It’s that time again

Ciggy Series 2 SWB Land Rover battery not included …..

Every year, on two separate occasions, I find myself sitting in a waiting room, nervously thumbing through dog eared magazines, anxiously checking the clock, hoping for good news, anticipating the worst. Everything hanging on the verdict of one person, probably the most terrifying and yet powerful person in the automotive industry ……. the MOT inspector!!!

February it was Annie, my 30 year old, Series 3 Land Rover, who passed not quite with flying colours, as she did have one advisory but at least that one minor detail can be fixed by Mud, on the front drive for minimal cost and frankly, for such an old vehicle, one advisory is pretty good going all things considered.

Advertisement

Door tops: the long and winding road…….

The teddies deserved a treat ….

When Mud suggested that we make the most of his day off with a jaunt in Annie, just the two of us, a bit of quality time, I happily consented, especially as there was an offer of  lunch thrown in and, let’s face it, Mud still has some way to go to make up for the camera/white spirit fiasco.

However, visions of a romantic stroll along the beach front, or a carefree amble around the walled gardens of Normanby Hall were short lived and disappeared in a puff of black, oily smoke with his next words:

It’s raining, it’s pouring

The mangetout, leeks and strawberry plants look happy in the sunshine

“I don’t believe it,” was Muds’ exasperated out cry this morning as, sounding more like Victor Meldrew than ever before, he surveyed the garden this morning!!! “It was glorious sunshine when I got up this morning and now it’s flipping raining! Again!”

Actually, ‘raining’ isn’t quite the right word to use to describe the torrential downpours that seem to be happening every 20 minutes or so but it is definitely raining on Muds’ parade , well his truck cab refurb’ to be exact, and he isn’t happy.

Repairing a gap in the hedge the Land Rover owners way

Fence panel with a difference

We have a 60 foot long stretch of native hedge that runs down the side of our house which has been a haven for wildlife and has provided much needed privacy, as the next house along, although separated from us by a road and grass verge, is slightly elevated and set back.

The location of this house has never really been a problem in the past, as we have carefully managed and maintained the hedge, which has provided bushy green cover through most of the year and a healthy tangle of branches during the winter, so it came as a bit of a shock last year when we realised that a gap had appeared (with a little help from another neighbour, as we later found out)  in the hedge and it allowed the neighbours an unhindered view of our dining room and patio area.

Lego and Land Rovers …. just another Sunday

Even at my age, I find building with Lego really therapeutic, relaxing and down right satisfying . Rummaging around in a box or three of bricks, creating something out of nothing and then sitting back and surveying my efforts with a relaxed sense of satisfaction.

It’s not often that I get the chance to indulge my thwarted architect side but last night I designed and built what I thought was a pretty impressive, eight stall stable block for my youngest daughter, complete with water buckets, hay in mangers, hay loft and tack room! Of course ultimately, it would be Little Mudlet who would decide on how successful my build was and I would have to wait until morning to get her considered opinion on things.

Ciggys new colours

It always seems to Mud that whenever he decides to start a large job which necessitates the getting out of numerous and often cumbersome tools, previously brilliantly sunny weather begins to change to torrential downpours accompanied by gale force winds.

Having booked a week off with the intention of getting all of Ciggys’ body panels and, most importantly, her bulkhead stripped down, primered, under coated and then top coated he was more than a little frustrated to find his efforts hampered by the inclement and unseasonably cold weather. To say that things have been a little tense would be an understatement.

How many engines ………

…….. does it take to run a Series 2 Land Rover? Well if Muds’ workshop is anything to go by, 2 or maybe even 3.

Ciggy arrived with what appeared to be a relatively good 2.25 diesel engine but it was only a 3 main bearing (MB) which, apparently, wasn’t ideal. That said it was a good little engine and started very quickly, even on cold damp mornings after a week or so of no action but it was lacking a little bit of umph (is that torque in car engine speak?) And so the great engine debate began.

 

Behind you ……..

Behind each Land Rover enthusiast, you will more than likely find a less than enthusiastic but supportive army of parents, spouses and/or partners, each trying, and failing, to fathom out the mystery that is the obsession with all things Land Rover (and in my case ….. Series).

I have to say that I was hoodwinked into my role by the plaintive expression on Muds’ face who, having been Land Roverless for the best part of 6 years, was desperate to reverse this state of affairs and, to that end, was prepared to give up smoking and to cut down on his alcoholic intake, for the purposes of funding the restoration of the rather forlorn looking Series 2 he had spotted on ebay.