So now we are in a brand new year, to wit 2003. Big deal. Lets hope it isn't as crappy as was 2002. And on the Monday before Christmas, while driving along the M42 my car engine blew up. Which is not really a surprise seeing as on the Sunday I took David out for a drive to show him some of the floods that I negotiated on the ride on Sunday to Wellesbourne cafe. That was a good ride, not to cold, very wet roads, we were turned back near Gt. Alne by a flood. Rode through several places that were deep, but having a high bottom bracket is usefull ! So we drove out past Earlswood Lakes, the deep flood had drained away, so then to by Primrose Hill, there was a deep flood there ! A couple of cars were parked looking, I decided to drive through, it was deep, too deep, a big bow wave washed around, then over us, I went down through the gears trying to keep going but stalled. We had made it out of the deepest part, sat for around 20 seconds, turned the engine over and it started, making a horrible clicking noise though. Go home. On Monday the clicking noise continued, so started driving to go to the Fort ands see Dad, result; bang. almost 2 hours waiting to get towed away. Off to TRW office and picked up Volvo, again. They eventually picked up the car to take to a Honda dealer. Shit, shit, shit. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday sort of Christmas days. Went for a ride with Smithy on Friday, on the Wyre Forest bash on Saturday, Sunday was pissing down. Monday more rain. Tuesday a ride, drank too much at various times, eat too many crisps, too many late nights. Celebrated New Years day by a wet hungover ride in rain to Hopwood, rain eased off while I was footling round the lanes by Lea End. Nice short and slow ride. Now at work in Horwich. Ho hum.