Pah!!
I just drove the mile and half to pick daughter up from karate.... driving along, starting to get a bit concerned about a very slight, barely noticeable vibration thru steering wheel. Try to convince myself that as a woman I should NOT be paying attention to such things.
Still trying......
F*****G nora!! Cant convince myself anymore when the flaming car goes from barely there vibration to nose dive left :bang: Catch it all up, and pull gently into the left, with that sinking feeling, knowing what awaits.....knowing its freezing cold, knowing there is already ice on the road, knowing I have no coat on, knowing I forgot to pick up the mobile phone and most of all knowing I am on a fairly busy bend :bang:
Yep, one N/S/F puncture, looks like tyre started to deflate then had a sudden catastrophic parting of company with the rim, hence the sudden nose dive....GREAT!!!
So, I take the 'stranded woman' way out, and gently drive it the 1/4 mile round the corner to the health club where daughter is . Park up, under a big car park spot light [see, I am thinking] and head indoors. Try to call Mr LL....called the landline....called his mobile....called my mobile... NADA!! NOWT!! No Bloody answer!!
Back outside, in the now -2 temps, and unload spare tyre, etc from boot, and start work....with TWO 13 yr old girls 'asking questions and trying ot be helpful' :bonk:
Now, scissor jacks are not the best, but positioned correctly, they just about work...though it helps if the sodding handle isnt made of something akin to coat hanger wire :shake: Finally got the car high enough off the ground to get the wheel off...'cept of course, despite liberal applications of grease last time the wheel was off, its stuck tight.... its an alloy wheel, so cant hit it...then...just for good measure, the driver of a black cab parked next to me appears, and says 'oh I was going to offer to help but you look like you have everything under control' and jumps in his cab and drives off like the hounds of hell are after him!! :bang:
Anway, some gentle tapping of the hub and some tugging [all the time watching for the jack deciding it doesnt want to play any more and trying not to throw a wheel brace at the 13 yr olds who are still 'trying to be helpful'] and the wheel finally decides it better play ball and comes away. PHEW!!
Put the spare on, lower the jack, tighten the nuts [oh there at least 2 men I can think of at this point whos nuts I would like to tighten...in a vice] bung everything back in boot and set off.
So, finally arrive home....what is my wonderful other half doing that stopped him being able to answer a phone? LISTENING TO MUSIC THROUGH HEADPHONES WHEN THE HOUSE IS EMPTY!!! AAARRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
So, I now have fingers that are barely able to type this long ramble, shoulders that feel like they were the ones being subjected to the 2 hours of karate [winding the jack up], I still have to do a late night tesco run as the cupboards are bare and i am COLD!!! WHERE is the whisky?? :nuts:
