We Didn't Have to Walk Uphill Both Ways in the Snow Like my Parents Did

Back in Laura Ingalls Wilder days, they travelled by horse and buggy. When reading the love story between Laura and Almanzo, it seemed so romantic to tuck themselves into the horse drawn sleigh with blankets and furs and ride over the meadow and through the woods on a date! When I was about 14, my mom and I went horseback riding for the first (and only) time. We rode in a line on a skinny trail, with her in front of me, in a group; her horse kept stopping to eat the grass and leaves. We were laughing and trying to get the horse to hurry along to keep up with the rest of the group. Then her horse stopped abruptly while mine kept going and ran into hers right as it lifted its tail and made a huge, green, grass poop that ran all down the side of my horse! It smelled terrible and made for a very long rest-of-the-trail ride. It makes me wonder how romantic it was for Laura and Almanzo to have to sit and wait for the horse to do his business and then ride along behind him the rest of the way?

Times have changed drastically for the Ingalls over the years, thankfully. My first mode of transportation was a yellow Rabbit. Still pretty small, but faster and smelled a lot better. I was taught, by my Dad, to drive a stick shift. It was hard at first, but so much fun! One time I stalled the car as I was attempted to cross Hwy 10 and just about gave my Mom a heart attack! I loved that little car and it was great to always be able to find it in a parking lot! Do you notice these days that most cars are tan, silver, black, or red? Not all of them are, but it is the majority. Sad that there aren't the fun vibrant colors anymore.

The next car I drove was a station wagon. Props to my parents for letting their 16-17 year old daughter drive around in a station wagon all the time! Maybe they thought the nerdiness of it would repel the teenage guys, but I assure you, that was not the case! It would have been better for my Mom to make me keep the Dorothy Hamill haircut! Haha I was a pretty good girl and they were very trusting, I guess.Also, just as a side note: I never paid more than 99 cents a gallon for gas!

I've had nicer and more expensive cars since then but I loved the freedom of having a car at that age and I totally loved driving a stick-shift car! It sure beat riding around in a horse and buggy or a sleigh, too!