A few months and several questions

ZTD

RosaBernicia wrote: »

So that's where I've been this evening and it was fab. Enough grace and anti-gravity to engage my brain, toning and music too :T Tutor is lovely and apparently so far I am picking stuff up fast - I have reasonably good balance and flexibility already. Need to work on the muscle strength a bit [STRIKE]*awaits Z's input on my thighs*[/STRIKE]:eek: rephrase *expects comments from Z about my thigh muscles again*

I think the first sentence was better. "Awaits" is a better word than "expects"...

RosaBernicia wrote: »

I think I need some fun. Plus it might mean I actually wear some of the high heels that are currently chucked in boxes because I can't really stand up in them - very MSE, no?

It is indeed...

Knitting_Nora wrote: »

Sounds brilliant - what a fab idea...and how girly to be able to get fit in heels!

So, any lessons where you're going then?

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Ahhh, that Z....cheeky wotnot.....

Moi? :A

RosaBernicia wrote: »

*tries hard not to sink to the level

Sink! Sink!

RosaBernicia wrote: »

and make a comment about nut-cracking thigh muscles*

Or riding the pole...

RosaBernicia

:rotfl: Z, you are truly impossible :kisses3:

RosaBernicia

Was supposed to be halfway up the country by now. Am still in my living room and not a happy bunny. :mad:

Running late anyhow due to staying up sorting job application - sent it in early hours as thought web portal would be crashing this morning - plus running to library etc. Then dutifully decided to check car so it now has screenwash and two correctly inflated tyres - on the passenger side. The inflator wotsit started giving nonsense figures on the third one which I blamed on it being just carp, switched it off to cool down and meanwhile finished packing. Tried it again and it was still bonkers, decided to set off and sort it at service station, then got in the car which won't start. Not a sniff of battery, presumably wiped out by use of inflator wotsit. I wish that blasted thing had a low level indicator on it :mad:, this is the third time - though I suppose I should be happy it's the only issue I've ever had to call the breakdown people for. (Yes, I know I could learn to jump start it, and I have the leads in the back in case of dire emergency, but neither of the neighbours I know are in and all my friends in town either don't have a car or know even less about them than I do. With one exception and he's somewhere near Russia. So am waiting on breakdown guy - and it's the same company as before so they probably consider this my annual dumb blonde moment by now.)

Notes to self and anyone else as uninterested in cars as I am:

• Run the engine while using the tyre wotsit. Put huge sticker on wotsit to remind me of this.
• Do the tyres in front/ back pairs, not working your way round the car (even if this does mean more time sitting in the round and nearly being mown down by idiots cutting the corner through my street instead of sticking to the ringroad).
• Get one of the mechanical gauges so at least when the inflator packs up you can tell what pressure the tyre's at. (I am not flaming well getting one of the mechanical inflators as I have to jump up and down on them to get the darn things to work.)
• Actually read the FlyLady checklists I made reminding me what needed doing when, following the Car Maintenance for Blondes course I dutifully went on and forgot the minute I walked out of the door.

There are days when I would just like something to work that I didn't have to learn from scratch myself and independence is a PITA. This is one of them.


The only 'good' thing about running late is that I was still here to receive the letter from the landlord, which is slightly better than coming home to it. Have to be out by early March. Will look online and am meeting potential flatmate next weekend anyhow.

At least I should have the overdraft and smallest CC gone by then and the bills will be smaller if I can arrange to share. I had allowed for extra rent from then on so it doesn't completely kibosh plans.

*sigh, mutter, grumble* - hm, well what can I do for up to a half hour while waiting on breakdown guy and trying to stop feeling sorry for myself ... *finds book and curls up on sofa*

I hope everybody else is having a better day!

Rosa xx

ZTD

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Running late anyhow due to staying up sorting job application - sent it in early hours as thought web portal would be crashing this morning - plus running to library etc. Then dutifully decided to check car so it now has screenwash and two correctly inflated tyres - on the passenger side. The inflator wotsit started giving nonsense figures on the third one which I blamed on it being just carp, switched it off to cool down and meanwhile finished packing. Tried it again and it was still bonkers, decided to set off and sort it at service station, then got in the car which won't start. Not a sniff of battery, presumably wiped out by use of inflator wotsit. I wish that blasted thing had a low level indicator on it :mad:,

You can get something like one of these which will warn you.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

this is the third time - though I suppose I should be happy it's the only issue I've ever had to call the breakdown people for. (Yes, I know I could learn to jump start it, and I have the leads in the back in case of dire emergency, but neither of the neighbours I know are in and all my friends in town either don't have a car or know even less about them than I do.

