Today we are celebrating with our dear friend Madi
on her 16th birthday!
Madi invited us to share our favorite road trip or
how we (or our peep) learned to drive
Since neither Hazel or I drive,
Mom said I could tell you the story
of how she learned to drive
First I must tell you
that these are not the actual photos of the events
Since this happened almost 50 years ago
we had to do a re-enactment
Mom grew up in Redwood City, California
When she was 15 she signed up for Drivers Education
Mom is very short -
she couldn't see over the dash very well
The Drivers Ed teacher was a big grumpy man
and he made Mom nervous
whenever it was her turn to drive
One day the grumpy man
instructed Mom to turn into a skinny driveway.
Let's just say it did not go well
and Mom almost ran into a fence post!
Then the big grumpy man
turned into a big angry man
That was it for Mom
She decided that she was never going to drive a car
So what did she do??
Mom bought herself a bicycle!
But by the time Mom was 18
she realized that if she wanted to go very far,
she really needed a car
Mom found a 1961 Volkswagon Beetle
and bought it for $400.
She learned to drive it
and got her drivers license
A few months later
Mom decided to leave California
She drove that bug all the way to Idaho
One week in Idaho and Mom had a job at a potato processing plant
44 years later she retired from that potato processing plant
Be sure to hop the hop
and visit Madi
to wish her a Happy Birthday!
We are the PugRanch Kids
Hazel & Mabel
Love those VW bugs! Your mom was very adventurous after just learning to drive!
ReplyDeletethat beetles are like magic rides... the mama had one too his name was Purple Snail (because of the highspeed lol)
ReplyDeleteI wonder that so much driving instructors are big grumpy guys... either we all had the same or they came from a furmily with many boys what became big grumpy guys...
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteOh, my word, thank goodness your mama got 'back on the horse' as it were - or you and she and Blogville would have a very different relationship!!! Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx
What do you mean there were no photos? I love the photos!! And I love the story.
ReplyDeleteMara from Norway
It was cool to hear how your mom ended up in Idaho!
ReplyDeleteGreat story and the graphics are very expressive!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great story! We enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Madi!
What a pawsome story!! Our Mama just loves that your Mama's first car was a Volkswagon bug...Our Mama drove her pawrents VW Van around when she was in high school!
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Rosy, Arty & Jakey
Your Mama is an amazing lady...44 years in one job!?!? Thats the sorta loyalty rarely seen these days.
ReplyDeleteAND, I LUFFS Beetle cars, such characters
Loves and licky kisses
Princess Leah xxx
What a great story! We love the illustrations.
ReplyDeleteCam and Mags
PS: We are trying to get back into the blog-visiting groove. We're sorry we've been absent. Mom's fault.
Bravo, very well done. Mom had an aunt who couldn't see over the steering wheel either. She put a pillow behind her and under her to make it all work. We love the drawings - so cute!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Ms. Madi.
Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber
Hahaha! I learned to drive a VW van and my mom bought a green VW bug that I drove in high school.
ReplyDeleteOhhhhhhhh my word...I read it copied the card p,which was beautiful, and went immediately to my blog to add the card! I thought I commented. Ohhhh my stars I cannot believe I didn't come back. Madi is gonna kick me to the curb!
ReplyDeleteI surely meant to ask how you did the graphics. I loved the Idaho or bust on the VW. What a brave move to Idaho on your own..... But obviously the place your were meant to live and thrive
Hugs to my Puggies and their most talented mom
Madi and the forgetful old gray mareššššš»
Great story!! Our mom's first car was a VW bug too! She paid $900. it was a 1969 stick shift (lemon yellow) and she killed it at every intersection for a week, trying to figure out the clutch! BOL
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your mom's driver ed story with us. She shows what true perseverance and $400.00 car can do. A tip of the tail to you and happy birthday to the birthday girl
ReplyDeleteSo that's how your Moms left our fair state! Wells, she sure did it in style! I loves the Bugs! Ma had herself a Rabbit, and it was the bestest car to drive! Our Drivers Ed teacher was a mellow dude, and we had a station wagon to drive! (yes, that's is how old I am ☺). Wish you could have had it in our school!
ReplyDeleteKisses,
Ruby ♥
Who did the great drawings? That's a good story about learning to drive, and it's not often anymore that someone stays in the same job for 40 years!
ReplyDeleteWe love your story and think the illustrations were perfect.
ReplyDeleteOh how I LOVE LOVE LOVE your Mom's story (and accompanying cartoons!) My Mom used to be obsessed with VW Bugs, she LOVED them and to this day still does! YAY for your Mom driving all the way to California!! She rocks!! Love, Cody
ReplyDeletecatchatwithcarenandcody
These reinactment photos are terrific! And now we know the whole story!
ReplyDeletelove
tweedles
Oh we wuv da picsurs and dis story of your Mama's driving experience!!
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Matt & Matilda
Wow...maybe you mom thanks the big angry grump now. What a great story. And your reenactment photos were 'pawfect!'
ReplyDelete