is probably coming for Golfie. Hello Guys, been a long time since I've been on here, hope you and yours are all doing good. Please forgive spelling mistakes, I have a huge problem and it's awful to have to admit it to anyone. My gorgeous car, which the older members know, may be sold. Like a lot of you it means the world and I am so torn with the prospect. I can no longer drive, not been able to for two and a half years thanks to macular eye problem for which nothing can be done. Been a catalogue of other things too. Knee replacement, fantastic job. Two major spinal surgeries, last one took seven and a half hours, hip replacement thanks to Himself NOT padlocking the back gate and I fell on slabs in pouring rain. Bad pneumonia and sepsis apparently two hours away from death. Yeah, none of them nice but I think you know what a survivor I am, it's the bloody sight loss that's so horrible. The joy I got from Golfie, no matter how sad or miserable I felt, gave me a huge smile of happiness. God I miss taking out and blasting it as they like to be driven. Odd occasions we go out in it, Himself driving but not hammering it as I used to. Wish I could still take my dog and camera to the nature reserve fairly locally, still ride my horse. Can't see much and being Mrs Independent Fit and Healthy ..... Hate the thought of parting with my car. Sorry if this sounds like a moan, it's not intended to be,
A dreadful decision but at least you have had the pleasure of owning it. Old age is a terrible problem. You have my sympathy.
Thanks Stephen for your kind reply, very thoughtful of you. You won't remember me from "the old days", so much fun, banter and help with things. Yes I have had so much pleasure from my GTi it's been perfect and had money spent on it. Went in a few months ago for new headlining and outer driver seat bolster replacement, interior is smart as well. It'll break me apart to see it go eventually. Husband refers ;to it as "THAT Golf which is annoying. His philosophy is you only need a car to get you from A to B and back. I had a red 145 Volvo that I had restore, the original Volvo estate after the Amazons. That hurt a bit but as I have Golfie it was OK - didn't need two classics lovely as it was. How do you know I am old??? Well, hahaha as it happens I am. No doubt the oldest one in the Club and maybe the oldest owner in the country! After being ill for some years and being given anti depressants when I told my GP I was not depressed, hey ho turns out I had severe underactive thyroid, level of minus 43 when it should be the normal plus 6. I was also a drug addict, unkowingly when same GP got me on massive morphine doses, 60mg pills twice daily and 10mls of liquid every 4 hours, got rid of the back pain though. He was a total sh*t. Must get a bugger screen so I can see what I'm doing. Thanks again. S x
Sounds rotten as hell that, even more so when you’re with someone who doesn’t understand your passion. Is there no-one in the family or a good friend with a heavy foot who could take over driving duties? Even if once in a while it might let you hang on to Golfie for another year.
Oh Guys you are still as lovely and thanks for taking the time. Last year had a skin cancer on the back of my left hand removed. Bugger did the local jab hurt, just skin on bone to jab into. All OK and hope for no more but seeing my lovely Dutch GP Thurs with her "magic ligh she can see through skin with. Well as for himself, for years he used to say "When I get a Golf GTi" lots of hahahahahahas. Going through St Ives (Huntingdonshire)WoW!! a red one in a showroom yelled Buy Me so I took it out and bought it for Himself. He thought he was the bee's knees and his workmates couldn't believe it. Anyway lorries were going past all day and it got filthy so I bought him a really nice Cavalier and had Golf for myself, Took over 2 hours for me to get the crud put under the bonnet. Plenty of folk with heave feet but they wouldn't beany good with no power steering and I still have the older brakes which are fine for me. Plus I'd be a bad passenger. Wish I could buy a new pair of eyes from ebay. A bit of soundadvice. Don't get old, it's cruel. S x
Hi GrannyRacer, Your story really moved me, it's a poignant thing you describe and something many of us will understand for ourselves as we get older. I hope you don't have to sell your cherished car or can find an arrangement that allows you to still enjoy it somehow, but I'm reminded of the phrase, 'it is better to have loved and lost, than not to have loved at all', if that is the case. I'd be happy just to sit in a decent car and rev the engine and smell the petrol tbh, even if it was no more than that. How about declaring it SORN and just enjoying it as a place to spend some time, strange as that may sound. Although I appreciate that may not be practical though, but these cars are appreciating in value more than money in the bank, so it's sort of an investment you can enjoy perhaps, if you have the facility to do so... As per dub303's suggestion, is there no one that's prepared for a bad passenger and the driving duties on a lovely classic car? Even if not, there's alot of love in the VW community and the car shows, meets and track days etc are very welcoming. The end of driving doesn't necessarily mean the end of being involved in the community, in which women are particularly under - represented and as such whose continued participation is a wonderful thing, and I'm sure many others could learn alot from your experiences and enthusiasm. Your 17 - year membership of this forum is longer than many, myself included. I'm in West Yorkshire and probably too far away to volunteer for occasional Chauffeur duties, but if you're ever out this way or I'm over your way then I'd happily spend a day driving for the sake of it with a bad passenger. All the best, and be well :-) x
Joe, you have made my day. If you have a wife or girlfriend they are truly fortunate to have such a lovely kind and considerate person in their life. I'm not wanting sympathy, but it is so hard after a life of total independence and being a total outdoor lover, animal and wildlife lover it wtinks. But hey ho it is what it is and no-one likes a fairy yho cries (as one of my grandmothers).if it was one or the other, I would choose th constant horrid back pain. You couldn't ,make this crap up. This catalogue of disasters is only the tip of the iceberg with bloody operations. Was always the strong lean fit person, did just about every sport including playing netball for Cambridge County several seasons. Much faster and cleaner that it is played today, got both wrists badly broen in one match after a fat bi*ch cannoned into me. Apparently some heard the crack, not me thoguh. OK Steven - I'm busted but I was a lot younger when I joined. Not going to say any more about the woes but thank you all so much for your messages, hahahaha I can still manage, just about to do this. Golfie won't be sorned, it's road legal all year and does not go out in rain or wet roads. Thanks again Guys for your kindness. S x
Don't go GrannyRacer, we are used to having you around That is quite the list of calamities, makes my aches and pains a minor inconvenience in comparison. You are certainly tough Don't be in a rush to sell it, as others have said find a driver that you can tolerate/is deaf to your complaining (delete as appropriate).
