Confessions of a serial mower - just another difficult day!

Hellfire and damnation. I am seething.
May 2006 I frequented our local Ford dealership with a friend of very limited means and a small savings account, to exchange her old banger. We struck such a deal and we were thrilled. Her old Fiesta was traded in for a 3 month old ex-demo Ka.
I did all the dealing and suchlike as old mousie is sometimes likened to a Rottweiler and I was rather pleased with myself!! It was a cute little car and just right for her. Her first proper car that wasn't a "heap". Something of her very own.
A year's free motoring was ensured for said friend with the final free
service being this May, all part of the package.

Wrong!!

Said salesman it seems was in the midst of a mad passionate wild affair at that time, his mind was on other things, and he did not write up the deal as we both understood it. He left the dealership soon after our transaction, and after some 30 years of marriage, ran off into the sunset with a lady he sold another car to!! He now, rumour would have it, drives coach tours all over Europe with lady lover and no one knows where he is based. Wonderful.
Anyway, friend goes to pick up little car from its service to be told she owed £200.00 and the service was not free and there was no record of it.
"Couldn't possibly be as it wasn't new when we obtained it". It had just 3,000 miles on the clock and was their demonstrator!! Why would I make it up.

We are both liars it would seem. Couldn't possibly have made such a deal - if we had it would have been logged etc etc. Well, the "loved up" salesman made so many mistakes on the sales document anyway, that we are at a stalemate at the moment.
It's a "he says, she says" dialogue.
Friend paid up, in tears, and I am now trying to get the money back.
Her husband, of course, had said she shouldn't have the car and she is now getting the "I told you so" spiel.

I was so pleased with myself at the time for sorting this out, without the use of GOH, and now the bloody thing has gone pear shaped. Now £200.00 may not sound much to most people, but to my friend, it is a huge big deal.
Hubby and I have over the years bought various cars from them, and now of course GOH has got involved. He was so incensed, and I have to admit, I am going to let him run with it.

Now awaiting a huge removal lorry - no, we are not joining Jane and moving to pastures new - in a rash moment when No 2 son bought the house in Portsmouth, I said would they like our dining room furniture as it would fit so well in the house.
Thinking it was far to old and traditional for them I thought I would make the gesture.
"Yes please" they said, "When can we have it"!! Sh*t!
They have now sold their stuff and need it now. So my lovely 12 seater table and chairs are off to a new life. I have managed to hang on to the dresser, which being oak, luckily isn't to their taste! I am now going to redecorate and get an oak table and chairs.
I will not be changing my car this year it would seem.

Photo is of son, daughter outlaw and the Heiress here at Christmas with the dining room furniture. I may hold back on the grand gestures in future.

On a brighter note, in the Telegraph this morning, I see it is very "now" to wear pink. Thank god for small mercies!