A Memorable Present

This week, I am adding a new charm to my 'Family Lane' bracelet. To explain, this is a custom photo charm bracelet of images that remind me of my family for one reason or another, and I started putting it together at the beginning of the year. Having photos of the folks is nice, but I decided I would add something to represent the most memorable present I ever received from a member of my family.

What's Your Most Memorable Present? 

It's really quite hard to choose just one gift, because I've been given so many really great presents over the years. A few have been memorable for odd reasons: like that pair of towelling slippers I got from my sister for my birthday one year, that were 3 sizes too big and looked suspiciously like the kind airlines give away. Hmm.

And I remembered some great stuff from other occasions, like Christmas, or anniversaries. But the winner is in fact my graduation present. It was fantastic - I got a car! I'll never forget that as long as I live, and to this day I don't know how my Dad found the money. It may not seem much to most people, but you have to realise I was the first person in my family to actually own a car. Dad had been a travelling repair guy for Hoover way back, and had a little van he drove around for his job, but we rarely got to use it on weekends or anything. I was also the first to graduate from University, and they all thought that was pretty special.

Graduation 

So, it's the car. A 1971 Vauxhall Viva. Huge, bright red bus of a car with a bonnet that stretched on and on: I thought I would never learn to turn it into the tiny driveway behind my flat. Some days, I didn't quite make it. But that car was built like a tank, with steering to match, and the gatepost always came off worse. I learned to drive in it, much to the amusement of my friends and my driving instructor with his teeny weeny Datsun Cherry. Pah! They were laughing on the other side of their faces when I passed first time (all right, it could have been sympathy from the examiner, but that's another story). And no-one ever refused a lift to whatever party etc was happening, as I recall.

So, I have found an old archive picture of the right make and model, edited it to suit my taste for a charm link, and here's what it's going to look like:

1971 Vauxhall Viva 

Now, it has occurred to me that this would make a fine beginning for an Italian Charm keyring, and I could have a picture of all the cars from the Vauxhall all the way through to my current ride - a rather sedate Citroen Xsara Picasso as befits my trendy-working-mum lifestyle. But that Vauxhall sparked an interest in cars for me which led me to driving a rather eclectic assortment of vehicles, probably about 15 in total, and a keying shouldn't have quite so many charms on, or it just wouldn't be practical. I do like the idea, though. Maybe that can be my next project..