Today I have learnt two very important lessons. Lessons that I will not be forgetting in a hurry.
As I have previously mentioned, I am incapacitated at the moment. I'm off work, i can't walk far, I can't drive anywhere, and I can't do a thing it feels like!
Today I was given the all clear to resume driving again. I could have gone out at 7.30am this morning when I dressed, but I delayed it. I was savouring the thought of having my freedom back.
This afternoon at around 3pm I was ready to go, so I went out to the car. I hit the central locking and it clicked - great I thought, the battery is doing it's job after over 4 weeks sitting around waiting.
I climbed into the car, settled myself behind the wheel, clunk clicked my belt and put the key into the ignition.
Nothing. Not a sound. Not even a whirr of a starter motor.
Not wanting to be beaten, I returned to the house and emerged with the power booster instant engine starter thing. Carefully I connected the oversize clamps to the battery (feeling not a little unlike Dr. Frankenstein) and returned to the drivers seat. I carefully turned the key and the engine purred into life. It's alive! I thought.
Leaving the engine running, I carefully removed the power booster instant egine starter thing, took it inside and returned to my now living, breathing car.
Handbrake released, gear engaged and off I set. Not. There was an almighty clunk from under the car, followed by another. Reversing back to where I started from made no difference. Clunk - clunk still.
I tried again, attempting to turn the car around to face down the road. Clunk - clunk as it set off, and when I applied the brakes - nothing! just a soft pedal - clunk - clunk - then stop.
The car has been parked up. The car medics will be coming tomorrow. And I have learnt two very important lessons.
1. Don't leave the car parked up for over a month; The battery drains quickly.
2. Don't leave the car parked up for over a month; The brakes seize up and stop working.
Damn. Damn. Damn. So much for freedom.
