Starship Asterisk*

My grandfather's car -- I think it's the one on the right -- was the best for sliding down! I don't remember how we handled the bumper issue; maybe we had sturdy bums.

I'm pretty sure that middle car was the car I drove a couple of years after that picture was taken... right into a neighbor's car. At four, I was confident in my ability to drive, a confidence I held until about 10 seconds into the drive. Then I wasn't so sure, became afraid the car and I would end up in the creek at the end of the street, so steered into the neighbor's car because I couldn't reach the brake.

I would imagine that you didn't sit too well for quite a while after that, EH??

owlice wrote:My grandfather's car -- I think it's the one on the right -- was the best for sliding down! I don't remember how we handled the bumper issue; maybe we had sturdy bums.

I'm pretty sure that middle car was the car I drove a couple of years after that picture was taken... right into a neighbor's car. At four, I was confident in my ability to drive, a confidence I held until about 10 seconds into the drive. Then I wasn't so sure, became afraid the car and I would end up in the creek at the end of the street, so steered into the neighbor's car because I couldn't reach the brake.

I had a similar experience when I was two. My first 3 years were on a farm. Dad had the family car parked in the drive with the emergency brake on. It was all down hill to the barn. I managed to release the brake and the car rolled down to the barn which did stop the car. I don't remember the incident; but it became family lore as my Dad would retell the story a few times.
Darn! Owlice; you have smilies!!!

beyond, I don't recall being punished for wrecking the cars; the damage wasn't great, and I think I was so frightened and my parents (and the neighbors, too) so glad that nothing worse happened, all adults considered various lessons learned: me, not to drive; parents, not to leave cars doors unlocked and small children unsupervised. Some months later, this latter lesson forgotten, I found an old clock cord -- no clock at the end of it, just wires -- plugged it in, and had, literally, the shock of my life. Also a hand burned black with a deep gash in it. Didn't need to be told not to do that again, either!!

Orin, yikes! Probably good that you don't remember it! How much damage was there to vehicle and barn, do you know?

I have a steep driveway that runs down to the street. A few years ago, my son and I got in the car one morning, I took the emergency brake off, then got out of the car -- why, I don't remember -- and after I'd shut the door, the car started to roll backwards toward the street. (I'd thought the car was in gear; apparently, I was wrong.) I yelled to my son, "PULL THE BRAKE UP!" to which he replied, "WHERE'S THE BRAKE????" Fortunately, he figured it out while I was trying to get to where I could open the car door.

I think the car was an old Whippet, and no; I don't know about the damages. You know those old cars were made of iron and Steel! So I don't think there was much damage to the car. Dad said I was lucky though because there was a deep ravine behind the barn.
wikipedia picture.

A very handsome car! Doesn't quite resemble other whippets I've seen, though:

Good thing you hit the barn, given the terrain!

owlice wrote:
I have a steep driveway that runs down to the street. A few years ago, my son and I got in the car one morning, I took the emergency brake off, then got out of the car -- why, I don't remember -- and after I'd shut the door, the car started to roll backwards toward the street. (I'd thought the car was in gear; apparently, I was wrong.) I yelled to my son, "PULL THE BRAKE UP!" to which he replied, "WHERE'S THE BRAKE????" Fortunately, he figured it out while I was trying to get to where I could open the car door.

Sounds like good fortune that your son figured out the brake. Sometimes it makes you wonder that kids survive to grow up!
Whippets make a good pet! Too energetic for me though. My mini pin lays around a lot---my kind of speed for a pet. She does get excited when it walk time; or when she sees something out the window!

When I was in kindergarten; one day the teacher took us all outside and told us to look up in the sky. There was a vapor trail. the teacher told us it was from a new kind of plane called a jet! Once a month in class we had to kneel on the floor and bend down so our forehead touched the ground and we had to use our hands to cover the back of our neck. This was supposed to protect us in case of a nuclear attack! Kind of like bending over backwards and kissing your (---) goodbye. That was the first I knew that people fought wars; and tried to take over the the world. I'm glad that war got over.
There were more good memories than bad as I grew up; but there is still strife in this world. Alas