Behind the wheel...

Beep beep.

Preparations for the big move are picking up. Several milestones have been met, more to come! On Wednesday this week I got behind the wheel of a car for the first time in 35 years. Oh my, that is a long time! Let me simply say right off that I am not a car person. On a list of most to least favorite aspects of moving to the country, having to drive is at the bottom of the list. (Almost everything else is at the top of the list--I am so excited by so many aspects of this move.) I suspect I will be driving only when necessary. I would call it a necessary evil, but that's an exaggeration. I just don't want to think about having a car, or maintaining a car, or driving a car. But I'm glad I'll have a car at my disposal, if that makes any sense!

I noticed a strong psychological impact from "having wheels" right away that afternoon after my lesson. Part liberation, some apprehension. Certainly some relief because I must have a car in NH. No question. So I am much closer to reaching that milestone.

As for the lesson and driving around the neighborhood it went well. I made a 3-point turn twice, parallel parked once, and ended by driving down our busiest thoroughfare--which turned out to be a lot less hectic than I had imagined. From behind the wheel it doesn't seem so frantic. So I was well pleased with my first hour on the road. It wasn't, after all, totally foreign to me. I drove for 4-5 years in my late teens, early twenties. A lot. My instructor is fabulous. She (how sexist of me to assume it was going to be a man!) gave me some wonderful tips for parallel parking that pactically has the car parking itself.

Between now and the 28th I will have 4 more lessons in the neighborhood. If all goes well on the 28th I will have met another milestone. Next up: getting a car (the dreaded event! ;) ) and there is some question as to whether I should shop and buy here or in NH. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.