Breaking my Promise

So, Thursday was the day I had to go against my challenge and drive somewhere. I'm not sure if there were any alternatives that I hadn't discovered. Either way, the decision was made. My son arrived home on the bus before I had to leave, and my husband had come home early because of a very sore throat and headache, so it didn't matter that I was leaving before my daughter arrived home from school. I packed the van with all the census materials and drove to get mum. Her optometrist appointment was over quickly, and her new lenses were fitted into her frames. By all accounts, everything's a lot clearer now. I drove her back to the rest home and stopped on the way to pick up some fruit and vegetables that we needed. Then I went to my appointment with the census supervisor, handed over the boxes, finished the paperwork and headed towards home in the van. My niece Louise lives nearby and I suddenly remembered that this would be the ideal time to drop off a large suitcase full of toy cars and trucks for her two young sons. My husband and children had sorted them out weeks earlier and left them in the van for me to deliver. I had kept forgetting, so it was good to do that while I had access to the van. The toys were very happily received and I had a nice visit with Louise and the kids before heading home. I dropped in at our local Four Square shop which isn't as cheap as the supermarket but it does have a few great specials each week. This week the apples and butter were a great price. I also bought a few other provisions including more milk which is always cheapest there. It was good to be able to make the best use of the van that I could, while I could.

So what was it like driving again after nearly two weeks? My daughter was worried that I would have forgotten how to drive! Not so. I eased back into the driver's seat surprisingly easily and noticed how quickly I reached my destinations in comparison with the past couple of weeks. However, it didn't make me hanker for more and I actually feel fine about not using the van or car unless it's absolutely necessary. That also means accepting that sometimes it is necessary and, on those occasions, it's good to have the option.

I know I'll probably need to use it some time over the weekend, as I bought a breadmaker at the online auction site for $25 and I need to pick it up from Cambridge. I could bus there, but that probably isn't the best use of my time. I'm still working on my decision about that. Watch this space!