So, yesterday I got a very excited phonecall at work. Katie, our one-time three and a half pound premie now our blossoming teenager, had just succeeded in getting her driver's permit.

Just like all parent moments it was a huge mix of emotions. I was so happy for her, amused at her teenaged exuberance, proud of her accomplishment, nervous that we now had to teach her to drive and yes, poignant that my baby is too fast growing up.

I have been struggling with the flu and yesterday was my birthday but when Katie and Les came to get me from work I knew I would offer to take her for her first driving lesson. We went home to check in with Chris (Katie gave her all the details of how the test is given) and then I drove her to the Middle School where they have a long looping drive and parking lots with road markings and some stopsigns.

First, she had to adjust EVERYTHING. She is only five feet and she looked like a midget in the driver's seat. Then we talked about what was where for a bit before we finally put the car in gear and on idle coasted forward practising braking. (I figured braking was more important than accelerating!)

Soon we were making slow (5mph) turns while Katie demonstrated a natural propensity for driving on the left (too bad we don't live in England). We practiced a few emergency stops and then I took her on the loop drive around the school now at ~10mph.

Her first half dozen stops at stopsigns were a half car length back until I explained that by doing so she shortened how long the people behind her got to stop by a half car. She got the concept of being rear ended really well.

So we went back to the lot to snake through rows making lefts then rights. We worked on judging where to aim the car to keep her on the nonBrit side of the road. I finally explained that left turns are looser and right turns are tighter to the right curb. "Oh! Okay!" she said. The next two lefts were much better. At the end of the row she made a wide right and I said,"Make the next one tighter," forgetting to explain that you had to leave room for the back of the car.

As we began the turn I realized my mistake and exclaimed "TOO TIGHT, TOO TIGHT!" as I leaned like I could physically cause the back wheel to avoid the curb. Of course that didn't work and we pulled up and stopped and laughed and laughed. I decided maybe we were done and should go home to supper and she agreed.

Katie's favorite memory of her first driving experience? Yep, "Too Tight, Too Tight!"