Happy Birthday Derek W

[Ciaran]

Happy Birthday Derek!

78, I hope I'm still messing about with XMs etc when I'm that age!

Heres to many more

Ciarán

[onthecut]

Ditto on the birthday front.

I hope it will be my children or grandchildren who are messing about with the XM for me !!!!

Mike.

[Dieselman]

Happy birthday Derek.

[Dean]

Hope your keeping well and you had a good birthday Derek!

D

[jorgy]

Happy birthday!!
George

[normantilbury]

Happy Birthday,
Derek

[DerekW]

A belated Thank You chaps for your kind wishes.

Unfortunately I suffered a minor stroke in early October which affected my sight - I seem to have lost the upper right quartile of my peripheral vision but I consider myself lucky - it could have been a lot worse.

I've been told that if my sight doesn't improve then that's my driving over. In the meantime I'm on a diet of rat poison (warfarin) to try to stop any more blod clots from zipping up and thumping me in the back of the brain.

I don't know if it was anything to do with the stroke, but I also managed to fill the wife's ZX diesel with petrol! Draining and flushing with diesel didn't completely cure it, it tended to cut out on a closed throttle which didn't impress 'er indoors at all. So with the probability that she was going to do all the driving from now on I was in for a new car.

I left it to her to choose what she wanted (it had to be an auto which restricts the choice somewhat) and after trying an A type merc, a 207 Pug and various others she settled on a C3. It's a strange beast, lots of geegaws like automatic lights and wipers, cruise contro;, rear parking aid etc., but it's a rough riding little brute with this funny Sensodrive gearbox. It's got the 1.6 petrol engine so it's a lot more sprightly than the ZX, economy is about the same (a lot less than Citroen claim), road tax is less but insurance is more. For all its air conditioning and geegaws I think the ZX was a better car. Ce la vie.

Derek






Derek

[Peter.N.]

Sorry to hear about that Derek, I hope things go on alright, wonderful thing old age isn't, I suppose the only thing you can say is that its better than the alternative. I'm catching you up but am still able to work on my vehicles at present, I have various maladies but none that prevent me driving - so far .

OK on your new car, it comes to us all eventually, I have just bought a Peugeot 406 with an Hdi engine, which I said I would never have, but apart from the ride which you describe I'm very pleased with it.

Drop us a line now and again and let us know how you are getting on.

Best regards

Peter

[Ciaran]

Derek,

Very sorry to hear what happened, it must have been a terrible shock to you and your family.
Though am sure I speak for everyone when I say I'm very thankful that it wasn't worse, and that you're still with us!
I really hope things improve to the point where you can drive again, I know that you're as into your cars as the rest of us!

As Peter says, please don't be a stranger in the meantime, let us know how you are and keep us posted, you have been missed

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Ciarán

[Dean]

I can only echo Ciaran Here Derek, i wish you a speedy recovery.
You will have to give up juggling knives now your on the warfarin though, just incase .

D