Boy, I sure do feel like the pace of life has sped up. I thought that the Summer was busy and that school would start for me and the kids and I would have free time to myself, get my class work done and so on, but, whew!, I feel I am riding a bull – barely keeping on top of stuff. My children leave the house at 7:30 in the morning. I sit down to do schoolwork, a little e-mail, free writing. After I complete some of those things, and a few phone calls later, I look down at the clock on the computer and, my oh my, it’s lunchtime! I sure hope I get the hang of all of this or else this will be the fastest semester of all time.
I sure am enjoying my class, however! The readings are interesting. I am thrilled with the topic – teaching writing. I see so much use and potential for it in my teaching as well as my daily life! I look forward to the assigned readings and the schoolwork, even if it does take me a while.
I am still having a little problem with what to write. I feel like I have SO many choices that I am overwhelmed. Yesterday I decided upon the Haley story, but today I am undecided as to whether I should stick with it. My teacher sent out an e-mail with some more ideas and they were all about us, capturing what is important to us such as influences on our childhood, places where we lived and/or visited as children. Most were little vignettes, not whole stories. . .manageable little pieces. So, with that in mind today I am going to write to a prompt. I have a book called Memories, a Mother’s Diary. I am going to answer the prompt:
The first time I drove a car by myself
I remember this so distinctly.
I got my driver’s license in January. My birthday was in December, but in Texas, for a teen to get a driver’s license they must bring in a piece of paper from the school that states that they attend school regularly. I had forgotten to get that before school ended mid-December so I had to wait until school opened again after the Winter break. January in Texas is cold, but not frigid. I don’t know who went with me to actually get my driver’s license, but I remember my Granny and Papa B were visiting us from South Carolina. Sixteenth birthdays are a special deal in my family. My grandmother gave me a diamond ring – one of hers which had been specially made. It was a one of a kind. The only other person in the world who had a similar ring is Miss Lucy, but hers is in white gold and mine (my grandmother’s) was in yellow gold.
Anyway, we got home from the Driver’s License bureau and I decide I want to go to the store. I had a new, fresh driver’s license burning a hole in the new “Coach” purse my grandmother gave me for Christmas and so I must get out and put the driver’s license to good use. I decided to go to the grocery store. I pulled out of the drive way in my 1982 grey Rabbit convertible. The air outside is chilly, so the top is up and the heater is on, but as I stopped to change the gear from reverse to first gear, I reach over into the empty passenger seat and patted it. I distinctly remember thinking I am all alone. I can go anywhere! I can drive to wherever my heart desires. No one is here to tell me I can or can’t! I drove to the grocery store and purchased my absolute favorite food in the whole world – Claussen Pickles! I think I might have bought a package of corndogs as well. I think I ate the whole jar of pickles within 24 hours. I got a stomach ache because I ate so many. But what sticks with me the most about that experience is the utter feeling of freedom. The feeling that I was in control. I smile to this day thinking about it.
Rewrite:
I sit in the car – 1982 grey Rabbit convertible. The air outside is chilly, so the top is up. The heater is gently blowing on me this chilly January day. January in Texas is cold, but not frigid. We got home from the Driver’s License bureau. My fresh driver’s license burning a hole in the new “Coach” purse my grandmother gave me for Christmas. I must get out and put this much anticipated driver’s license to good use.
My birthday was in December, but in Texas, for a teen to get a driver’s license they must bring in a piece of paper from the school that states that they attend school regularly. I had forgotten to get that before school ended mid-December so I had to wait until school opened again after the Winter break.
My Granny and Papa B are visiting us from South Carolina. Sweet Sixteen birthdays are a special deal in my family. My grandmother gave me a diamond ring – one of hers which she had specially made – one of a kind. The only other person in the world who had a similar ring is her long time best friend, Miss Lucy.
I decide to go to the grocery store. I pull out of the drive way, I stop to change the gear from reverse to first gear, I reach over into the empty passenger seat and pat it. I think to myself I am all alone. I can go anywhere! I can drive to wherever my heart desires. No one is here to tell me I can or can’t! The feel of freedom is intoxicating – the feeling that I am in control. I drive to the grocery store and purchase my absolute favorite food in the whole world – Claussen Pickles! And a package of corndogs! I eat the whole jar of pickles within 24 hours and get and get a stomach ache.
What a wonderful day!