I am from The government, I am here to help you...

     After six weeks of "going back to school" Mondays and Fridays to ~ LEARN TO DRIVE ~ I want to share some of the special moments ~

     A little detail will make this little story make more sense (sort of)  When Dad and Ann moved to Monaco in 1980something, they purchased this BMW 750i ~ a 12 cylinder touring Beemer ~ most unlikely unaware that gasoline would eventually reach $10.00 per gallon.  This particular 750i was the car previously delivered to the owner of BMW, Munich.  Through contacts, Dad was able to purchase it and have it delivered to Monaco. 

     This car has been driven roughly 23 years in and around Europe without so much as a parking ticket.  Just last year, Dad and I made a 1500 mile "Road Trip" to and through Italy, Austria and France.  I have added thousands on kilometers simply exploring Europe ~ on the Auto Routes and small streets of innumerable small villages.  Dad was able to exchange his US Driver's License for a Monaco License when he moved here. I have been operating on an International DL for all this time.

     In January of 2013, a letter arrived from the Monaco  Centre d’Immatriculation.  In the letter, it was noted that a vehicle was owned and licensed in Monaco, however no Monaco Driver's License was found for an operator.  For this reason, the license plates will NOT be renewed until a resident of Monaco, named Lonergan was in possession of a Monaco DL.  Dad stopped driving in about 2006 and let his license expire.  Now, keep in mind that at 90 years of age, never having been schooled or tested the only requirement for Dad to maintain his DL was an eye sight check.  For the other Lonergan, namely me ~ not quite the same set of requirements!  If I am discovered driving in Monaco, the fine is 900 Euros ($1170.00)  the first time and 1500 Euros the second time!  There would of course, be the 300 to 500 Euros to get the car back too!


      HOWEVER,-----> I can RENT a car and drive freely with my Intl License ~ just can't drive MY CAR!  Makes sense, right?

     It was determined that since I am a resident, I must have a Monaco DL.  OK, no problem...  Well, the classes are in French,with an interpreter, that try as he may ~is French with an accent heavy enough to pour over your morning pancakes!  I can understand about 70% of his words which is not quite the same as the 85% of the questions I must answer correctly to pass the written test.

     With a little investigation, I determined that after taking 10 classes, each consisting of 40 questions ~in French I would have been exposed to each of the 40 questions that will be on the test. No problem, right?   Just understand all 400 questions I have seen and correctly answer 35 out of 40 on the written test.

     Now to the first class ~  On arrival I took my seat with the other 5 or 6 people that for whatever reason were in my shoes.  It was explained that the test will be multiple choice, each with 4 possible answers, A, B, C or D.  Got it!  Well except that ONE, TWO or Three of the choices may be correct.  The instructor beamed as he told us, "Never will ALL four answers be correct!"  Well THAT certainly clarifies things. He then explains the 400 signs and combinations that may occur.  I was able to buy a manual, in English ~  which ~ well you be the judge.

As this page informs you ~ signs may be "stacked" in which case the intent is completely changed. In one example there were 3 signs stacked AND a white fencepost with a red mark on it!  I still don't know what that combo meant! Rules in the city are different than outside "city markings."  Light and horn REQUIREMENTS (when horn must be used) and areas horns must never be used.  Regarding lights, in the evening, you may use parking lights only IF you are within a city AND it is not raining, snowing or fogging. In which case you must use headlights and foglights, but no rear foglights if it is raining and only front foglights, in town, IF you are on a narrow city street. 

     There are signs that indicate maximum speed allowed (50kph) as well as a sign that indicates this speed must be maintained.  My favorite is below, a red circle around nothing but white which means in effect ~ all bets are off or disregard any signs you were obeying up until now ~ they are all nullified.  It was explained that this sign saves money because with 1 sign, you remove all previous restrictions.  Sure, why not? 

     Each of this classes' 40 questions are projected on a wall... You have a remote control thingie that has A,B,C and D on it with a verify and a correct button.  You select your answer and then the instructor tells you how and why you were wrong. 

Classes are 15 Euro, (X 10 classes) the test is about 60 + 24  Euro every time you must take it, which is allowed two weeks AFTER your last failure. A one time 80 Euro "Administrative Fee" and a 91 Euro "Traffic Office" fee are required as well. A "physical" is required from a list of acceptable doctors @ 100 Euro.With one exception, everyone in my classes has failed the written test 1, 2 or in one case, Three Times!  The kicker?  When you fail, you MAY not see the results, only the number you got right!  So it's possible to fail again and again, missing the same questions ~ even parking sign questions. 



     So next time you go to the DMV in the US ~ be grateful, be very grateful!     

      

Your Flowers Ann

My Mom, Ann Belle Lonergan had Alzheimers. I don't say "suffered from" since that was not her way. Several years ago, we would take her to Ventimiglia and the nursery on the way to Digna and she would select flowers for her balcony. This gave her so much pure Joy ~ Well, picking flowers, gelato and profito rolls! Your flowers are Beautiful Ann, just as you always were. You are missed but never forgotten.

We called this Ann's Blue Convertible!

Your Balcony as You wished!

Random is not accidental

I have a vivid memory of a party I attended many years ago. It must have been very casual, because I very clearly remember, can even picture myself, sitting on the floor grabbing a book from the coffee table.  I was in my early 20's.  I remember not being able to put this book down ~ either it absolutely grabbed my attention or the party conversations were less than scintillating...  That's another post though.

     In this book, it was proposed that men after the age of about 40 are "set in their ways."  Their belief system, their style of dress, their activities etc.  I promised myself that I would never be one of these men!  For that reason, I have made many choices that may seem odd or unexpected to my friends and family.  From the seemingly silly, like never taking the same route to work two days in a row ~  to others more consequential.  I like to think I live every day on purpose ~ even if the purpose that day was to wander aimlessly around some new village.  So, I guess sometimes I choose to purposely, not have a purpose?  Works for me ~   

     My daughter Kelly has referred to me as "Random Dad" for years, rather proud of that!   That's actually how I sign all my correspondence with her. ~ RD     So if I come across as a bit (or very) odd, remember it is absolutely normal for me to ~ Not be Normal. 

 

    

Additional Photographs

If you enjoy my photos, there are 129 albums available by selecting the link below.  Click the link, then select "Photos" and then "Albums."  All pictures are taken in High Def and are free to download if you wish.  

click here for more ~

Anatomy of a Sunrise

     
Here comes the sun (doo doo doo doo)
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right

Here comes the sun
Here comes the sun, and I say
It's all right ~

Imagine Every Day is your Birthday.  Every new day is your gift.  I like to consider the evolving colors of sunrises to be the wrapping paper it arrives in ~ Some mornings, the end of night ~ the moon provides a nice introduction to day.

 

Some mornings hold special surprises....

 

The following photos are One Sunrise

 Reno Sunrises

 Barcelona Sunrise

Sunrises at Sea

Sunrise Monaco

 Sunrise Morocco