Pothole

Thursday 7 October

Rain was forecast, then didn't happen, but as we'd planned to go to the woodyard we went anyway, despite glorious weather. We were after the wood for the shed base - originally spec'd at 3 m x 2.5, we started thinking about fitting in a heater or stove for cold winter days, and decided to add another half metre length.

As it turned out, all the lengths were 3.6 m, and the yard couldn't be bothered to cut down the last 10 cm, so we'll either have to trim them, or just go the extra .1 metre. This time we fitted them all into the small van, tied in tight with one of the short chute sheets.

Having spent all morning hanging about waiting to get plywood cut - we were in a queue behind someone getting a whole kitchen cut - by the time we were on the road home it was early afternoon, and we were thirsty and very hungry. It's always at a time like that that the worst happens - the van hit a deep pothole and bent the front offside wheel rim. Air escaped like a deflating balloon as we limped to the nearest layby.

Since last winter we've been meaning to put the jack back in the van after using it to raise an engine in the boatyard. A decent socket set would have been an advantage too. And a pity to find, after unloading all the wood to get at it, that the spare was flat.

The layby had suffered from the recent rains and was damp underfoot, with that type of mud that sticks in a thick layer to the bottom of your sandals, so you clump around with one inch platforms. But hey, the sun was shining!

A couple of phone calls got hold of a friend: Chris Beer, who had passed us just before the pothole, and he agreed to turn round, bringing a jack. He also scooped up the spare and took it to get air while Dave got the wheel off. In all, the adventure only took an hour or so, mainly thanks to Chris's knight errantry, and after dropping the wood on site wrapped in a tarpaulin, we went for a very late lunch in George's.