I've got something similar to one of these. I used it recently, having a car standing in freezing weather for 3 weeks unused isn't fantastic for the battery. I did suspect it might complain...

It also inflates your tyres without using the car battery.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

• Get one of the mechanical gauges so at least when the inflator packs up you can tell what pressure the tyre's at. (I am not flaming well getting one of the mechanical inflators as I have to jump up and down on them to get the darn things to work.)

They're also more accurate. The best thing would be one of those seatbelt cutters/glass hammer/torch/tyre gauge combos - something like this. Just remember to keep it within arm's length of the driver's seat, otherwise the seatbelt cutter is not going to be much use...

RosaBernicia wrote: »

There are days when I would just like something to work that I didn't have to learn from scratch myself and independence is a PITA. This is one of them.

:grouphug:

RosaBernicia wrote: »

The only 'good' thing about running late is that I was still here to receive the letter from the landlord, which is slightly better than coming home to it. Have to be out by early March. Will look online and am meeting potential flatmate next weekend anyhow.

Well at least that removes the uncertainty. :grouphug:

RosaBernicia

Am defrosting in a hotel less than halfway into the intended journey.

This follows:

• Arrival of Recovery Guy 1, great amusement on his part (he did remember me, and he also remembered that I did the same thing this time last year ), and jump starting of car.
• Asked RG1 if he could check tyres on passenger side in the process. He said not allowed as too dangerous to do in road in the dark. Decided to set off and fix at service station. No idea why it didn't occur to either of us to just move car to other side of road.
• Got 1 junction round the ring road and remembered had forgotten coat, as it was hung up to dry from yesterday. Since Edinburgh friend had booked lunch 'somewhere nice', and know her tastes, decided possibly best not to arrive in tri-season outdoors jacket.
• Car felt weird to drive. Can't explain, just felt odd. Decided would feel happier if knew tyres were OK.
• Went home, fetched coat, sorted tyres (with engine running this time). Very glad I did as turned out the drivers one was 22 psi instead of 32. That would explain the odd feeling. And is probably not clever with 5 hours on the motorway and carp weather.
• Drove for 1 1/2 hours ish. Stopped for coffee. Got back in car and turned key. Result: slightly ashamed splutter of engine.
• Called breakdown co again. Waited another hour in cold car.
• Recovery Guy 2 arrives, starts car, helpfully does extra checks. Pronounces battery dead but car otherwise healthy. (Apparently not surprising since it's 10 years old and am not aware it's ever had a new battery - am told they usually last max 5.)
• Breakdown company discuss with recovery co about rest of my journey, since this means another 4 hours drive into snow and they won't pay for a further callout. Recovery co apparently have new battery at depot and can fit it so I would just pay for battery and can then carry on all fixed. As alternative is driving for 4 hours non-stop and in snow with car that has unreliable electrics, I follow RG2 to depot.
• Wait further hour in cold car.
• Recovery Guys 2 and 3 debate battery situation and eventually confess the one they have won't fit :mad:. Suggest hotel so they can source one in the morning. Point out that am supposed to be in Scotland by 11. Alternative remains driving car non-stop. RG3 starts giving complex explanations of how to start it in second gear once I arrive and can arrange to get battery somewhere else.
• Point out that still don't think driving non-stop in snow is brilliant plan, especially as am now 2 hours more tired and roads are 2 hours more frozen.
• Follow RG2 to hotel, is full but recommend another one. RG2 kindly calls to confirm room available and I follow there. RG2 deserves medal for patience :A
• Call breakdown co to check what the heck bill am likely to get, since I pay and then claim (am having visions of 2 people x 3 hours x antisocial hours allowances... ) - am reassured will be fine as it's a flat charge... phew
• Defrost in hotel.
• Then remember have both relatives and friends nearby and could probably have gone there instead, but brain wasn't in gear, don't know precisely where I am anyway, and is late.
• Await morning to chase up recovery co, get battery, then decide whether driving to Edinburgh for afternoon.

This is not the peaceful journey I had in mind. On the side, breakdown company have been totally brilliant so far (it's the MSE recommended one).

Fingers crossed for finding battery ASAP tomorrow...

Rosa xx

RosaBernicia

ZTD wrote: »

You can get something like one of these which will warn you.

