Life Changes...Part Deux Part 2

[tfcrew]

Great pics !!
Best of luck to you and yours.

Karl

[TheTraveler]

I thought that sexy Mercedes is A's Christmas present before reading Billy's text. Disappointed.

really?

my gut tells me a is more of a 4wd-type girl.

(and i mean that as a compliment)

[Ade]

So you still haven't got around to buying her a wedding ring then Billy?

[Daveman]

...not happy our state passed a law legalizing marijuana recently...

You have to admit, though, there's not another substance on the planet with the sheer power to magically transform "Little Debbie" into the Visage of Venus... 

[BillyB]

 
Thank you Doug and Carl for your compliments.
 

I thought that sexy Mercedes is A's Christmas present before reading Billy's text. Disappointed.

A jokingly asked if I would buy her a car like that and I seriously told her "no" for 2 reasons. 1) Some people work 40 years before they are able to afford a car like that and I've just over the half way mark and 2) people who are just learning to drive shouldn't drive something that expensive to fix.
 
I posted pics of the car I did buy her in the past in post #1514,  page 61 below. It's a 2002 Lincoln LS.
 
http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=11638.1500
 
Good news! A just got her driving learners permit and I'm teaching her to drive a car a month before her college classes start. I'm giving advance WARNING to everybody since A is driving a car, stay off the sidewalk!
 

really?

my gut tells me a is more of a 4wd-type girl.

(and i mean that as a compliment)

Her favorite type of vehicle is  SUVs and sometimes she goes along for a ride with me in my F450 Super Duty work truck and thinks Jeeps are cool looking.
 

A is lovely and seems happy to me.  Her appearance did not change at all.  All the FSU appearance traits are still with her. Does she intentionally retain those characteristics (bright lipstick, wearing tights and high heels while taking morning walks in a park)?   

Yes and I tell her not to change her style.
 

So you still haven't got around to buying her a wedding ring then Billy?

Ah, you must have missed the 1 carat diamond in our honeymoon photos in Las Vegas in post #1916 page 77 in the thread below. With Valentines day and birthday and wedding I've given her 3 rings now.
 
http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=11638.1900

[ML]

I posted pics of the car I did buy her in the past in post #1514,  page 61 below. It's a 2002 Lincoln LS.

That is a he11 of a boat for someone just trying to learn.
Trade it for a Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic.

[mendeleyev]

A's cooking has greatly improved but there's still much room for improvement. The worst meal she made for me is spaghetti with topped ketchup. I took a few bites and had to throw it away.

I can relate to her reasons for doing so, based on the labeling. Although the market is much more developed now, in the 1990s I was surprised upon finding that at every market or street kiosk visited that the only tomato sauce I could find was a tomato paste product labeled as кетчуп (ketchup) used for everything from spaghetti to Solyanka to topping potatoes and hotdogs. When Heinz entered the Russian market they almost bombed as Russians found Heinz ketchup to be too runny and thin for regional tastes and they had to develop a thicker version just to stay in the Russian/Ukrainian marketplace.

[BillyB]

I can relate to her reasons for doing so, based on the labeling. Although the market is much more developed now, in the 1990s I was surprised upon finding that at every market or street kiosk visited that the only tomato sauce I could find was a tomato paste product labeled as кетчуп (ketchup) used for everything from spaghetti to Solyanka to topping potatoes and hotdogs. When Heinz entered the Russian market they almost bombed as Russians found Heinz ketchup to be too runny and thin for regional tastes and they had to develop a thicker version just to stay in the Russian/Ukrainian marketplace.

The ketchup in the FSU is thicker as you state. I guess they like it thicker over there but I didn't like it.

That is a he11 of a boat for someone just trying to learn.
Trade it for a Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic.

In the past 2 days of teaching my wife to drive, she was honked at 3 times. After criticizing her mistakes, she got defensive and listed my mistakes in driving. I reminded her who is teacher and who is student then I asked her how many times people honked at me in the 15 months she's been here. The answer is "zero".

[calmissile]

The ketchup in the FSU is thicker as you state. I guess they like it thicker over there but I didn't like it.




In the past 2 days of teaching my wife to drive, she was honked at 3 times. After criticizing her mistakes, she got defensive and listed my mistakes in driving. I reminded her who is teacher and who is student then I asked her how many times people honked at me in the 15 months she's been here. The answer is "zero".

Anyone that teaches their wife to drive has a lot of courage and patience.   Been there/done that.  Next time it will be a paid instructor in his own car.       

[LiveFromUkraine]

In the past 2 days of teaching my wife to drive, she was honked at 3 times. After criticizing her mistakes, she got defensive and listed my mistakes in driving. I reminded her who is teacher and who is student then I asked her how many times people honked at me in the 15 months she's been here. The answer is "zero".

