Wonderful Things

Lots of wonderful things happened today!  First, and probably the most wonderful ... We have internet!!!!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo!  Second, we have a heater that works!

Third, *drum roll please* ... MJ had his very first driving lesson!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am amazed, proud, relieved and a list of many other feelings at the outcome of said driving lesson. He went really well :-))) Not that I ever doubted him,  I have been concerned that I might not be the best person to teach MJ, as I did not want to traumatise him! You see, I can be a little impatient ...

I suppose having had so many other successes today, helped to put me in the right frame of mind.

Since we both lived through the experience and are looking forward to another lesson, it has made me recall my first driving lesson ... *fade to castle in the distance shrouded in fog*

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, when things were very different in the land of learning to drive; a young girl walked into the RTA and asked for a Learners Permit, which was handed over to her after filling in an application. I don't recall having to sit any sort of test. I did say a long, long, time ago!

And off I went home, to start hounding my Dad to teach me to drive. Mum didn't drive so I only had one parent to pester. After many weeks of pestering, Dad finally relented.

"Meet me out the front Saturday morning at 8am." I suppose he thought he was safe, as I usually never even saw Saturday morning!

However, when something is important enough, even to a teenager, we all can find it in ourselves to do something that no teenager has done before! Saturday morning came and there I was, out the front at 8am.

My Dad was a practical man, and so began my very first driving lesson; in the Valiant. Similar to the one in the photo below.

Source of Photo

I learnt how to check and top up the water and oil, I learnt how to change a tyre, I even learnt to put petrol in the car (he drove to the petrol station), and then, I learnt how to wash the car, while he went inside and read the paper. End of lesson. Yes, by learnt I mean, I was the one doing all of the tasks, on my own!

After proving my dedication, next week, my actual driving lessons started.  After propping me up on many pillows because the bench seat in the Valiant was stuck in one position, and I could otherwise not reach the pedals, Dad took me to the local Industrial Estate and let me take the wheel.

I drove around and around and around and around (well, you get it) the same block for what seemed like hours (probably half an hour as I am certain that would have been all Dad could have tolerated), with him the whole time reminding me there were two other gears that I had not yet used!

The Valiant was a manual, "three on the tree" they used to call a three gear column shift. So to avoid having to use the clutch (as I kept getting in trouble for "riding" it) I stayed in first gear the whole time.

Finally, Dad had had enough and we went home. He drove that leg. I felt so proud I had not smashed the car! He made me promise "IF" we did it again, that I would at least try 2nd gear. Lol.

I don't recall if I had many more lessons with Dad, probably a couple, but I do know, he was the one who taught me how to drive. I got my confidence slowly, and was able to learn at my own pace and the lessons in car maintenance stood me in good stead for many years of driving.  He would often show me how to change a fuse, or a headlight bulb (again, it was a long time ago) and of course windscreen wipers.

I went on to have lessons with a driving school and a couple of other older friends and eventually got my licence (on my second go).

I will also teach MJ the things I can about car maintenance, as who knows, one day, he may just have to help me change a tyre!

Photo Source

So my Happy Ending will be that MJ learns at his own pace and gets the confidence he needs to be a capable and sensible driver.

Mind you, the sensible he may not inherit from me, but THAT, is another story my friends!

Red Wine - 26th Day of Gratitude

There was a time in my life when I drank.  I drank a lot. I drank all the time. I drank for no reason other than to get drunk, in a social situation, to help me shine.

I loved going anywhere there was people and alcohol.

I remember my first drink, which also turned out to be my first hangover.

Mum thought it would be funny (well I'm assuming that is what she thought) if she gave me a bottle of red wine (that she would never have drunk), to take with me to the Church Youth Group's end of year function so I could "spike the punch"!

Source

Yes, you can all draw breath after exhaling in complete shock ... you may want to draw another breath now though so you don't pass out when I tell you, I was 14 years old at the time.

A friend and I headed off with said bottle concealed in her big purple parker and we were trying to find the opportunity to pour the bottle in the punch, but were too afraid we would get caught ... so we did what any 14 year olds would do, we destroyed the evidence!

Half each, problem solved.

Mum was in disbelief when the Youth Pastor delivered me home explaining to Mum that he thought we were drunk and apologetically telling her he had no idea where we had got the wine from and how sorry he was etc.  As any responsible adult would do when they were in charge of our well being at the time we became COMPLETELY PISSED.

Oh how I felt so sorry for that man later in my life as I realised. SHE. NEVER. TOLD. HIM. THE. TRUTH!

Of course, I suppose she was embarrassed. But what did she think two 14 year olds would do with it? And did she really expect us to spike the punch at a Church gathering?

That one incident, was the beginning of a very long and drawn out list of events that were considered to have been all my fault, including the "Year 10 School Dance incident", and so, when I had left school and Mum and Dad had no real say in where I went or who I went with, I drank.

I don't know why. That first hangover should have been enough to put anyone off drinking for the rest of their life. I recall feeling like I was going to fall out of bed, not to mention the pending vomiting, and so I slept on the floor. At least the room stopped spinning enough for me to get to sleep.

Later, I drank so often I got to the point where I could pretty much out drink most people, but of course it started to cost more money too. That was about the time I switched from Scotch and Dry to wine. Cheap crappy Moselle, I moved onto Riesling and Eventually Chardonnay. But who really cared, least cost most effective, that was all that really mattered.

Source

It was probably also about the time that I started to spend more time with an old school friend of mine.  I would go to her house for dinner or to celebrate events with her and her family, and as we were over 18 by this time, we would have a glass or two of red wine with dinner.

Mr S was a bit of a connoisseur and enjoyed introducing us to different wines and talking to us about how different wines complemented different foods.  Mrs S always had the different foods covered. Mr S also introduced us to Port. Not in the same way I had been introduced to wine initially, no, he taught us to savour it, to smell it, to taste it, to feel it, he taught us to appreciate and respect it.

I learnt to truly enjoy the real value of the combination of alcohol and people. We would talk and listen to music and sit around with their extended family also at times and we would just be.

I was always made to count my drinks or stay the night. Another good lesson.

Source

So tonight as I sat and enjoyed a couple of glasses of red (which I rarely do these days) in the comfort of my own home, I raised my glass to Mr and Mrs S and the lessons they taught me.

Tonight I am grateful for red wine.

How do you manage kids/teens/young adults and alcohol in your house?