14. Learn to drive standard – Check!

Driving standard. This is suppose to be one of those great, important life skills right??
That’s what I’ve been telling myself… that’s how I convinced myself to learn!
Although I’ve now made it 28 years without needing to drive standard…
nevertheless, one of our vehicles is standard, and we’ve already had a few incidences where it would’ve been much easier to co-ordinate if I could’ve driven the standard vehicle.
Therfore, “learn to drive standard” became one of my 14 of 14 goals. 

Initially I tried to learn to drive the standard vehicle last year, but I never got any further than starting and stopping over and over again in a parking lot. This year, my goal list kept me motivated. Then the surprise snow fall we got on Sept. 7th (Yep, that’s correct!! Northern Alberta,,,,) motivated me even more to start learning. So I made myself a deadline and we got to it.
My brother was staying with us at the time, so after Ellie went to bed we had him listen for baby cries while we snuck out to drive.
I picked it up waaaay faster than last year. After three lessons, I was feeling fairly confident. But my husband said he wouldn’t pass me until I got out with the Rav4 on my own.
And I did it!!
I gathered my courage and drove out alone. The motivation of making it to the store to buy clothing helped… but I went to the drugstore, craft store, and clothing store all on my own.
A few hard forceful starts, a few pull-through parking spaces, and a strategically planned route without hills and I did it!

I’m a happy Albertan girl – officially driving a standard vehicle!

{xoxo}