3 cheers for Jim! Or not. Oh no. Oh YES!

It worked......a weekend in the garage to reflect on it's behaviour and the car has seen the error of it's ways. It's radiator is shot but I can do that, if I rob Peter to pay Paul and hide from Paul for a while, we can do it. Hot smell was because it was indeed hot, clicking was the hot split radiator, all will work, it is being fixed as we speak and although I hold my breath in anticipation at the very thought that Jim will call and say something like " Hey guess what, we have the new radiator but the rest of the car fell apart when we took the old one out" I am tenatively giddy with joy at the idea that we will after all be able to go.....jousting and go here.

I can take my visitors to many places and have the boys strapped in car seats.
I can take all the rubbish to the tip before they get here because we have been SUPER duper busy clearing and dumping and we have piles and bags at the front and back of the house....when I look out and see said piles, I feel as afraid as Isaac does when watching 'chitty chitty bang bang' when the child catcher is calling the children



but I shall fear no more, Isaac and I will gird our loins, while Daddy and Seth are on the bus going to London ( oooh trying not to think of terrorists and tube stations and my precious people in that big old bad city instead of here in devon where we feel safe and breathe fresh air) and Elijah is at gramma's because he is even sleeping there ( should I tell her he gets up at 5.30ish or let it be a lovely surprise that she will see her beloved boy so early in the morning?) We will load up the car (who will be contrite and pleased to serve us and be happy to be back home and promise not to die or even get ill for a very long time. Because it will know what side it's bread is buttered-- WON'T IT?) we shall dump all rubbish and clean and tidy and by the time Grandpa and Kara arrive, it will look like we always live like this.
I know that it will be less than 45 minutes before that illusion is broken and the frightening mess will start to creep from wherever it comes from, within 2 days we will be back to normal and no-one will care. It will come as second nature to step over toys, cut up paper and breakfast bar wrappers and the feel of crunchy socks, with dry cereal eternally stuck to them, will seem so natural it will scarcely be noticeable.
So, once again Jim has rescued us, my premonitions were unfounded and the car.....now known as Pauline ( don't ask me why, just seems to suit it somehow) will be around a while longer.
3 Cheers for Jim. hip hip HOORAY! hip hip HOORAY. HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!!

OH NO OH NO!!!! Jim called at 2.30pm..radiator fixed, was very broken. Test run....something else leaking, is being checked, might be awful.Sorry car, SORRY I didnt mean it, I love you really....PLEASE don't be anything big, Peter doesn't have much more to rob, please just be a little insignificant under the car leak that won't matter or will cost 28p to mend. Oh Sod it, tits, udders, very big swear word, willy ( I do know a much worse W swear word but don't like it) JUST BE FIXED car. please. please. please. please.....please.

It's ok, really ok, without having to steal, sell my children or my body ( did think about it, but at tuppence ha'penny a pop it would have taken until the next millenium to gather the funds so that was a no-go to start wit.) we haven't had to accept charity or lose dignity....but because there is faith, we have the money to pay for the car and have fun while grandpa is here. We still don't know what the problem is with the car but it should be fixable. I am humbled and faith filled, miracles happen and they even happen to me. Isn't that the best thing to know???