Maisie and Archaeology

As I said, I wanted the van to be more comfortable when pursuing my love of archaeology. Having stayed at the Blue Lias on 3 occasions, I knew that no matter what, I'd made the right choice of buying a van. Whether I'd stay with Maisie was another matter.

At the beginning of 2014, myself and one of my committee, went field walking on the site we had been working on the previous year. We went in Maisie, and a good job we did as after 3 hours of walking the field, we were absolutely frozen and up to our knees in sticky mud.

Back at the van, it was boots off, kettle on and, oh yes the propex heater got a work out. What an absolute godsend that was! Within 5 minutes (I kid you not) the van was toasty and we sat back to enjoy out hot drinks and our lunch in comfort. It took a lot of soul searching to get them boots back on and fo another 2 hours in the field I can tell you.

And I admit, that was the last time I went out in her. It was my husband, Bob, who got more use out of her when his van went in for repairs. On that occasion he cam back full of praise for my Maisie, saying that she'd started first time, and driven like a dream.

I taxed her for 6 months and then Bob said that the MOT had run out.

You'll see a pattern to all of this, the proverbial ostrich head in sand, to be precise, and it was only last week I plucked up the courage to call Malc.

Malc was recommended to me by one of the guys at work who owns a VW Gypsy. A lovely thing she is as well. Dave said that Malc would be fair in his appraisal and wasn't a cowboy. 

I was really nervous when I met up with him at his workshop, but he's a  lovey guy and we got on with him immediately. His speciality is VWs and he's got a yard full of them in all kinds of conditions.He had a quick look round, identified some areas that required attention and we hatched a plan, which was to get her MOT'd and see what that brought up. I also asked him to give her service, take a look at the rear passenger door hinge which was broke, and would it be possible for him to look at the windscreen which was leaking. He pointed out all the things that I could do my self, including applying white oxide to the rust under the bonnet and sourcing different parts and I went away slightly more hopeful than when I arrived. A phone call later in the week, made my spirits rise when he said that she drove really well and he couldn't hear anything out-of-the ordinary when he drove her.

Maisie is going for her MOT tomorrow and I shall be on tenterhooks until Malc rings to say how she fared.

Speak to you all tomorrow.