Thursday 26 April 2012

Country Towns, AU

I had to go into Roma (out in central south-west Queensland) today and had the nicest of experiences. Firstly I was in Woolworths picking up some essential supplies and ran short of coins. Before I could blink three people were thrusting 50 cent pieces out to me. The overriding consensus was that money was there to be shared. I felt honoured, and it was only the first of three similar experiences I would have today.

The second came when I went to get a chipped windscreen repaired. Leonna at Roma Windscreens jiggered her workload to fit me in, then drove me back in to town while the work was done and then picked me up to retrieve my ute. When I went to settle the bill it was "Nah darl, that's fine." Lovely!

Then I went to pick up the spare tyre that I was getting replaced at BJs Tyres. The work wasn't done when I got there and the guy explained that he had to order the tyre in, and it would take a week. When I explained that I was uncomfortable driving around the tracks without a spare they found a second hand tyre and fitted it. For free!

How's that for country town hospitality?


Monday 16 April 2012

RIPajero

Our Mitusbishi Pajero has given up the ghost. A few weeks ago I was driving down the motorway when the engine starting making a more alarming clunk than normal. I just got to my exit and she cut out. I got it recovered and taken to the mechanics - the verdict was not good. We are considering our options: replace the Pajero's engine, find something new to drive or I get the motorbike I've been hankering after.

This morning Oscar asked what had happened to our 4WD and I explained that it’s engine had died, so it had gone to heaven. He laughed and said “No, there’s no such place as car heaven”. Then I told him that TVs and computers go to silicon heaven when they broke down. “No, that’s not real” he said. “But where do all the calculators go?” I asked “Oh” was his reply and he wandered off with a thoughtful look on his face.