Another milestone...

In another milestone in Queenie's 'my early adult years were so great I did them twice, albeit with less fun the second time' current phase, today I am doing my driving test.

Those of you who know me know how stressful this is.

When I found out that I would have to do my driver's test again in order to function in Canada I nearly went home to Ireland.

Then I successfully avoided driving for two years.

Then I thought I'd pull the old 'driving on the provisional' stunt for another while. No luck. The provisional only lasts for thirty days if you're a come from away with a licence from another country.

So at three thirty today I will head down to Mumford and face the greatest of my fears. Again.

My hands are shaking so much I can hardly type.

Himself says I'm a good driver and not to worry. Also, I have the 3.30 slot, so buddy will want to go home and view me as a definite pass.

'You won't even get out of the carpark', he said to me last night as I was curled in a foetal ball of fear on the dining room floor.

If I was buddy, I'd throw the book of hard things in the test at me. Just to see how they teach people how to drive in Ireland.

Because I'd know what everyone else seems to have forgotten.

Queenie learned to drive on the wrong side of the road all those years ago.

You try to reverse parallel park a flippin' Ford Taurus estate backwards.

The Queen Father taught me to reverse before he taught me to drive. Therefore my reversing reflexes are innate and unreversable. Therefore, I always turn my head to the LEFT when I reverse.

WHICH IS THE WRONG WAY OF COURSE.

I woke up at four am this morning and lay awake turning my head to the right to try to imprint it on my brain.

It just feels wrong.

Ah well....

Hopefully, in a few hours I will have a Nova Scotia driver's licence and I will finally finally finally be done with this immigration business.

It's been a long, winding road, with me driving on the wrong side the whole way.