I forgot to mention that I got my old bird back from the garage yesterday and I didn’t have to extract any limbs  in order to pay for it. It was the clutch cable as the shopkeeper said (bless him, he helped me push the car away from the traffic) but it only cost £60, not a “couple hundred” as he intimated. A hugh sigh of relief could be heard reverberating around Croydon I’m sure.

The garage owner laughed at me and said next year he wants to see me in a new car. No chance I says. I’ll be driving this car until I have to a do Fred Flinstone and run the car with my feet. As long as it gets me from A to B that’s good enough for me.

Anyway, that’s me in for the night now. I’m cooking a small dinner for myself and I’ve opened a bottle of Cava I bought back from Barcelona over three years ago. I can’t believe it’s still good. That’s decent Spanish wine for you.

Happy New Year to all my readers and customers. Here’s wishing you the very best of 2010.