Building confidence.... or just growing up? LOL!

Yup, I'm a wuss and I admit it. I'm not exactly the pillar of confidence behind the wheel on the highway. I usually leave that up to Todd. Now that Katie is going to be legally driving very soon, I decided to be more proactive for her sake. I really want her to develop a good attitude without being cocky so that she learns to be a good driver from the start.

It's not that I can't drive long distances. Back in '06 I took the first shift on the road from Bonita Springs FL to Macon, GA before Todd took over and it actually wasn't too bad. To me, sitting behind the wheel and navigating traffic, anticipating lane changes and dodging poor drivers and semi trucks on the highway is about as comfortable as sitting on a bag of nails.

Katie was invited to a friend's house recently, and this friend's family recently moved from our community to Clermont County, in the far south eastern end of Cincinnati, a little over an hour's drive away, and in an area I am not familiar. So when she came to me begging to go I immediately agreed to drive her there myself and not to involve Todd in the process.

I did a lot of studying. Thank God for Google maps. I don't have a GPS!

We left the house at 8:30AM because I planned to be back home, hopefully by lunch time. I pulled into the drive through at the Mc Donald's down the street, ordered two Egg Mc Muffins and coffees for the road and we were off.

The first thing we encountered was a detour three miles out of town. Grr. Fifteen minutes later we were back on the main route and headed south. So far so good.

Taking the usual trek to Kings Island was easy because I do it several times all summer no long. No biggie. Carefully I merged onto I71 and motored along. I experienced a slight twinge of anxiety once I passed the Kings Island exit, but nonetheless I drove on.

Good, there's the sign directing me to I275 E/South. Oops, I was in the wrong lane. Quick-get behind that slow black car, but don't get rear ended by the pick up swiftly coming up on the right! Dang! Didn't need to switch lanes after all-oh, look-Miss Black Car has a scrunched hood. Maybe that's why she drove so slowly? Ok, ok, I didn't cut anybody off. Life is good. Let's merge.

Crap!! I HATE when I have to share the on ramp with other drivers merging from the exit! This is the reason I hate highway driving!! That white car was inches from my bumper at 50MPH!

Deep breath. Sixteen miles until OH State Route 25. Look at all the traffic going the other direction. Rush hour was over a while ago. This guy is going way too slow in the middle lane. I'll pass him. I am so thankful the weather is nice and the morning sun in the east isn't blinding me. That would suck and Katie would hear about it for sixteen miles.

Did that sign say Kentucky was eighteen miles away? Holy moley. I knew Katie's friend lived close to the state line, I just didn't realize how close. Katie-what exit did you say we are looking for? Oh good, we didn't miss it. Hmmm....lots of newer shopping areas off those exits. I didn't know there was a Big Boy over there. It wasn't listed on Google maps while I was "studying" last night.

Here it is.....Route 25. Turn left. Yes!! There's a stop light. Wow, gas is high here. Katie, call your friend and let her know we're on the main drag close to her house. What do you mean you don't have her cell phone number-try calling her house then. How can they not have a local phone number? Katie-don't EVER drag me this far without having some form of communication with her-other than instant messaging. Do you understand me?? Good. Now what street are we looking for? Nope, this isn't it. Let me turn around........

Actually the seventy five minute drive it wasn't too bad and the friend's house was very easy to find. Katie was too happy to jump out and send me on my way but no good mom would let her kid go that easily.

Ahhh.........back on the road again. This is pretty nice. Oh my gosh-is that the Kings Island exit already? No way!

Workshops and Continuing Education

So I attended another teaching workshop this morning. Actually it was a lot of fun, and thankfully I haven't been disappointed in any of the sessions I've been to so far. It's nice getting to know other people in the district I would not otherwise see and the opportunity for networking is good too. The workshops are typically open to only contracted teachers in the district, so as a substitute teacher I had to get permission from the board of ed, and it was only after the contracted teachers got first dibs on the dates/sessions. I still got into some great sessions.

Tomorrow I'll be up early to assist the 5K Run/Walk at St. Leonard's. The nice thing is that I'll be near the starting line and not toward the end of the route this year. And the free tshirt is always a perk. Then later in the day I'll usher and seat the residents at Church.