I was never particularly interested in cars.
Merely seeing the family motor as a way of getting from A to B, until I split up with my husband of 19 years.
I didn’t have to compromise anymore or even consider anybody else’s opinion and the last thing I wanted to be was sensible. I was so bored with doing the right thing. I would have preferred a smaller flasher sports car but as I still needed to fit the kids in, it had to be a four-seater, although at one point I did consider getting them both buses passes.
My exciting single status and sense of liberation allowed me to actually buy myself a car that expressed where I felt I was in my life, forty two, blonde, economically independent and a bit of a show off! Of course it had to be convertible – I wanted to feel the wind and sun in my hair. A bit like when Maisie, my West Highland White Terrier sticks her head out of the window of a moving car, I can really relate to that now, it’s an animal thing. Oddly the ex also bought a convertible too and I’m sure that there is a definite correlation between divorce and the convertible. It’s a bit like up yours. I’m fine without you. Bye I’m having a great time.
My newfound interest in cars, strangely coincided with my first date with ‘The man from Drive.co.uk’. The day before our meeting I purchased a Peugeot 307 convertible. And as much as I wanted to arrive in style, I didn’t drive that night to the ‘West-Beach’ restaurant on Bournemouth seafront where we were meeting. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to reverse out of the car park and need to call my dad to rescue me. Unsurprisingly I felt that this wouldn’t really create a good first impression and I didn’t want him to know this early on what a completely rubbish driver and general car nuisance I can be.
Since falling in love with the convertible, I have had my first speeding ticket, started watching ‘Top Gear’, actually read my car manual, visited ‘Salon Prive’ and ‘Silverstone Classic’ and begun to understand the ‘The Man from Drive’s’ passion for all things motorized. I can’t say that my driving has improved as I still keep forgetting which pedal is which but I’m sure that this will come with time – although I have been driving for fifteen years now already. My latest challenge has now become how can I afford an E-Type Jag convertible and I blame that on the stupendous E-Type gathering of over 1,000 at Silverstone Classic – they were so sexy, so retro, so 1960’s cinema. Now I’m looking forward to going to the Goodwood Revival in September to celebrate my divorce coming through – cars I just can’t get enough of them and the Goodwood Revival in September looks so much fun to dress up for.
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