I'm Too Old For This!

In January Chris and I got, what we now call "the letter", saying that our current car insurance would not be able to cover me driving in England any longer and that I needed to get my UK drivers license. Chris and I had been under the impression (for nearly 3 years) that I was okay to drive in the UK as long as I left the country every 12 months - WRONG. We found out that a USA license is only valid for 1 year from the time you move into the county.

Here in England they do things MUCH more different than they do in Utah. I first had to take my theory test. I didn't feel like studying much for that test and, of course, waiting until the last few days to study and then being VERY frustrated that every sample test I took, I failed. Here are some of the things in the Highway Code:

*Motorized Scooters should NOT be used on motorways (freeways).

*When riding your horse on the road, make sure you can control them.

*Make sure that children in the car are kept under control.

*The rules in the HIGHWAY CODE do NOT give you right of way on the road (you mean just reading a book doesn't give me right of way??)

*Note: Night is considered the hours of darkness.

*Be patient, everyone makes mistakes.

*Never use a handheld microphone while driving.

*You MUST ensure you do not hit anyone while opening the door.

*Give way to sheep.

Yes, they are all in the handbook we are meant to study. After passing the theory test (even with the silly questions) - I then had to start on the second leg of my testing, taking driving lessons and taking the practical test.

I was lucky enough to find a great instructor who I had great chats to, the whole time I was in the car (luckily he liked Americans). He was so positive that after the first 2 hour lesson I booked the test scheduled for April 30th. Herein lies the problem - Chris and I have a wedding to go to on the 16th of April and I needed to drive by then. So I was "lucky" enough to get a cancellation spot - ONE WEEK AFTER MY FIRST LESSON - panic ensued...

My instructor packed in 5 more hours of lessons this week in preparation for the test today.

I was so nervous... shaking, sick, speechless nervous! I know I am a good driver - 12 years, 4 countries, 5 cars (sick and auto) - and no accidents later proves this but, this test shook my confidence... like and earthquake!

It shouldn't have - I passed, and in a test where not looking in the mirrors enough, hitting the kerb, lane discipline can not only give you point off but fail you - I only got 3 points off out of the possible 15. I even managed to have a great conversation with my examiner during the test.

I am so pleased it is done! I can get the car fixed (tomorrow - I don't waste time!), tax, and MOT it and I AM FREE AGAIN!!!

I may be eating rice for the rest of the month, but I will be free!!!

Hey, Can I have a Ride?

Don't you ever wish you could just turn back time and remain ignorant of certain knowledge you've acquired??  I don't, for much, but this past Friday I WISH I could!
It started quite simply with an innocent letter from our car insurance company saying that the couldn't re-new the account, but never said why.  We figured that it had something to do with my foreign license and so while Chris was out doing errands I started calling around for new quotes, getting continually denied - ending up with me calling our current provider and asking why we couldn't re-new... the woman said, "because you cant drive, you've been in the country for more than a year."  This rule I thought I knew, I thought the rule was that you couldn't drive on a US license for more than 12 months from the LAST TIME YOU ENTERED THE COUNTRY.  For this reason alone Chris and I spent a few days (and LOTS of money) in Paris in 2007 and experienced Brussels earlier in December (THE TRIP FROM HELL) - all in aid of me getting a new stamp in my passport, thus ensuring 12 more months of driving.  The woman on the phone said this was illegal and to stop driving immediately (not that I was driving, but to never drive again -- you know what I mean).  I didn't want to take this answer and so I called the DVLA to get an "official" answer.  I told the woman on the phone the situation and she assured me that it has been illegal for me to be driving in the UK since July 2007 - and that it was the rule that you could drive 12 months from the time you became a RESIDENT of the UK.  She then told me I shouldn't drive and that I HAD to get a UK license before I could drive again.  So what do I have to do?
1. Apply for a provisional license - £50
2. Take driving lessons - ££££££
3.  Take the Theory Test - ££££
4.  Take the Practical Test - ££££ (and also RENT A CAR FOR THE TEST!)
WHAT?!!?!?  I could, and I DO count my blessings every.single.day that I had NO problems for those months that I was an unknowing rebel, and because of that, and my HORRIBLE luck - I wont take a chance driving the car until everything is done and dusted with the shiny new license ... it will increase my heavenly £16.16 monthly insurance payment, no doubt, because to the companies I will be a new driver - even though in reality I have 12 years experience and NO CLAIMS - but I don't think they'll care.
I went into the situation strangely confident -- with my horrible Life in the UK test (see archives) I didn't know anything - but with this I had nearly 2 years practice...  the downside??  That confidence has been SQUASHED with 4 practice tests all ending in FAIL.  I think I have more studying then I thought ...
And what do I need to study??  The Highway Code - a foreign book of sorts that deals with 4 different kinds of pedestrian crossings (pelican, zebra, toucan, and puffin) and questions like:  A person herding sheep asks you to stop you should:  B - stop and switch off your engine ... and so much more -- I think I am in for some serious studying - 2 years practice or not!
So now I am stuck in STUPID March!  BORING March - and at the mercy of family to get us where we need to - NEED being the operative word -- I know I'll be cursing the DVLA when I have to WALK to the doctors tomorrow, leaving the house at 8:15 to get there - I'll just pray for no rain (yeah right)!
And so Internet, if you'll excuse me I'm off to learn the rules of the British road - and to pray not only to pass the test but that, that pesky MONEY TREE will start sprouting pounds so I can pay for it all!!

Two and Counting....

After the weekend I think I can confidently say I have done some damage to the car and the kitchen that will have to be left until we grow some kind of money tree.
Friday I went to a job interview.  I am not good at finding places in Salt Lake, and that's a grid system, but put me in a place where there is no rhyme or reason to the streets and I get completely lost.  I had to find the centre all on my own because Chris had work so I FINALLY found it and went to pull into the car park and I saw a sign that said "2 MPH".  I figured this was warning me to slow down because there might be children around, so I slowed down - to "5 MPH".  Right as I was doing that I hit the "Mother of all speed bumps".... It was one of those, that, I thought immediately in my head, "THATS going to do some damage!" and it did... I parked the car and went into my interview, forgetting all about it until I walked out and saw my muffler about 2 inches from the ground, clinging to dear life.  The problem comes when I have to drive home and hope that I don't hit a bump.  I pulled out onto the main road and was driving at a crawl.  Not only was I driving pretty slow I was strategically trying to miss all the man holes, bumps, and any uneven ground.  I crept home in one piece, all the while praying out loud that I could just make it home.  And how did we fix it?  Well....  Chris and I tied it up to the car with washing line string, to get to his parents and, at there his brother came up with a novel way to fix it - now the muffler is very secure with plastic cable ties.  Considering the car is about 14 years old and we purchased it for £150 and its run this well for this long, I guess I cant complain about some plastic ties.  I have become uncharacteristically complacent about my car at this point.
I also tried to put in a shelf this morning in the kitchen that I've asked Dear Husband to do several times and I cant be bothered to wait any longer.  I measured where to put holes on the wall by drawing circles on some masking tape and then using it for a template.  I started to drill and the drill ran out of battery, so I thought I'd hammer in the drill bit to make a hole for the screw.  So I got the wooden legs of our couch and proceeded to hammer in the drill bit so far that I had to make another hole next to it to get the drill bit out.  Then I tried to fill the extra hole with some blue tack (I know, I don't know why either, but it seemed like a good idea at the time) and then proceeded to screw them in... it didn't hold, so I got a small screw and hammered that into the wall above the first holes, but it ended up just connecting the two holes together, so now I have two quarter size holes in my wall and still no shelf! 
So until the money tree starts sprouting pound notes, we'll have to settle for kitchen holes and cable tie mufflers....
                            
Bella the Car....                                                                   The new kitchen decor... 

Miracles do Happen....

For anyone who knows me at all... they know that the less work involved in getting somewhere  - the better.  Church is right down the street?  I take a car.  Kim lives a street away - I drive to her house.  Well, as I am happy to report, here in England I did something I would NEVER do in America - I took a BUS to the store.  Chris was sweet and gave me great instructions.  Although, as good of the instructions - it didnt stop me from worrying a little every time I got on the bus - that I was quickly getting lost in LONDON - a town where so much looks the same and there is no rhyme or reason to the streets.  I hear that is how it is in other places - mostly everywhere besides Utah.  At any rate I managed to get the right bus - shop at TESCO... find my way through the new foods (well, new to me) and find good old ingredients for spaghetti.  HURRAY!!!  Then, even after that I managed to keep my purchases down to 4 bags full (unusual for me) and take the correct bus home.  That was a little more difficult then getting there - as I didnt know where the bus stop was so I took a little bit of a stroll to get there - but I got there - that is all that counts!  Now I am home (Chris' home) and waiting for Chris to bring the missionaries over so we can feed them dinner. 

I do love it here.... I love everything about it.   I love the sights and smells and sounds of England.  I always have, and probably always will.  Could I see myself living here (and at that, riding the bus everywhere)?  YES without hesitation - YES!