Oh Ricky You're So Fine ................

Wednesday

Left work at 4.00pm and headed straight down to Bournemouth to meet Peter at the Town Hall. Bournemouth Town Hall is such a nice building – especially in the sunshine – it reminds me of the Town Hall in that ancient kids programme Trumpton with its’ decorative clock tower.

We left the car where is was and wandered up to Borders, one of my favourite shops, in the whole world ever! Had an iced coffee in Starbucks which was great as it really soothed my sore throat.

Then we moved the car to the Bournemouth International Centre car park and walked down to the beach and ate fish and chips on the sea wall and watched everyone on the beach. Harry Ramsdens is supposed to be the best fish and chip place in the UK but Peter had to queue for ages and then we had very undercooked chips. However, the fish was good and everything tastes good by the sea anyway doesn’t it!

Then after Peter had made a valiant attempt to win a Winnie the Pooh in the grab machines we went to see Ricky Gervais who was absolutely brilliant – we both enjoyed him emmencly. However, when we left the car park we got a tap on the window and a helpful chappy pointed out that we had a flat tyre. So we limped up to a deserted car park up the road and Peter changed it with the spare wheel. Poor Peter, his white shirt wasn't white by the time we got home!

Thursday AM
Went to ATS this morning in Winchester. The tyre was a rightoff as a screw had gone in the tyre and out again right through the tyre wall. So a new tyre cost £60.00

They then checked the mileage to put on their form and noticed the oil light was coming on and checked the oil (which didn’t even register on the dip stick) so the nice ATS man filled it up for free!

However, there was more bad news – the alternator belt was almost hanging off and if it had come off totally we would have lost steering control and knackered the camb belt which is about £300 !!! So I have booked it in a garage in Andover this afternoon for them to look at – I’m hoping they can just stretch it across to the right place but who knows if it is going to be that simple? I’m quite worried about what it is going to cost but there is no choice but to get it done – I think we will be living off bread and dripping until the end of the month if this comes to more than £50 – oh dear. Why do all these things happen at once? I’ll have to get selling on EBay again I think.