Vicissitudes

I suppose that we all have them, but that truth doesn't alter the frustration we feel when Life decides to throw a wobbly.
We have a broken loo seat. Normally one would visit the DIY store and pick up a replacement for a few quid, buit noooo! This one comes with a fitting which I cannot fathom, unless the solution is to remove the toilet from the wall in order to gain access to the rear of the thing. Enter the plumber, a representative of the local firm who fitted the wretched thing. After an hour or so he emerged triumphantly with the broken seat in tow and announced that it looked like a special purchase. He departed for the supplier, while I had visions of having to replace the entire toilet for want of the seat. We then had to send him photos of the loo to aid identification (Goodness knows what any intercepting agency might have thought). That was on Wednesday and we shall not see the new seat until Monday, perhaps, at a cost of some £65 + VAT. For a loo seat? And then there is the cost of fitting..

Yesterday my car played a trick on me. Exiting a car park which I have used countless times, a sound from beneath the car suggested a grounding, unlikely. Instantly the clutch pedal refused to return to its position, leaving me to change gear with a movement based on about half-an-inch of travel. The car ran ok, even if changing gear was necessarily cautious. After some 10 miles or so and to the accompaniment of another "graunch" the pedal returned to its full height, making driving easier. What can it be? Hopefully the garage will diagnose the cause and remedy tomorrow.

Number One son has had some set-backs of his own this week and some good news. Due to the activities of some at his workplace, and other happenings in his life, great stress has been endured. He is now signed off work for a couple of weeks while the problem gets sorted (hopefully) by an independent third party. Additionally, his legal challenge to recover money from a previous house sale failed, meaning that the immediate future will be a little more impecunious. However, sale of his current house went through smoothly, as did the move to the flat of the Intended, enabling him to put most of these trials behind him. Life goes on and should now get better and better.

I have joined Twitter! Early days yet, of course, but I hope to join in with the wider community in due course. Watch this space!!