Cooking for one (Mark Three)

PasturesNew

wort wrote: »

I'm glad I don't have a car!!!! They seem to cost a lot!!

I've worked out this one, since I bought it 2nd hand ... it's nigh on £35-40/week before it's driven anywhere... taking into consideration depreciation, tax, insurance, MoT, minor repairs (couple of tyres, battery, windscreen wipers) .... so a car that kept going and hasn't had any major bills to date.

It's now 12 years old... and "worth" probably £1-2k (2k might be pushing it).... hard to know the value of any car really until you actually sell it.

The trouble is, I rely on it to "randomly go in any direction at the drop of a hat whenever I choose on a whim to do so" .... and while I could do without one most of the time, the few times/year I need one to do longer journeys it doesn't make financial sense to rent for 3-4 short bursts/year and use taxis "on a whim"....

I don't like having one; but I need to feel that independence of being ABLE to go out if I wish anywhere.

If it's sitting there, say, then I can randomly decide at 7am on a Sunday to go on a round robin of two car boot sales, doing a 50 mile round trip (say £7 fuel).... couldn't do that in a taxi.

caronc

I did find when I had to give up driving that I did have more cash to spare even allowing for fares etc. but boy did (still do) I miss the independence it gave me:(

moneyistooshorttomention

PasturesNew wrote: »

Cambridge has punts, in the city itself, going along the backs in various stages/at various punting stations/businesses through to about Grantchester from ~Magdalene Bridge. The stage from the Mill Pond to Grantchester is more "rural", the bit Magdalene Bridge to the Mill Pond goes past "the backs" (which means it goes past all the Colleges including that iconic rear photo you always see of Kings).

Ely doesn't have punts. There is a river there and a Cathedral and river boats, but no punts.

Just done a quick check of Ely. Looks attractive/somewhere I'd probably like....and yep...no punts. I don't think that's the river I had a recurrent dream about some while back.

I suspect it's Cambridge...

****************

Re cars - and the expense of running one is the main reason I decided not to have one some time back. I read the AA estimate of how much it cost to do so. Don't think they included parking costs in that? - so that would be extra. Now people complain like mad about parking charges here - whilst I roll round on the floor giggling thinking "Nah - they're dirt cheap here - compared to what I was used to". But yep.....those hundreds of £s monthly would still figure in my calculations. So, though the bus service here is nothing remotely like I'm used to (darn it) it's manageable, when taken in conjunction with communal lifts get organised sometimes to things on the one hand and I've got a "regular" taxi firm that I think charge very reasonable charges if I need it (and are also handy for keeping up with what is happening on the local grapevine LOL).

The times where I think it might be handy is if I'd like to go to an evening or Sunday social event nearby (courtesy of even worse bus service) or, more likely, if I fancy visiting some "attractive bit of Nature" nearby that isn't served by buses. But I manage with the fact there's quite a lot of "attractive Nature" I can get at on foot and/or by bus.

PasturesNew

There's a small bit of a walk often advertised on FB about 7 miles from here and I've toyed with the idea of going .... but then thought "where'd I park for free?" and decided it'd just be awkward/a nuisance.

Yesterday I checked the bus price. £3.70 return on the bus ... which sounds a lot, but to go 7x2 miles would cost just under £2, plus about £2 for parking no doubt ....

The thing is though, a car takes 20 minutes and, from there, I can continue in any direction, stopping at any shop and having a vehicle to transport any goods home, all on a whim. With a bus it's 45 minutes each way and I'd have to wonder IF I'd go anywhere else.... and then consider taking the trolley - and then ponder whether the trolley were an appropriate piece of baggage to cart behind me on a walk (it is a walk along a concrete pathway, so not rugged/muddy) ... but it all becomes a lot more considering/planning and commitment to doing the one thing and pretty much then coming home almost empty handed.

Farway

PasturesNew wrote: »

I don't like having one; but I need to feel that independence of being ABLE to go out if I wish anywhere.

If it's sitting there, say, then I can randomly decide at 7am on a Sunday to go on a round robin of two car boot sales, doing a 50 mile round trip (say £7 fuel).... couldn't do that in a taxi.

My sentiments exactly. I could do without, taxis, bus pass, cadge lifts, but like the go where & when I want that a car brings

Is there anywhere else for the car leak check PN? Trouble is these days the bloke in greasy overalls who would just put car upon the ramp and actually look seems far gone. All plug it in & see what computer says. Given age of car it could be a steering gaiter, they perish with all the salt and rubbish and are treated as "consumable"

My omelette thing was very filling, I remembered to top it with sliced beetroot, plus used last of a pot of HM apple chutney. Once more I'm stuffed, but toast & jam is on standby just in case

Caron, I took the precaution of asking DS about the peanuts, but it is family only gathering so all should know about their own kids. None allergic, just gannets

caronc

Farway wrote: »

.....but it is family only gathering so all should know about their own kids. None allergic, just gannets

Would be a bit worrying if they didn't......:rotfl:
That said food allergies can be really scary, one of my nephews as a toddler was severely allergic to raw egg white, fine with cooked. Fairly easy to avoid I thought, nope despite me emptying the bin that had previously had egg shells in it before he came for a visit somehow a smattering must have dripped on the side and somehow he managed to touch it. (And I thought I had been super careful ) Super scary moment resulted very quickly:eek:- thank goodness for epi pens.

caronc

:rotfl::rotfl:PN - I know I've done much worse in my misspent youth:o

[Deleted User]

I have a garage near me with two old rusty pumps in the very tiny forecourt. There are several old cars dotted around but it is a gem with good old fashioned older men doing the old fashioned car repairs. I had a potential tyre problem, the wheel was taken off screw removed from the tyre, he said it had not penetrated through. He put the wheel back on, I asked how much he said `no charge, there was nothing wrong with it` They actually have about 6 older men working there in quite a big space. Very deceptive frontage and independent, not a dealership

I was thinking about PN. Maybe you have gone past any old fashioned place with a couple of old rusty petrol pumps or a lot of cars outside. Maybe google `independent garage`

I feel for you with all that money going out all at once

PasturesNew

kittie wrote: »

I have a garage near me with two old rusty pumps in the very tiny forecourt. There are several old cars dotted around but it is a gem with good old fashioned older men doing the old fashioned car repairs.

Yes, I plan to ask around, locally for "rambling shambles with some old blokes shuffling about" as they know their stuff.

I currently use the main dealer; it's close by and the car used to be newer (and I had a few more pennies) ... but it's now at the stage where minor repairs need to be done elsewhere. Garages hide their hourly charge, but I think if you dig around the main dealers are now charging close to £120-150/hour!! But they hide it behind their prices by telling you the price, not how long things take.

[Deleted User]

I repeated myself, thought my post had vanished