What the Heck Happened to Summer?
You all know I love Wales more than any other place on earth. But a little sunshine would be nice now and again!
A week or so ago, it seemed things were heading in the right direction, namely warm and sunny. So like many women I excitedly assessed my wardrobe with an eye toward new clothes. Realizing I had virtually no shorts, skirts, summer dresses or any other appropriate summer gear (having left all that kind of stuff in California in favor of Welsh language books) I happily went off on a shopping spree.
Well, after an exhausting day of shopping all round Swansea, I headed home with enough summer wear to keep me going for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, that amounted to about a half hour.
So, armed with new shorts, skimpy shirts and summer wear galore I have not-so-gleefully turned from sexy summer to gloomy winter in favor of warm and dry.
Meanwhile, since I was stuck inside watching torrents of rain stream down the window and form puddles on the lawn, I figured I might just as well study for my driver’s license test(s). Yep, being a driver from the U.S. means I must take the theory test as well as a hands-on driving test. I haven’t done a driving test for…..erm……well, let’s just say a WHOLE bunch of years.
I’m not looking forward to this.
Anyway, after completing the online application the DVLA informed me that I needed to submit a photo, signed by someone in the UK who’s known me for 2 years. Well, I can tell you this, if he looks at the photo that I sent him to sign, he’ll be convinced that I’m not the person he actually knows. It’s JUST that horrible.
Now, mind you, the fault lies less with my looks than it does with the regulations placed upon me by the DVLA. They specify that one is not to (among other things):
Smile
Wear glasses
Wear anything on your head (there are exceptions)
Have hair hanging on your face
Ok, well, I can understand no hair in face and I can understand no glasses on your nose. I can even, sort of, understand having nothing over your head. But no smiling?! 
Come on! What’s wrong with a smile?
I was complaining about this to a friend - she said the mindset behind the submission of austere-looking photos is to enable the police to recognize you when they stop you for speeding. The idea is that you will not be smiling at them when they stop you for speeding and, in fact, you will look quite austere and properly horrified when they tell you what it’s going to cost.
Well, I guess I can live with that. At least they won’t be handing me a ticket and telling me to have a nice day like they do in California. 