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Diary of a Nobody

I've lived in southern Spain for over 16 years. I like to write/blog. It occurs to me that many of my articles are like a diary. So, from now on this is where I shall post my diary entries.

A40, MR2, MX5, MX8, RX8 and TM31
Saturday, August 8, 2026 @ 2:55 PM

These letter and number combinations are all models of objects I own or have owned/had use of in the past. Four are cars, one is a pool robot and another is a kitchen appliance.

 

Austin A40

This was the family car when I passed my driving test aged 17.

So, I got to drive it a bit, although dad was a bit possessive and not keen on me driving at night or when I went out with friends.

Worried I might drink and drive, I guess, although there were no breathalysers in those days.

 

[Dreamstime]    

Toyota MR2

This tiny sports roadster was ahead of its time.

Discontinued in the 1980s this car briefly became notorious in France, where the pronunciation of MR2 is "emmerdeux" which means "shitty".

Not a great name for a car. Toyota promptly renamed it for the French-speaking market.

 

 

[Collecting Cars]    

Mazda MX5

Strictly speaking this was my girlfriend's car, but I got to drive it a lot until we split up after three years.

That was sadly that. The relationship was over ..... 

I mean, I was sad about the car.

 

 

 

[Periodismo del Motor]    

Zodiac MX8

This is the robot vacuum cleaner for the swimming pool that I purchased recently.

It's amazing and fully automatic.

My latest toy. I love it!

 

 

 

[Zodiac]    

Mazda RX8

Of all the cars I've had in nearly six decades of driving, my RX8 was my favourite. A rotary-engined car with suicide doors, I bought it second-hand when it was less than a year old. The lady first owner didn't like it!

I had it for some three years and only sold it because I needed a hatchback to ferry stuff around.

From a Mazda RX8 to a Ford Focus was a bit of a come-down!

 

[Coches.net]    

 

Thermomix TM31

This marvellous kitchen appliance does every kitchen task. Manufactured by Vorwerk in Germany and only available new through sales agents, it is a chopper, dicer, mincer, liquidiser and cooker all rolled into one.

My German wife has always had one since she became a "Hausfrau". Her current model is the TM31 which also has a built-in timer. We got it second-hand five years ago from a young Spanish couple who had used it only once.

 

[Vorwerk]    

 

I think we only paid 500 euros for it, which is around half the new price.

Rita is thrilled with her TM31 and uses it a lot. I have used it on occasion in the preparation of soups and stews and I am very impressed.

 

Links:

HOW TO ..... CLEAN YOUR SWIMMING POOL - Eye on Spain

Lost in translation? Marketing cock-ups and brand name howlers - Secret Serrania

 

 

© Paul Whitelock

 

Pictures:

Coches.net, Collecting Cars, Dreamstime, Periodismo del Motor, Vorwerk, Zodiac

 

Thanks:

Google Images, Paul Whitelock, Vorwerk, Zodiac

 

Tags:

A40, Austin A40, Coches.net, Collecting Cars, Dreamstime, Eye on Spain, Google Images, How to?, lost in translation,  marketing cock-ups, Mazda MX5, Mazda RX8, MR2, MX5, MX8, Paul Whitelock, Periodismo del Motor, pool robot, RX8, Secret Serrania de Ronda, TM31, Thermomix, Thermomix TM31, Toyota MR2, Vorwerk, Zodiac, Zodiac MX8

 

 

 



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