Blog 2 – Morning Drive

Blog 2 – 7th June 2021 – Morning Drive

Last Friday it was a chilly, yet sunshiny, wintery morning and I had the pleasure of being in the most ‘valued’ advertising time in radio lingo – Morning drive. What’s so unusual about driving a morning drive? I hear you ponder to yourself. Well for the past, probably 13 years having worked and continuing to work from home. I am never (well that’s an exaggeration) let’s say I am very rarely in traffic. I have the odd very early morning, and now that I think about that, it is that early that I actually miss the morning drive. Once again, I digress! So, as I drove bumper to bumper amongst the executives, school mama bears, kiddies, truckers, and taxi’s I am sure they could not help but notice my serene aura. Giving the driver in the wrong lane a gap, happily.  Smiling as I sang along to Freddie Mercury with Bandit peeking out the window. I am so sure the other drivers were thinking – where the heck is this odd ball off to with the hugest grin on her face and her little dog peeking out the window? I was on my way to fetch Gary who had dropped his car off before work for a service.  I mentioned how cold it currently is, so when I left home, I seriously considered, and after much mental negotiation with myself I won, and the favourable decision was to just go and change Liz. I was so snug and comfy in my pajammies, I bought them from the Woolies sale last year, they are size 13-14 with fluffy cat ears on the front together with stripy pants this, with my navy blue gown with pink hearts all over it and my Cape Union (no, no not name dropping – just setting the scene) furry slippers – yip, you get the picture! So, I very hesitantly changed into old (actually they not that old) track pants and a jersey, and off I went, joining that early morning traffic.

I remember when we first moved here, the boys were still at school (obviously, I already mentioned I have worked from home for the past 13 years) and in the winter months I used to happily drive them to school each morning in my pajammies. I never ever, once negotiated with myself back then. Nope I just grabbed the car keys, reminded the boys to take their lunch boxes as we headed out the front door. I wonder if they ever used to silently pray “Please Lord if mom is going to have a bumper bashing this morning, please let her already have dropped me at school”. The embarrassment of them having to bear witness to me disembarking the car at the accident scene avoided for another day. Can you imagine! In fact, when Ryan was writing matric, I did just that! A motor bike was ahead of me at a stop street, as he started to ease forward, so did I – but as I did I was looking behind me (I have no idea dear reader why I was looking behind me) and the biker had stopped, so I gently nudged him. He never had a license so we didn’t even swop details, he just wanted to high tail it away from the “scene of the crime”.

When we still lived in Durban my dear friend Jane and myself, had had a “Robbie Williams Live at Knebworth” evening the night before. I had actually just finished washing and drying my hair, when she casually rang (she lived a road away from us). Gary and the boys were at soccer practice, and Jane and I decided spur of the moment, let’s do this! We consumed copious amounts of wine as we both whined along to Robbie William’s. The next morning, I swear to this day, I was still inebriated when I drove to work and the kids to school. I was at a stop street, a dilapidated garden service smallish truck in front of me.  I again thought he had moved on and whamo, into the back of him I drove. Well he got out, and I sat in the car, beckoning him to drive off, as there was not a big issue here surely dude, your truck has definitely seen better days – what’s a little fender bender?. I recall, he actually did jump back into his car and off he drove. As did I. The boys narrowly escaping another potentially embarrassing encounter with Mother Dearest.

Another time, my luck, I had loaned my mom in laws Honda Ballade, and was stopped at a stop street just down the road from Chad’s school – when I felt a slight bump. I proceeded to try and start the car again, to which Chad, horrified asked what exactly was I trying to do, I very confidently explained to him that didn’t you feel that, I stalled the car, so I am starting it again. “Mom, we were hit from behind”. I looked into the rearview mirror and there was this lady signing to me her greatest apologies! Now that morning dear reader I was totally sober. My word, I am sounding as if I make a habit of drunk driving. I can assure you I don’t, and that morning with the garden service truck I definitely was just hugely hung over.

We have a circle of very dear friends here in Nellies. In actual fact, it’s ourselves and two other couples. The one couple has access to a very delightful, beautiful tranquil quaint dam, which even has some fish residing in it – much to Gary’s absolute joy. It really is incredibly scenic and relaxing, so, more so in the blistering summer months. The three couples head out, we meet at the farms’ gate, and off we tootle to chill and catch up with each other with a drink in hand as we enjoy a beautiful Lowveld sunset. It was on one of these occasions, this time it was leaning towards winter, so it gets dark earlier. We take our dogs with, so once the dogs, had played, and we all had caught up with each. We packed up our cars, and headed out the farm gate onto the freeway. Now, as you heading towards town, there is a traffic circle. At the time there were no traffic signs warning a driver of the traffic circle directly ahead of you. Gary was the first of the three couples, there I sat with my customary big winter jacket and of course as always my beanie. As I sat chatting to Gary discussing what a wonderful sunset it was etc., when out of nowhere, we were suddenly 4x4ing, the smooth freeway replaced by the roughest terrain and as quickly as this 4×4 route commenced it ended and we were back on the smooth tar of the freeway, approaching a stop sign.  Well, I will never be able to convey the complete shock and embarrassment I felt at that time. We realized, Gary, who had actually not even consumed his customary beer at the dam – had driven right over the circle. When we stopped at the stop sign I swear our friends in the car next to us, were crying they were laughing so much. Apparently to witness us from behind was one of their funniest and memorable sights ever! Me and my beanie bobbing up down and sideways as we traversed the bumpy terrain and then whoops back on the straight narrow and smooth freeway. Oh my word, we have never been able to live that moment down. For the records, there is signage now.

I recently, well, I truly loved my previous car. I swear every week some stranger would stop and ask me what make she was. She was gorgeous. A very different blue (I can’t actually describe the blue, hmm a sexy blue) and she was meaty. A little 4×4 type look. She was in actual fact, a Chinese special – a GWM M4. Anyhow we fast approached the time where we had to fork out for the residual or sell her. Which we duly did (sell her). Now, Gary has always been a very straight, accountant, yip, so I will say no more. So he always chooses white. His dear wife on the other hand, red, blue, and now this time we bought a Swift, and yip, you guessed, for me – a white car – no way. So I decided on a very unusual, funky, and extremely trendy what I called gun metal colour. Oh I was so so proud those first weeks driving her around Nelspruit. I would commend myself often on my fantastic choice of colour, definitely an unusual colour. Kudos to me I would think as I walked towards her in the shopping mall parking bay. Fast forward a couple of months. My gun metal car, is one of thousands. Once in the traffic I kid you not – there were three of us all in a row. So dear reader, don’t ever whisper a word to Gary – but my word, I wish I had listened to him this time. A white car would have been fabulous and I guarantee not half as popular as mine is today.

After I posted last week’s blog. I thought of a trillion things, I didn’t include in the post. I sure am hoping this week, I have pretty much covered everything. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have loved writing and actually reminiscing. Have an amazing week and look forward to reading next week’s blog. Lastly, THANK YOU GAZILLIONS. I have had such a full heart. Your love and support with my blog. WOW, WOW, WOW THANK YOU.

Till next week, stay well and warm and mostly healthy and please stay far, far, very far away from the 3^rd wave all my specials.