Gosh

It's been a time since I updated this blog! Truth is I'm pretty busy these days and even busier now I've taken on the Xantia Files. It's amazing how busy email enquiries keep me. Just this evening I've had three ranging from deep Activa questions and a 4HP20 gearbox problem in Bangkok! I was also given a sneak preview of the new MK4 Iranian Xantia! It looks a bit errrmmm...
Still, it's all good column fodder. Just working on the next column is quite a job. It's not a quick job on a wet Sunday afternoon but rather a month-long job to gather material and decide upon a theme. Also, some material I might have used here is now reserved for the column. Now there's a good reason to join the CCC!!!
And then there's then CCC forum. Members only but a jolly good place to be with and with the same sort of atmosphere as on here. Another good reason to join the CCC!!!
Last week I upgraded to Office 2010 and I'm pleased to say it's a good upgrade. It's less resource-hungry than 2007 and Outlook is vastly improved. best of all I got the professional plus version for the princely sum of £8.95 quite legitimately via the Microsoft Home User Program; a scheme that allows employees of big Microsoft customers to buy office at a heavy discount!
My cars have not seen a lot of work recently due to other activities. My house has continued to receive lots of TLC and the girls and I last week got well stuck into decorating, a lot of it being done by the girls. They were as keen as mustard and did a wonderful job. A lady friend is now busy sorting out new curtains for my lounge. It's been a real team job. She said she was taking them away to machine them. I had visions of her feeding my curtains through a milling machine or a lathe but her meaning of machining is a sewing machine...
I even bought a new desk chair so that I'm more comfy at my little desk. It's a great chair. £23 from IKEA...
If I really want to be comfy, I can now do all this stuff from the comfort of an armchair as I treated myself to a baby Sony Vaio NetBook. It runs Windows 7 and is absolutely terrific.. I have all my Citroen stuff on it and battery life will allow it to come to rallies with me for on-the -spot information retrieval.
In between all the household work, Xac and I swapped his leaky diesel pump and in doing so we learned useful stuff about how pumps fare on a diet of SVO. Very well as it turns out, bar the leaks!
I did also get around (at last) to sorting out the fast regulator tick on my V6 as more fully discussed in this
thread. You noticed it at the National Chris!
Now I need to hydraflush and swap the LHM.
On the Activa front, I am soon to get a new rad fitted as the old one is just beginning to weep a little. Nothing serious yet but a stitch in time... Also, the Activa needs new front discs and pads before the MOT. Plenty to keep me busy.
Project Activa is now sold and will shortly be collected. The private plate it wore is now resident on my red Activa after a very quick and smooth transfer process courtesy of the DVLA. project Activa really does drive a treat and a little final attention by her new owner will see her a rather nice car again.
Which brings me onto...
Citroenmad wrote:
Have you got your eye on something to fill your vacant parking space yet Jim? Perhaps a nice Xm ...

Or a V6 C5 ... plenty of those needing repairs.
Yes I have Chris

Nothing is definite just yet so no details but I can tell you it will be another Xantia. I'm a Xantia person at heart and all my resources are thrown into them. I know them, write about them and live them. Just now I'm not quite ready to branch out into a different Citroen just yet.
When I have more time and that double (or quadruple) garage then I will. I'd love an XM and/or a CX but circumstances don't allow me to do it properly just yet.
What i really want is an SM project. It's an aspiration that I fear will forever remain just that but never say never...