Maybe if you dressed a little sexier and added a little makeup, you would get a few honks as well. 

[BillyB]

Anyone that teaches their wife to drive has a lot of courage and patience.   Been there/done that.  Next time it will be a paid instructor in his own car.       

Just came back from another drive session. I did raise my voice a couple of times when wifey made serious mistakes and applied tough love methods teaching her. She told me a driving teacher would not be so harsh with her. I told her if she pays me some money, I will be a little nicer too. There are a lot of benefits with a paid instructor. Less disputes between wife and husband and as you say if a mistake happens, it's in his car.

Maybe if you dressed a little sexier and added a little makeup, you would get a few honks as well. 

As well as a few more accidents.

[ML]

Anyone that teaches their wife to drive has a lot of courage and patience.   Been there/done that.  Next time it will be a paid instructor in his own car.       

My Gal had Ukrainian DL when she got here, but hadn't really driven that much.

So I was her teacher or re-teacher.  We got through  it without too  much trouble, but I agree with a complete beginner that a third party would be better for domestic tranquility.

Only times I really yelled was on Interstate when she cut back in after just barely getting past the car she was passing.  The other drivers really had to brake hard.  If they had not been alert, there would have been a crash for sure.

And besides that; parking was a complete nightmare.  It took her a looooooonnnnnnnngggggg time to even be able to drive in between the lines for straight in parking!!!!!!      

[TheTraveler]

Maybe if you dressed a little sexier and added a little makeup, you would get a few honks as well.

bonus points for that post! haha!

[BillyB]

An update.


A(my wife) slowed down on her driving lessons after a very scary moment that was even scary for me. She blames me for training her too hard and her mom is on her side! It's not all bad. My wife respects me more for pushing her hard as an indication I care. I was hoping she got her drivers license before college started but I'm not going to force it anymore. I don't like it when she has to walk to the bus stop or come home in the rain and cold so when I got free time from work, I'll drive her to and from college and sometimes my mom and sister will too. My parents and sisters are great at making A feel welcome and part of the family.


I help A with her homework nearly everyday or check her answers after she does it herself. Sometimes I'm typing here for your pleasure but she'll call me into her study room to help her out. Sorry guys, sometimes I got more important priorities to tend too. She says I'm a good teacher but very strict. Sometimes she may get lazy and ask me for an answer to a problem but instead giving her the answer, I teach her how to find the answer. We go to Google to look for definitions of words or open her math book to review step by step processes to solve math problems. The ole saying "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." applies here.


My wife takes her education seriously. She gets worried about what scores she'll get after turning in assignments or tests. I tell her not to waste her nerves until she actually sees her scores. She's not entirely happy with where she's at. Out of three classes she averages an roughly an A- in two classes and B+ in one after converting grade points.


Here are some photos below. First photo is A laying on our front lawn with our dog Lulu. Lulu is very attached to A and when I lay down next to A on the bed Lulu barks and shows her teeth in an attempt to protect A from me. There are times a man's got to do what a man's got to do and the dog has got to go.


Second photo is taken at a time when A and I was walking down a nature trail. She likes to go on these walks and to parks.


Third and fourth photos are taken last month at the tulip festival. I'm not into flowers but it makes the ladies happy. If a guy wants to make his dates or wife happy, learn her interests and Google where and when you can take your girl to enjoy her interests. She may say "thank you" but she'll know you remember her interests and care and probably thank you without words involved.


Fifth photo is taken at an American style restaurant that also happened to be the first restaurant I took her when she first came to America. A likes the food here.


Last photo is of A snowboarding for the first time. Just got to remind her snowboarding is best when standing up.

[Lily]

Lovely pictures Billy! A could even inspire me to make a few pictures of myself in similar positions

[Ade]

Am I the only one that thinks he's talking about a daughter...?

[fathertime]

An update.


A(my wife) slowed down on her driving lessons after a very scary moment that was even scary for me. She blames me for training her too hard and her mom is on her side! It's not all bad. My wife respects me more for pushing her hard as an indication I care. I was hoping she got her drivers license before college started but I'm not going to force it anymore. I don't like it when she has to walk to the bus stop or come home in the rain and cold so when I got free time from work, I'll drive her to and from college and sometimes my mom and sister will too. My parents and sisters are great at making A feel welcome and part of the family.

First, thanks BillyB for posting your story and the pictures throughout the thread, your wife looks delighted with you.


