Thrills Spills and Doctors Bills
Probably one of the scariest things I’ve done for a very long time was taking my daughter for a driving lesson this afternoon.
I wasn’t afraid so much for my own personal safety, but I was scared about sending her the wrong messages and also a little worried about paying for damage to our car or other peoples property.
She’s had about 7 lessons, so I thought what I’d do is drive along beach rd down to Mornington and let her drive back. I decided after hitting Mordialoc, I would let her drive from then on. It’s a two lane road and not much traffic and I thought I could gauge how she was doing and give her different tests from then on.
I did feel pretty comfortable driving with her at first - well it was kind of easy. You just follow the car in front of you. I was thinking back on when I first started driving and thinking about the traps you fall into when starting out on the road.
The first incident happened in Seaford, while I was saying slow down, slow down, STOP. The problem was we were halfway through an intersection and she ran a red light. I worked out what she was doing - she was concentrating too much on the car in front, staying within the lane keeping within the speed limit, checking the mirrors, but not paying attention to things like traffic lights.
I calmed down an the rest of the trip to Mornington was uneventful. We drove down to Mornington Pier where we were going to have some lunch in the cafe, however, I didn’t have any cash so we went to the posh place upstairs - The Rocks. I’ve secretly been meaning to go there for years, and today was the perfect opportunity. We each had the cider battered flathead, chips and salad - it was absolutely delicious.
After lunch I thought we should practice some reverse parking and three point turns. Manouvering an automobile is a bit of a challenge and she did have a bit of trouble but got there in the end.
I then drove the car down to Mount Martha and was looking for a spot called the ‘Pillars’ - it’s a place we used to dive into the water from the cliffs as teenagers. I couldn’t find it and then drove back to Mornington and let Hollie drive me back home.
On the way back I was clutching the handrail slightly more then when she was first in the car. It wasn’t long before she started veering too far towards the left of the road that forced me to lunge at the steering wheel to correct a possible collision with trees. We laughed it off and I kept my emotions in check. At Chelsea, the two lane road kind of disappears with cars parked on the left and the odd cyclist that created challenges for the new driver. She negotiated this ok, but there was a point where she almost collided with a car on our left and I was forced to intervene again grabbing the steering wheel. Not long after that I thought I would drive the rest of the way home - no ill feelings.
I think we both did really well today, and am kind of looking forward to doing it again next weekend - hopefully, I’ll find the Pillars.
Why do people always say “at least you got out there?”
Today was one of those days. I pushed myself to go out for a surf. I looked at the cams and they looked ok, but the SE was blowing a bit, I said to myself - you will kick yourself in the morning if you don’t get out there.
I think it cost me $20 in petrol and two hours drive and for what? Sloppy, cold, south easterly 0.5 foot crap.
I should have just stayed home and watched repeats of Everyone Loves Raymond - and I hate that show, and that guys voice.
Thinking about my experience today - it wasn’t really that terrible getting out there today.
Apart from getting in my ill fitting wetsuit, pulling the board off the roof racks lurching into the freezing winter bass strait water. Then floundering around for half an hour on my board, catching the odd bit of slop. Then paddling to shore, disappointed. Taking off my ill fitting wetsuit and getting into wet clothes (my car still leaks water - different story) and putting my board back on the roof.
The great thing today was the drive home. I took a bit of a detour and looked around Shoreham this afternoon. A little seaside town on Westernport Bay, just before Flinders. The place had changed since I remembered growing up in the area.
I remember camping at the beach one Summer with some friends and bought 12 bottles of Brandavino. At the time guys drank Brandivino and girls drank Blackberry Nip - I didn’t make the rules. By the end of our camping trip we were mixing the stuff with sea water. I don’t think I drank Brandavino ever again. Come to think of it - I never see it in shops now.
The caravan park in Shoreham is still there, and looks the same - probably better, the trees have all grown. The little township looks very similar in that it hasn’t expanded much.
What changed is the one or two shops in the town had now closed (one had a for sale sign on the front). The big change was that in between the fibro holiday houses, were some of the most beautiful, architect designed homes with tennis courts, pools, sculptures, private vineyards, complete with long winding tree lined driveways with long views to Philip Island in the East to sweeping paddocks and bushland in the South.
I’d love to live in one of those places one day.
