My car's died!

I've had to go out and buy a new car today! My old one has had a heart attack and died! It was a Fiat Stilo, I've had it since new and I loved it!

It broke down on Friday and I had to get the AA out to it. The AA man said it was the water pump and towed me to my usual garage. The garage owner tried to start it to have a look at it Fri/Sat and it made the most awful expensive noise - you know the one that is going to cost in excess of a £1000 - new valves and new pistons, cam belt and not to mention the offending water pump and all that expensive labour.

All this spoilt the garage owner's bank holiday weekend. He is a really nice guy and has been really helpful in keeping all our cars on the road at reasonable rates.

Anyway this afternoon I had to decide what to do for the best - repair it at an excess of £1000, knowing the trade in value is only around £600 and carry on driving it or cut my losses and buy a new car. On my way home form work I called into the garage where we have bought all our cars in recent years (I've had 3 Fiats and my husband 2) to see what kind of deal they could offer me. I was a very lucky girl as they offered me £1000 trade in on the Stilo even though the car is unroadworthy and a reasonable finance deal. I am buying a 2008 Fiat Bravo which has the feel of the Stilo but looks better. It's black and a sporty version - the nearest I'll get to a sports car!

I've just got to work out what we are going to cut back on to pay for it. Making SofM starve whilst at uni maybe an option if he doesn't get a job!

Spring mini quilt swap

I know this is last week's news but I'm taking part in 'Quilting Gallery's' Spring mini quilt swap.

I bought the fabrics yesterday and I decided what I was going to do a couple of weeks ago so I am all set, no prevaricating, I have to get on with it - next week - lol.

Gromit joins the Army!

Today we have been down to Pirbright in Surrey to watch Gromit pass out after his 15 week basic training. Gromit is my daughter's fiance. They have been engaged for 2 years now.



The boy has done good. We are so proud of him. He orginally joined the army at 17 but he was not really ready to settle down to it so came out. At one point he went AWOL and that's when he met DD. Once he came out he had quite a few jobs that didn't go anywhere and he was made for the army so it is really good he has got back in. He has caused his parents and us some heart ache over the years but I think he is really ready to settle and make a good career of it. With DD having just qualified as a nurse they are both set to plan their future.

On these photos it looks quite nice but there was a couple of squalls of rain. The journeys up and down were very wet.

He is now home for 2 weeks before he goes onto phase 2 of his training.

Update!

Don't you sometimes feel like this? putting your head under the duvet. I do, not at the moment though.

I've done a few more of these

and I've turned the heel and am now steaming down the foot on this sock.