Happy F***in New Year!

I knew it was going to be a bad year when I realised it start 1/1/11. Far too many one's for my liking! Having had a traumatic time with car problems over the Christmas break with both the four wheel drive going into intensive care and my son's Mini doing a very good impersonation of a mobile kettle, its a wonder I have any hair left, havent had a coronary and still have a sense of humour left!
The big black mean looking four wheel drive built by Volkswagen kissed a kerb in the snow and all hell broke loose. Lights came up on the dashboard like Blackpool illuminations, the little man at the dealership rubbed his hands with glee and Mrs B ranted about not having a car! It ended up being an insurance jobby after I had suitably berated the Dealership for supplying an off road vehicle that quite obviously was not fit for purpose and was a tarts impersonation of a 4x4. What would have happened if the vehicle had been taken off road I asked him? Well you wouldn't have hit a kerb side on with the full weight of the vehicle impacting against the track rod end, SIR! Pah poppy cock!
The boys car was fun. Having replaced the heater matrix 3 months ago a leak the size of Powells pool developed in the passenger footwell. I took it to the Mini dealer where I purchased said matrix. Driving a car with steam coming out of the air vents with no speedo, no rev counter , no fuel gauge and several other items that had ceased to work due to the steam, on a cold frosty morning was a test and not for the faint hearted. Especially as No.1 son (like all of his generation) believe that cars run on fumes until Daddy's garage puts some fuel in! White knuckle ride it was. We then had a heated discussion at the dealership who agreed to replace the faulty part, BUT only the faulty part! This went on for some time until the little man (funny how these dealerships employ a lot of little men), saw it my way.
Eventually all parts were replaced and all is well.
So with Mrs B now back terrorising other drivers in the Four Oaks area and No.1 son safely ensconced in Nottingham maybe life would return to some semblance of normality? Oh No, Murphy's Law came into action and as I write I am battling with a poorly sick long wheel base sprinter!
Lot to be said for push bikes! This was all going on whilst trying to proof read No.2 son's course work essay on Trusts and Wills and make sure that he didn't miss the deadline submission date by too much so he would at least get some marks!
Happy Days, roll on 2012!