Mechanical woes.

Typical sods law car problems recently.
As you may or may not know, when we sold up in Scotland to move here we lost SO much money on cars, I took an oath to never buy an expensive new brief again. So we arrived here, and bought a 1997 Audi and a 1999 VW bug. Both were fine and dandy, although the previous owner of the Audi used to drive in bare feet and we never managed to expell the stench from the carpets. (not good on hot days).

Now, we still dont know if we'll stay here or not. We'd like to stay, but who knows when you have to keep reapplying for visas. (was speaking to someone at the beach party yesterday who has lived here legally for 20 years, has 4 american kids, is married to an american, and still feels sick every time she comes through immigration because she's not a citizen). But if we do we'll need a mortgage and to get a mortgage you need a credit score, to get a credit score you need credit, the easiest credit to get is a car loan - you know where I'm going with this. So we bought a new car. Fine. Much negotiation about what old car to get rid of. Husband is advocating the bug (its mine) I'm advocating the Audi (his). Both cars are fine. The Audi still smells of feet. I win. Off into the sunset goes the Audi.

6 weeks later the Bug starts to play up. A couple of stressful breakdowns - we get it fixed. Everyone says - get rid its a vw once they start to play up ...
10 weeks later (Thursday) I drive up to SF for a lunch meeting. All well and good. Its scorching hot. I jump in the black bug - which is like and oven when its sunny. Set off for the coast. Get on the main access road to the freeway - its 3.30pm - Stop at traffic lights. The bug just stops. In the middle of 2 lanes. Right in front of the ball park main gate. Just stops. I sit there being honked and shouted at trying to phone AAA. I am deeply unimpressed. But not as unimpressed as the-trying-to-escape-before-rushhour SF business district piling up behind me.

Now, breaking down in America is interesting. Unlike Britain where only murderers stop to speak to you, one has lots of conversations when stranded in America. (I think I blogged this experience the last time the bug played up - the 6 week point. But just for the record.) I was waiting almost an hour for my pickup truck (Ramone from El Salvador). In that time I chatted with: 2 visiting rednecks in a pickup (they pushed my car to the side of the road), 2 SF motorcycle cops (20 minutes apart), an Asian guy who lived in the posh building I was in front of (not impressed cos it wasnt a mercedes), the security guard from the building I was in front of (Rosie, 69 years old and still carrying a walkie talkie, who patrols a building site in Golden Gate park at night and hides in the bushes if she hears anything), a posh gent on a foldup bike who thought I was stood there for the fun of it and stopped to admire the design aesthetic of the bug ( you can imagine my tone there), 3 well buffed young men in hair gel who were walking in their small yappie dogs and 1600 horn honkers who I eventually hid in a doorway to avoid. (Which is how I met Rosie and the asian chap).

To add insult to injury, when the tow truck dropped the car off, the boy from the garage jumped in and it started first time.

The bug is still in the garage. It will be on Craigslist shortly. Going cheap.

The audi apparently is still going strong at 152000 miles.

Our new office building is finally finished

and we moved in 2 weeks back. 3 mile commute to work, its GREAT. I take my little bicycle, stick my laptop in the wicker basket and head off down airport boulevard like an escapee from Kansas. Occassionaly I shriek 'I'll get you my pretty' at a passing pick-up, just for the hell of it.

I love the fact that some of the guys from work arrive on their uber racing bikes, all pointy helmets and neon lycra and click-in shoes, sweating profusely - and I draw up at the same time in a cardigan and ballet pumps with a genteel glow. Now to be fair, they are travelling a whole 2 miles more than me. And going 700 times faster. But still, I get to smirk at them with very European nonchalance - especially when they gasp and shake their heads in horror at my complete lack of cranial protection. (Americans!)
Although, admittedly it is to them I turn when I get a flat tyre or my saddle is at an odd angle or there's a squeek, or one of my 7(!) gears is odd. Then they miraculously produce gadgets, and wrenches and technical things from nowhere to fix it. Amazing what you can stash in lycra and click in shoes - apparently!

enid

Shortstories posted a comment under the 'pants' entry (nice to know someone is out there) saying I should be getting more mileage out of the word 'fanny'. It reminded me to share this one.

Being a conscientious mother, I encourage my children to read. I vividly remember the Mallory Towers series from my childhood and reckoned Twinkle was at the ideal age for all those ginger beer-esque adventures, so I hit Amazon with gusto. Nothing! Nowt! Couldn't find a thang. Has Enid Blyton become so non-pc she's been banned? What?

