Today the elements combined to dampen my burning desire for combustion of the now thoroughly drenched garden refuse.
I completed my submission of the logo for an adoption book festival and e-mailed it to the organiser. Because my hand is no longer steady enough for the fine lines required for this work, Flo polished up my effort. I will wait until our production has been considered before revealing it.
Late in the morning Jackie and I set off for a shop at Tesco, for a wet forest drive, and for a café lunch. Just a few metres from our house the Modus shuddered to a halt.
“We’re not going anywhere” announced my Chauffeuse as she slipped two wheels onto the pavement and announced that the clutch pedal was on the floor of her seat. This, readers will remember, had been fixed by an RAC man on 10th September last year.
We walked along to Downton Service Station, whose mechanic drove the car to their garage, undertaking to repair the problem as soon as possible, probably not before tomorrow.
Before a normal lunch at home I converted the following post from Classic to Block Edit:
Later, I published https://derrickjknight.com/2023/04/14/droll-tales-22/
This evening we all dined on Jackie’s wholesome chicken and veg stewp and fresh bread with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Coonawarra red wine.
Your soup looks so good! I worked for hours yesterday on a cauldron of soup that just didn’t meld even after 20 or so ingredients. Finally I added too many powdered mashed potatoes to thicken it up and it turned into brown veggie-studded mashed potatoes!!! And I had quarts of the stuff. I was going to give it to Yolanda to feed her chickens but she tasted it and like it and is now taking it home to her family. As you can see, in my own eyes I flunked soup!!!!
Sorry to read that, Judy. Thanks a lot
Jackie’s soup is perfect for the cold spring we’re experiencing here 🙂
Thank you very much, Rosaliene
Things haven’t really been going your way lately, eh Derrick? Thank goodness Jackie’s cooking isn’t getting impaired! ????????
All part of life’s rich pattern, GP. Thank you very much
I am sorry to hear about your car problems, Derrick, but the stewp looks and sounds fantastic.
Thank you very much, Dolly
You’re luck has got to get better (except for Jackie’s cooking). Glad Flow was able to help you polish up the design.
Thanks very much, Pat
Oh, gosh! Sounds like a bit of a bummer-y day. But, I bet Jackie’s delicious stewp was just what your heart, soul, mind, and body needed! ❤️
Glad Flo could help with the polishing up. 🙂 Keep us updated on your submission/logo!
(((HUGS))) ❤️ 🙂
PS…”Only the pure of heart can make a good soup (stewp/stew).” – Ludwig von Beethoven 🙂
Thank you very much, Carolyn X
That “chicken and veg stewp and fresh bread ” looks absolutely delicious!
It sure is, John. Thank you very much
Bad luck about the clutch. I hope the repair is more permanent this time.
Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
Oh, no! I hope the car repair shop can get your clutch fixed once and for all.
Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Hope it gets fixed. My son’s old VW is in the shop too. Our 2019 VW Jetta should last us a while.
Thank you very much, Sherry
I wonder how many cars still have clutches. I never mastered the art of using one. I hope they fix it soon. Stewp is always good.
Thank you very much, JoAnna
Sorry about your car misfortune but you ended the day with that delicious wholesome soup. I almost ate my phone, the picture was that good.
Thank you so much, Steve
Well, it seems that your mechanic came through in the clutch, as we say. I don’t know how it is there, but most American kids don’t have a clue how to drive a car with a clutch. The joke is that the best anti-theft device is a car with a clutch — most thieves can’t drive them, either.
Fascinating, Linda. I’ve only driven an automatic once. Thanks very much
Cars… like computers, are great when they work. I hope it will be fix very soon.
Thanks you very much, Chrissy
I once experienced a minor head-on collision that I was fortunately able to drive away from. Later that day I went to collect my children from school and – right in the centre of a four-way crossing – the clutch fell flat on the floor! I can thus empathise with the way Jackie must have felt when the Modus declared so far and no further! It is interesting to read the comments about American cars being mostly automatic – thus no clutches – I once drove an automatic truck, and loved it, but my own vehicles have always had a clutch.
I was struck by those no clutch comments, too, Anne. Thank you very much
Oh, no! Not again. The car not the stewp! I hope it get fixed very soon.
We had chicken casserole, very similar in appearance.
Our lovely sunny morning spoilt itself and changed to heavy rain for the remainder of the day.
Thank you very much, Sue
Oh dear! Your troubles continue.
Life can be like that 🙂 Thanks very much, Sheree
So, you put your wordplay in the first line to make sure I wouldn’t miss it– “my burning desire for combustion.” 😉
It’s good you were close to home when the clutch decided to die.
Soup is perfect on a rainy day!
Thanks very much, Merril. As if you would miss it wherever I put it 🙂
You’re welcome, Derrick. 🙂
Time for a new car perhaps?
Not that easy, Andrew. Thanks very much
Our car has a clutch, too, but I fear such cars are going the way of dodo. Hope your car is soon fixed. And that stewp looks perfect for a day when your burning desire for combustion wasn’t lit. May the sun come and dry that pile.
Thanks very much, Laurie
Ouch! I an sorry to hear the clutch fell off your car! That it was only fixed a year ago is not a good advertisement for that particular repair shop. I hope there was some sort of warranty on the work.
I learned to drive on a car with a clutch, but a few years later bought a used 1969 L-6 Chevy Nova with 101,000 miles on it and an automatic transmission for $200. I retired it at 200,000 miles only because the rust underneath was so bad at that point it was dangerous to let anyone sit in the backseat. That was a long, long time ago. 🙂 I learned to do maintenance and minor repairs on that car.
The stewp looks delicious, and perfect for the rainy day.
Thank you very much, Lavinia. The first repair was done at the roadside by the RAC a subscription emergency repair service. They contract to get you home which this repair did. I told the very helpful man that I assumed we would need to take it to our own garage afterwards. He said not, because it should hold. Now we wait until the weekend is over.
The food looks perfect for a day you described.
Thank you very much, Andy
We could use that soup here today. It has been thundering and lightning, with periods of rain. I love hearing the thunder and see the cackling lightning before the skies open up. I am sure the stewp was very tasty. It looks like it is.
Too bad about the clutch. For the last fifty six plus years, I have driven only automatic gear shift cars. I doubt if I would remember how to use a stick shift anymore.
Thank very much, Zakiah. So many people have responded similarly about unfamiliarity with clutches
The chicken and veggie stew reminded me to get mine out of the freezer so I can warm it for tonight’s dinner. Sure sorry about the clutch problem. What a bummer! And then having to walk to the garage? No fun! I hope it gets fixed soon.
Thanks very much, Jan
Heavens to Murgatroid! If it’s not one thing it’s another … hope it isn’t/wasn’t too much of a drama to get fixed, you’ve cetainly had enough of that!
Thank you so much, Widders