Our motor car packed up on Boxing Day 2010.

Himself was going to the dechetterie to dispose of a few bottles, cans and plastic and also pick up a couple of baguettes in the village for lunch. We were expecting some good friends to arrive in an hour or so.

Himself had driven around 300 metres and ‘crunch’ the car stopped! The cam belt had broken…..

In the process of the cam belt breaking the pistons continued their journey and totalled the engine…….

Himself stormed back into the house, steam pouring from his ears and his face purple. He was not happy.

I stood and looked at the purple rage and said ‘calm down, I will phone our friends and ask them to pop into the boulangerie on their way. We will think about the car later!.’

And so from then until now we have had no car. We have a tame mechanic (English I hasten to add) who was in the UK at the time so we had to wait for him to come back to his home and job. He came to look at the motor car. Not good!!! I ordered new cam belts and when he arrived to check the engine etc. it was found that the engine was beyond economical repair!!!

Now this cost us 300 euro! New cam belts and consultation……

And after paying out over 650 euro for our ‘total’ diagnostic on the house, I, as the banker was not very happy!!

So there we are 1,000 euro down! And I thought that I was on top of financial things….

I left a financial headache (in my working life) in the UK and thought that things would be better out here. Noooooo.

In the UK, prior to relocating to France, I was checked for irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers as I was being so very ill all the time (Jeez was that job stressful!). I am having the same symptoms now… For heavens sake, I shouldn’t have this, I should be enjoying retirement and living a relaxed, organic life, but no!

Fortunately, we have some very good friends that have come to our aid… God bless them!

Today we have found a car, via le Bon Coin, we had a look at a couple of cars but one really took our fancy, we also had to deal with a new guy in the bank as our lovely Mme Sourire has since left but jeune Mr Huile is not too bad… shame he doesn’t speak English!

So, in a couple of days we will have a motor car that can get us from A to B… what a joy, and, it is a French car (Renault Megane Scenic) and Himself, as the chauffeur, quite likes it!!