Well, we finally did it. After lots of talk and a fair amount of arm-twisting, I finally managed to convince The Other Half to buy a car. As of about two weeks ago, we are now the owners of a Volkswagen Polo... and just in time for Crumpet 2, who is due one week from today. Wow, I feel so (British) middle class.
I have personally driven the car once since we bought it. It isn't so much the car that I think I'll have such a hard time getting used to; it's gaining confidence on the other side of the (crowded, very narrow) roads. Incidentally, this was the first time I had driven here in the UK since I passed my driving test back in the spring of 2008. I did okay, but I did feel like I was fifteen again, with my newly acquired learner's permit. Only this time I had a nervous husband sitting next to me telling me not to get too close to the shoulder instead of a nervous father. Of course, having two children to shuttle here and there means I'll have lots of time for practice, but for now I'm happy to let The Other Half take the wheel until I no longer have my big belly in the way.
Ironically, our purchase comes at a time when petrol prices are the highest they've ever been, so we won't be planning any marathon road trips anytime soon. But owning a car has certainly given me back a sense of freedom that many Americans take for granted.
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