X marks the spot

Today did NOT go as planned. I had made arrangements to go and visit a friend in a lovely part of Fife, but whilst driving back from Glasgow last night in my trusty little Fiat Panda the persistent engine noise that usually accompanies my journeys became rather more noticeable :-(.

I really didn't fancy driving 90 mins there and the same back to visit, when I'd absolutely no idea if I'd make it back in one piece. I like to consider myself a progressive, modern woman - I can change a tyre, top up the oil, water etc, but sadly, that's about my limit. Usually I can't even bring myself to remove the empty coffee cups from the cup holders ;-)

Anyway. One of my sons is an apprentice mechanic and he asked a colleague to come and look it over. The joys of intermittent faults and trying to describe a noise. It's a good job I'm articulate ;-) (although my descriptive skills clearly aren't too wonderful. Hmmmm.
Apparently it's most likely to be my tappets. Errrr - right. BUT. My sump is not good. VERY not good. It needs replaced. NOW! One hit from a stone and it will perforate, unceremoniously disgorging all the vehicle's oil and most likely wrecking the engine in the process. Ooookaaaay. EEK....

So - I'll live on soup for a couple of weeks and call the garage tomorrow morning and have a chat with my friendly local Mechanic. Never even MIND the tappets. Urgent stuff first.
Sigh.
Oh yes .... The Blip...
An idea I had a few weeks ago. Spent most of today hiding in a ball in a mental funk, but did venture out eventually and enjoyed
a short spell of hitting things with my favourite hammer whilst listening to most excellent tunes.

Hence the pic.