Dori Smiles....

I typed this awhile back... but somehow it never got posted...

Dori is getting her actual license today. She passed the test a while back and we had to work through a few minor attitude issues.... but today is the day. I called the insurance company (ouch) discussed concerns with Pepper over finances and logistics and we are heading on our way in about an hour. We are just letting her use one of our cars for the time being. It goes against everything I hold near and dear.... but in a realistic, grown-up way... it makes sense.

Two weeks after I got my license at 16, my parents bought me a car. That is how long my Mom could handle me taking hers all the time. Dad was into cars and wanted it to be a good one. We picked a 1977 Chevy Camaro. It was bright yellow, black leather interior, AM/FM radio with a cassette player and a moon roof. She was pretty and she was fast. All you had to do was think about touching the pedal and that car jumped into action. Being bright yellow, however meant she was easy to spot. Every cop in my home town knew me. I had 3 speeding tickets within 3 months (and I had 'sweet talked' my way out of a lot more!) As a consequence for my third ticket, both of my parents had to appear in court with me. This did not go over very well with my parents, but they both took off work and came along. I was suspended for 6 months... but my Dad got it to be a partial suspension... meaning I could drive to and from work and school, but that was it. That was pretty scary having to go before a judge and tell my parents and pay the court costs and deal with the suspension... I should have learned. But I didn't. I still sped and I still drove when I wasn't supposed to. I actually outran a cop once. (Don't tell my kids!!) It was dark and I was going to fast. I had 3 friends in the car and we were on the highway, almost to my exit. I state trooper flashed his lights, and rather than pull over like a smart person would do.... I floored it. I got off at my exit, turned off my headlights and zoomed around a familiar sub-division. I flew down about 4 streets and whipped into a driveway and killed the engine.... the cop roared right by. My friends and I knew it was stupid, but it sure was a neat story to tell at school the next week!

So, fear of getting in trouble and fear of being stupid and risking killing myself and my friends did not slow me down.... but something did. I was driving home from school and a cat ran out in front of my car. I wasn't going too fast (in my opinion) but it definitely wasn't slow. I saw it coming and it looked like it was in slow motion, but I still couldn't brake fast enough. I hit the cat. I stopped and went back. The cat was still alive. I wrapped it in my sweatshirt and drove to the vet. The vet looked it over and said it was to hurt and there was nothing he could do. It would never survive. He said he needed to put it down. He left the room to go get the medicine he needed to put it to sleep and I waited in the exam room with the cat. I pet the cat gently by its ears and saw all the matted dirt and blood on it. He looked like a stray. His breathing was hard and labored and I started crying because I knew that it was my fault that this animal was suffering. Before the vet came back, the breathing stopped. I was in shock that this could happen. I barely remember the vet saying that they would dispose of the body and that it was nice of me to stop and try to help. I paid the bill... an amount I couldn't recall now if I had to. I went home crying and told my Mom what had happened. She listened and let me cry and feel sorry for myself and then calmly said, "I know how bad you feel about the cat, but be thankful that it wasn't a child." That slowed me down. Within a couple months I decided to trade in the Camaro. This time I picked an Oldsmobile Calais.... I think I had seen an ad for it in my grandfather's AARP magazine. :)

I am very proud of Dori for getting her license and making another step toward adulthood... but kids do grow up so damn fast...

Do I look like a driver's ed. instructor?

Tomorrow is Macy's birthday but I wanted to do a Dori post tonight because she has been so funny today. She has been working on her hours for drivers ed (Here in Michigan, she needs 50 total hours with a parent) so she can get a license. I let her drive while we were going to pick up wood pellets at TSC. Her attempt at parking when we first got there was quite amusing. She got out and walked around the truck and said, "at least I'm in the box" I said, "yep, four spaces worth!!" 

We went in, paid for the pellets, then came back to the truck. I drove up to the front so the guys could load the pellets. As we were finishing at the store, two bags broke so I had to go back in for a price adjustment. I handed Dori my keys and told her to move the truck back where it was (the big open box of four spaces in the back of the lot). I went in and realized I had left my purse and the receipt in the truck so I immediately turned and went back out. Dori came running up to me saying, "Mom, I hit the light!!" I said, "What? What light?" Dori says, "The one on the van that was in my way!" I said, "where is the truck?" She says, "It is still hitting the car!! Help me!" I go out and sure enough my passenger door was kissing the tail light of a minivan. The older couple who owned the minivan were both standing there looking at the situation. I waved to signal that I would fix the situation. I quickly got into the truck and backed it away from the van. The couple looked at the damage and said it was very minor and went on there way. 

Dori held it together until we got into the truck, then she bursts into tears and said, "I feel like an idiot!" I said, "Yes, things like this can make you feel that way. But no one was hurt and everything is going to be ok." She said she didn't know how it happened. I said, "Honey, those people were sitting in a PARKED car, how do you think it happened?" (Dori has the wonderful self-image of a teenager and has no concept that she is not all-knowing and perfect. Just one of the many gifts granted to teens! The idea that it could be her fault still hadn't registered!!)

Dori said, "The lady was sitting in the passenger seat, she could have warned me!!" I said, "So it's her fault that you hit her?" Without thinking she said, "Well she could have gotten out and said I was too close." I said, "So as the truck is getting closer to her minivan she should jump out and flag you away?" Dori is silent.... the silence is killing me. "Hmmm.... she could have jumped over the armrest and gotten in the drivers seat, started the van and moved for you." Dori rolls her eyes and said, "Mom, she was OLD... probably post-menopausal." I laughed- loud. Dori was not amused.

Bonus Dori Story- When we got home, we worked on making Christmas cut-out cookies. All 5 kids happily rolled out dough and cut out shapes and then placed the cookies on cookie sheets covered in parchment paper. Pepper was keeping the flour flowing and I was organizing the cookies on the trays and putting them into the oven. Things were going really well until the end. Pepper went to get the boys washed up and I was putting the last of the cookies into the oven. The cookies and the parchment paper slid off the cookie sheet, hit the bottom of the oven and burst into flames! (Parchment paper burns very well!!) I spent the next couple minutes putting out the parchment paper fire and then I started scraping the burnt cookies off the bottom of the oven. Dori walks over, sees the burnt cookies and says, "That's ok Mom, nobody was hurt, its going to be ok.... We'll just leave those cookies out for Santa." 

Thanks for reading... take care.