My car died yesterday.

I had a meeting in Reading and decided to drive there instead of taking the train. I very rarely drive at all and just felt it would make a change. Us having a new MP3/WMA-capable CD player in the car may have had something to do with. I know I have the iRiver for train journeys, but I find that singing is a little more acceptable in the car than on a train…

When I got home I parked up and then found that I could not lock the car: it was not responding to the infrared key at all. I don’t have a problem with having to use the old-fashioned key-in-the-lock method, but that does not de-activate the immobiliser on a Laguna.

Our friendly mechanic came and took the car away so he can extract the ECU and send it away for a spot of re-programming. In the meantime, we will be without a car for a few days, right when we need to do some major shopping. Not that I will be able to afford any food this month after I pay to get the car fixed again. Can I just have one month where no unexpected expenses crop up? Please?

Fortunately I am taking a few days off work, so I don’t have to contemplate the local bus journey to the station. I know I would end up with either a long wait at the bus stop, or a long wait at the station, or both. It is still a drag having to walk all the way down Tollgate Hill and back just to get a newspaper.

I suppose I should be grateful that the car waited for me to get home before conking out, instead of stranding me in Reading.