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“You’ll need to have a driving licence when you have the baby you know!”

I remember being told this when I was pregnant with Kieran. Yes folks, I am a non-driver. I always meant to learn and probably could have afforded it when I was 17, despite Roy & I getting our first house together then. It just didn’t seem a priority then, and as time went on, bills went up and spare time grew shorter. So here I am, a mum of two who doesn’t drive. Goodness, how do I cope?! Some people are aghast that I’ve never learned to drive. I did take lessons when Kieran was younger but then Christmas came along and I vowed to pick them up again.. but didn’t! Besides, I love walking and fresh air certainly hasn’t done the kids any harm so far!

“How do you manage” is the common question. Well public transport isn’t my favourite means of traveling but it’s there and it’s to be used. If you are savvy you can get about quite easily, even in a rural-ish areas such as Thirsk. I have a weekly shop delivered most weeks which is convenient and saves me a fortune (apart from my meat which I get on the market). We have a good range of independent shops in Thirsk so can get most things we need here but for bigger items and christmas shopping (etc) I do most of my shopping online and would do even if I could drive, it’s easier and cheaper for these things.

The insinuation that the kids miss out or that I must find it “difficult to cope” annoys the hell out of me to be honest. Roy drives so we do get out and about, but on a daily basis we do just fine! My Mum raised six of us without a driving licence, we didn’t miss out, and she didn’t have a breakdown as a result of it. I don’t drive because at this stage, having never had a licence, it no longer interests me. Am I bad Mum, lazy? Perhaps as some kindhearted people have hinted, I’m too used to being “looked after” by Roy (THIS DOESN’T PISS ME OFF AT ALL). Clearly it is impossible to be a strong independent person without the ability to drive?

Perhaps I should be grateful that people seem to care so much about my mobility?

In General

NOT Another Royal Wedding Fan!

Nicki CawoodApril 30, 2011April 30, 201110 Comments

It could be said that I have been somewhat scathing about the Royal Wedding.

Yes, perhaps just a little…

To be honest I was sick of hearing about it, and most definitely sick of seeing things like “Marry Me Instead” T-shirts in Supermarkets. Seriously? How sad! In an attempt to avoid the whole charade we planned a day trekking as a family through some gorgeous forest, a picnic, and not a TV in sight. The radio in the car was ignored in favour of Royal Wedding-free music and I don’t get internet on my mobile unless I’m under a phone tower.

Kieran deciding to go on our adventure dressed like this should have said it all really:

Quite smug that I had managed to avoid all mentions of the event, we drove along, looking forward to our day, when it hit me. The atmosphere. Not exactly eerie, it was more like that safe silence that exists on the street and around and about if you are out on Christmas Morning. In the quiet I pondered. Then I saw this:

And another like, it, and another, and another…

There was no-one in sight, the roads empty, no children playing out and that is when I realised I had completely missed the point. It wasn’t about tacky merchandising, the end of the dreams of many wannabe royal Princesses, or even about Kate &Will (sorry darlings!), but about us as a people, joining together in mutual respect and admiration, having a common thought, and as one “gee-ing” on one who may well at some point be our future King. Does this mean I think the Royal family are all shining examples of perfectness? No, it doesn’t, but it does mean that I need to open my eyes and my mind a bit more and not be so quick to scorn. Not something easy to admit, but a fault I do possess.

So tell me, what did the Royal Wedding mean to you? Were you just caught up in the pomp and fun, the outfits and the ceremony? Or have you realised like me, that the wedding was part of a much bigger event, during which a nation which can tear itself apart over politics, religion, immigration or even the football league tables, largely stood united, as one. I’d love to hear your take!

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You don’t have a driving licence?!

NOT Another Royal Wedding Fan!