Those that read this blog often will know that I often wander off at a tangent before getting around to what I meant to be posting about in the first place, and well... this post is no exception.
A funny thing happened today, well two things actually, none of which were in the script.
I'll start by saying that I'm a lifelong athiest, philosophically, and metaphorically I have both my size 10 feet firmly in the Charles Darwin camp, I always have and always will.
I have also had the misfortune in my lifetime to have witnessed, experienced, and yes done many things that still give me nightmares to this day, and having trodden that path it's hard to imagine any other word view than that of my own.
My younger sister however, has lived a very different life to my own, she truly believes in God, so much so that some years ago she became a vicar, and it was she that recently conducted my wedding ceremony. To say
'My sister married me' might raise a few eyebrows, but that was indeed the case.
I mention this because after the ceremony my new wife and I received a blessing, they actually said prayers and blessed us, asking God to help us out here and there, that kind of stuff.
Well you can imagine my amusement at this little bit of superstition, but in keeping with the solemnity in which it was delivered I managed to bite my lip and say no more, and anyway what harm could it do? So that was eight days ago, now let's fast forward to last night.
At around 1:30 a.m. I heard a noise outside, sounded like it was near the garage, but as it was windy I didn't get up to investigate, putting it down to a rattly fence. On going to get the 2cv out of the garage this morning however I noticed one of the lights above the garage door had had it's cover torn off. Those lights are on a PIR system that light up automatically if anyone approaches, my guess is that they lit up to disturb someone who, in haste smacked the lamp to extinguish it, which then made too much noise so they ran.

Above: knackered Garage lamp.
As you can imagine I wasn't best pleased. The bulb and wires were exposed, and with the threat of imminent rain I decided I had better fix it before I set off. Although the cover had been torn off and the base where the screws go in were snapped out I was able to mend it with longer screws going right through into the wood behind. Now, already late for the appointment that I had I reversed the car out of the garage as I have done a thousand times, only this time the gearbox unwound!

Stuck in reverse!
In ten years and eight 2cv's this is the first time that this has ever happened to me, sure I've heard of it happening to other people, but never to me...maybe I was due? So with one attempted burglary, and a rebuilt 2cv stuck in reverse all within seven days of my 'blessing' I had half a mind to ring my sister up and complain about the 'duff blessing' that they had obviously given out, I mean aren't these things supposed to last a while? I want a new one...that works, or a refund or something.