Eventually I find The Adventures of the Faraway Tree. Aha! I remember that, different worlds on clouds, Moonface, Silky, bread and jam. Great!

It arrives 3 weeks later. Twinkle DEVOURS it! Loves it, recommends it to all her friends. I sit down to read it to her brother.

The main characters are Jo, Fanny and Dick.

That'll be us barred from the 4th Grade reading circle then.

my goodness a month has passed almost to the day

since I last blogged. Not that I've been hugely busy, just always have other stuff to get done. Like my blog buddy shortstories lamented, it sometimes feels like a big time commitment when you get into blogging. But oddly , i miss it when I dont do it. Especially now that I've acknowledged I'm increasingly becoming a scatty old woman. I worry that I'm losing my life experiences for ever because my RAM is full of stuff I don't need. I forget the oddest things - and remember even odder stuff. I have been known to forget where my car is parked - or the fact that I took a ride that morning and have no car with me! How the valet guy laughed at that one! Or I forget that I took my laptop home the night before (despite working on it for 5 hours) and go all the way to work only to have to turn around and go return it because I have no hard drive to work from).
My grey-matter filing system has definately become 'bespoke' in recent years. Suppose it comes to us all in time. Although, I can always take comfort in knowing I'm not as bad as hubbie - who I did manage to convince once he was a year older than he actually was - with no effort at all. How he swung between /irked/pleased/cross/annoyed/delighted a year later when he got to celebrate the same birthday all over again.

Disturbed

Saw Hairspray today. John Travolta as the 'large' mom ( the Devine role to those of us who remember the 80's version). When I first saw him I though - no, this wont work for me. Then there were places where I thought - Oh he's pulled it off! But overall I'm just kinda disturbed by the experience. Will see if the nightime brings nightmares - then I'll decide.
A few very adult jokes in there, which was a tad uncomfortable with small children. Needless to say it went right over their heads - thankfully. Although you never know. After the last 'what do you mean babies dont exit via the bellybutton? ' conversation I'm bracing myself for the classic 'what's a communicable disease?' . Big breaths.

Pants

Not completely American I admit. But never ceases to amuse me when one bloke says to another at work ' are those new pants? very cool!' To offset this they continue to make me say 'potato' for no reason though.

vacation

Long time no post - shame on me. Writers block, busy life - boring life. But now that I've remembered how to log on (!) back to my rambling habits.

Just back from vacation (another Americanism that's crept in to the dialect - used to be holidays before). Went to Oahu in Hawaii. LOVED IT. Palm trees, beaches, mai tai' s. Mmmmm.

Wee girl became snorkelling demon. Snorkelling in the pool, in the sea, in the shower, on the loo (photo's to prove it on request). Wee boy became a hula demon. Father NOT impressed by that. Mai Tai muddled mother found it hysterical.

Snorkelling with a 9 year old is very interesting. Especially in shallow rocky bays. (Shark's Cove to be specific). She's scooting around without a care, I keep getting my boobs and budha belly scuffed on the rocks. Ouch. Also, her fascination with BIG fish was slightly disconcerting. I know I'm a coward/freak/wimp/woose etc etc etc, but I do not like to be swimming with big giant silver and green stripy toothy boggle eyed beasts. (God knows I dated enough of them in the 80's!) Wee nemo-esque blue and yellow things are fine - but the big giant ugly thangs - eeeeek!

Very friendly people in Hawaii - especially the buff young men. No wonder the middle-aged ladies all look so cheery.

Usual ridiculously bad American road signage. Husband forced us to visit Pearl Harbor, took us longer to find it than it did to tour it. But terribly informative. terribly. (See previous blog on middle-aged men and their fascination with all things war related).

Previous to Hawaii...
Birthday parties x 3. - Beach party sooo much easier than bouncy castle with midges.
Surf camp - 9 year old can surf, husband can't.
First and second visitors of the summer - must start charging for that spare room.
4th of July parade - free candy, barbecue, fireworks, lost sister in crowd, found er again.
Sonoma cabin - floppy futon and farty bruv-in-law. Managed to lose control of my arm during conversation and literally THROW a glass of red wine over young sister. She took it well. (compensation for farty bruv-in-law).

Post Hawaii (bikini shame) now on fish, veg, white wine and chocolate diet. Will keep you posted on that one. Training for mid Sept 10K. My legs hurt. Best tip from marathon-runner-skinny-blonde-friend/personal trainer. 'the trick is to stop running before you can't breathe any more'. Sooo glad I'm not paying her!