Bye-bye little car

Well, I hope thats not the last I see of my little car.

To catch you up.. I have not had the best experience with insurance companies and the AA. I've been told its written off, but until the blame has been set, I am stranded. No-one will pick the car up ad no-one wants to sort a hire car out for us.. so I took things into my own hands.

Through the beauty of Facebook, someone I have never met called a mate of her fathers who was a mechanic in a nearby town to where I am at the moment, and asked them to come and look at the car for me.

I am really working on the assumption that it is only cosmetic and that there is no real damage done to the chassis or axle. 

Hugh the Welsh mechanic was lovely.

He has taken our car away on a trailer and said he’d get back to me on Monday about it.. he hopes that its just a strut that is bent and if it is, he said it is easily fixed and cheap too.

Although there is a significant amount of cosmetic damage to it, so long as it is roadworthy and safe for me to drive, I am not going to care.  I really really don't want the hassle of having to find and buy another car.

So, I am feeling very blessed with the outcomes so far. Our housesitting host has been gracious enough to allow us to stay here for Sunday night,  so at least we have somewhere to stay till when we hear what Hugh has to say about the car.

If he says its stuffed, then I will hire a car from wherever I can here and head to London and do battle with the insurance company from there. 

Put your praying pants on, dance naked or throw sprinkles in the air .. even if its just for fun.. but send your good wishes along to us in Wales. 

I only need the car for another 2 and a half weeks and then we are off to do the Santiago Camino for 2 months.  I can think about plans from there...

Doggy Love in Wales

We have two very energetic loveable boarder collies to care for here in our Wales housesit.  I know you shouldn't have favourites - but I think these two are amongst our favourite pets we have had the pleasure to look after. Beautifully kept ( not that anyone elses hasn't been!) and (moslty) well mannered, they are just a delight to walk with and play with.

We walk them at least twice a day into nearby fields and the kids get to kick a ball around while the dogs chase it.  Its such a great experience for them - and the blessing I am gaining from our time 'stuck' with out a car is that we can relax and spend time with the dogs while their owners are away and that the animals don't get stressed out.

After tramping around the fields, we make sure that paws and fluffy undersides are wiped clean and they are dry before they come into the house.

Happy Birthing Day Miss Lilly - a Big 9

It seems unbelievable that 9 years ago, Adrian and I had just arrived home from going to the movies and a lovely dinner out when quite dramatically, my waters broke and the next birthing journey had begun.

I think its probably a little unfair that as you get older, you are much better prepared mentally and emotionally for birthing, but the fertility rates drop to a scary 5% chance once you hit 40 and yet when you are younger and a bit more naive, its easier to fall pregnant and physically birth - but the headspace is not there.. perhaps food for thought and a different blog another time?

So fast forward 9 years and we are presented with a confident sassy young lady whose heart is bigger than the moon, her creativity knows no bounds - nor does her love for all things pink, or fluffy - or both.

Lilly is a joyful ruffian, who makes me want to tear my hair out sometimes, but to smother her in kisses for her pure heart. She is a gift to anyone who meets her and with the 'village' around her to guide and help her into womanhood, she will be a force to be reckoned with.

We went shopping the other day for a pretty dress especially for today. She wears it with pride accessorising it with a lovely lace flower hairclip sent to her by Michael. ( He actually sent her a half dozen, which she has promptly tried all on and swaps every half hour)

Eventhough it was less than 6 degrees outside, she braced the chill just to wear this dress down the street of Lampeter. She chose to have some special things bought and a little party at home, rather than find a cafe or pub to have lunch in, so we bought a bunch of her favourites to enjoy back at our housesit.