Repairman

Goodness, I have had some adventures today.

The only really adventurous one was the last one, which has only just happened, so I shall tell it first, whilst its dreadfulness is still fresh.

My taxi has got something the matter with it.

I was taking some passengers to Hill of Oaks, which is about twelve pounds fifty away, when my car made a terrified beeping noise and started flashing red lights on the dashboard.

The temperature was showing that the engine had become very hot indeed.

I had a half-suspicion what was the matter with it, and stopped. One of the other taxi drivers came to collect my customers and Oliver came dashing heroically down from our house to fix it with a gallon of water.

There was no water in it.

I checked the dreadful joint that you might remember I had replaced myself a couple of weeks ago, but it was dry, so fortunately I have not messed that one up, how embarrassing that would have been.

I had noticed some small pools of water on the taxi rank for the last few nights, and had wondered, vaguely, if somebody’s car was leaking, and now I know whose it was.

I think it might have a split hose somewhere.

We refilled the tank and ran the engine until it had filled up with water again, and then fixed it with the time-honoured method of leaving the top off the water tank. This means that the system is no longer pressured so it does not force water out through little burst places.

I have stopped since and refilled the tank again. I do not know how bad it is, but I do not think it has blown the head gasket. I do not know what a head gasket is but I know they make lots of white smoke when they blow, and that the water in the tank would have been bubbling and frothing, so it is probably not that.

That, at least, is a relief. I can carry on until Mark gets home as long as I keep putting water in it.

I need to be at work because I have spent all of my money. Oliver and I went to Kendal this afternoon.

I had rushed round like mad this morning, emptying the dogs and pegging the washing on the line, and then we dashed off.

By a miraculous chance of fate, Oliver volunteered to drive, which is just as well because it would have been truly dreadful if we had gone in my taxi, for very probably it would have broken down on the way to Kendal. Then there would have been no Oliver at home to come dashing out to rescue me, with water and reassuring noises. It was a very narrow escape, and I am feeling chilled to the very marrow of my bones whilst I contemplate it.

Fortunately we did escape, and our trip passed without dreadfulness.

It is ages since I have been to Kendal, and it was very exciting.

I was very tempted to purchase a beautiful pair of sandals, studded all over with plastic emeralds, but decided regretfully that I already had sandals, which in any case were more comfortable, although possibly not more attractive, and so I ought to desist. I bought myself some sensible flip-flops on Amazon this evening instead.

We bought some sandals for Oliver, and some for Mark as well. Where Oliver questioned this I explained that at the moment Daddy’s preferred footwear with his shorts is his steel toe-cap boots, with black socks pulled up to his knees. I was sure this mode of dress had some practical advantages, but it lacks a certain sartorially affluent flair. We are going to the theatre in a few weeks, and in the event of a heatwave I wished to ensure his respectably middle-class Smart Casual appearance.

Oliver thought about this for a few minutes, and then agreed, and we went off for the purchases which had been the object of the trip, which was to acquire his sewing kit for Norland.

All good nannies can sew, of course. Things need to be fixed. Mary Poppins did it all the time, quietly in the corner of the nursery, darning socks and things.

We had been sent a kit list for this, and piled ourselves up with needles and glass-headed pins and all the other interesting bits and pieces on the list. I was astonished to discover that sewing was as much of a mystery to Oliver as the workings of an internal combustion engine are to me. On the discovery that he needed to purchase an embroidery hoop, he frowned and wondered what embroidery might be.

Hence we also purchased some Beginners’ Embroidery Kits, in order to give him a head start. He was quite interested and keen to practise.

He can take them with him for quiet moments at work.

I am sure all of the other bouncers will be interested and envious.