Practical Concrete

It's more than a week now since the concrete pad for the garage was laid and it's now solid, yet not solid enough to put a car on - that'll take another 3 weeks, more for the motorhome, but I'm not going to risk it till the whole project is finished later in the year.

Plenty large enough for one car with the doors fully open in order to work on it. Getting a GT6 (or something similar) in there for a rebuild should be no problem.

I had to spend the week spraying the concrete 5 to 7 times a day to prevent cracking. It's apparently what you have to do to ensure a strong pad. Colin is going to construct a ramp at the entrance.

Before the concrete started to set, I got Colin, our tame builder and neighbour, to autograph it with a handprint, which I filled with gold resin when it had set. A bit splurgy, but I can sand it down when cured so as to delineate the print better. What you might call a golden handshake.

Given the positioning of the garage, we will now benefit from a secluded patio area at the front of the house, which will provide a bit of a micro-climate for Hay to grow some exotic plants.

Talking of garages, the Ford Galaxy I bought came with a towbar mount but no actual towbar, and I've been searching for a suitable replacement since I got the car. I wasn't bothered whether it was a detachable or a permanent swan-neck and it was almost impossible to determine what kind of mount was fitted without getting the car on a ramp. Even then, determining which detachable swan-neck should be used added to the complexity of sourcing a replacement.

I decided in the end to go for a permanent one and found one on eBay for good money - £29, which is a steal. I got a mate at the local garage to fit it and it transpired that the car had the fitting for a detachable.

It's important that I have a towbar, as my parking sensors aren't working for some reason, so having a buffer, especially in a motor as long as a Galaxy, is advantageous. Also, the only car in the family with a towbar for my trailer eas Hay's dad's car, and it's wearing having to use his car whenever I need to transport something. I tested the electrics for towing yesterday and it's all tckety-boo.

Hay has been driving the Chrysler Crossfire since Sunday, having ranged from Gloucester to Swindon and Weston Supermare and, I'm pleased to report, is ecstatic with it. She said it's just like driving her old Merc SLK, but better. That'll be the 3.2 litre engine. 

We're also colour coordinated now, as well as having, between us, the best combination in terms of enjoyment and practicality.