What have you done today with your Austin Seven

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Payback time for the tadpoles I was given earlier in the year: the farmer's children - at a guess, 8 and 10 years old - drove Alice round a not very smooth field a few times.

Then the dad had a go.

Big smiles all round.

Tomorrow, engine replacement.   The current one, a cheapo off E-bay, is on its last legs.

[Tony Griffiths]

Nothing, but one of my grandsons did - and a very good effort he made as well - jacking the car up, putting in the supports, removing the wheels, taking off the brake drums, checking all was well, and putting it back together. I even inveigled him into cleaning the wheels...

[Duncan Grimmond]

A carpet? In ya garage man???? Blurry luxury! If you weren't north of the Trent-Humber I'd call you a grut, soft, spawny, spoilt southern git!

[Austin in the Shed]

One of my step daughters wanted polished concrete floors in her posh now £1m redeveloped house but  couldn't afford it.

[Tony Griffiths]

A carpet? In ya garage man???? Blurry luxury! If you weren't north of the Trent-Humber I'd call you a grut, soft, spawny, spoilt southern git!

Yes, the best thing I ever did! Scrambling about on cold concrete is never much fun and an old carpet is almost as good as having a four-poster lift - if not quite. The only problem was that in pre-oil-soaked days it was always tempting the 'get under " in one's decent clothes....

[Duncan Grimmond]

I know what you mean! I have a couple of squares of old carpet for my knees which could do with a couple of grease nipples fitting...

[Denis Sweeney]

Copious amounts of large cardboard sheets from deliveries over a number of years spread evenly over the floor work well, are warmer to sit and kneel on, much kinder to your knees!

[Bob Culver]

Until now recent building requirements here have stipulated off street parking. Many modern dwellings had an integral garage. it always amused me that these were so often sold carpeted. Owners had no intention of using such valuable space for a car. The rules now changed and no parking required. So if like thousands of Poms who immigrated here in the 70s you are attracted to NZ by the propsect of an inexpensive house on 1/5 acre with lotsa space for the fleet, forget it. if you are not a multi millionare and wish to live near major city centre, you are just as likely to end up in an apartment like those blanketing England from the 1890s.

[Tony Griffiths]

Covid crushed low-cost carpet coverings. Trying last year to get some more used carpet from several dealers, I was told that due to covid, it was all going to the recycling plant, i.e landfill. Things might have changed, I'll find out.

[Bob Culver]

Harking back to Tony Gs post, modern youth can be quite cptured by the novelty of things mechanical. My son attended sea scouts and I got lumberd with much of the extensive maintenance of the boat trailer fleet. Apart from endless electrical troubles the wheels had to removed and the studs regularly greased. (Otherwise get stranded if a flat tyre) There was one youth who was a disruptive handful but got him changing wheels etc and he got really enthused. I explained to his mum that he would  get his clothes dirty but she was very understanding ""He is a boy. Go for it!"