A Second Set of Wheels

We have a new car! Well, a second hand new car. It's another diesel Pug, naturally. Michael had been "window shopping" on carsales.com.au and came up with a shortlist of 3. There was a blue station wagon with roof racks and towbar, on the other side of Melbourne that was listed as way above the Red Book recommended price. There was a white sedan in Melbourne that had 230,000kms on it. And there was this one. A silver sedan in Ballarat, good mileage, one owner and serviced at one place only. We arranged to go there yesterday for a test drive.

Michael wanted to leave by 8am, so i was up at 6am to deal with the animals. Sarah was let outside to relieve herself, the chooks were fed, watered and let out of the chook house. The lambs were watered and "nutted". It was then that my exercise regime started.

Ethel and Lulu jumped the fence. I had to open the gate to chase them back through. Sarah just looked at me "better do it again, don't think I got it the first time". The sheep jumped back in. I opened the gate again to chase them through, whilst watched by Sarah. "Nope, didn't get it that time either". Lambs jump fence again, I repeat the process, then notice the chooks are all on the top of their chook house, ready to fly over the fence. I chase them off, lambs come around to different part of the fence and sail on over. By this stage I'm swearing like a shearer "get your friggin' asses out of the yard, or I'll turn you into lamb chops!!" Chooks fly onto the roof again. Sarah just grins at me and pees. I get another serve of lamb nuts for the potential Christmas roasts and they happily munch on them in the paddock whilst chase the other potential Christmas roasts off the chookhouse roof.

By then, I was ready for my shower. Unfortunately, Michael and Caitlin had already been through showers, so I was left with tepid water to wash my hair in (whoo hoo!). But we managed to get out the door by eight. It was cold and cloudy the drive to Ballarat, only maxing 12 degrees.



As the car was just south of Ballarat, we took some minor roads to get there, avoiding the city. We were lucky (or unlucky) to come across some sheep being herded across the road. Mim enjoyed watching the sheepdog and man on horseback work the stock. Michael was ready to drive over the top of the cyclists, they were being a damn nuisance.



We arrived at Tim's place (absolutely beautiful house and gardens) and took the Pug for a test drive. Michael liked. Michael liked very much. I took the girls for a walk around the gardens whilst Michael and Tim talked, and five minutes later we were the new owners of a motor vehicle. I say that loosely. Tim told us we may as well drive it home, save coming back for a second trip. So, despite the fact that we hadn't signed any paperwork, and hadn't paid him any money (yet), he was happy for us to take the car. Guess we must have looked like trustworthy people :)

We proceeded on to Ballarat city centre and dined at Dino's, a Mediterranean restaurant. Rather nice. The sun had come out and the temp shot up to 20 degrees, so it was very pleasant. Caitlin chose to ride in the new car with Michael, and I had the Mimster. She was full from lunch, and I didn't put the air con on, so the car was lovely and warm, and quite inducive to having a sleep!!! Luckily, she did... I didn't.



Had to take a photo of this on the way home. Some people just have too much time on their hands!