Here we can all be heard for a little while. Part 2

Pyxis

codemonkey wrote: »

Confession time. I can drive pretty well. I can drive in traffic. I can drive in ice and snow. I've driven on race tracks and skid pans. I'm a master at hill starts. My clutch control is so good that I have started a car in 3rd gear without stalling. I can change tyres, lightbulbs and fan belts and perform a full service. I have no driving licence because I go to pieces in my test. I am ashamed of being mid 30s with no driving licence but am too scared to try again in case I fail another time because failing 3 times is embarrassing. My employers think I can drive because it was a requirement for the job. I lied because I was learning and didn't realise I would screw up my tests so badly. Thankfully, I've never actually had to drive somewhere in my job.

I'm so ashamed.

Look Code, there's no need to be ashamed. You can obviously do it. But yes, the test is daunting. Three times is nothing. Some people have taken their test many more times than that before they passed.

Would hypnotherapy help with the test nerves?

Also, would a sympathetic instructor be able to give you an assessment to see whether you would pass if you didn't go to pieces?

I did an advanced drivers' course once. I didn't take the test because doing the course demoralised me so much, I felt useless! (This particular advanced instructor was horrible). A few years later, I had a driving assessment done, to ensure I was driving safely and hadn't picked up any bad habits. That instructor, who was lovely, told me I should consider doing an advanced test as he was sure I'd pass! But by then the fear of failure had set in!

Anyway, keep going for it! As I said, hypnotherapy might be a great help! As might driving with an instructor a few times, to get used to having someone in authority in the car with you.

Pyxis

Waves_and_Smiles wrote: »

I don't know if it's the same here but America has two separate driving tests, one for manual and one for automatic. .

Unless it's completely changed in recent years, you can drive an automatic if you've passed a manual test, but if you take the automatic test, you're not allowed to drive a manual, unless you take a manual test later.

Georgiegirl256

codemonkey wrote: »

Confession time. I can drive pretty well. I can drive in traffic. I can drive in ice and snow. I've driven on race tracks and skid pans. I'm a master at hill starts. My clutch control is so good that I have started a car in 3rd gear without stalling. I can change tyres, lightbulbs and fan belts and perform a full service. I have no driving licence because I go to pieces in my test. I am ashamed of being mid 30s with no driving licence but am too scared to try again in case I fail another time because failing 3 times is embarrassing. My employers think I can drive because it was a requirement for the job. I lied because I was learning and didn't realise I would screw up my tests so badly. Thankfully, I've never actually had to drive somewhere in my job.

I'm so ashamed.

It's nothing to be ashamed about at all. 3 attempts is nothing compared to some people.

You're already one step ahead of most people. I wouldn't have a clue how to change a tyre, lightbulb and most definitely not a fan belt. The blowing the air in the tyres even frightens me when it blows off when you haven't got it on correctly! I'd probably deflate the tyre and not inflate it, if that's at all possible!

Waves_and_Smiles wrote: »

. I can change a tire, put petrol in and change the oil though!
.

As above. You can do so much more than me regarding car maintanance! I can put petrol in but that's about it!

Flybaby

Guys - what is the hairband trick?


Whoever was asking about gifts for crafty person (sorry can't seem to find it now) Strongly recommend going to the range and buying a nice pack/block of the scrapbooking papers with co-ordinating card or accesories. My mum is a mad papercrafter and no matter what cool things I buy her, she loves to have co-ordinating patterned papers and lovely card the best.


Also - possible useful Christmas gift - I happened to pick up, what I thought was a cheapy radio in aldi the other day for £15 for hubby to use in garage. I got it out to charge it up and have been using it ever since. It is DAB and seems a million times better than the expensive one we have that was 10 times as much. This one seems to get good reception anywhere in the house and is so small and easy to take round with you. Might be a useful gift idea - think it was an Altius brand.


{squishes for all}

Flybaby

Christmas gift idea - this is a weird one - but for people who like tea and especially loose teas - my hubby tasted someones "Christmas tea" a few years ago and has been asking for it ever since. It is about £15 from Fortnum and masons - but the pot lasts him over a year and everyone who tries it seems to love it. Obviously it comes in a nice tin (which I am sure you pay half the money for!) however I think it is a good go-to gift for difficult people for £20 (with delivery (and it'snot like I can afford anything else from F&M!!! so all the delivery cost has to go into the one pressie!)
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/products/new-christmas-spiced-tea-200g-loose-leaf-tin

Pyxis

Flybaby wrote: »

Christmas gift idea - this is a weird one - but for people who like tea and especially loose teas - my hubby tasted someones "Christmas tea" a few years ago and has been asking for it ever since. It is about £15 from Fortnum and masons - but the pot lasts him over a year and everyone who tries it seems to love it. Obviously it comes in a nice tin (which I am sure you pay half the money for!) however I think it is a good go-to gift for difficult people for £20 (with delivery (and it'snot like I can afford anything else from F&M!!! so all the delivery cost has to go into the one pressie!)
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/products/new-christmas-spiced-tea-200g-loose-leaf-tin

I wonder what makes that particular blend so nice? And whether you could get the same thing for less elsewhere?

Pyxis

Flybaby wrote: »

Christmas gift idea - this is a weird one - but for people who like tea and especially loose teas - my hubby tasted someones "Christmas tea" a few years ago and has been asking for it ever since. It is about £15 from Fortnum and masons - but the pot lasts him over a year and everyone who tries it seems to love it. Obviously it comes in a nice tin (which I am sure you pay half the money for!) however I think it is a good go-to gift for difficult people for £20 (with delivery (and it'snot like I can afford anything else from F&M!!! so all the delivery cost has to go into the one pressie!)
https://www.fortnumandmason.com/products/new-christmas-spiced-tea-200g-loose-leaf-tin

Just seen some on eBay for 7.50 + 3-10 postage.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fortnum-Mason-Christmas-Spiced-Tea-/161898911135?hash=item25b1ed559f:g:KFgAAOSwEgVWTd3c

The big difference between this tea and other spiced teas seems to be that the F&M one contains cocoa nibs.


NB beware the other one on eBay.. It's older and doesn't have the cocoa nibs, so is probably a different blend.

Georgiegirl256

Whittards do a spicey Christmas tea https://www.whittard.co.uk/gifts/tea-gift/christmas-tea-kilner-tin_1.htm Dont know how similar it is to the F&M one though? They also do a gift set of different flavours too.

There was a Whittards store at Gretna and they had some lovely stuff in. If there isn't one near by, I notice they've got free shipping!

The only tea I drink nowadays is red tea. Love it!

Pyxis

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

Whittards do a spicey Christmas tea https://www.whittard.co.uk/gifts/tea-gift/christmas-tea-kilner-tin_1.htm Dont know how similar it is to the F&M one though? They also do a gift set of different flavours too.

There was a Whittards store at Gretna and they had some lovely stuff in. If there isn't one near by, I notice they've got free shipping!

The only tea I drink nowadays is red tea. Love it!

It doesn't have the cocoa nibs. None of the dozen or so other Christmas spiced teas I looked at has the cocoa nibs, so probably won't taste the same?

Georgiegirl256

Ah right, probably not

Has anyone ever tried white hot chocolate? Just saw some and thought that it sounded nice, but maybe in reality it'd be a bit sweet and sickly?