Taxi-bus for O'Neill....

So we sold our soul to the mumsy devil and finally bought ourselves a people carrier. The keys of our beloved Toyota were handed over and there was much crying and wailing from the husband. Before the deal was actually signed, sealed and delivered I could have sworn that I heard him tell the car salesman that he would have to prize the keys from his cold, dead fingers. Thankfully no such sacrifice was required and we drove away from Coolsville heading for middle-aged Mumsyville in a shiny new Ford Galaxy.
To be honest, it wasn’t as bad as I had thought. I had been having nightmares of a cavernous mini-bus type contraption, dull grey seats, no CD player and few bumper stickers saying ‘Careful Now!’, ‘Moms Rock’ and ‘Foxy Mini-Van Mama’. I thought the thing might feel like I was driving the 216 Derry to Belfast Express. That we, the O'Neill army, might appear something like the picture above while going from A to B.
But to my surprise the car is pretty darn nippy, quite funky and pretty easy on the eye. We got the one with all the trimmings – it even has dark tinted windows so it looks like the mafia are dropping the kids off at the school gates. I find these are also handy when you want to hide from other cooler road users – like people who drive Toyota Avensis’.
At least we all fit in the thing. Although if we have any more kids (a highly unlikely event) though, we may very well be driving the Derry to Belfast express.
The people carrier phobia hit a nerve with parents. I got a fair few emails from readers who faced the same problems and overcame them without half as much drama.
I like to think I provide a community service of sorts. I wouldn’t want any other mother to suffer like I did, so I’ll pass on the information. Eimear from Warrenpoint got in touch and told me of the fabulous MultiMac (www.multimac.co.uk/home) which fits four kids into the back of your car safely, without your husband going insane or your levels of cool dropping a jot.
It’s too late for us, but if we save one more family then it’ll be worth it.
If you’re looking for me today I’ll be busy travelling the northwest (in my people carrier) purchasing every Irish News I see. For if the husband discovers, through this very column, that there actually was an option available that would allow him to keep his car, I fear that in his vulnerable mental state this news might tip him over the edge. I shall also be depending on the 150,000 odd people who read the paper every day to keep schtum.
In other news my very brave sister-in-law Valerie, a hard-working mother of one-year-old Ruby, has been pounding the pavements of Derry every night, training for the London Marathon. She will take part to raise money for the Foyle Hospice, who took fantastic care of my Dad, and indeed all of us, in the last few weeks of his life.
If you’d like to donate to a great cause and cheer on Valerie please log on to www.justgiving.com/Valerie-Breslin.
Thank you!