Blink and you missed it

One of those days that just seemed to whiz by:

• designed front and back covers for Under Duress

• swam 80 laps

• gave blood

• beat Billy at chess again

• went to band practice

Nothing out of the ordinary really – stuff interspersed with chores, and not a lot else.

Rosie off to London this morning to watch Billie Piper in some play or other (name escapes me) for college drama trip. She expressed her disappointment at not having lots of treaty-type snacks in the cupboard for the journey. Lucy expressed her disappointment at our having run out of weetabix. I expressed my disappointment over the fact that she was whinging about the lack of a particular breakfast cereal, when there were nine other varieties on offer (although, admittedly, some of them have been sat up on top of the cupboard for months, and are probably inedible). 'Starving children in Africa' was instantly on my lips, but that never has the desired effect – just makes Lucy roll her eyes a lot.

Bit the bullet and contacted Gra to come and have a look at car. As suspected – a snapped timing belt. Costly and time-consuming to repair. Typical, as only last week I was talking to Matt about booking a time in to replace the old one. Fuck, fuck, fuck. How unlucky is that? So now I'm off the road, plan B being to pay the two of them to fix the brakes on the Renault and get it through the MOT. Hopefully Friday? Although personally, I think that's pretty unlikely. Saturday more like it – if they work weekends that is.

Meanwhile, I've transferred the insurance from the Escort to this one, which is a bit scary, and not sure how I'm going to move it yet. Don't fancy towing it (especially as brakes don't really work if the engine's not running) or could RAC it (reluctant to lose no-claims, but crazy to waste facility – what else have I been paying the premiums for all these years?!) Cars. Hate them with a passion. Spent three years and £480 to get this beast on the road, and it didn't even last 3 months! Rusty, you let me down. No idea whether it's even going to be repairable yet – could be a complete right-off.

Poor old Brian (dead Fiesta) is now parked at the end of Ladydown's track. Have to contact scrappys tomorrow to arrange collection. Must remember to take phone numbers in with me. Must remember to notify DVLA of scrapping as well to avoid fine. Too much to think about, too much to organise, too much too much! Fingers crossed getting the Renault om the road isn't going to be overly painful, and that it'll go the distance to take me and kids to Isle of Wight. (not that I've heard back from Phil and Ali yet, but hopefully that'll go ahead). Looking forward to some away from Uni time next week – this pace is relentless, and really need a break – even if it's just through not having to travel to Falmouth and back all the time.

Lucy's looking a bit neglected at the moment – seemed very down in the dumps-ish earlier when she'd just cycled back from gymnastics, and I was rushing off to band. Must try and schedule in some mother/Lucy time. Do something special together (don't know what). Yesterday, I gave away her old tap shoes and ballet shoes on freecycle, which felt really weird. Been meaning to flog them off, or give them to a charity shop for ages, but not got round to it. Sad to see them go, but hardly worth hanging on to for future dancing grandchildren. Hopefully, that's a long way off from now.

Must make a point of having a massive spring clean/de-mold and clear-out when this course is done (I'm going to be so ridiculously busy at this mythical juncture in time, that there's no way I'll be able to do it all)! And here I was thinking I could rest and recuperate. One day.