Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

My sister Joanne has commented that some of my previous posts have been rather melancholy. Well this time we have plummeted.

I am deflated like my retirement balloons.

I loved my 'Sunny Melon' yellow Corsa, but in the beginning of March I traded it in for the 'New Van'.

Cheerful yellow corsa in the background, traded in for 'Whie Van'

 

We took the van home and I nervously had a go at driving it. I missed the relaxed feeling of driving of my familiar corsa, but Sunday on  morning I got up early to take the van to a deserted car park to practise reversing.

It wouldn't start!

A bit annoying but never mind the car dealer we bought it from is very decent and his mechanic did a bit of work on it - problem solved.
I practised my reversing until I was pretty good.

Tidy parking.

I drove the van to work and showed it off to my colleagues. Laura gave me a set of stickers as part of my retirement present. I was thrilled and on went the flowers..

Big one in the middle.

A floating garland to the right



More to the left

Looking good.

Enough flowers to trail round the sides.
I love this van.

The van is for sleeping in when we go stargazing on the moors of Devon and for taking to the beach as a handy, warm changing room for when I go swimming in the sea.

We took it for its first sleepover and stayed on a lovely Exmoor campsite.



Cheers. Happy motoring.

A wonderful van. Although it continued to mess about a bit and frequently refused to start. Our friendly mechanic changed this and that. Each time we got it back it started fine - for a while.


We made a pact - with the van - with each other - with the mechanic.
If it starts ok for the next few weeks, we will stick with it. If not we will have to give up on it.
It started ok (although sometimes a little reluctantly) for over three weeks. We booked it in for a full service and change of cam belt at the local Vauxhall garage.

Yesterday I threw my 'Good Luck for your Retirement' balloons away. This morning we got in the van to drive it to the garage...it refused to start!

The flowery van is no longer on the drive but the story is not finished.

We are giving it just one more chance. If the dealer and his mechanic can sort it out we will have it back. If not, its definitely the end.

We just have to wait and see.