The Damage

Backblipped on 18th March 2012

As it got light, we were able to see the damage from the crash the previous evening. It didn't look great. The headlamp was completely smashed, and the bonnet quite damaged. I could also see in through the smashed front grille that the radiator had sustained damage too.

The Wonderspouse walked the 2 miles or so to the bus stop, since we thought it wasn't wise to drive - in fact, if I'd know how bad the damage was, I probably wouldn't have driven to Gloucester the previous night. He was late for work that morning, but that was the way it had to be.

However, I knew that I had to start sorting out the mess. I needed a functioning car, and I needed to keep myself sane enough to sort everything out.

First of all though, I needed to unplumb the old washing machine, ready to be taken. I did. I also cleaned out the exit pipe, and cleaned all the muck and cat crunchies and so on out from the washing machine hole.

Shortly after 8.00 the new machine arrived. In order to save money I'd opted to install it myself. I started undoing the transit bolts, which was exhausting and difficult.

As soon as "normal office hours" started, I rang the car accident people. I went through the accident details, etc etc etc, excesses, repairs, and so on. I was then put on to the garage who would repair the car. I explained that I needed a courtesy car, today if possible, since I was scheduled to leave home early the next morning to collect a couple of baby rats and the large cage. They said they'd find something for me, and be along after lunch to collect my car, which had now been definitively pronounced undriveable - illegal on the basis of its missing lights even if nothing else.

Then I returned to the washing machine. My hands were getting really tired, and were already worn from repairing the toilet the next day (I forgot about that in previous blips - the toilet seat broke over the weekend, and I had to fix it - a fun morning on the bathroom floor with a screwdriver).

However, after quite a lot of work, I managed to undo the bolts and eventually moved the machine into position and plumbed it in. I then set it on doing its first wash - without laundry, as per the instructions in the booklet.

At the end of the cycle, the soap drawer had water in it. Hmmmm!

Sometime after what would have been lunch if I'd had any, a recovery truck turned up with a giant diesel car on the back (a Fiat Croma, which I've now christened the Fiat Monster). It then took my car away.

By this stage, I needed a rest, so I went up to my study to say hi to the rats. Moses was looking poorly, so I rang the vet and made an appointment - at least I now had a car to take him in.

Then I returned to the first load of laundry - it was done, but the soap drawer was again full of water.

Then I went to the vet. Moses was put on antibiotics, and the vet was worried about the lesions on his skin. Possibilities were some sort of infection (good) or skin cancer (bad). I went home, exhausted and dejected,

Can't remember the evening. I guess I drank wine and fell asleep!