How to be English and Scottish at the same time

[Stravaig]

It's a bank holiday weekend. So. To be English we should get in the car and sit there going nowhere. Imagining we're going to a seasde resort or something. To be Scottish, and save money, I think we should just do it outside the building where we live. It won't cost us anything on petrol.

I can't decide what to do.

[Geoff]

I remember a cartoon many years ago. There was picture of a long queue of traffic weaving through the countryside towards a far distant view of the sea. There was an open top car with two people talking to each other, beside them was a field with two lambs looking over the hedge appearing to be talking to each other. The caption was "They say it's a sign of Spring".

[Primrose]

Just have your picnic lunch on your own patio. Sadly won,t do much for the economy though!

One half of me has Scottish roots. My husband says the " economical habits" may have skipped a generation but are still alive and well! Not too many neighbours round here wash out plastic food storage bags and hang them on the washing line to dry.! But I was doing that years before reducing plastic use became a popular environmental issue. My husband often jokes that all the moths in my purse have died of suffocation!

[Stravaig]

I was just kidding when I said about sitting outside our building and going nowhere. But it actually happened on Saturday.

We booked a converted cowshed for a week. It's a lovely place in the middle of nowhere in Surrey - we've been there twice before. Husband described it as "decompression leave" after all the hassles we've had. Anyway, the car's all loaded up and we're ready to set off. But the car wouldn't start. Flat battery.

Then the man from the local dry cleaners came to help, with jump leads! Whew. Then a neighbour from the same block as us helped too, so we were on the way at last! Didn't dare stop until we got there. We decided that we should buy our own jump leads in case such a thing happened again. Husband did some research and found a thing (can't remember the name now) but it's a kind of self starter, ie a little battery thing which means you don't need to use someone else's car battery to give you that start.

[oldherbaceous]

A jump pack, Stravaig, I bought a big version, as needed to jump a 4.7 litre V8 and very good it is too.

[Stravaig]

Oh, a jump pack. Thanks.

I was amused to see a pack of viola seeds with the name "Johnny Jump Up". Makes a nice change from things being named Edith, Doris, etc.

And the good news is... viola are edible.

[Stravaig]

I've had V8 before. But never 4.7 litres at one time. You must have a huge capacity. I'm guessing you drink it and that gives you the energy to push start the car. Maybe after drinking that lot you just hoik the car over your shoulder and run to your destination. Whatever, it worked out well and we had a nice holiday.


https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/p ... /256650348

[robo]

Stravaig , would you not be better buying a new battery

[Stravaig]

Robo, that was my first suggestion - get a taxi to somewhere and buy a new battery. But apparently this isn't necessary (I dunno why but I'll ask. My husband knows everything. ) I suspect he probably left the lights on or something. Anyway, we got to our destination fine and had no car problems all week. Now we're home again.

I insisted we should at least get jump leads so if it happens again we'll not have to rely on a dry cleaner man or similar to show up with such things. And that led to the jump pack purchase.

[Stravaig]

Robo,
I did ask why he'd not just bought a battery and this was his response:

1. Easier to deliver to the middle of nowhere
2. More versatile
3. Long-term use
4. I don't know that the battery's definitely faulty
5. Cheaper, probably.