Fluff

Well, I'm ready to go. My bags are packed, my exam marking loaded onto my laptop - sad, to go on holiday and take marking with you, but it has to be done - and my car is ready for the long drive after a minor problem yesterday.

One tyre has been losing air gradually over the last month or so. a couple of weeks ago, I got the pressure checked and fixed but, yesterday morning, as I contemplated my journey today, I noticed that the tyre had deflated a small amount. A call to the place it normally goes for repairs sent me on to a "tyre specialist". And this is where the fluff of the title comes in.

I consider myself to be fairly capable of doing most things. Cars, however, are a mystery to me. As long as they get me from A to B, I'm happy. So, when the tyre specialist asked me for the implement to unlock the wheel nuts, naturally I had no idea at all where to find it - or even what it looked like! After much searching, I discovered a tiny box, well hidden. Since I was already horrified by the fact that I was giving the impression of a fluffy airhead, particularly when told, "Don't worry, pet, it'll be there somewhere", I'm glad it was me who found it! Anyway, all is now well, the tyre is fixed and I'm ready to go. How quickly, however, our self-image can be destroyed...

On the positive side, though, I actually did something about the tyre and I'm really eager to get onto the road and head off today. If you'd asked me this time last year, the thought of doing either of those things would have resulted in me going for a nice, quiet lie-down and nothing happening. Indeed, I probably wouldn't even have had the strength to make a reservation for my holiday and would have spent the summer thinking about going away but never quite managing to sort out the details.