Second,  I'd consider getting a paid driving instructor. You will likely be happy you took that route when she is driving and you as the teacher are not on the receiving end of displaced frustration.  Learning to drives seems to be very difficult for some of these international ladies, and professional is best.  IMO


Fathertime!   

[calmissile]

Great photos Billy.  She is very beautiful.

Lily,  Great idea.  We'll wait for your photos as well.     

[mendeleyev]

Very nice photos, Billy.

Driving lessons--oh boy, brings back nightmares. I couldn't teach Mrs M without jumping off a tall building so we paid for professional driving lessons. She is a busy artist and missed a majority of the weekly lessons. I was sort of happy as that kept her off the road and thus the 14 million souls of Moscow could rest easy.

About 2 months later the driving school called her cell phone and offered her a diploma and guarantee of passing the test, for a fee of course. I began to search anew for tall buildings from which to leap and the 14 million souls in Moscow started losing sleep.

After her last accident the winter of 2011 when another car was totaled, I will quote: "Look at the sunshine (the bright side), now we get a new car."

Oy Vey.

[Turboguy]

Great photos Billy.


I have some interesting memories of teaching my wife to drive as well.  I tend to think it is harder to teach a woman from the FSU to drive than an AW.  I think the toys and things American children give them a start.   They have battery powered toy cars in America, they ride bikes, the go to the parks and drive the "Cadillac car rides and the dodgems.   The toys here give more of a feel for driving that makes learning to drive easier.   Of course once they master driving their Russian blood has them driving like a Moscow cab driver but who needs hair anyway, particularly if you live in a warm climate. 

[Welder]

Nice photos Billy.
Billy I did both, paid for lessons and took my wife for practice driving between lessons.  It worked really well as the instructor was tough.  It also set the tone for what we would practice.  She was really frustrated with her instructor and much more relieved after spending a few hours a week practicing for her next lesson.  This scenario takes on a completely different dynamic as you are a support role and not the instructor.  Worth considering IMO.

[ML]

Ochka drove a garden tractor to mow our yard quite a bit before starting to drive a car on the roads.  It helped a lot.  When she had trouble with backing up in car, I had her back the tractor all around the yard a lot, which helped also.

[Shadow]

Ochka drove a garden tractor to mow our yard quite a bit before starting to drive a car on the roads.  It helped a lot.  When she had trouble with backing up in car, I had her back the tractor all around the yard a lot, which helped also.

Question is, how to keep her mowing the lawn after she gets her license...

[ML]

Question is, how to keep her mowing the lawn after she gets her license...

I get your humor. 

But, in my case, she is a workaholic.  So no problem, except to try to get her to not do so much.

However, Ochka left for Ukraine yesterday; so no mowing or other yard work . . . or any work from her for a month.

But, no worry . . . I won't be overexerting.  I have just hired two university students to work over the summer.  A lot of brush clearing, etc., to ready some more acres for sale.

[BillyB]

I have a confession to make that may shock some and amaze others. If you have a heart problem, taking heavy medication or illegal drugs, or are 7+ months pregnant, you may want to stop reading now. I don't have a normal marriage. I sleep with two girls every night. One is A, my wife, and the other is Lulu(she's in the photos below).


Lulu likes to sleep under the blankets as if it's her personal burrow. She doesn't like me so she cozies up to her favorite, A, instead. Sometimes it's dark in there and Lulu makes the mistake of cozying up to me. I'm over 200lbs and she's just over 2 lbs. I sometimes wake up when those little legs are kicking me struggling to get out after I roll over on Lulu. A thinks we need a bigger bed(ours is king size) for the three of us. Luckily our 2 cats don't sleep in our bed otherwise I'd be confessing to sleeping with 4 girls.

Lovely pictures Billy! A could even inspire me to make a few pictures of myself in similar positions

Go for it Lily. One thing that makes a RW beautiful in her photos is how she poses. After seeing many photos of RW on the internet, I get the impression they do it better on average than their Western sisters and I especially like the photos where ladies look playful and having fun.

I'd consider getting a paid driving instructor. You will likely be happy you took that route when she is driving and you as the teacher are not on the receiving end of displaced frustration.  Learning to drives seems to be very difficult for some of these international ladies, and professional is best.  IMO

The more I drive with A, the more I know you're right but my stubbornness is going to get the better of me. I'm going to start what I finished. We slowed down on the driver training but college is almost over and we get back to training hard in summer.

Great photos Billy. 

Very nice photos, Billy.

Great photos Billy.

Nice photos Billy.

Thanks gentlemen and your compliments brings me to another confession. My wife thinks I'm an awful photographer. My wife is photogenic but I think I deserve a little credit for good looking photos. Who knows? If I could take photos like a pro, people would suffer less than looking at my amateur work.