Up and Down we go

Olivia loves wet weather. She hates cold. This morning was perfect - it rained most of the night so everything was still damp when I left for work. But it was warm! She went absolutely beautifully.

But there are times when you're scared to drive, and when after an hour of trying to breathe deeply once you get home you're still a little shakey.

Today is one of those days.

There was that "sigh" from the engine just before I hit town, the merest hiccup in power - and immediately I went from relaxed & driving to tense & listening. There's very little place to pull off until a certain point, and I hadn't checked fuel levels (fuel guage is kinda stuck on half-tank). First garage I came to was where I pulled over and did just that. Still have fuel. Check spark - nothing loose, still have spark. But had had a few more very little judders between the first sigh and the garage. The only culprit I could imagine is the vacuum advance, which is awaiting a new rubber seal on the end and is currently functioning with duct tape. So after sitting for a bit and gathering my courage, I gingerly headed home. Of course I would get stuck behind a tannie with a gigantic fern in the back of her car who seems to have learnt to drive when the speed limit was still 10. And then some chick in a Renault who slammed on brakes for everything - notwithstanding the Landy creeping up her arse. But we made it. Engine sounding "sloshy" again, but we made it.

Last time it did that I needed to stick in oil, and did so again today. I hope that's what the issue was (for now). It's not that it's run out, it's just that it's low - and using up oil a lot. I really need to get that compression test, the banjo bolt washers, the vacuum advance rubber... If only I didn't have to contend with office hours. :-)

So we're home. I sat on her wing in the last of the sun for an hour as the engine slowly cooled. Taking deep breaths, trying to stop shaking with terror at what might/could have happen/ed. And trying not to remember that tomorrow is Friday the 13th.