Hey Ya'll !
I haven't been on for quite some time! I am still working dawn to dusk on a highway construction project... haven't touched the truck since early spring, and even then not much progress, but in December I will be back home and transition back into my regularly scheduled life.
I am going up to Bob's in September, so I am looking forward to that!
The girls get their drivers license tomorrow( if they pass)
I bought them each a car. I call them "bumper cars"
Lord help us!!!

 

Good to hear from you, Jeff. Teens and cars are a demonstration of effective listening - theirs. Be sure to teach them how to change a tire and check fluids - especially for gals.

 

Yes indeed good to hear from you . Kids and cars just think what we put our parents through .

 

Good to hear from you Jeff. We will be looking for progress when you get settled back in.

 

Hey Jeff. No worries...Hanes has you covered!

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

 

After the initial uneasiness of letting them go off on their own you will realize there are a few great benefits of having teenage drivers in the house like when you need a gallon of milk and bread that you forgot to pick up. They're great for running errands, at least for a while until they start to think you're using them as slaves. Don't matter, just have to remind them that if they want to eat they better help out.

Looking forward to seeing you in September. I promise not to make you work too hard when you get here. If you get up here on Friday night we can spread the work out over more days so it won't seem like as much.

 

Nice to hear from you Jeff. Good luck to the girl's on their test. Jordan goes for his in a month. Don't forget to get them fuel card's Have a great summer.

 

hey Jeff,

Enjoy that great construction job> Hope it last as long as you want it to

Good memories about the kids driving. We had four and they all got to use a beater ford ranger 5 speed. Went to hell and back in that thing.

 

Please be a responsible loving parent.
1. Sign them up for a defensive driving course ASAP! Seriously! Will give them real vehicle experience in accident avoidance, being aware of their surroundings, what to do if in a skid, Just how fast an emergency can develop, what happens if they lose control, how long it takes to stop. Experience that you do not/should not want them to learn on the road but need. They are usually 1 day long on a weekend, very inexpensive and wakes up and increases awareness of most all that take it. I've taught a couple and they are very worthwhile.
2. Take away their smart cell phones in exchange for the car keys. Give them basic prepaid cells with limited minutes and no texting or internet capabilities for emergencies. Rule: the car does not leave the driveway unless the smart phone is home on the counter. They'll live! in more ways than one.

 

Hey Jeff,
You're alive!!! Now why did you go off & spoil them by buying both of them a car? Back in the dark ages my older brother & I had to share a vehicle all the way through high school. It was loads of fun! I think the only reason we even got a car was my parents were sick & tired of driving us to school.

I've got a 17 year old daughter. For the first 6 months - We drew a box on a map & told her if you are outside of that box you are toast. I like for them to get their "legs" in 30 mph neighborhood areas first - crowded Austin highways come a little later.

Good luck over there. We need more highways down here when you get tired of that snow.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

Glad you checked in! We've missed you.

I agree with the recommendation of a defensive driving course. I see way too many people "driving" while they're doing something else. Driving is a full time job.

This state no longer offers drivers training in high school. One look at all the tailgaters on the freeway is proof of that. But it's OK to text and drive because all my friends do it.

 

On Wednesday of this past week I was leaving work and walking through the parking lot and a young gal that worked there was changing her own rear tire.
She had already jacked up the car, removed the donut from the trunk, and removed her flat tire. I offered to help but she wanted to do it herself. She had another young gal who she worked with helping.
I was quite impressed. This girl was about 5' 1" and about 95 pounds. But someone taught her that she could do it. About the only thing I could do was to suggest to set the parking brake to make tightening the lug nuts easier without the wheel spinning. (I didn't mention the safety aspect, they were beyond that point)

A big thumbs up to whoever gave that girl the confidence to do things like that for herself!

Tom
.

 

Girls can do (almost) anything guys can do. While she was still living at home, my daughter drove a 96 Honda Civic. She could change a tire, the oil and filter, brake pads and more. Since I've been on the road for 37 years, my wife has necessarily become self-sufficient, and passed that along to both my daughter and my son. My son's the one who taught my daughter to do the brakes.

Anyone who thinks girls are the "weaker" sex is living in the dark ages. JMO

 

I totally believe girls can do almost anything a guy can do, somethings better..

I once worked with a girl who could have a pickup truck loaded with 25 sheets of 1/2" plywood and 100 2X4s in about the third of the time it took me. Of course she would go to the same store I'd go to but would she be wearing a T-shirt and pair of short shorts. When I would go the guys in the lumber department would point in the direction of the lumber and grunt "It's over there.", when she went every available breathing male working in the store would stumble over each other to load the truck for her. After my boss found this out I was never allowed to go to the store, he sent the girl. It only made economic sense to do so.

 

Our autocross club would run what we called a "Chiks School" every other year, a day long novice autocross school for ladies only. It was advertised as being "testosterone free", all female staff, instructors, helpers no males allowed on site at any time. 3 rotations in the morning, 3 in the afternoon: 1/3 of the participants driving, 1/3 working course, 1/3 on break. During the break there was hands on instruction on how to change a tire, how to check tire pressure. This was a very popular school since there was no pressure/criticism from husbands or SO "observers", the ladies would make impressive improvement.