Blog 847. New Year’s Eve.

It took rather a long time, but yesterday, I decided the potentially expensive repairs on my beloved red convertible are not really worth it.  Quite why it took so long to ascertain that “weeping injectors” were probably clogging the filter was the problem, I’m not too sure.  It’s a staggering pity that an otherwise good car may end up as spares. This is kinda heartbreaking.  D18 JPN however did outlive some later classes of steam locomotive, doing quite well to achieve fourteen years, six in my ownership.  Apparently, the car will be auctioned off, but I will keep the personal numberplate, which eventually will adorn a similar but much newer vehicle.

Today is New Year’s Eve, and I awoke determined that my house would be tidied up to welcome the early hours of 2023. Also, I might “get something done” during the day.  There’s a small list of tasks to be completed before I set off for (eventually) the Southern Hemisphere the week after next.  Two, I have accomplished today.  I have a brand new medium-sized wheeled suitcase which should be more than adequate for a nine day “off-ship” odyssey in Australia, which, much to my frustration, necessitates a flight from Adelaide to Perth.  I do get three nights in Perth, plenty of time to visit the Perth Mint from where a few sovereigns in my collection were minted.  I got to visit the Canberra Mint in 2018, and didn’t come away empty-handed.

On the way to collecting the suitcase, I had a repair carried out on my reading glasses.  Two jobs taken care of. 

I can start the packing anytime from now, arrange spending money, have a haircut, visit the dentist and optician, and, twenty-four hours before departure, test myself for covid-19. There are time slots for most of this next week.  Oh yes, I have to make an appointment with my G.P.  I just hope a recent test hasn’t identified something  sinister. 

Tonight, by a miracle, there was a table available for me at my favourite Indian Restaurant in Higher Buxton.  I come here too often, but I am always very well looked after, even when the restaurant is horrendously busy. I enjoyed the obvious conviviality of New Year’s Eve, albeit around 4 to 5 hours prior to midnight.

Now, I am at home, warm and dry; outside, it is raining quite heavily.

There is little else to write this year. Therefore, with pleasure, I wish you all A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR, even if I might have already done so!

David, 23.52, New Year’s Eve 2022.