The car saga continues!

After leaving France, we headed to Baden-Baden. Along the way we went puzzle hunting. I think we must have stopped at around 10 shops and we did manage to find around 15 puzzles and logic puzzles that we didn't have.  

We chose Baden-Baden because we couldn't stand another day in that small town in France.  The bed in the hotel was terrible and we had exhausted things to do in town.  

Baden-Baden has a number of spas and baths and off we went. Our hotel was nice enough, but not recommended.  It is a spa resort with no amenities, and no spa.  On the up side, it was within walking distance of the Friedrichsbad thermal baths. This one is unique in that it boasts it is the only natural thermal wet sauna in the world. I doubt it, but it was fun to imagine it was. This place was great and highly recommended.  You start out warm, get very hot and end up in a cold soak.  After the warm towels, there is a relaxation room that yours truly fell asleep in.  George for once didn't nap. 

While there we also visited the Faberge museum, wandered around and looked at a few statues, and took lunch at a german biergarten.  

I had my first beer in over 5 years.  I had quit drinking them because of the gluten, but when in Germany...Upon returning to the hotel, we both slept long and hard.  Who knew doing nothing could be so exhausting. The rest of the weekend we just relaxed and did nothing. 

On Monday morning we drove back to France to the garage only to discover they did nothing and did not have our car! The first place still hadn't delivered it even though it was to be there by 8 am.  We were frustrated, but went for lunch and then returned.  (Lunch was a disastrous affair at a cafeteria-George will never try that again!)

The car was looked at under the watchful eye of Roxanne.  The engine would engage, but not catch.  But then only when they jumped the starter.  I've had this before, so I told them to replace the starter and anything else that could possibly be wrong.  I also wanted all fluids changed and a new battery as well.  (More on that later.) There were a few burnt fuses that needed replacing, and possibly the fuel pump and injectors.

We told them to spend up to two buckets of money and just fix the car.  We were told they would notify us on Friday the 14th of the problem and when we could return to pick it up.  Great!  We raced home to pick up guests at the train station who were coming in First thing Wednesday. (Next post-I promise!) Of course, I did have to do a bit of grocery shopping and couldn't leave without bringing back some fois gras.  

Friday came and went without a call because it was Bastille Day and no one was working. They sent an email, but it went into their draft folder.  I texted Monday morning to see if we could pick up the car on Wednesday as previously planned and was sent to an email sent that morning.  Oh joy!  The car was finished and the problem was nothing more than the first shops incompetence. They forgot to reconnect the fuel injector pump and the main computer!  That error cost €475! Only 1/2 a bucket of money. Good thing we have insurance! 

Because they found the problem right way, the fluids never got changed.  No big deal, as it turns out, when we are at IPP, our car will be in the shop to be picked up on our return.  Free storage close to the train station.  How convenient!

Fast forward to Tuesday morning.  We dropped the last of our guests at the airport and took off yet again for France.  We picked up Black Beauty (Not really beautiful, but a real work horse!) on the following morning as planned and then hightailed it out of France.  But first! We had to return the rental car. What a typical experience.  We were given misinformation, and charged to wash the car!  What a terrible company. Who washes a rental car before returning it?  Apparently the French do. Oh, and they don't reimburse you for days not used.  

We left. I made a beeline for Germany and am pleased that it only took an hour to get there.  A bit of shopping for cookies, liverwurst, and bread and we were once again on our way to Italy.  Our plan for the return trip was to hit as many used markets as possible for more armadillos, to visit the Berrocal Balustrades in Carrera, and to see the leaning tower of Pisa.  Mission accomplished.  Or at least part of it.  I write this from our hotel room in Pisa.  The extra buildings and the Keith Harding wall was an added bonus. 

Tomorrow we hit 6 markets for antique furniture and head home for a quiet (read more last minute shopping) weekend before the next guests arrive and we FINALLY-after 3 years-head for IPP!  And the car?  It runs better than before.  It vomited, cleaned out its innards, and is happy to be alive again.  Crisis over.  Lesson learned.  Nothing to see here, just move along please.

MPP and disaster!

I don't know when I last wrote anything substantial.  So much time has passed.  We decided to attend the MPP this last weekend when Dick Hess was in town.  George and I drove up to the UK in our new car and stopped by London to pick up a few puzzles that a friend was storing for us.  We then went on to the puzzle party in the Midlands.

On the drive up, we had quite a few nice picnic's in different countries and I filled up on fois gras.  So much so I'm now renaming my belly canard! Driving through the chunnel was interesting.  I was the first car on the upper level!  EEK! 

Somewhere along the way we came across the Waterloo museum and had to stop and look.

Our first stop was at Big Steve's to pick up a few puzzles he had been storing for us and for some good chats.  I have some puzzle envy!  He has quite a few that I am interested in.  George got a tour of his workshop and thanks a bunch Steve-he's buying 3 of those printers.

The day was finished off with a great lunch at a local pub and dinner at the most interesting hotel later that evening.  