Hm, I have had a couple of those adaptors so could charge phone and satnav together but they've always died within 3 uses so assumed something was odd with socket. Might pick up another cheap one to try again.

ZTD wrote: »

I've got something similar to one of these. I used it recently, having a car standing in freezing weather for 3 weeks unused isn't fantastic for the battery. I did suspect it might complain...

It also inflates your tyres without using the car battery.

That's about the only piece of disaster prevention stuff I don't yet have in the car... :rotfl:

ZTD wrote: »

They're also more accurate. The best thing would be one of those seatbelt cutters/glass hammer/torch/tyre gauge combos - something like this. Just remember to keep it within arm's length of the driver's seat, otherwise the seatbelt cutter is not going to be much use...

Thanks... have seatbelt cutter/ glass hammer already in footwell but might not be a bad idea to have torch to hand (as well as the flashlight under back seat).

ZTD wrote: »

:grouphug:

Thank you... much appreciated right now! :A :grouphug:

ZTD wrote: »

Well at least that removes the uncertainty. :grouphug:

True. Am feeling much better about the moving situation - something do with winter and lack of decent heating... :rotfl:

:grouphug:

Rosa xx

ZTD

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Hm, I have had a couple of those adaptors so could charge phone and satnav together but they've always died within 3 uses so assumed something was odd with socket. Might pick up another cheap one to try again.

Get a one that warns about low voltage (I believe you can also get ones that will automatically cut out), and take it back if it dies. The shop doesn't know they're crap unless people take them back rather than junk them.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

That's about the only piece of disaster prevention stuff I don't yet have in the car... :rotfl:

They're actually pretty handy, because they have a cigarette lighter socket in them, so you can operate lights and the such-like away from your car.

The battery isn't huge in them, but I got a couple of hours operating a cooler box with one.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Thanks... have seatbelt cutter/ glass hammer already in footwell

Make sure you can reach it from sitting up in your seat with the seatbelt on and not extending. You don't want to be in the situation where you need to cut your seatbelt in order to be able to reach your seatbelt cutter...

Also make sure it's not in the drivers footwell, otherwise it could end up under the brake pedal. If that happens, the driver's seat will need dry-cleaning...

RosaBernicia wrote: »

but might not be a bad idea to have torch to hand (as well as the flashlight under back seat).

Get an LED headtorch. That'll keep your hands free, but you can always carry it in your hand if needed.

RosaBernicia wrote: »

Thank you... much appreciated right now! :A :grouphug:

:grouphug:
I hope today is a lot better.

RosaBernicia

Hurrah for the purple motorway lodges. Bacon for breakfast cheered me up no end

Recovery co found battery by about 10.30. Asked me to check if car would start - which it did - huh? So they asked me to drive over and get it fitted. Bit concerned about a) getting there and b) finding the place. Breakdown co confirmed ok to go as they would cover a third callout if it was en route to fixing. Finding random industrial estate in small unfamilar town got interesting since I had no idea of starting point and no satnav. Asking Google Maps, apparently it was only 10 mins away (seemed a lot longer when following taillights after freezing for 2 1/2 hrs ). Took about 40 mins and much cursing to find, given that I was working with scribbled GoogleMaps instructions, a motorway atlas that could only just identify the town, a smartphone that couldn't get enough signal to realise that it was now an hour further up the motorway, and instinct :rotfl:.

Battery installed, £100 inc fitting which am not convinced is as cheap as it could have been, but so glad it's done. Recovery co flummoxed why the dodgy one appeared dead yesterday but worked today! Car happy :T Have about £230 to reclaim so fingers crossed that goes smoothly - seems a v good deal for first month of £38 breakdown insurance though :rotfl:

Scotland cancelled as friend kindly offered to travel down tomorrow instead :j so now arrived!! :j yaaay!:D

Rosa xx

Knitting_Nora

Good grief! *offers chocolate bar* You poor thing. Most impressed with how you coped though - I'd've been curled up under a table somewhere going 'wibble'!

Nora.x

RosaBernicia

Knitting_Nora wrote: »

Good grief! *offers chocolate bar* You poor thing. Most impressed with how you coped though - I'd've been curled up under a table somewhere going 'wibble'!

Nora.x

:rotfl: I did consider it but most of the things I really wanted to say were considerably ruder than wibble!! And I said quite a lot of them to the recovery guy's taillights, especially en route to the second hotel!

Thanks for the chocolate :A the extra chocolately caramels I had in the car were also a great consolation

Rosa xx