These articles were written for Citroenian, the Citroen Car Club magazine.

22-5-2001
Well, I'm tired but happy here in my new home. I'm really earning my keep as an everyday car here as Stuart really believes in driving his classic cars, and as well as going to shows (he showed me at Aircool 2001 the weekend after he bought me and I'm booked into the Bromley Pageant of Motoring) we've done a lot of road miles together. We've been to Bristol, Surrey and Canterbury from our base in Bromley, and I've already done more than 1,000 miles since Stuart bought me. I don't like visiting his friends in Surrey and show my displeasure by making unpleasant vibrating noises in the lower three gears on the way back home from the M25, but always stop before he can figure out what's causing it.

I was a little worried about Stuart's Citrophile intentions when he turned up at Henley-on-Thames to collect me in a Rover 2000, but I needn't have worried - why can't you love traditional British cars AND avant-garde French ones? It's true that he's started restoring the Rover and that I have to wear a "My Other Car Is A P6 Rover" sticker, but he loves Citroens too, although (having lived in France for six months) he's well aware of our foibles. I heard him make muttered comments about how the French are incapable of wiring things up properly, and have responded by continually blowing the lightbulbs behind my ammeter and speedo.

Stuart hates driving without music so the old Rover's lent me its Radiomobile radio for the time being. He's also looking for a left-hand wing mirror as he's intending to drive me to France quite often, but apart from those changes he wants to keep me original.

His family are sound as well - I'm always surrounded by my younger relatives here, with a Xsara Estate, Picasso and Saxo for company (as well as a 1986 Peugeot 309 which Stuart doesn't drive any more because he likes me better!).

12-8-2001
It's been a busy couple of months - Stuart and I are still piling on the miles! We've just got back from the Cropredy Festival (the same one that caused so much confusion in the Guardian C5 review) near Banbury in Oxfordshire. Unfortunately I had to stay in the muddy campsite while Stuart went off to enjoy himself, but he reports that the music was fantastic, the food good, and the loos acceptable. We were pleased to see an Ami 8 in the campsite, but sadly we never got to meet the owner. Plenty of other air-cooled power around, as well - it's amazing how many VW campers these events bring out!

Stuart's new job in Canterbury has left him too busy for much travelling except for the occasional trip up to Bromley to visit his Rover (the stripdown's coming along well) and to South-Eastern section pub meets where it's very nice to see some of my previous owners. He has had some time to show me off though - you may have seen me at the Bromley Pageant of Motoring and the Kent Messanger Motoring Pageant in Paddock Wood.

Apart from that unfortunate incident when Stuart became "the Citroen driver who thought he was driving a JCB" I have caused him no problems and carry on being reliable, economical transport.

3-10-2001
Stuart needn't think that I'll always do exactly what he wants. I need to feel appreciated - doesn't everyone? I knew that he was working in Austria for a week without me so I made one of my brake calipers fall off just before he left. That way I got to spend the week indoors at the Acorn Garage in Canterbury (01227 456303) and he was reminded that I need pampering sometimes. I didn't think that was enough, so made sure that my starter motor died a week later. That didn't work out so well though - I'd forgotten that I had a starting handle. One mercy rush to Heathrow Airport with a Chinese friend of Stuart's meant that I covered 200 miles in a day without a starter motor. That made me realise that Stuart's more determined than me so I've just reverted to my old habit of blowing lightbulbs every couple of weeks. No thanks at all to Rob Moss (01462 731733) for the new starter - now I have to start work every morning again.

A realisation that it's impossible for a TEFL teacher to make money in England has meant that my future is in some doubt. Stuart may be moving to Moscow soon, in which case I'll be looking for a new home, or he might be going back to Reims, in which case I'll be returning to my homeland with him.

Chris Gordon has asked us for more details on the JCB thing. Suffice to say that a forgetful driver, high gate stop and oleopneumatic suspension don't always mix. My exhaust is much better now, thank you, and I needed undersealing anyway.