Why a duck?

Chico this time.

Well, I've booked the welding for Thursday so by Friday I should have full control of my auto gearbox. I have also ordered the kit of bits I need to put the curtain rails up. Once they are in place, I will double check the measurements and order the curtains. She who must be obeyed will have to choose the material and we have already had quibbles about the need to have them lined or not. I say yes so we probably won't! I am currently considering the removal of the Eberspacher heater, either for good or to move it elsewhere. It is hogging the floor in just the wrong place and we need to have our kitchen built as soon as possible now.

Thanks to a colleague, I have become quite keen on the idea of running janis on used chip oil. She is 100% compatible and we have a local firm that will do the conversion and also supply pre filtered oil. not as cheap as diy but a lot cheaper than diesel. The major problem, of course, will be obtaining said chip oil away from home. Possible in the UK but difficult abroad. The answer might be to carry 20 litre cans and simply add a couple to the tank each time I fill up. Once the welding is done, I will go and buy a couple of cans and try the system out. I will also need to remove the heater unit and seal the tank again, this may be a job for the agents.

Doomed, doomed, we're all doomed I tell ye!

Took janis into the dealer on Friday morning, a well hidden entrance! After a strained day, went to pick her up. Cost less than I expected, although still quite a price. The brakes are fine, that's just the way they are apparently. The gear stick is in need of a weld to hold it firmly and that should cure that problem.

That sinking feeling...............

The new sink / hob unit has just arrived. A Smev 911. It's pretty small and has no ignition or covers but, for us, size is important!

The acid test.

Yesterday, I booked janis in for a service at my local Merc dealer. They will check and, if necessary, change all her bodily fluids and also replace all the filters. In addition, they will look at the brake system and try to fix whatever is wrong with the auto gear stick that keeps sticking! This will not be a cheap job and I am dreading it but there is no way I would take her abroad in September without it so the bullet has to be bitten. The fridge is due to arrive today and I will fit it this very evening in order to both save space in the house and also make life easier when buying frozen and chilled food.

Yesterday produced yet another setback with our ongoing struggle to get planning permission for the roof that fell down - don't ask. It made me so depressed I went on line and bought a new sink / hob unit. Well you have to grab what you can, when you can in this life!

Nights in White Satin................

..........or to be more accurate, A night with a white face!

Oh how I suffered. Tuesday into Wednesday is just a very unpleasant blur to me now, thank goodness. At the time it was pretty nasty. I don't know the cause but I experienced the effect. I have had two days off work and, although I am back now, I still feel under the weather. Today, I have bought on eBay, a compressor fridge (Waeco CF-40). Not cheap, but brand new and just the type and size we wanted. More importantly, it's a top loader to ensure no food rolls around the floor whilst in transit.