Glad tidings of great joy!

The wretched sciatica is still causing problems so, thus afflicted, I hobbled around the Morgan applying generous quantities of wax, a job that I have been meaning to do for a couple of weeks, when my mobile rang and my wife informed me that the man was returning with the Volvo, following it's MOT.

I could tell from his face that he had something on his mind and so it was, with not a great deal of confidence, that I asked the usual question, "everything OK then?". "Fine, he said, but there is an advisory note on the Certificate suggesting that the suspension arms and bushes are showing wear and will need replacing. The problem is that if allowed to deteriorate further, it will affect the tracking of the wheels and I would hate the two new Pirellis fitted to the front to become prematurely worn!"

This bit of news demanded an urgent audience with my Financial Director who was busy completing our Christmas cards, a job I manage somehow to avoid every year, along with just about everything else to do with Christmas!

Excuse me I said, being as deferential as I could, but there is a slight problem with the Volvo that is probably going to cost around £300! The knuckles of the hand that was gripping the pen were white causing me to think that she might crush it as she uttered those immortal words, the words that usually signal disaster, "Right that's it!" followed by "well you can forget any bright ideas you might have for holidays!" Silence followed, then, after some deep diplomatic discussion, we finally consoled and reassured ourselves in the knowledge that £300 was a lot less to pay than launching into the purchase of a replacement vehicle and that if we were running a 100,000+ miler this was the sort of expense we must get used to.

At this juncture in proceedings many of you would say that it was imprudent of me to mention the fact that in February, we will be faced with servicing, taxing and MOTing (if that's an acceptable term?) the Morgan with the additional possible expense of king pin replacement. You would have been correct!

At least I should be able to look forward to some succour under the sympathetic hands of my charming physiotherapist this afternoon!

"Christmastime is here by golly, deck the halls with chunks of holly!"  (With thanks to Tom Lehrer )