Exhausting...

...now I have never been particularly phased when it comes to cars and all things mechanical, probably because I spent the best part of my childhood with my head in an engine "helping" my Dad out whilst he fixed his friends cars.  And then of course, there is my train driving career that meant I needed to learn how to fix one of those big high speed trains should they ever, to put it in my terms, conk out.  And then, there's my obsession with fast cars, motorbikes and all things British Touring Cars.   So, all in all, I like to think that I know my way around an engine, you know, I know when a "mechanic" sucks air in through his teeth and shakes his head that invariably he is, taking the mick.   One thing that causes me...erm... issues however, is my inability to be strong and tough.  So what happened yesterday morning made me realise that however "clever" I might thinks I am when it comes to all things mechanical, sometimes you just need to hand things over to a bloke to sort out.

I drove up to Preston, Lancs, yesterday morning for my demo day at Inspirations.  I tiddlybompelled along the A14 and the M6 in the heavy morning traffic and of course, being a law abiding citizen, Ferdy was kept to the speed limit (yep, I did, honest, really.... for a change *snort*)   Anyways, as I was tootling along the road that leads from the motorway to the store, I was being followed by a chap in a BMW.   And he kept flashing at me (his lights, not himself *ahem*)  I thought he was just being impatient and wanted me out of the way.  You see, Ferdy is super speedy but he looks tame, in fact, I once was hollered at by a fellow motorist who allowed me into a queue of traffic because "she only has 500cc"  Ha!  "Smell my exhaust pipe sucker" is what I smuggly said to myself.    Anyway, I digress.  So, tootleybomping along the road with a big BMW flashing his lights at me.... and me hearing a weird flappy noise.   And then the traffic stopped all of a sudden because behind us, fast approaching, was a convoy of blue flashing lights.  

The noise has now gone... and been replaced with a slightly different noise.  So, I wound down the window and I hears a helicopter... just as a mahooosive train of Police escort vehicles comes screeching past... turns out there's a prison in Preston and the aforementioned Police escort was obviously going there with some baddies in the back of the lorries.  And the helicopter was there as part of the escort.   In the meantime, Mr BMW is no longer behind me.   Anyways, the traffic gets going again and I arrive into the carpark at Inspirations and I can still hear what I think is the helicopter noise.  Only when I get out of the car, I can't see any helicopters in the sky... and the noise has stopped.    And then I went to the boot to get my stashly stuff... and saw, to my shame/embarrassment/dismay/general clueless womaness, that Ferdy's exhaust was hanging off!!!!!

Actually, that is a bit of an exaggerations.  What was actually hanging off was the outer skin of the back box of the exhaust... and it had obviously been flapping for a fair bit because it had been rubbing on the back tyre and the heat of this friction had actually curled the metal away from the tyre.  Ahem.  Erm.  Whoops!    So, I was there, on my hands and knees, in a very ungainly and ladylike pose, trying without success to bend the metal and remove it from flapping about when a car pulls up in the space next to me... and out steps Ali Reeve and her (now heroic) hubby.   Now, Mr Reeve always has a little jokeypoo with me about my train driving past and I always have a little jokeypoo back about women being able to operate remote controls and things like that... all in jest of course.   Well, I decided that A) I needed to act fast and B) playing the idiot woman would be the best plan of action.  Actually, I made that bit up, I just acted normally and that is what happened lol   Anyways, Mr Reeve leapt to my rescue and removed the offending flappy bit of disgustingly rusted metal and all was well.

Ferdy is ok, apparently the exhausts on Fiats have lots of skins and the offending rusty bit was just the outer one... and he just passed his MOT so the emissions are ok... I just need to get the back box jobby replaced now.  Who ever said that I would never be rich whilst owning a car had it spot on (thanks Dad lol)      I had a lovely day yesterday at Inspirations and the pics are some of the demo tags that I made.   HUGE thanks to Joanne for the fish n chips - yep, she brought me a bag full of proper northern fish and chips and I had one lot of them for my tea last night and I have the others just re-heating now.   I know, you are probs going "ewww, re-heating fish n chips" but I do have a tried and tested method... pop the fish onto a rack over a baking tray in the oven... after about 10 mins turn over (the fish, not yourselves) and then add the chips to the now hot tray.  Another 10 mins of pacing the kitchen being driven badonkers by the smells of the proper northern fish n chips and then serve, with vinegar and salt and a smidge of HP Sauce.  Mmm, nomnomnom!   And also a big thank you to Helen who made me a gorgeous tag.. and to Aly who made me a cute sock monkey.  I will get some pics of them and blog tomorrow.  And finally... thank you to Rae who gave me... wait for it.... a Ukelele!!!!!!!!   I said at the beginning of the year that I will learn an instrument and that is the one I fancied... and Rae had one that was her dear Dad's, so she has given it to me.  Now I just need to learn how to play it!    Right, I shall away... fish n chips to stuff in my chops and all that.... have a good evening ... TTFN!

Hels x