Click! in Hello.

I think the driving might have finally clicked! My last lesson, the one before I had today, I was SO nervous before. I felt sick and shaky, I ended up taking a valerian and drinking lavender tea. I haven’t taken valerian since before I got my first tattoo! I’m actually ok once I’m in the car, my instructor is amazing. In fact he’s very much like the instructor in this video, the only difference being my instructor is more of a scally/scouser, rather than Geordie.
https://m.youtube.com/?gl=GB&hl=en-GB#/watch?list=PLvdXEP6RODXx-jU6vrlrPLKgcuylqcTRL&v=1_tEmVy2pak
That lesson, I think, was my lightbulb moment. I’d read up on exactly what the clutch does beforehand and, sure enough, he had me creeping using the clutch. Then when I had my lesson today, even though it was a bit rushed and he cut it short because he had a test straight after me (I said beforehand that I didn’t mind if he wanted to, these things happen and he wrote down that he owes me 10 minutes!), I suddenly “got” it. I think he noticed because he said that now I know how to make the thing go and stop, we can move on to the more technical stuff. Today we looked at the test centre, and I know it was just a coincidence, but It was like they’d “planted” things, there was a truck parked just around a sharp corner on my side, and a doddery old lady, also parked on my side, opened her door and spent aaaages getting out of the car. I joked that I’d probably just used up all the traps they’d set for the people having their test!
Sorry, this is really boring for anyone who isn’t having driving lessons, but it needs documenting! ;)
Eleanor. Bless her cotton socks. She’s just like her daddy, she’s so nice that she puts everyone else before herself. If ever she asks, say, if she can have a friend over and we say no, she just goes “oh, ok. Maybe next week?” without batting an eyelid. She never grumbles or cries or has a tantrum.
Last week she came home with a letter saying they were going on a field trip to a Roman fort, somewhere along Hadrian’s wall. I had a quick scan of the letter, then the next day told her we were going to the dentist on Tuesday. She said “oh, that’s the day we were going to the fort.” I told her we’d waited for a few months for the appointment. (Four. Because it’s NHS. No wonder the rest of the world think we have shit teeth. I’m not even joking.) She said “oh, that’s ok!” and I actually saw the moment her heart broke. I said “Eleanor?” and she turned round saying “no, it’s fine!” I held out my arms and her little face just crumbled. I felt so bad. So this morning, as soon as the surgery opened, I started ringing. The phone rang out and out…at that point I had to go out, and when I came back, the mail had arrived. It turns out the surgery had had to postpone our appointments. Normally I would have been mad, we’ve waited months and they cancel then with just a couple of days to spare. But because I was planning it anyway, it gives me the moral high ground. I’m hoping they’ll be able to squeeze me in sooner rather than later!
When I picked her up from school, I told her what had happened with the dentist and told her I’d treat her to tea and cake for being so brave about it all. She ended up ordering hot chocolate mud cake and a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows. She ODed a little with the chocolate there I think! But she was happy. :) (I had plum pie and custard. Mmmm....)

Last updated October 16, 2015