It's bloody well gone!

My car, that is.

Stolen, borrowed, nicked, mislaid or whatever, the effect is that I'm beredft of that piece of machinery that gave me my independence.

I'm not exactly housebound, but I have to rely on others if I want to go anywhere and I don't like it. The car was not exactly the most luxurious or comfortable, but it worked and it got me around in reasonable comfort. Now, I'm obliged to rely on the Missus' little roller skate, which is most uncomfortable.

What happened was this. We were due to go away on a long-booked week's holiday and, during the immediate week previous, the car started to give off 'bag of hammers' type noises. This was diagnosed as hydraulic pump on the stearing. Not wanting to pay sky high and extortionate prices for what is, after all, an old car, my youngest lad, who's training to be a Land Rover mechanic, found a pump on the web, at a reasonable price.

It was touch and go whether this pump would arrive in time to be fitted in time for us to take the car on holiday, but arrive it did. The Lad said that, if it didn't arrive in time, then we could make other arrangements and he would arrange for the car to be taken over to where he works, where he would fit the part and would change the filters and oil, and give it a going over, ready for our return.

He managed to fit the pump on our drive, on the Friday evening, prior to our going away on the Saturday morning, so, as far as he was concerned he could go away for the weekend in the knowledge that we were sorted.

He left on the Saturday morning for his 'thing', which was to go off roading in souped up motor cars, an activity which I've recorded elsewhere. However, Missus had, when things were uncertain, arranged with her Dad to come over and take us on holiday, as her car is totally unsuitable.

When my car was fixed, she told her Dad thanks, but he wouldn't be needed, BUT, overnight, I had a 'funny do' and was not at all well, so, unbeknownst to me or anyone else, she phoned her dad late on Friday night to say the arrangement was on!

So, he turned up and his car was loaded up with my scooter and the luggage, plus us of course, and off we went, leaving my car on the drive.

On the Monday evening, th youngest Lad returned home, noticed that the car wasn't there, which is exactly as he expected, so it wasn't until we rolled home on the following Saturday, IN GRANDDAD'S CAR, that the penny dropped.

Mine was missing!

We made what enquiries that we could, and by this time, I, being a bit poorly, was somewhat dischuffed, so didn't report it until the next Monday morning.

I was given an incident number by the Police call centre and 2 days later, was given a crime number by the Police! I could then report to the insurance people.

There has been no news as yet.