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Anyone who saw Lenny "I'm only funny when I'm being an old black woman or my mother" Henry will have seen the Chocolate Rain video as seen below.

I remember being sent it via an email and found it hysterical... but I have no idea why.

But...

Now I've found this...

Now that's much better!

As those of who ready yesterday will know I've found a place I can get online which is closer to home than the thirty minute journey to Helen & MJ's. Don't get me wrong, I love going to Helen and MJ's but sometimes you have to weigh up the costs of fuel etc which the cost of a phone call to friends to let them know you're okay and ask how they are.

So right now I'm sat outside an estate agents in Tuam town centre. Okay so that's a big lie. I'm actually sat in my lounge. I found the free wireless yesterday but my battery went before I could do anything constructive so I thought I'd sit and write an update before I go in, while I have warmth, coffee and a power pack for the lap top.

The last few weeks have been interesting and fun if also a little stressful. My parents came over last week and I had to use Brad's car when I went to get them from the airport.

The car saga is not a happy one and it's rather long so I'll shorten it...

No.1. Car broke down at airport when collecting Helen & MJ from their honeymoon. It appeared to the alternator but I'm not a car expert. Got a jump start, got home.

No.2. Car broke down ... at a petrol station of all places where NO ONE had a set of jump leads or even seemed bothered that I was blocking a pump. Brad turned up with jump leads... that wouldn't start the car. I thought it was the alternator again but various people at the garage told me it was the starter motor and a flat battery. The car goes to the mechanic who says it the starter motor and duly replaces part of it... a solarnoid / solonoid / solanoid * switch or something.

INTERMISSION - While my car is at the garage I drive Brad's... and hit a pot hole... the back tyre explodes and the nice shiny alloy has a lovely split in it. Suzuki don't supply enough nuts for the spare for me to happily drive it about o long journeys.

No.3. I drop Helen's mom at Knock airport and head to Tesco to do a little shopping. Come out after shopping and it won't start. I walk, in the pouring rain, (I get a missed call from the Jizzmeister Jay who I think is taking the piss but I'm not 100% sure so I thank him for his concern) to a garage who are very helpful and drive me back to my car and replace the battery. It's obviously a flat battery. I still think it's the alternator but I know nothing about cars so will be guided by others. With a working car I head home.

No.4. It's the morning of the arrival of my parents and I nip into Tuam to go some shopping. I stop at the back to get money out and when I get in the car it won't start! Amazingly I don't get angry, I don't get annoyed, I calmly call Brad, tell him what has happened. I walk to a auto-spares shop, hoping to buy nuts for Brad's spare only to be told it'll be 24hrs, so with nothing left to do I walk (it's been raining all this time) to Brad's work. As I get to the main entrance he comes out with his boss who drives us to the company mecha. She has a chat with the mecha who agrees to go and get the car, sort out what's wrong and then bill the company for the work. The mecha calls Brad that afternoon and tells him it's the alternator.

So that's why I was in Brad's car when collecting parentals from the airport. For their entire visit it did nothing but rain. My father never came to see us in Wales, only ever came to the house in Birmingham once, never came to the apartment above the nursery, and I can count on one hand how many times he came to any of the other places I lived so for him to get on a plane, especially in his current condition, is a bit of a surprise. Mother loved the house, which is just as well as we plan to buy it. Dad didn't seem all that bothered but did keep saying "it's a nice house just a shame about the weather!" On the Friday night dad treated us all - and Helen and MJ - to a meal at the Claregalway Hotel which was fantastic. They do a great Salmon.

In other news..

- Still no job but still having interviews. Actually that's not strictly true. I do have a job. In fact I have two. I just can't do either of them yet as I'm waiting for my Garda clearance.

- We have loads of visits to the house planned by various friends and I'm really looking forward to each and every one of them. If you're not one of them but would like to be then just drop me a mail and we can sort something out. We'd love to see you so it's an open invitation.

Right, I'm going to have a coffee, put the laptop on charge and then head into town so I can post this! By the time you read this I'll already have done all that! Ooooh time travel!

TTFN!

*Delete/Replace as appropriate.