In which I refuse to let Citroen ruin L's birthday.

Our car died on Easter Saturday.

It's not a big death, as deaths go.  The rear suspension's gone.  It's undrivable as is, but it's only going to take two hours (and the obligatory several hundred pounds, obviously) to fix.

Once they've got the part.

On Easter Saturday we were supposed to be going to Edinburgh to see some friends.  They came here.  I paid over £100 for the car to be taken to the garage.  We were promised it back early the next week.

We changed our Easter plans.

We were supposed to be going South to see my parents on the Thursday. No car.  We hired one.

The part was supposed to be in last Sunday.  It's not.  B cancelled the concert and reunion he was supposed to be going to on Monday.

The part was supposed to be in yesterday.  It's not.  I walked four children through a rainstorm to nursery (a mile away, which is a long way with little legs).

Today it's still not here.  I won't go to my exercise class tonight, or, almost certainly, my book group tomorrow.

Citroen are, as of this morning, saying that there is a supply chain problem.  Apparently there are cars all over the UK waiting for this part.  We are one of many.  They can't give us a date.

Nor will they give us a hire car.  Or a courtesy car (and the garage only has three which are all already out).

We are coping. It's fine.  We're in the middle of town. We can walk most places and change plans when we can't.

Only who's going to change L's birthday?

She's six on Sunday.  She is beyond excited.  Literally counting down the days.   We've chosen the (rainbow coloured) cake, and the big baking is scheduled for Saturday.  After much deliberation there's one thing she wants to do:  go to the cinema with her family and one of her best friends.  Nemo in 3D.  Twelve miles away.

Only we can't get there with no car.   There are no hire cars big enough available at the local hire car company.  The bus times don't work.  We can't get a taxi because what would we do with the car seats in the cinema?  There are too many of us (six of us plus her friend) to get a lift with anyone.

She hasn't worked it out yet, but if the car isn't fixed we're going to have to cancel.

And are Citroen going to explain that to her?

I've been fine about having no car for over two weeks now.  I've been  fine about shopping for six people in dribs and drabs.  I've been fine with non-explanations and non-contact.  I've been fine about cancelling my plans and B's.

But I am utterly not fine about cancelling a 6 year old's birthday.

I don't tweet, but if anyone who reads this does and wants to retweet it to (is that what you do?) @citroenUK just to see if we can sort something, anything, out, please feel free...