Ewww, Shudder

Today has been basically fairly shite.

I set it aside to mainly relax but also to catch up on the phone calls I have been putting off plus a few more to do with the car. It was all rather simple except that it wasn't.

It was the best part of an hour once I sat at my desk before I could start anything as I was already on the phone to all and sundry and in no particular order. Once I finally had time to dial some numbers I was getting recorded messages saying they were too busy to answer the phone. Eventually I did get some results, I did manage to get the insurance sorted for the new car ready for collection. I also managed to speak to DLA and establish they got the 'Statement of Reasons' last week but it'll take up to 6 weeks for them to make a decision and that decision could be to appeal against it thus delaying it for many more months. Eventually I also got through to DVLA to find out I can't tax the car myself for the new owner but he has to do that himself. The little man who does rear parking sensors contacted me and the sensors plus the cruise control will cost me around £830. (Ouch!) Commissioning called to verify they had all the right details and had worded the letter right to try and get Jermaine a wheelchair, it all sounded good but it'll get rejected. On the plus side, and back to the car insurance, I am covered for the new car until mid way through July anyway so no hurry to pay out on that one. When I do it'll cost me around £400. The premium for the Sebring last year was £530 so not the largest saving in the world but it'll do. The real saving is over the year on the fuel. With the Sebring currently costing around £150 a month it stands to reason I stand to regain £900 a year so an over all saving of in excess £1000 without the worry it'll be off the road for months for something as daft as a broken windscreen.

I feel totally shattered and not in a good way. My head tells me I am pleased about the new car but my heart tells me I am more sad about losing the Sebring. I just hope that feeling goes away once the Sebring is gone and I am driving around in the Megane.

Hopefully ... no, wait, the set aside of tomorrow as a relaxing day has gone too now. I have arranged to have the radios swapped over by Neville tomorrow and to do some shopping as well.

Thankfully, I can relax and gratefully watch a show in the evening tomorrow evening.

Thursday right now is free as is Friday ... watch this space.

Cruising

Or, rather ... not!

I put a deposit on the Megane earlier. I had to be realistic and appreciate that the Toyota was out of my reach for the age I wanted so I had to go for the best economy I could and that is the 1.6 Megane. It drives well, looks ... well, see picture below. Only problem and hence the title, no cruise control :-(

I could possibly have it fitted but I am already at the limit of my spending on it so it won't be any time soon.

On the plus side it seems mechanically totally OK. Full Renault service history and it is being appropriately serviced before I collect it. On that note, I have had to move the collection date back a little as I need to get the road tax sorted. I can only do that when I have the V5 (log book) and the Post Office is never going to be open over that weekend so it has to be the Monday 9th June. I am not sure that would help Nick out at all unless he had a couple of days off work and then, Steve would need to as well so it's probably a non starter. (sorry)

Missing Daisy still :-(

A'Up, Off to S Yorkshire

I have decided that tomorrow I am going to have a look at the car to the right there. It is just within my budget and only just but I am hoping to get a discount on it. It is the right model and the right colour. Indeed, I have seen no other similar spec car anywhere advertised. There is one other in Kent but though it says it is the same level of trim it so clearly isn't.

I plan on having a test drive tomorrow to see how it goes and, if I like it, put down a deposit.

Didn't really have to do a lot today. Anne took over the cooking of the dinner which was amazing by the way. Jermaine popped over around 5pm though he seemed a little tired he was still quite happy and bubbly.

Missing Daisy like hell, I guess I best get used to it.

What is this 'Bebo' thing all about? I joined it some time ago, I don't even remember why now. In the last couple of days a few people have wanted me to add them to their friends list. One I am aware of but don't actually know. One I know but have not spoken to in ages. Another I think I know and I think he's gay and if it is him, his profile certainly gives the gay vibe off!

Back to this car ... it is in Holmfirth which is the next village around to where Pete & Stan live. After the way they both acted when visited and Stan's last appalling visit where there was no one he didn't manage to piss off, there is no chance of us popping in for tea!

Maybe, if we decided to buy it, we could take Nick along for the collection and possibly he could meet up with Steve. He may still need to get a one way ticket home but it's a possibility anyway.

