Post 322: Chilling out in the car with automatic everything.
We both saw the laundry basket overflowing with clothes again and although the washing machine was crying out for a rest, there was only one solution.
But in a way both my Darling and I were looking for a way out of this cycle of washing and drying and by about one o’clock we had reached the same conclusion — to pop down to the kids and bring them Byron’s toys they had left the other day.
It certainly wasn’t critical they got these toys today, but it would get us out of the house and give the car a good run.
It was a fact that with the uncertainty over petrol supplies and panic buying there was a thought that we should be on a war footing and unnecessary trips in cars were exactly that. But we had a full tank of petrol and a perfectly good excuse to burn a little of it.
The car is not electric and I won’t bother you with why I think that way. Suffice to say the engineering isn’t quite there yet and with our other kids in Cumbria 400 miles away I’m sticking to the old ways that will get me there on one tank of fuel.
Yes, it’s true that I’m a petrol-head and always will be, but it’s clear to see the battery car is coming and this wonderful country of ours is enabling progress towards zero emissions.
Good on us.
I just wish we weren’t alone in this ambition and the big four countries of the world thought the same.
But my Darling and I are philistines and grabbed our things and settled into the car for a drive.
While I knew most of the reasons for the many buttons on the dash and all around, I hadn’t ever used radar-controlled cruise control until now. It’s a facility that can tell what speed the car in front is driving at and keeps the distance you’ve set behind it no matter what.
It’s brilliant on the big wide roads. It was amazing as a safety device and although it numbs the driving experience, it sure seems safer.
I liked it and used it whenever possible.
What a fantastic car.
We arrived in no time at all, parked up and went in. The wooden gates our youngest was putting up on the front driveway were halfway there and didn’t yet impede our access to the front door where Byron was waiting, wagging-tailed.
We slid in the front door without letting him out and gave him as big a welcome as he gave us. Byron is certainly not showing any signs of growing up yet, but at 21 months is definitely enough to see a difference in his ability to follow orders.
Good boy Byron.
To say he’s taken over their world is an underestimate. They have become worried parents and he’s ruling the roost for now.
But they love him and that’s great.
Our youngest’s fiancée strode into the kitchen with a paper bag of pastries for us to snack on so the kettle went on and the warm bakery products were eaten while we caught up and kept Byron’s inquisitive long nose out of our treats.
The house is moving on slowly now that there’s a distraction in the home but that’s not going to worry them. They’re relaxed about finishing up the details of the dream home they have single-handedly re-created.
We didn’t stay long so the other gate could be set in place. We said our goodbyes, pushed a few buttons on the car navigator and we were off.
My Darling chose to drive and found the whole experience even better for the navigator advice being projected onto the windscreen.
How amazing.
Another thing we knew nothing about.
We will need to read up on the manual but it’s a very thick booklet and I’m not great at that sort of thing — I’m more a practical man.
See it — do it.
Read it — get confused.
We arrived home to the rest of the laundry and for the rest of the day my Darling endured in the kitchen.
Since the holiday each day I’ve got better and fitter but today I felt tired. My back aches in places it shouldn’t but it’s no problem because they’re not serious pains.
My weight loss I will no doubt see an increase to this coming Friday — hopefully. I won’t make a big thing of it anyway.
The next blood test is just over a week away and should show how the infusion of blood two weeks ago has helped me. I do hope that’s good news.
There’s nothing else to check yet and with the oncology meeting at the start of April we can relax.
I’ve got that frozen shoulder too but I live with it without much worry.
I might try a little light weeding today in the back garden but only if the day is dry. Perhaps I’ll survive a bit of work outside without any knock-on pains.
Well that’s it on a grey day that promised little and gave less.
Good night.
