Dipsticks (Is that really what they're called?)

Not my actual car

I had occasion, only recently, to add some oil to the inny bit of my car (not the bit where the chairs and levers are, but the bit under – what we English call – the bonnet  (which is a rather sweet and girly name for such a hot and growly part of the car)) Woah, way too many brackets.

I was alerted to the whole oil requirement thing by a) the oil can shaped symbol lighting up on my dashboard and b) my Resourceful and Practical Friend –who was waiting to collect a  Spanish visitor from the wrong terminal at  Manchester airport – telling me via the miracle of text that this means I need some oil.

Now, the Best Beloved had shown me before how to go about this whole rigmarole.  But do you think I could remember what on earth the dipstick was meant to show? 

Such was my resolve and daring, I didn’t even open the bonnet to have a look to try and jog my memory. 

It was, therefore, my great good fortune that my R&P Friend (at Manchester Airport) texted me to say that she had spoken to her fiancé and that he would be happy to show me what to do with my dipstick.

Not my actual basket

Off I pootled, in a fashion way more girly than I actually am, with a basket containing the bottle of oil I found in the shed, a roll of kitchen paper and a tea towel.

Moments later, after the dark mysteries of the dipstick were revealed  to me once more (complete with able demonstration) I was all set to return to my happy homestead leaving Friend’s Fiance to continue about his business unmolested.

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But my question is this – why, oh why, oh why are there not marks on the dipstick indicating ‘too low’ , ‘fill to here’ , ‘too much’?

Would that not be simple, cheap and effective?

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That said, I wouldn’t have missed that bonding moment for the world.

x Thank you Resourceful and Practical Friend and Fiance x