Friday, March 18, 2005
APRIL.....1989
Among the routine things during April, we had the pleasure of Jennifer getting a pretty formal to go to the prom in and she passed her driving test. Later that month, Becky and Hank found a nice, used car for her to drive. She would soon be going away to college and would need transportation. Having your own car has to be the height of success when you are a teen-ager. My generation had no expectations of such luxury and we walked every where we went in our small town. Of course there are always exceptions but most guys had to use the family car when dating, to which there were always admonitions of what would happen if they came home late or damaged the car. It made for some nervous dating on the boy’s part.
I look back at some of the limitations we insisted George Jr. observe …..and he was driving his own car! He had worked hard and saved his money, then bought a car from a school teacher that had been his first car. Now he was married, expecting a baby and needed to sell it for the upcoming expense of the baby. It was a ‘57 Chevy with a white top and aqua bottom. The teacher had taken good care of it and the interior was very nice. Still, when George wanted to drive to Lawrence, KS. to
go to a football game, we balked. Who was he taking with him, it was too far, he shouldn’t be driving at night….what would he do if he had an accident? We went on and on until we reluctantly decided in his favor.
We raised our kids in many ways, the way we had been raised. Times change and little by little we could see we were hanging on to too many fears, based on old information. George was our first born and so he had to clear a path for the other two to follow. We held him back too many times because we were over protective. Does this sound familiar to anyone or were we the last ones to get off the boat? George proved us wrong on every fearful excuse we had…..he never wrecked his car, he never had a car-full of buddies drinking beer, didn’t burn his tires up making doughnuts on the street, didn’t farm yards……..did make the car payments every time and did pay for his own insurance, gas and repairs.
To his credit, that car became his baby. He was as over-protective of it as we were of him. George is 53-now and has always stayed with General Motors vehicles….he keeps them clean, well serviced and in the garage when it isn’t being driven. He certainly proved that he was reliable when given the least bit of opportunity. He kept that first car though the rest of his time in school, one year of college, the four years he was away in the Navy and after he came home again and found a job. He bought a new car and finally, his dad grew tired of it being “stored” in the garage so told him he’d have to move it. George sold it to good neighbors of ours, across the street, who eventually sold it to someone else. Both have regretted selling such a classic, many times.
Well, Jennifer’s track record didn’t go so well. The first week she had her “wheels” she pulled out of the parking lot at church, made a left turn onto the street and was hit by a car coming from her right. The other motorist was driving faster than the speed limit and popped up over the hill after Jennifer had looked to her right. Just one of those things that can happen…..and sometimes does. To my knowledge she has never had another accident.
We had a record breaking day of 95* on the 26th of April. Spring can be unseasonably hot or record breaking cold….April is a frivolous month who bounces around on the thermometer any way she likes. It’s one of her many charms……
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
I look back at some of the limitations we insisted George Jr. observe …..and he was driving his own car! He had worked hard and saved his money, then bought a car from a school teacher that had been his first car. Now he was married, expecting a baby and needed to sell it for the upcoming expense of the baby. It was a ‘57 Chevy with a white top and aqua bottom. The teacher had taken good care of it and the interior was very nice. Still, when George wanted to drive to Lawrence, KS. to
go to a football game, we balked. Who was he taking with him, it was too far, he shouldn’t be driving at night….what would he do if he had an accident? We went on and on until we reluctantly decided in his favor.
We raised our kids in many ways, the way we had been raised. Times change and little by little we could see we were hanging on to too many fears, based on old information. George was our first born and so he had to clear a path for the other two to follow. We held him back too many times because we were over protective. Does this sound familiar to anyone or were we the last ones to get off the boat? George proved us wrong on every fearful excuse we had…..he never wrecked his car, he never had a car-full of buddies drinking beer, didn’t burn his tires up making doughnuts on the street, didn’t farm yards……..did make the car payments every time and did pay for his own insurance, gas and repairs.
To his credit, that car became his baby. He was as over-protective of it as we were of him. George is 53-now and has always stayed with General Motors vehicles….he keeps them clean, well serviced and in the garage when it isn’t being driven. He certainly proved that he was reliable when given the least bit of opportunity. He kept that first car though the rest of his time in school, one year of college, the four years he was away in the Navy and after he came home again and found a job. He bought a new car and finally, his dad grew tired of it being “stored” in the garage so told him he’d have to move it. George sold it to good neighbors of ours, across the street, who eventually sold it to someone else. Both have regretted selling such a classic, many times.
Well, Jennifer’s track record didn’t go so well. The first week she had her “wheels” she pulled out of the parking lot at church, made a left turn onto the street and was hit by a car coming from her right. The other motorist was driving faster than the speed limit and popped up over the hill after Jennifer had looked to her right. Just one of those things that can happen…..and sometimes does. To my knowledge she has never had another accident.
We had a record breaking day of 95* on the 26th of April. Spring can be unseasonably hot or record breaking cold….April is a frivolous month who bounces around on the thermometer any way she likes. It’s one of her many charms……
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
