Before doing anything else, may I just say thanks to Dave for the quality birthday e-card I received yesterday. I presume the 13 candles are an indication of my mental age. Although why the card played 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' instead of 'Happy Birthday', I'm not entirely sure. But it was a lovely gesture, and couldn't have been a nicer surprise. Unless it had contained money.

As it happens though, Dave was narrowly beaten to the title of 'First Card Sender' by Lisa's Mum, who handed me this fine effort yesterday. I'm not saying which of the two cards I preferred, but this one contained a ten pound note.

Anyhoo, I successfully made it down to Brighton yesterday to pick up Lisa. I seem to have got stuck in numerous major traffic jams just lately, but I'm pleased to report that yesterday afternoon traffic was light, and the roads were clear.

So I broke down instead. But on the bright side, when you're sitting by the side of the A12 with steam billowing out of your engine, you get to see a whole different side of Essex. And on the even brighter side, I'm making the most of my AA membership this year.

Twenty-five minutes later a very nice man, a very very nice man, arrived, took one look at my car, and made the kind of face that suggested it needed more than a pair of ladies tights to fix. He then informed me that the head gasket had gone. Which means nothing to me. But might mean more when I get the bill for fixing it.

I was offered a free courtesy car for 24 hours to get me to Brighton and back, but who needs a courtesy car when you've got parents? Not me, anyway, so in the words of a slightly more recent AA advert, I got to ride in the big truck with the flashing lights, and was taken back up the A12 to my Mummy & Daddy's new house in Chelmsford, where I commandeered my mother's car for the common good. Well, my good. Then I was off again, leapfrogging down the road while I adjusted to my Mum's new clutch.

Remarkably I made it down to Brighton only four hours after leaving home, which isn't bad for a breakdown, a truck ride, a car swap, and two stops for petrol. And what's more, I even managed to get Lisa back here in one piece. Which is just as well, coz I need someone to finish off the Beef & Aubergine Chili.