It works and it doesn't, it's here and it's gone

When we got back from holiday we found out the cooker had stopped working. No oven so we were gutted as that meant loads of money to buy a new one. We have gotten kind of used to not using the main oven when, today, Deej flicks the wrong switch for the top oven and the bottom oven starts working! I don't care why, gift horses and all that.

Today was also the day when I sold the Sebring (subject to collection). That means having the process of sourcing another car to go through. I've found a few candidates but am in no major hurry as it'll be a couple of weeks before I have the cash for our car. Strangely I seem to have started my own little auto export service. The Citroen went to Morocco and this one is heading for Valencia in Spain.

Daisy has gone off with Paul to the Isle of Wight and I am kind of shitting bricks. That place doesn't have a good record with my family so I shall be glad when she is home safe and well.

I want my diet to go quicker but I know that's not good for me so shall have to settle for a slow progression. At least I am now several pounds from obese so that has to be good but I am also many moor pounds away from 'normal' :-(

Robin is once again feeling the effects of his inconsiderate depression. Sadly, there is no magic wand.

Annoyingly, there are some things in life I cannot control. Robin's depression, tornado's and the weather ... I'll have a darned good go but suspect the latter two are beyond my abilities!

What a Week!

Last week we were in Gran Canaria once again for the 2008 Maspalomas Pride. Obviously not at the Pride event again as that would require some form of time travel, merely at the location!

I believe it is quite possible to overdo a holiday destination and this could well be what has happened with me and Gran Canaria. Nice as it is to start a holiday running it is also quite cool to have a degree of mystery about a holiday destination and that is just not there any more with the island. It seems that I didn't really have to think about going any where as I just knew where it was and how to get there. Even when I expected to get lost I discovered myself where I don't normally get first time!

This time I did break from the normal haunts and revisited Las Palmas. Not quite sure where Tony went wrong in 2002 but this seemed reasonably sensible. Before long we had discovered the main shopping road and found somewhere to park.

[Memo to us - use sun protection when driving in a convertible]

I can't say I was really looking forward to the capital but went there as Deej had never been and Nick was keen to hit the shops. As it happens, I did quite enjoy it and especially the lunch. I can't remember ever having gone into a store café and been treated to waiter service with the waiters all dressed very smartly indeed. The cake and coffee were quite excellent.

Trying not to sound big headed I was quite pleased with myself for navigating so well and then to also find an alternate shopping area on the way home as well ... shame I didn't also work out just how many shops there were in the area around the Atlantico shopping mall as that could have taken several hours to explore.

Nick had one day break from Deej and me so we could each do our own thing. We went for a paddle in the sea and Nick cooked a leg on the beach.

Our rental car was a Megane convertible, the hard top sort and I like it very much. If I can sell the Sebring for the right price that could well be my next car as it is much more affordable to run and parts are easier to get.

Luton proved to be a good airport to use, much quieter than Gatwick. Coming back was quicker than I thought possible at a UK airport with what could not have been more than 30 minutes from plane to car.

Huge thanks to Robin for picking us up of course.

We were disappointed that the weather we had there matched that which was enjoyed here. Not begrudging those back here the nice break but rather just wishing we'd chosen a different week! This week with all the rain here would have been nice and Pride was such rubbish there we would not have missed anything by going the week after. OK, Deej and I would not have missed anything, I suspect Nick finding fun may have been more of a challenge.

Daisy managed to screw up big time. All she had to do was keep her head down and not attract attention. She did the opposite and I had social services to deal with whilst I was on holiday. Not that she was ever at any risk or uncared for but it is just one of those situations where it is easier not to get people asking questions in the first place so they don't have to be answered.

All sorted now. Social services are happy nothing was wrong and Daisy's school admit that their officer may have been somewhat over enthusiastic with her judgement to involve social services.

I was unhappy to hear Martyn didn't find any twisters during his holiday. As I am unlikely to ever pluck up the courage (or money) to do it myself I was hoping he'd experience something amazing so he could tell me all about it. Oh well, at least there were some electric storms worth seeing.

