RollercoasterHomelife

We'd spent the evening nervously glugging on comforting red wine and cozying up in Cheeques trying to jam uplifting songs on the flute + guitar, wondering if this would be the last night we spent in our happy little wonky home. Appreciating him more + more and regaling all the brilliant and life changing adventures we'd already had in him. We thought that maybe if we made him feel like the most loved home in the world, he might find some hidden life left in him yet..

A nice visit from our old pal Conn in the morning ticked away the hours of nail biting anticipation until the oil arrived. Plenty of minty teas + some light hearted gossip of the last 5 months of valley livin' we've missed out on seemed to take our minds blissfully off the topic at hand.

A final trip to see the gorgeous little mechanic and there was no more pondering to be done.

He was either going to start up or he wasn't. (Cheeques, that is, not the mechanic)

I don't think either of us were breathing, I was hunched over the shuddering engine + Dan took his position in the pilot seat. All of our swanky new motorhome neighbours owning spaceship like mobiles that look like they might hover silently above the road when making their journeys, all seemed to be popping out for a walk conveniently as the moment of truth was about to happen. I couldn't determine their expressions; it was either pity or mobile home camaraderie, but they were all staring nonetheless.

Dan's face looked like he was tip towing along broken glass when he first turned the engine over, I would imagine that mine did too.

1St attempt; clunk, dunk, bump, dump, done, no.
2nd attempt; clunk, dunk, bump, dump, done, no.
3rd attempt; clunk, dunk, bump, dump, done, no.

"Annie, it's not happening"

Just as I was about to tip my head with great loss :

4th attempt; stutter, mutter, splatter, whizzer, whoozer, whooom, v-roooooooom !!!

The mountain ranges surrounding me elevate to 4000 metres; I think I jumped higher than them all!

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Perhaps now, this diary of pictures can start focussing on the beautiful surroundings of Mont Blanc, rather than sponging on + on about engine health reports. Sorry for the monotonous posts.

Needless to say, we 'took' to the town that evening, with our small collection of mountain mates. Even had two of em over to our much happier home for a sleep over. Cheeques new title; 'All in working order, 4 berth'