The Great Car Hunt

If you’ve got me on Facepoop or twitter, you’ll have seen my recent car-hunt adventures. It’s surprisingly hard to find a car that is both small (physical size and engine) but also big enough enough to hold a rear-facing car seat.

In 2010, we made the decision to keep Isabel rear-facing for as long as possible, and bought a rear-facing “Volvo” (re-badged Britax) seat. It’s a fantastic car seat, but as with the majority of rear-facing seats, it has a bigger footprint than a forward facing seat:

As my completely unscientific diagram shows, FF seats fit with the shape of inner car seat whereas RF seats fit almost at opposites, requiring clearance in between the back seats and front passenger/driver. Also, in the event of an additional support leg (which the MultiTech we bought has), that’s another bucket load of space required too.

So anyway, faced with this quite specific requirement, I got a lot of questions on why I don’t just buy a new seat and turn Isabel around. *headdesk* I have no idea how to begin explaining why keeping my daughter 5 times safer is important to me.

Anyway, so after much trawling of second-hand cars on the ‘net, local dealerships etc we settled on a Skoda Fabia. It’s an older version but with a 4 star Euro NCAP rating for passengers satisfies my safety-conscious side. It’s in fantastic condition, full service history, low tax (compared to Karl’s), yadda yadda yadda. Most importantly? It fits all the major rear-facing car seats. Rock on!

Posted on: January 27, 2012 · Category: Misc

Ultimately failier than you

So, I had my second driving test yesterday.

Perfect drive – probably one of my best. Remembered all the mirror signal manoeuvre crap, pulled off a perfect parallel park, avoided several knobbers driving over my side of the bloody road, wasn’t affected by the rain. All going GREAT.

And then it’s the independent driving part, and I read the sign as straight over the roundabout. Got in lane, approach exit, suddenly worry I’m going the wrong way and instead of doing the sensible thing and leaving at that exit and assessing the situation I decide to carry on around the roundabout. But I’m in the wrong lane and haven’t signalled.

FAIL.

What a stupid cock-up. I mean, yeah, I felt like crap and thought I was going to hurl, but it’s no excuse for such an amateur move.

Oh well, third time lucky.

Posted on: October 28, 2011 · Category: Misc

The Driving Test

Whilst bathing Isabel last week, Karl and I were playing the “what noise does … make?” game. Lions say rawr, monkeys say “ooh ooh” etc etc.

Karl then asks “what noise does mummy’s driving make?” Isabel replies: nee-naw-nee-naw

Thanks kid.

Anyway, this seemed like an appropriate way to lead into the results of my driving test today.

I failed. Speeding. Was doing roughly 37mph in a 30 zone. Stupid mistake, because I know the road and knew it was a 30. I was confused, I’d been overtaken, split second of doubting myself … that’s all it takes. Bit of an arse, but it’s all good – test rebooked for October.

But hey, at least I didn’t require a nee-naw-nee-naw. :)

Posted on: September 20, 2011 · Category: Misc, Parenting

Weird Driving Lesson Moment

I had to give way to a sofa today.

Posted on: March 11, 2011 · Category: WTF

What happened to January?

It only feels like 5 minutes ago I was getting myself all in a panic about how Isabel would settle at nursery, but apparently it’s well over a month. Oops. Neglecting my blog, much?

Isabel settled into nursery quicker than I imagined she would. She’s adopted a blanket that I crocheted when I was about 14 as her temporary object of attachment while she’s there. I didn’t expect it to be used for that purpose way back when, but whatever keeps her happy.

Of course, while I’m pleased that Isabel is enjoying being at nursery, I’m not enjoying the multitude of coughs, colds etc that seem to be par for the course with daycare.

My driving lessons are starting to get somewhere now; trying test routes etc. I’m a good driver :D but terrible at checking my mirrors. I NEED to get this spot on before I go for my test though as it’s apparently an automatic fail? Anyway, guess I need to arrange my theory first.

I’m still waiting for my result from my OU module pre-Christmas. It’s quite annoying because I am not sure if I’ll have passed this one, so wanted to wait for the result before signing up for the next module (so I don’t have to resit it and do another at the same time). I found out the day AFTER applications closed for the next module that I won’t be getting the result for another couple of months! Fuckwits.

Anyway, I have instead been filling my time with web projects. I rescued BabyLedWeaning.com from the evil clutches of Dreamhost for a friend, and have been moving / theming content etc for that. (Note in progress forum tweakage…) I’ve also been working on a massive side project for the Q*bee with Melly which was released to the bee-public last night. Customisable avatars and inventory/shop etc, AKA the bee*mee project. Check out my bee*mee (not particularly accurate yet mind you):

my bee*mee

I turned 25 on the 7th January. That’s half of 50, and don’t I feel it these days?! There’s nowt like wiping arses and paying bills to make you feel like an old fart. Not that I’d change a day of it, mind you…

Posted on: February 12, 2011 · Category: Interwebs, Parenting, Work