For the record, petrol in Gran Canaria is around €0.87 (£0.68). Cocktails are around €4.50 (£3.54). A fillet steak done to an excellent standard would be around €11.50 (£9.00).

I am still awaiting news from the Tribunal people. My confidence in them is such that I am now convinced that they never fully understood the case in the first instance so their decision is actually flawed. If all they believed we were after was whether or not Jermaine was entitled to DLA then their decision is of no use to us at all. His entitlement was never in question only the issue of whether it was paid or not in relation to where he was staying and who was funding it.

Amazingly it is Friday already. This week has just flown by and I can't remember what we have done except in that I know it has been quite a lot!

Our oven is busted and we can't afford a new one so probably best we have a liking for salad at the moment. We can still use the hotplates and the top oven but that's generally not enough for many of the meals we may want to prepare, it'll have to do. Sunday shall be a challenge though! I am thinking Shepherds Pie is the best option as we can squeeze that in the top oven. A roast would be out of the question.

Now, I am probably beginning to waffle so I'll end here ... and everyone breath ;-)

What a day

First, thanks Cindy for writing. I can't be sure that the email address Marty gave me works as messages I tried to send to it bounced back.

That German theme park I was trying to remember the name of was 'Heide Park'.

Your English was understandable, a lot better than my Dutch!I am the same though, I have a fair knowledge of some other languages and used to be quite good at German but it took courage to actually try and speak it when I was there. It turned out I was rather good but that was because they let me off with a lot of mistakes!

Right, today ... It's been a blur really. Matt & Anne have been here much of the day. Deej and I had to do some last minute purchasing and I cooked dinner. Jermaine visited early evening but whilst he was mostly happy it was clear that there was some irritation not far under the surface. At a guess it may have been because his carers today were treating him like a 2 year old! Nick popped around as well and then, after Jermaine left and a little before that, myself, Anne and Matt got into a discussion about their finances. I felt a little awkward as they are both adults but they were asking my opinion and the chat went on for many hours. Hopefully I helped them resolve one fairly major issue between them with regard to their money. Even though they were both dead tired I think they handled it in a very mature way and should both be quite proud of themselves.

Tomorrow we are off. This is the only holiday I can think of that I didn't really look forward to. Part of me wants to be there yet a larger part of me wants to be here and none of me wants to travel. I am just so hoping I don't spend a week dealing with problems whilst Deej and Nick have a holiday, been there, done that :-(

It is currently 22°C in Gran Canaria so not bad for 01:18, I think I can live with that. 21.2°C is the lowest it got last night. I think that makes me feel a little better about going. It is currently 15°C at the moment here.

Busy, Flippin' Busy!

Today is ... Wednesday (I just checked). OK, technically today is Thursday but that's just splitting hairs so don't go there.

In theory we did nothing Monday and Tuesday, I am sure the reality was different though. Little things such as shopping came in to it, sorting things out over the phone, that sort of thing. Today (Wednesday - just go with me on that one) we went into London and finally met Marty and Cindy from Holland. I checked earlier (yes, have been doing a fair bit of 'checking') and I first had contact with Marty in September 1999 so a very long time indeed. It is strange really that he is one of the people I have known longer than most of those I now call friends. Probably all of us were slightly concerned about not recognising the other but as it turned out, we needn't have worried.

Really, I don't think I was a lot of good as their guide. London isn't really something I know a great deal about when it comes to tourism.I have a basic geography of the place and naturally know the main tourist haunts but would have preferred to have been able to show them something off the tourist trail which would have interested them.

Robin drove us down there which took about 2hr 40m so not too terrible but seemed to take a long while. We think the journey back was quicker but I am not entirely sure any of us kept track of the time.

Tomorrow I have a meeting in Corby and then another at Daisy's school, both will most likely be a waste of time.

Ah yes, speaking of Corby, we visited Jermaine yesterday. A good visit and the journey didn't seem to long either, maybe I just imagined that though.

Hols next week, just about all ready even though I don't have a clear idea what we are taking as yet. Doesn't matter, will work it out eventually!