This particular show is held in Tucker, a small town just south of Lilburn, and is sponsored by Mopar, maker of auto parts for Chrysler Corporation. As such, the show is limited to Chrysler products.

So what was a 1937 Chevy coupe doing there? It seems that a Chevy with a Chrysler engine qualifies just as does a Dodge with a Chevy (or other) engine. In fact, the middle Atkins boy won their best Mopar Car award several years ago because of his rebuilt Chrysler engine that was refurbished with many, many Mopar parts. But that's another story and it did make the Atlanta Journal Constitution at the time.

So why is this show such a favorite? Perhaps it's because the youngest Atkins boy never fails to bring home a prize with his Viper Red Barracuda. Last year he won first prize. Above you see him with the prize he claimed this year - THE LADIES CHOICE AWARD.

Although he modestly credits only the car for winning, there are some in the family who think those women just might have taken into account the good looks and charming personality of the owner. Could it be? Hmmmmmmmm.