Loud grinding noise from the car this morning.
Can"t get it booked in until Friday...but it sounds expensive.
Vegas likelihood dropping. 
Run good tomorrow paulie you gotta make this trip...
plus infinity FFS
Took the car into my local garage this morning and, as I have had to do all week, commuted to work via omnibus and choo-choo train.
A lot is riding on the outcome of the diagnosis....
If it is something easy, perhaps as little a couple of hundred, I"d wince but bear it.
If it"s in the half-grand region, Prague would be in severe doubt but I reckon I could still swing Vegas.
If it"s in the grand region, I would have to extract the digit, bite the bullet and do the sensible thing and cancel Vegas.
Any more than that and November/December was looking like a
very long time to spend at home.
The phone rang at midday.
"Mr Davis?", the greasemonkey enquired.
"T"is I", I replied
"Baht yer motah".
"Aah, yes. How is it looking?", I asked with some trepidation (see above).
"It"s ready for you to pick up".
"Oh...that seemed quick", I opined with hope rising.
"Yeah, it was just a stone caught behind the back plate".
"So nothing major wrong then?", I queried with hopes soaring.
"Nope, all sorted"
"How much to I owe you?"...I had to ask.
"£30 should cover it"
Vegas baby, Vegas.
