My mum used to have a Fiat 126, which was the "modern" version of the original Fiat 500. Like this, but in navy blue. You started it with 2 small levers behind the handbrake.

We managed to fit our family of 7 in it.

That is commendable. Perhaps you should take Rob out for a pint with the tax money?

FWIW, my father refers to Fiats as "a fate worse than death".

My nan had a Fiat Panda which she'd get 7 or 8 kids in and take us to the Notting Hill Carnival until she got done for groping a copper.

Without wanting to press the point too hard, have you driven one?

After a month or so, I'm still happy with my choice. If I have a criticism it would be that the baggage area is very flat and covered by fabric with an extremely short nap. This means that the daily 2-4 slides around too much during cornering and braking.

I'm driving it with a joie de vivre which is almost frightening. <The car not the 2-4>.

No, narcolepsy sets in as soon as I see one.

Function, not form, innit?

I mean you're not hot looking, but apparently capable of performing. Except when narcoleptic.

Meow. That's him told.

I'll cope. By the way, wanna borrow $7Bn? Reasonable rates!

Certainly will, thanks. Pride comes before a fall and all that.

Can you provide appropriate security and guarantees?

I rather suspect UK is only in marginally better shape than Ireland. Glad I live in Canada.

Oh, I'd assumed the $7bn was the funds required to keep a Fiat running in Canada for a year.

Nope!

People forget/are unaware of how poor the Republic was before all this EU banking, lending madness.

To me, nothing feels permanent in Canada, the hire and fire culture is just...different. I have friends back home who have been on redundancy notice for over 2 years. The organization has shuffled them from department to department, moved some to other parts of the UK, even helped to get them jobs with competitors, anything to avoid laying them off.

Has she ever thought of a job with TSA?

Woah snowy here in Van - just took the scooby out - steep hill down to Broadway - did a fab 360 missed all the parked cars and 2 metal posts and stopped short of 6 lanes of traffic!!!

Snow tires are being fitted tomorrow - phew!

Going to do the snow tires thing with my new car - Nissan Altima, which kindly ran all day yesterday by itself while I was at work. I'm glad I got back to it at 6, just before it ran out of gas.

I do love keyless ignition though. I can forget where keys are in my bag now, rather than in the house. Of course this predicates me being able to turn the car off when I leave it in the morning....