Thanks for sharing your story and memories of your relationship with Golfie. It's an emotional read! I'm in the +1 group for suggesting that you keep it if you can - at least until you find the right person to pass it on to. These days I prefer dailying a stock auto GL with wallowy suspension over a 16v GTi and my knees hurt when it's cold so I'm on the aging train Still prefer both to a modern car though!
Hi GrannyRacer, My girlfriend certainly doesn't agree with your generous comments, but she has to put up with my BS full time I guess We're both animal lovers too (she's a vet nurse) and like to be out and about in the wilds and we have more than enough cats, for the moment (although she keeps threatening to being various creatures home from work, and has done before so who knows what's next...) The loss of independence you describe must be such a frustrating thing, and I'm sorry to hear about that. Especially in this case when you're so clearly used to enjoying driving for it's own sake, which I completely appreciate and value similarly. Perhaps put some money towards a few driving lessons for your partner on a race track with a decent instructor and that might help improve both the experience and the marital harmony when you do go out driving! Your car reminds me very much of our first family VW, my dad was so happy when he bought an '89 5dr 8v Golf GTi in red. We had it 6 months and then it got stolen along with 3 others in the same night on our road, he was heartbroken (he later said it was about as bad as having to sell his MGB GT for a Vauxhall Chevette when I was born, don't think he's ever forgiven me...) x
Hello again all. Oldnick, were you about on here years ago? Joe, haha you sound like us pair. So the GF is a vet nurse. Finley our 10 year Old gorgeous English Setter is laying here with me, Husband gone to Morrisons. Your GF wll know about Congenital Heart Disease. Finley was diagnosed mid December and we were told Mid Jan it was worse than first thought, he had 3 months. Ripped me apart. 10 is NOT old for an English Setter. We lost our little long haired black and white cat 3 years ago, she used to wash the dogs' faces, and 5 days later our older Setter. Well, yes physically and mentally (most of the time but animals.......) I am not simply going to sit andwatch Finley die, I am using one of the "old ways", no nothing going into his mouth other than the medication he is on. He was a very poorly dog when I got him in quickly but next day pounced into his water bowl, both front feet digging. (all English do it most grow out of it), he dod it around 4 hours midnight we brought him home after rapid attention and treatment. We have had these Setters since before we got married and Finley is our ninth. Hopefully, this alternative will work, don't ask me what it is, only I know and pray it will give him a few mor years. Vet said 10 minutes twice a day. He's so well that Himself takes him to our localosh nature reserve am and at lease half an hour pm and he is fine. You wouldn't know he was anything other than a free running dog. Never on a lead there. God knows what we will be like dogless, I have never in my life been without one. Hahahahahahahaha you would laugh if you saw husband in a racetrack, he simply would not do it. Oh- woooo hooo F1 this weekend, we want Max to win, hehe Toto will go apopletic! Max is a nice man and when he wins does not get out of his car, arms out like some kind of Messiah! My thoughts only. S x
Savage, hehehe lovely name, I don't care if you are disappointed. Not gonna get into any arguments but things seem to have been stacked against him a times AND also what happened to George Russell when he drove "a certain person's" car which was designed for a shorter person. yay team max for both of us. Say what you want this is all I have to day about it other than Max is the better driver, he reads the track and race and has a good car, nothing but a genuine guy who can lose first place graciously andvery matter of fact.
Is it fair to delete that comment for being factually incorrect? I’m just kidding. I don’t care, everyone has their own opinion! I just enjoy the racing.
Apologies if I have been naughty making comments on the races, I saw them all and slowed things at times. Not unpatriotic but we and a lot of others are Max fans. Will enjoy it. Got some special TV specs which are some help but useless for anything else. S x
Hello, me again. Well.... first, Thanks for the comments re: removal of part of my message, I did not mane anyone bur if someone thought I did abad thing, so be it. proof of pudding, I think most will agree to what a phenominal driver Max is after his 14 start position and leadin afterONLY 12 laps. He truly deserves his success. Yaaaay Go ax Go Nax Go Max Go!! Can't wait for the race. (please ignore typos most of you know I I have sight loss) S x
