A New Found Freedom!!!

I drove by myself today!!! This is a first in Russia and a first with a stick shift! I was feeling totally confident driving to the gym, not missing Keith's kind reminders or the kids screaming and fighting in the back. I had my route planned out and where the best place to park would be. I had not been honked at, stopped or killed the engine...life was good! Until, my parking place was taken! I began to sweat when option #2 was also unavailable. Option 3 involved parallel parking on a busy street...not really a viable option for me! I decided to drive around the block, which ended up being 3 blocks, before I managed to find a "safe" place to park. At this point, taking the bus would have been a better option, since it would have uliminated the 3 block walk and dropped me off at the front door. I had a great workout with a huge smile plastered across my face, because I DROVE BY MYSELF!!! I wanted to announce it to everyone in my class, but kept my excitement to myself. I was thrilled to find the car where I had left it after class...it had not been towed, stolen or rolled away! I even managed a few minutes of shopping...BY MYSELF and then joined a friend at a cute coffee shop to celebrate this totally great day. I was zooming home with the music blaring and the A/C blasting feeling such freedom and confidence in my new accomplishment. I was stopped behind some cars waiting for the light to turn green, when it happened! I started to go and the car died; started, died; started, died. I was so nervous, sweat was pour from my brow and then I realized all the cars had gone around me and I was sitting in the middle of the street all alone (not even close to the light) trying to get the car to go. I finally realized that when I had stopped, I had not shifted back into 1st gear!!! Finally, off I went, only to die several more times on the way home...on a hill and again in the middle of the intersection, while waiting for a truck to turn. I was so relieved to finally make it home with a shred of dignity left and full of thankfulness to have been alone during the last portion of my fun, yet totally embarrassing adventure and thrilled relinquish the keys to Keith! Only if the World was flat and we all had chauffeurs!!!