Farmer to the Rescue

Did you hear the funny story about my driving mishap?  It happened the first year we were here.  I was driving to a quilting retreat, I know that doesn't surprise most of you.
I had recently heard a story about how people blindly follow GPS's so.... I took written directions along, just in case.  When I was nearing my destination the routes were different.  So, I fallow what the written directions say and end up nowhere near a retreat center, then I try the GPS, again, but end up more turned around.  At this point I'm getting a little frustrated, the county side is beautiful, but I am wasting precious quilting time.
Although I was not very far from home it was nearing dusk, and I was feeling very unsure.  I called the point of contact.  She gave me directions.  The retreat center was not far from where I was!  I had zigged when I should have zagged, and needed to turn around. 
On this unfamiliar farm road I took a wide turn, and didn't happen to see that ditch.  My front tire was only inches away from sliding down, and both of my back tires were completely off the ground.  My first instinct?  Call Martin crying.  Stuck in the middle of no-where, foreign county, can't speak the language, with a car in the ditch.
It wasn't long before the first car drove by, with the tiny amount of German and her limited English I asked for the farmer of the town to bring his tractor to pull me out.  I had to laugh when I saw the worlds smallest tractor driving down that road.  The woman had driven to the town Bakery and phoned the farmer who came within minutes.  He didn't speak any English, but that didn't stop him from pulling me right out of that ditch and setting all 4 wheels on solid ground.
How did I thank him?  A kiss on the check.

Although this wasn't very funny at the time, I did snap this one picture.

Left or Right!?!

I don't know what it is, but I have never been very good at right and left. Yes, I know it's strange but, really it's true. I still have to look at my hand to see what finger has the ring on and what hand I write with. This has caused a few embarrassing moments when giving people directions and I say right, no wait I mean left. Oh sorry I meant right.

Honestly, I never thought much of it, until now. Why you ask? Because the beautiful roads in Germany are very funny. There are many unmarked intersections in these little villages. And that might not mean much, until you need to know right from left. BECAUSE when you are driving down an unmarked road and there is a street on your RIGHT the traffic coming from that road has the right of way. It sounds crazy I know. It is. Where are the stop signs and traffic lights? There are far from here and it's all about knowing your left from your right.

On Thursday the 12th of November I became a USERA license holder. Which means that I can legally drive here! I am learning quickly and hoping that I don't have a slip up on what is left or right.

My wonderful neighbor made me a cake to celebrate passing my test. That little piece of paper let me take the roads and never look back. That's because I'm looking down to see what hand my ring is on, oh wait that's my left.