What an exciting January

What an exciting January it's been! Following on from our big staff party was my first solo drive to Portsmouth to see my son.....(one of the really good reasons for learning to drive!) I'm not going to lie and say it was a total breeze because it wasn't - especially at the beginning!!!

I pulled in to the first available bus stop out of Salcombe and gave myself a right good talking to. The nerves of steel that propelled me through the lessons and the test deserted me at the last minute as the realisation of driving that distance alone and new to driving suddenly belted me across the head! My plan was to drive to Totnes and then round to Dartington and join the dual carriage way as far away as possible so I could be on it the least possible time! Then stay in the left lane all the way there never moving from that position for love nor money..........Mmm wonder why on earth I thought that!

So after the severe mental thrashing I gave myself, I set off proper..... and guess what? Just like on loads of other occasions the nerves disappeared and I drove like I'd been born to do it. The plan of sticking to the left lane didn't last long as I actually wanted to overtake, couldn't be sitting behind someone poodling along at 50mph...... and it was ok! I could do it. The more I did it the easier I realised it was.......... well, almost - until a very large Jaguar car that wasn't there was there as I started to move out! Oops...... but a good natured smile from the driver indicated he didn't think I was a complete moron!! I thought I was, but he didn't!! I also didn't like the heavy and dense fog patches I entered near Dorset way nor did I like the gusts of wind that I thought threatened to send me and my Betsy flying and resulted in very sweaty palms and a few words in His ear to please stop these extra tests on my nerves!

Then there was the slip road turning to a loo that didn't appear to be anywhere near where it should have been that resulted in a couple of miles detour - oh and lets not forget the fiasco that was the M & S at Exeter services which I completely missed and went round the roundabout in a complete circle!!!

But apart from that, it gave me a huge sense of achievement to be able to drive that distance, and then to also drive around my hometown - not only a sense of achievement, but also one of sadness at may be if I could have driven sooner doors would have opened to me in my career, I could have taken my darling Mum out and about, etc etc........ But I've done it now, so the next time can only be easier still. Since then, I've been out and about loads in Betsy - taking the dogs to the local beaches, using any excuse to do friends favours and generally just enjoying my new found freedom. Not tooooooo keen on driving with SOH though..................!

So a lovely short break with my boy and his wife, and also a delightful catch up at Brasserie Blanc at Gunwharf with an old friend of mine Pam. The first real catch up since our wedding last year and lots of 'do you remembers' and memories I'd completely forgotten. Pam and I shared a couple of great holidays together so there were lots of good times to recall.

But the most exciting news of all has to be our latest award - we won Wine House of the Year from the St Austell Tribute awards evening last week - and I'll blog again soon with photo's and details! I've aslo got my pre-summer break sorted - Greece!!

Till then good blog readers, keep smiling - the month of January is nearly gone!!