For Going Out and Staying In.......

Hubby has started his next mission, to find our next car. I say "our" as at present we own one each, his has always been the good looking luxury transport for distance and comfort. Mine the small, nippy, economical, practical work horse. Mine for getting me wherever I'm going without him, and for him to use when taking rubbish to the tip, getting the shopping, collecting smelly takeaway, parking in a dodgy area, moving children and dogs around and driving us both anywhere social he may want me to drive home.... you get the idea? Now we are both retired, do so much more together and I drive so much less Hubby is researching us only having one car, but as we like the ones we've got the swap has to be perfect for us. So far (Sunday) he's on online images and specs, printed images and specs, spreadsheets for collating the data, reporting to me each new finding and constant collaboration with Son who will always be in the middle of petrol-head research. I'll let you know when we start test driving. 

Son had brought over a spare jar of lemon curd so with that oh so convenient ready rolled puff pastry I made a quick treat. Just as I was about to put them in the oven my lovely cousinS phoned, I put them in one handed but didn't set the timer as I'd normally do that on my phone and that was up against my ear, didn't set it on the hob either as that seemed like too many noisy beeps while having a conversation, so glanced at the clock and kept checking while chatting away. They did catch a bit but still very yummy. 

The plums on our tree are now ripe so Hubby went out to harvest. He wasn't out there long as this was the entire crop this year. Hahaha

Tuesday we visited both Audi and Mercedes showrooms having a good look and chatting lots. These added an extra to our ticklist of needs, can I reach the tail gate to close it or is it adjustable or automated? Definite don't wants is the Merc's fancy spaceship dashboard covered in chrome and the night package where it provides disco lighting. The salesman took great pleasure in showing me he could change the colours to match my nail varnish yuk yuk yuk. 

Did you know there's no such thing as haggling for discounts and deals, salesmen/women  are are all salaried now and not on commission? Spoilt 90% of my fun! 

Wednesday was a very wet day so Hubby stayed on the computer. By late afternoon and after doing yet another spreadsheet to calculate the annual costs of keeping our two current cars until they die and comparing it to the annual costs for a new one for the first five years....... he then announced it was daft changing now when we liked what we have so he's not looking anymore. I left it till bedtime then quietly asked if he felt disappointed that he'd decided not to buy a new one and he was certain that he wasn't and more than happy to stay with what we have. 

By Thursday lunchtime he'd changed his mind back, more online spec checking and a phone call to Audi to book a test drive slot for next week. I knew he would. 

All this vehicle chat between Hubby and Son got round to including motorbikes and to remembering Son's first real bike, a part of which still hangs on our garage wall. Thankfully Son went back together after that accident. 

It was in 2000 and as Hubby has recently trawled our photos he roughly knew where more photos would be. 

He enjoyed finding quite a few of himself, Son and Daughter all crash helmet wearing and having fun while I stayed home worrying. 

We've also had a guy come round to do a Home Survey on energy/ heat/ insulation/ efficiency of our living space stuff. Hubby has booked for a visit from two companies that can improve our cavity wall insulation (put in 35 years ago), which will no doubt mean taking the old out and putting new in. Hubby has been researching air pumps for installations, benefits and costs. I have to admit to patiently listening but not understanding quite a bit of all this info!

I'm hoping it will stop raining so he can get back to gardening.

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