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February 10, 2007
My Most Exciting Experience of the Year So Far...
Today, I went supermarket shopping in our very own car!
Yes, we have a car! Oh Patient One's new job is located out of Rotterdam, therefore after two whole years of being car-less due to living in a city center and not really needing one, a car has suddenly become a vital necessity.
I could barely contain my excitement this morning as I climbed behind the wheel of our newly acquired Fiat Punto for the first time, adjusted the seat (all the way forward due to my short legs), fiddled with the rear-view mirror, turned the ignition key and slipped into first gear.
My delight knew no bounds as I raised my left foot from the clutch, and simultaneously applied pressure to the accelorator with my right foot. What a smooth biting point this baby had! And as I pulled off and slipped into second gear, my heart was nearly set to burst. Was there ever a car with such a smooth gear change? When I reached the main road, accelerated and changed up to third gear, I was nearly exploding with the joy of it all!
Then, as I pulled into the side road where the supermarket is located, my joy was enhanced to its limits when I spotted a car leaving at exactly the same time as I required a parking space. I mean, surely it was a sign! So I switched on my directional light to, you know, indicate to anybody else who might come along while I was waiting to pull into the space that I was, in fact, waiting to pull into the space once the car had reversed out.
Well, wouldn't you just bloody know it. Another car came around the corner in front of me, and while I remained motionless to let him pass me so that I'd have enough room to maneuver into the space, the bastard pulled into MY PARKING SPACE. Couldn't he see my directional light? Was he blind? And if so, who the hell let him loose on the open road? But I didn't let that phase me or anything, because I was just too damned delighted with being in OUR VERY OWN CAR. I just pulled around the block and found another space. (Owkey, maybe the air in the car in the car did go a bit blue.)
The supermarket was an absolute dream! For once, I didn't mind being invisible. I didn't even blink when two people blocked the aisle to have a chat. It was just so stupendously liberating to fill my shopping cart to the brim and not have to worry about how much stuff I could reasonably carry home on foot.
Owkey, Michelle, I hear you all cry. Reality check time. You got excited about supermarket shopping in a car? So what? Have you no life, woman?
I know, I know, a silly thing to get excited about. But I was. Oh, the little things in life :-)
Later today, I am going for a drive down a main route so that I can change up into fifth gear and see what this baby can really do :-) My heart's already pounding with excited anticipation...
Posted by Michelle at 8:43 AM | Comments (5)
Comments
Congratulations on getting wheels, baby! Get out on that main route and show 'em what you've got under your hood.
The LC Eileen
Posted by: The LC Eileen at February 10, 2007 2:07 PM
I'm just jealous that you can drive stick. That is on my list of Big Important Lifetime Goals. I have heard it said that "the truly liberated woman can drive stick shift."
Posted by: Beth at February 11, 2007 2:23 PM
Well, it's a small car with a small engine (teeny by US standards), but I love it! (Very nippy down the main route.)
Beth - LOL, but here's the real secret why I drive a stick shift. Automatic cars never really became popular over here, mainly because they are more expensive than manual transmission. Also, cup holders aren't a feature over here, either. Oh, how I miss cup holders :-)
Posted by: Michelle C at February 12, 2007 10:26 AM
My first (purchased) car was a stick and I loved it! Since I bought used this time, that wasn't an option, unless I was willing to wait around. But it was cool shifting the gears.
Posted by: RandomRanter at February 12, 2007 4:44 PM
RandomRanter, I have to confess that I do like a stick shift. I just feel like I have more control over the car if I can change up and down. Oh noes! Does that make me a control freak, lol?
Posted by: Michelle C at February 13, 2007 11:02 AM
