Another long one

Miranda doesn't look out of place here, evenly coated with muck, mud and cat paw prints. Even in our local town she is one of the cleaner 4x4's, today she stood out like a pony in a cowfield (unless observed by Morriescoburyindusland's meat buyers) when parked amongst the gleaming automobiles in a busy metropolitan area of England's second city. Where the hell do you live to get your car like that? was one comment by an Audiman, while a petite Focuslady told me that she knew for a fact that in Chelsea they sell spray on mud. Thus it was that Miranda and I were on for a long day far from home in a busy city which only got worse when I arrived at my destination (without sat nav) and spent 2 hours in a stuffy room with 6 screaming kids each with their own mobile electronic noise emitter which played various types of music at full volume as they sat and watched an entirely inappropriate DVD and all the time vied for attention from their parents who were more involved swapping ring tones than they were in stopping their one year old climb in the pedal bin.
Once the torture ended and I was released Miranda and I fought a way through the traffic and negotiated the 80 miles back to sanity dropping off my passenger before heading up north to visit a family who want to join Red Kite. They being the sensible types had question a plenty to tax yours truly and so it was that Miranda and I headed home some 13 hours after leaving. As I pondered the meaning of life the universe and everything and sending psychic messages to the magnificent 7 plus 2 (Berners who would all have their legs crossed and would have to be walked in the dark and suffer a late supper) apologising for the delay I was glad that Miranda, currently traversing mountain bends, headlights feeling their way through the fog along narrow tarmac strips festooned with sheet ice,  was such a steady workhorse, equally at home on beach, country lane, mountain pass and urban highways.
So what if she was a bit dirty she was better than they were in all their shiny goodness.
And then it went dark.
How we laughed when both headlights blew at the same time.
Sorry dogs its going to be a late one!