Another night spent worrying about the Illis car. This is getting really stupid!
I got up around 03.00 and tidied the kitchen up a bit. I was a bit horrified to discover so many dirty pots stacked up in the sink!
I made a crumble. And I eyed up hoovering the floor and decided it could wait.
My brain kept rearranging ideas for dealing with this car.
In the end I arose and took the dogs for a short sojourn by the river at Pangbourne. There were few dogs around to start with but they soon appeared emerging from various car parks.
Boat people appeared with their boats and fishermen men fished in vain and the olive waters Thames lay still and limpid. Unless disturbed by the passing of a boat. But not many passed due to the early hour.
I then went to feed invisible Freddy and collect the Golf keys. I eyed up the Golf and crammed myself inside it, concluding Dave must have been the last to drive it, as my foot waggled around failing to make contact with the clutch and the car floor .
I had been warned about the handbrake which appears to be a clone of mine. But I could not find the start button. I hunted around in vain. I researched it on the internet, in vain. I got out the manual and read it. Almost in vain.
And then I discovered you have to put a key in an ignition slot! A key in a slot! And then turn it, whilst your foot is on the clutch. How quaint. I haven’t done that for a good few years. Not since the car before the Scenic or even before that. And guess what? It started!
I had arranged with Neal that he would take me up there. And I thought they might have a Golf which could be handy, which it might have been, had it not been 10 years older than the one I was about to drive.
Parking up the Combe!
We arrived and I removed the signs and gingerly turned the key, lifted off the handbrake, and put it in first gear. Manual Gears! I have not used those for a while either. We moved slowly down the hill and found a few corners before parking up at Underhill. Safe!
I might get a decent sleep tonight.
It was lovely to see Neal and Anne again. Despite his illness Neal was looking good and I am very grateful to him for driving me to Streatley. All the food I prepared was happily devoured. Seemingly happily.
My walk this morning was enough to satisfy the dogs and keep them quiet though Minnie is pacing around a bit.
The day started off nicely but deteriorated to clouds and some drops of rain.
Our visitors have departed. The evening brings the cool of autumn.
Our Peruvian travellers are now in Agua Calientes – near to Macchu Picchu. That is for tomorrow. They walked rather a long way today and tonight is a hotel night. A hotel with a laundry nearby. To their huge relief.
First sight of Macchu Picchu
Thought for the Day
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