We got up around 10 the next day and arrived at Allard's in the late afternoon, had a nice lunch and a chat for a while.  Shortly after, they had to go get Wil and Louis from the airport so George and I went to check in to our hotel.  He napped while I bought some wine and a sweater for each of us.  It is July, but England is cold. Italy is hot and I wasn't smart enough to bring along sweaters.  

We returned to Allard's around 7 for dinner with everyone and had a nice evening of chat and pizza.  Wil handed me a Minoru Abe puzzle to solve and I'm pleased to say I did it! Dick gave us all a disentanglement and as usual, I was unable to solve it, although I did understand what needed to be done.  We stayed until around 10 chatting but I needed to put my lover to bed so we took our leave until the morning.

We woke early and were at the hall around 10 as expected.  As always, it was great to see friends and catch up with them.  I purchased a few puzzles but really just spent time talking to other puzzlers.  One of the people I saw had a very large change in body shape that surprised me (I'm not shaming anyone, all will be made clear in the coming months I'm sure) and it's not what you think!  I met quite a few people I only know from Discord and just generally had a great time.  

George sat in a corner programming in a tile puzzle that we purchased from Wil the night before and he managed to do it within a day.  

James showed up and we had a nice chat with him about returning the puzzles he kept to the greater collection.  It will be nice to have those fine specimens back in the WPC for all to enjoy.  I did say I would forward him a list of what I have purchased in the interim so he can keep those.  We don't want to look too greedy.  I don't need two broken radio's on display.  (This is just one example). If anyone wants to sell a kakuda set, do let us know. James has opted to keep those.

I attempted a few more puzzles and then spent a great deal of time with Louis, Wil, and Dick working on some match stick puzzles.  But when Dick and Louis started using factorials, I was mentally challenged and had to give up before my head exploded.  

Around 6 or so we all went to Allard's for more puzzling and what I've been told is the usual Fish and Chips dinner.  I took a few photos of some puzzles I'm looking for, and tried to force Wil to sell me a few others.  (Right, like that will work). It had been a very busy few days for us so George was more tired than usual. Sadly, we returned to our hotel around 9.   

The next morning we awoke earlier and took off for London.  We arrived at the Chunnel we paid the extra 50 pounds to leave on an earlier shuttle.  And then we waited 1/2 an hour.  We were in France by 3 and took off for home. Around 3 hours later, disaster struck. I needed the loo and George filled the tank.  Big mistake!  He put gas in a diesel engine.  

As a I was driving down the road, I felt a 'mushy' gas pedal and asked him about what he filled the tank with. When he replied, I knew he screwed up.  We pulled over and got a tow.  But this lead to an even bigger problem.  We had to be in Perugia on Wednesday for an appointment for our Permesso.  Ok.  Problem solved.  We rented a car, left ours behind and made a run for home.  

Along the way we stopped somewhere in Switzerland for the night.  The hotel I wanted to stay at was on top of a road more windy than the one that heads to the castle. Somehow I managed to turn the car around and left.  I wouldn't have slept at all thinking about the drive back down in the morning. It was a nice place.  I sure wish I knew where it was, we'd stay there again. There was even a puzzle in the hall!

Oh, and we saw lots and lots of cows!  I think I pointed everyone of them out to George. Either that or I mooed at them...Each country and region has different looking cows.  It's amazing really.  

We arrived on Wednesday evening had dinner and crashed. On Thursday morning we raced to Perugia so we could go through the process of getting our Permesso.  Disaster!  Our name was not on the list.  We waited and waited and waited all to no avail.  Better luck next time.

That evening I put all the white puzzles in the cupboard.  We have more coming at some point in the future. It will be nice to have all of them on display.

Back home again and Antonio called the mechanic and made a trip with George to the dealership that sold us the car.  Turns out the biggest problem was that the engine wouldn't ignite.  Why?  Because when the tow truck picked it up, it engaged the auto alarm which disables the engine.  To reset it they need the spare key that is in the castle.  So...4pm and we took off again for France!

I drove for about 4 hours and stopped for the night in Parma.  We had a nice hotel room, a good dinner, and a great sleep.  Until 4 am that is. We got up early for the last 6 hour drive to the car.  We made it before they broke for lunch and guess what, the key didn't work. Now what?

Go have lunch and come back. Fair enough.  So they tried a few other things, but nothing worked.  Friday morning a new technician came out and tried something, but again, it didn't work. So now what?  The car was shipped to the nearest Ford garage, but they couldn't look at it until Monday morning as the foreman wasn't in.  What?  People only work 1/2 days in France?!? No wonder the car is taking so long to fix.  

The upside? we got to take a tour of the local area.  Turns out there is a flying machine there and a really nice looking building or two.

We spent one more night in the Ibis budget hotel (don't ever do that again!) and woke up with sore backs from sleeping on a very hard bed. We got up, packed the car and decided to go on a puzzle hunt in Germany.  So lemonade right? 

We hit 6 puzzle shops and filled the trunk of the rental car.  We now have around 20 new puzzles and are out of France.  It was a weight lifted when we crossed the border.  Now we are here in Baden-Baden for a weekend of spa and pampering.  Can you imagine what George is doing?  Burrtools of course!