Sunday fun in the garage

We had a 'garage' day today. One of the cars suddenly developed a hole in its exhaust, as these things tend to, and as usual, He Who Can Fix Anything decided to fix it himself. And again, as these things tend to, the more he investigated the problem, the more he exposed the shocking workmanship we are subject to these days. The person who had installed the exhaust had used about 6 gaskets to fill the gap rather than fitting the thing correctly and had stripped a couple of bolts at the same time, and consequently the job expanded beyond all expectation.. The air was blue with expletives, sometimes reaching full sentences, and I tried to stay out of the way, but unfortunately had to pass spanners, copper welding rods, brazing tools and a bucket of hot, soapy water for intermittent removal of grime and grease from face and hands. It transpires that the job would probably have cost about R85 at a garage, and if I had known that, under no circumstances would I have allowed the planks to be removed from the pit.

Some 4 hours later, the job was done and I thought we could have a Sunday afternoon doze on the bricks under the trees, as we usually do on hot days. But no, for a little light relief (and after I had cooked dinner, I might tell you!), we installed the front and back windscreens in the Mini he is restoring. I don't know how many of you have done this, but I think we have installed about 4 over the years, and it isn't the easiest thing, particularly if you don't have the right tools and have to rely on brute strength (I'm not a brute and I don't have strength) and a long piece of string. The brute jimmies the rubber into position and I pull the string out so that the rubber sits on both sides of the metal rim, which is much more difficult than it sounds, and my fingers were definitely not suitable for a handcream advert after we were finished.

But finish we did, and successfully so. Another Sunday sweating in the garage, while elsewhere in the world, people relax, entertain, eat out and generally have a good time. I suppose I will have to look on the positive side as having added another string to my bow. But if you want a windscreen fitted, don't call me...