Yesterday went by really quickly - probably because I was busy. I had to drop the three dogs off at their hairdresser’s – for a cut and blow dry. As the spaniels are working dogs, they get very muddy so their coats need to be kept short. Billy just likes the whole pampering experience. He always looks younger after a hair cut - the grey around his muzzle isn’t so noticeable. I wish a hair cut could make me look younger LOL. Then I dropped the car off for the MOT retest and Steve took me back to work. The bloody thing failed again. The Hand brake was still pulling on unevenly, or something. So I rang Himself, and left him to sort it. He is always telling me that the cars are his worry to sort out and not mine – it’s hardly my fault. The last time I didn’t worry he told me my car was ready to be sent to the great scrap yard in the sky, and we needed to find another. And wasn’t that a barrel of laughs. What sort of car did I want this time, he asked – How the hell did I know? I still wanted the sky blue Peugeot 309, with the scratch on the passenger door from when Matt had ridden past it too closely on his bike. The very same car that could hold both mine and Tracy’s weekly family shop with ease, and only had 3 wheel trims as I’d lost one somewhere along the line. No apparently I couldn’t have that one – I needed to widen my scope and find something else. So I thought I quite fancied a Corsa – as long as it was a five door model. Do you have any idea how rare a five door Corsa is? They’re nearly all 3 door. I’d nearly given up hope after 4 weeks of looking through papers, walking around garages and visiting car auctions, when we found the one I now own. And it was purple, so it was obviously made for me. And I don’t want to parted from it now, thank you very much – so they bloody well better get it though the MOT – I not going through that again.

I remember driving to Birmingham once in my Dad’s car and parking it on a hill. As I pulled the handbrake on, the cable snapped. Now I’d gone with Hayley and we had a hair appointment so we were up against the clock. Parking in Birmingham is a nightmare - the chances of finding another space so close by was nigh on impossible. So I put the car into gear and left it were it was, praying it didn’t roll back when I was away. Not a problem, it was exactly where I’d left it when we returned. Then the fun started. It was sandwiched between two other cars, and to start it I needed to put my foot down on the clutch. If I did that the car would have rolled back into the one behind. In the end I got Hayley leaning down between my legs with her hand hold the footbrake down, whilst I started the car. Once I could ride the clutch, she got up and we drove away. So who needs a handbrake anyway?

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A group of us are off to spend the night in a haunted pub on Saturday - (http://www.triptojerusalem.com/back_room.php) – a Paranormal Investigation for charity. I’m sitting on the fence as far as ghosts are concern – I’m not that easily spooked since I’ve grown up and need to see the proof with my own eyes. This wasn’t the case as a child. I was at home watching telly one Saturday night, Mum & Dad had gone out and Nan was in bed. It must have been about 10.30ish when the dog went into the kitchen and started barking. I had a quick look around but couldn’t see anything. The only place I hadn’t looked was the walk in cupboard / pantry. What if someone was hiding in there – Yes I know, but I was only a child for goodness sake and a child with a bloody good imagination at that. I did believe in the fairies at the bottom of the garden when I was younger. Anyway, I switched the light on and peeped inside. No couldn’t see anything. Well wasn’t I stupid, nothing there at all. I closed the door again and nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard three very distinctive knocks coming from the other side of the door. I shot out of the kitchen, through the living room and didn’t stop until I was halfway upstairs. That was where I stayed for a good ten minutes, wondering if I should wake my Nan or be brave and pluck up enough courage to go and have another look. I crept back into the kitchen, picked up the poker and quickly slamming the door back against the wall I shot inside, waving the poker in the air above my head, heart beating fifteen to the dozen. No still nothing there. I looked behind the door - no, one there either. It was then I noticed the dog’s lead and metal choke chain hanging on the peg. Yes, that’s right, as I had swung the door shut the metal collar had bang against the back of the door, giving the impression of someone knocking. So it just goes to prove most things can be explained.
Anyway – it’s a new experience, so I’m looking forward to it. I may even take the camera.