Many years ago I treasured an ambition to drive in the Monte Carlo Rally. Year after year I thought happily of the day I would - but the War dragged on and directly it finished I entered the State of Matrimony. Then as each New Year came and went and as each new baby arrived my dream receded until now it is gone never to be fulfilled.
From the time I was sixteen I always had the use of a car, my Father's to begin with, then when he bought another I took over the old model. Running it during the war as a Private Hire Car and an ambulance was to my mind more sensible than putting it up on blocks for the Duration.
The one and only accident I ever had was calamitous for the car but both my passengers were unhurt and I was only momentarily scared. I opened my eyes in time to see one of the front wheels ROLLING AWAY DOWN THE ROAD LIKE A HOOP.
Somehow after the impact I had gone through the motions of switching off the engine and applying the handbrake, and luckily we were not too far from home. Father speedily came to the rescue, pronounced the car a 'complete write-off' and insisted on my taking the wheel of his for the homeward drive.
My nineteenth birthday was close, and on the day a very dear Uncle Cyril and Aunt Marie telephoned and very generously made up my loss by offering me a rather ancient, but roadworthy vehicle, the only proviso being that I had to travel the seventy-odd miles back to their garage in Ormskirk to collect it.
My sister accompanied me and after hours of travelling in trains we arrived and inspected by birthday present - not too closely - but just to make certain it had four wheels, steering gear and an engine under the bonnet.
I don't know how one can thank someone for a CAR; being so delighted I don't remember what I did say, but with three gallons of precious petrol in the tank and a scrap of paper bearing the five gear positions, also Uncle's emphatic instruction to 'double de-clutch' both up and down, we set off for home.
Considering it's age the car behaved well until we reached 50 m.p.h. on a good straight stretch. This fantastic speed was obviously some new experience for this model; both halves of the bonnet rose up like wings, and there was a definite feeling that if I didn't reduce speed, we'd take off into space. "They don't build cars like that today!" Where HAVE I heard that?
Nowadays knitting is my hobby - no sooner do I finish one garment than another is required, so I 'click-clack' my way through hours of television making innumerable pullovers, socks and gloves with an occasional scarf to relieve the monotony.
Can baking be described as a hobby? Many hours weekly are spent making dozens of tarts, buns and biscuits. It's an enjoyable passtime tho' the fruits of my labours are all too swiftly devoured and I'm obliged to start all over again.