Alder's Tone

We're into day 4 of our second visit to Holestone Moor Barns. The details of today's events are ...

We needed new brakes. Not a surprise, I was told at my last service. I'd forgotten and thought the kick-back was just the usual corrosion on the discs after the car had been sat on the drive, as it's normally sat unused for at least 4 days a week there's alwasy some rust on the discs. Anyway, it wasn't, the pads had worn and the discs had more grooves than the average 7" single.

A visit to Kwik-Fit on Saturday left me happy enough, they can get parts within the hour. So, at 09:30 this morning, I dropped it off and we had a wander around Chesterfield.

I was more than happily surprised with Chesterfield. I didn't really know what to expect - probably a "clone" town full of the usual chain stores - but it wasn't. There was everything* in such a small place - indoor fruit & veg market, meat, clothes, outdoor market, yes the chains were accommodated, friendly people. FRIENDLY PEOPLE. I can count on one hand how many people in Edinburgh have held doors open for us this year, but we can count on the hands of an Arabic thief how many didn't in Chesterfield. It's the sort of place you can get a hold of just about everything, with a smile, and that goes a long way in my book these days.

Half past 10 - the call came. The damage is £x, and it'll be 2 to 2.5 hours. No problem.

13:30 - walked past, car in the air.

14:15 - walked past, car in exactly same position. So in we went - 5 to 10 minutes. Sure enough, about 15 minutes later we were off. 5 minutes later we were back, the handbrake was almost vertical and not catching. Advised it was self-adjusting, give it about a week. Off again, and back again after a few miles - there was something catching at the rear end. After an adjustment to the heat shield we finally left just after 16:00. Not bad, 6.5 hours..... Quite.

We stocked up on some provisions and headed home. The wee fella had an explore around the grounds, into the games room, down to the chucks, back into the games room - he knows exactly where he's going to get there, and from the cottage too. If we ever rent out the Barn I think he'll be stuffed on which way to turn once he enters the courtyard! After tea he headed back to the games room and outside to the slide, where we had a first - his first head-first-on-belly slide! And second. And third. And..........fiftyseventh. There is now a nice rut formed in the grass from the bottom of the slide to the bottom of the steps in a nice arch - not the shortest route, but certainly the quickest!

A boring day for the little guy, but a great end for him. He was so well behaved apart from the last stint in Kwik-Fit waiting for the dodgy fix to be looked at, but was to be expected. His cuddles for Daddy at supper time were very welcome after the stresses of the day.

Looking forward to: Chatsworth tomorrow. Much more for the "family" than today.

* A stall in the indoor market selling sweets (old & new) by the 100g, from aquarterof.com - Yogurt coated raisins for him, honey roasted cashew nuts for us. Yum yum!