Stranded...

Up a hill, in the middle of nowhere with a puncture. I was about 200 yards from the pub (hidden over the hill) up the Kirkstone Pass.

No phone signal and unable to get the wheel nuts off to change the wheel. Never mind the fact that I was on a hill and it was getting dark. I left my phone on the bonnet of the car while I swore at the locking wheel nuts. A lovely couple stopped to help me after driving past and seeing my skinny spare tyre not a phrase I thought possible at the side of the road, they turned round and came back. Restored my faith in human nature after they didn't kidnap me but he couldn't loosen the wheel nuts either.

I looked at my phone perched on the bonnet and a bar of signal had appeared. The smart thing, phone the boys and see how far behind me they are. On the A702. Not much use to me. Called nice car boss on the train and told him I might not make it to the station to collect him. Then I called the AA. The woman asked all sorts of stupid questions... what colour is the car? Seriously? I'm stuck up a hill in the middle of nowhere by myself, it's getting dark and you want to know the make and model and colour of my car?? It's got a puncture... I can't get the wheel nuts off, I'm likely to lose signal any second and you have no idea where I am. Get your questions in the right order love!!

An hour later a lovely man appeared with a massive truck and helped me change the wheel. I'd already nicked a boulder off the wall to poke under my other wheel before I got the jack out (my Dad will be proud) and I think the recovery bloke was quite impressed. I could have changed the wheel on my own if I could have got the wheel nuts off. When I can afford to, I'm going to buy an extension bar for my wheel brace. Then at least my lardy arse would have come in handy for a change cause I could have stood on the bleeding thing!!

Anyway, the skinny tyre was mounted and the chipped alloy stashed in the boot for what was no doubt likely to be an expensive repair. I made it to the hotel with moments to spare on the bladder front (made a mental note to put my shewee in the boot of the car!) and then to the station for my taxi duties.

Not quite what I'd planned, six miles away from the hotel but it was just as well I'd left a little earlier than I'd originally planned.

This was my view as the light started to fade.