It started with a Citroen

I must start by explaining this is a post of many parts. I started writing it a fortnight ago and kept saving it as I wasn't sure how it would end.

Part 1

Many moons ago when before I learnt to drive I bought this as my first car. This was the only photo I could find of him, taken after a very wet trip to Cornwall. I remember trying to plug all the leaks as I drove! Well he didn't last long. A weetabixed chassis put paid to him and he lived out his days in my dad's garage being robbed of doors, being home to a litter of feral kittens and eventually a wasps nest in the driver's seat!

But they kept on coming... the 2CVs, not the kittens and wasps. I met Mr Jam and he had to have one, then we decided we needed a van, then we needed a 'spare one' and so it went on... in fact I've never driven a boring old 'normal' car.

You can spot a couple littering our neighbourhood last winter!

The attraction? I hear you ask. Well predominantly it's a shape thing. The strokable curves, the cheerful 'face', the minimal interior, I could go on but I wont.

Having dug out a picture of my very first car I set myself the challenge of finding a photo of all the rest to show you. Whilst I'm busy scanning and reminiscing, fate strikes and costs me a fortune.

Part 2

I hear from a 2CV friend and we talk 2CVs and realise we're both watching the same one on Ebay. Trouble is he's just bought one that day so perhaps it should be mine... and my current Charlie's bodywork is pretty disastrous... and this one is local - a Dorset 2CV... and he can take a look at it for me... and it's blue! So I spend the next day dreaming, checking Ebay, checking again to make sure it's still there, then again 10 minutes later just in case.

So two days later the deal is done whilst we're on the beach. I've agreed to buy it over the phone and sell Charlie to my friend who WILL love and look after him better than I have.

Part 3

So here's the change on the drive this week. The less observant neighbour could almost be excused for not even noticing!

 Meet Tintin! He is the shinier, stronger, quieter and generally less rusty/mossy version of Charlie. I've been waiting all week for the V5 so I can tax and drive him. Today was going to be his big day out but sadly he stayed on the drive until I got home from Honiton and found the V5 waiting. So now he's ready for an adventure. We're thinking West Bay tomorrow. Somewhere to take some nicer photos. I realised doing the 2CV collage I only take photos of my cars when they go and are usually way past their best!

So the lesson is either take the photos straight away or look after the car. A tricky one but I'm pledging to do both! Did you hear that?