16 Again (almost) and My New Squeeze

Ok, so the standing joke for the last 7 years is I work for a car company but I don't drive. I started out driving here but after two years and an extra year's extension my MN license was no longer valid - at the time there was no reciprocal agreement with Germany and pretty much the only way for me to get legal was, horreur, sign myself up at the one of hundreds of Fahrschule in Cologne. For a long time I really resented the fact that I would have to subject myself to the whole process, and on the whole I didn't care enough to get my ass in gear to do the paperwork in the US (I haven't been back to MN since 1999, and I don't have state residency anywhere).
If you care to hear more excuses you can read about the trials and travails of getting a German license here.

So I'm bringing this all up now because I finally did something about it: back in February I decided to take advantage of this last mat leave and to just bite the bullet and get through this process. Literally I left Jochen holding the baby so that I could attend the worthless but required 1.5 hrs of theory...all 14 sessions. I also hunkered down and learned to love the stick shift (not really, but we've made our peace)and did the required 24 hrs or more of on the road driving. Given course schedules, Jochen's availability, 4 vacations, going back to work, I finally took the practical yesterday and passed...thank god because I was really getting fed up with the whole thing. I'm glad I did it, and the order has been placed for the Cologne plant to build my own Fiesta - this lime green color is called "Squeeze". I know it's hit Taiwan and I hope the Americans will also give it a warm welcome.
Jochen of course is grumbling about how we don't need two cars, and in my heart of hearts I know he's right. He also thinks I'm a scatterbrained driver and I've told my boss he may have to pay for a bumper or two. I want to practice but after the winter months maybe I'll give it up again. I know I'll miss my leisurely morning commute and the chance to read my New Yorker or IHT en route, but the time freed up from the commute (ok, I live like 3 miles away from work - my husband thinks it's pathetic I don't bike there in the first place, and he sorta has a point) will allow me to focus on my next challenge. I just registered and Hope has booked the flight to join me already - anyone else interested???

PS - although I have to say the Germans do a very thorough job of training their drivers, the whole Fahrschule industry is one that profits from customers paying around EUR1,200+ to get through the process. John, my cousin who took all of 3 days (aside from driver's ed in high school of course) to get me prepped for the State of Illinois driving exam obviously deserves a big thanks after all these years - how did you make it so easy the first time?!!