Am i home?

Now, we will never know.

Just over a week ago, #2 Son became eligible to convert from a learning permit to a full license.

Day one, we got out of the neighborhood, and noticed a light on the dash of the van.  Great, i've been told they won't let you use the vehicle if there are lights on.  We went home, and i arranged to trade vehicles with Sweetie for the next day.

Day two, we set out in Sweetie's car.  We get there, he takes the test, and he doesn't pass!  The shock!  This is the kid who has been bragging he already knows how to drive since he was 12, so i think this was the Good Lord's way of humbling him a little.  As we talked to the nice lady who administered the test, she said he drove as if he weren't used to that car.  While he has driven Sweetie's car some, he doesn't have nearly the number of hours of practice on it.

That, it turns out, is a common reason kids fail the first attempt, they don't come in the car they are  used to.  When i mentioned we traded because of the dash light, she said it didn't matter, as long as the inspection sticker was current.  So i had been told incorrectly, the fact that my brakes are fine but the ABS wire is shorting again and i can't get it fixed until next month doesn't matter.

As a side note, on the way out the door, Bigger Girl had told him that if he didn't get a tester who was either very short, weird looking, or had a thick accent, he was gypped.  Sure enough, she was as short as i am, and i have to cuff or hem even the clothing marked "petite."

Day three, we had to drop kittens off to the vet, which opens at 8am, which is the same time as the DMV opens.  Thus we got to the DMV at 8:20am, in time to be number 17 in line for a road test, and they had just taken person number one out.  It turned out everyone was trying to get their kid's license right before school starts.  We decided not to wait, but planned to come back the next morning in time to be first.

On a totally different rant, why do they have 27 windows at which to transact basic business, two at which to pay, one room for testing with space for at least 4 employees to give written tests or write up findings for driving tests, and one small area for taking pictures, but never more that 8-9 actual business windows manned, only one person taking money and taking the pictures at the same time, and one lone person in the testing area?

Day four, and we got there at 7:10am, in time to be third in line, but first in line for testing.  (Yes, really, the place is always so packed the line starts to form an hour ahead of opening.)  He was on the road soon after they opened and i waited with bated breath.

Sure enough, he passed this time.  In the ensuing week they require between tests i had made sure he was doing well, making him drive me as much as possible.  It had to have been nerves and a different car the first time, as well as the fact that he really did need the lesson that he's not invincible.

Within just an hour of our arrival at home, the request came.

"Mom, can I take the van?  I want to go over to Chris' house."

Yes, you may, i told him, shaking my head both over his grammar and the fact that now i will never see him again.

Or my van, for that matter.  There was a time when you could tell if i was home very easily.  If the van was here, i was here, and if the van was gone, i was gone.  Now, you'll never know.





Today is:

Banana Split Day

Bud Billiken Parade -- Chicago, IL, US (second largest parade in the US, as well as the oldest and largest African-American parade in the US, begun in 1929)

Chemistry Set Volcano Day -- beat summer boredom, make a chemistry set volcano!

Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival -- Coupeville, WA, US (one of the longest-running arts festivals in the Pacific Northwest, with only the best artisans, lots of entertainment, and proceeds donated to the community; through tomorrow)

Crater Lake Rim Runs and Marathon -- Crater Lake National Park, OR, US (one of the toughest and most spectacular runs ever, around the deepest lake in the US)

Day of Wandering -- Fairy Calendar

Dejada de Santo Domingo de Guzeman -- Managua, Nicaragua

Elvis Week -- Memphis, TN, US (through the 17th)

Feast of San Lorenzo -- San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

Ferry Fair -- South Queensferry, Edinburgh, Scotland (centuries old fair, around the time of the Burry Man Parade, originally for farmers to find labour for harvest, now for fun)

Horse Racing Festival -- Nagchu, Tibet (through the 16th)

Independence Day / National Day -- Ecuador(1822)

Lazy Day -- internet generated, since it's so hot, though, make it a lazy day!

Leadville Trail 100 Bike Race -- Leadville, CO, US (100 miles of off-road bike racing over Colorado's high peaks)

National Duran Duran Appreciation Day -- anniversary of the 1985 near fatal accident of lead singer Simon Le Bon, when his yacht capsized during a race; the band acknowledges the declaration of this day on their website, and many years offer a free download of a song from one of their albums

National Garage Sale Day -- US (the goal, according to C. Daniel Rhodes, is to turn the nation into a giant shopping mall on the second Saturday of August each year)

National S'mores Day

Opalia -- Ancient Roman Calendar, festival of Ops (date approximate, there were several celebrations of Ops through August and September)

Puck Fair -- Killorglin, Ireland (one of Ireland's 3 oldest fairs, with a wild goat caught and crowned the Puck, and let go on the 3rd day, Aug. 12)

Prisoner's Justice Day -- Canada (prisoners fast and refuse to work in memory of those who have died in prison of murder, suicide, or neglect)

St. Lawrence of Rome's Day (Martyr roasted on a gridiron; Patron of archives and archivists, armories and armourers, brewers, butchers, chefs, comedians, confectioners, cooks, cutlers, deacons, glaziers, laundry workers, librarians and libraries, paupers and the poor, restauranteurs, schoolchildren, seminarians, stained glass workers, students, tanners, vine growers and vintners; of over 25 cities around the world; against fire and lumbago)

Streetscene -- Covington, VA, US (car show, open to all types of vehicles; come show off your ride!)

Tournament -- Oria, Italy (3 day reenactment of the tournament ordered by Frederick II in 1225; features jousting, processions and ceremonies)

Watermelon Festival -- Rush Springs, OK, US (fun all day and free watermelon for all)



Anniversaries Today

Missouri becomes the 24th US state, 1821
The Smithsonian Institution is chartered, 1846


Birthdays Today

Antonio Banderas, 1960
Rosanna Arquette, 1959
Schim Schimmel, 1954
Ian Anderson, 1947
Bobby Hatfield, 1940
Rocky Colavito, 1933
Jimmy Dean, 1928
Eddie Fisher, 1928
Rhonda Fleming, 1923
Leo Fender, 1909
George Crockett, 1909
Norma Shearer, 1902
Henri Nestle', 1890
Herbert Hoover, 1874


Today in History:

Nineveh is destroyed and Sinsharishkun, King of the Assyrian Empire is killed, BC 612
Temple at Jerusalem is burned, 70
Ferdinand Magellan sets out with 5 ships to circumnavigate the globe, 1519
The foundation stone of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in London is laid, 1675
Word of the US Declaration of Independence reaches London, 1776
Mozart completes "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik", 1787
First ascent of Finsteraarhorn, the highest summit of the Bernese Alps, 1829
Candid Camera makes its television debut after being on radio for a year as Candid Microphone, 1948
The Magellan space probe reaches Venus, 1990
The highest temperature ever recorded in the UK – 38.5*C (101.3*F) in Kent; it is the first time the UK has recorded a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, 2003