Yes, We do "Loik Dawgs".

A number of weeks ago Tash and I were discussing about what we were going to do regarding accommodation at this years show.  The odds of the bus being completed were becoming ever slim, and she made it clear she didn't want to do another weekend in Chateau Benz - and neither of us wanted to camp! ... and so I found myself browsing ebay.  That's always how these nightmare stories start, right!?

Typically enough there was this really cute little two berth caravan up for auction.  Starting price was £300, with no bids and a few day to go.  Desperately trying not to fall into the "ebay trap" I merely added it to my watch list to see how events unfolded.  I felt quite pleased with myself for having not bid on it there and then!  I followed the auction, and with a few seconds remaining someone stuck in a bid for £300 and won the van.  Tash was a little disappointed we missed out, and I think she had kinda fallen in love with the little two berth Cadett.  Having looked around the net, £300 looked a fair price and so instead of being disappointed I sent the guy a message saying "if the winning bidder messes you around I will be interested, please contact me".

I left it at that, and thought nothing of it.  And then about ten day later my phone rings and a deep northern accent tells me it's mine if I want it, the winner bidder hasn't made contact for days and doesn't seem to be able/willing to come up with the cash.  Naturally, I agreed to buy it straight away - and then realised I had a caravan to collect, the caravan being in Wakefield and me not having a car with a tow bar!

A plan was constructed which went something like a) buy a new battery to get the Benz going again, b) make a trip to Bill's to chop and weld the exhaust so the Benz blows no more c) get Troy (a mate who runs a mobile tow bar fitting business) to fit a tow bar.  Simple, right?  The new battery cured the Benz's starting problems, and although it took us a whole day Bill and I did get the exhaust sorted and she runs quieter than ever!  Just the easy part to go now, get the tow bar fitted.  Except this proved nigh on impossible, as either posted tow bars didn't appear, or companies openly admitted that a tow bar for a 1990 W124 estate was like rocking horse poo.  And so, some two weeks later it became clear we would need to have one made, which takes a week ... except I go away in 3 days, and I want the caravan collected before I go away.

And so I bit the bullet, called the local van company and arranged to rent a van to make the trip.  And so yesterday Alfie and I spent the day on the road, cruising up the A1 to retrieve our very own pikey-wagon.

Remembering that nightmare journey to the port in December I knew I wanted to be prepared.  And so the Tuesday night I set about making road snacks - Nutella on bread, smoked cheddar and basil with spiced onion chutney sandwiches, and a tray of all day breakfast bars! 

And so after an early rise and a quick run out with the dogs Alfie and I collected our rent-a-racer.

 

Leaving Letchworth it was looking like a lovely day, but I had no idea if it would hold or not.

 

With Alfie enjoying his reflection in the wing mirror I wanted to get as many miles under our belt as possible.  Google maps had told me it was about 160 miles each way.  Alfie was a star though, and by the time we stopped for a break we had made good progress.  I had reset the trip counter when we left, and looking down I saw we had nearly clocked off 100 miles already!

 

All it took was a quick stretch of our legs and Alfie was keen to hit the road again!

 

But as we got closer to the outskirts of Sheffield the weather started to turn, and it did become 'grim ooop narth'.

Thankfully it was just a shower, and we reached our destination by around midday.  We spent about an hour with Neil (the chap selling me the caravan) who showed me around all his old barns and workshops and the collections of old cars, caravan, bikes and mopeds.  I could have spent hours there!  Amongst all the toys were some real gems including the Morris Minor which has only 11,000 miles, a really early Sierra with 30,000 miles and the original tax disc in the window, and a freshly restored MGB.  And there were LOTS of caravans!  This gives you a little feel for his place.

 

 

It was nice to get on the road home though, and even nicer to see us leaving the dark skies and thunderstorms behind!

I was expecting to stop a few times on the way home for Alfie, and although I was in no rush I did want to get back in time to return the van so I didn't have to worry about it the next morning.  Once more Alfie was an angel - each time he seemed to get restless, and I promised him we'd stop at the next services he'd fall asleep!  I made the most of it and kept trucking!  These guys passed us down the A1, clearly on their way to Dover and across to Le Mans.  As I thought back to our happy trips to the home of the 24 heures, and listened to that distinctive TVR rumble, the miles just clicked by.

Eventually Alfie woke up, just a few miles from home and so we stopped.  At Baldock services!  We had done 115 miles back in about 3 hours without a stop!  I took a moment to view the caravan - how hilariously small!

 

We shared a milkshake in the back of the caravan and then made the short trip up the A507 to home. 

 With the caravan unloaded, and the rental racer returned, by the time we got back Tash was already home peeking in through the windows to try and see what we'd bought!

I opened her up and showed Tash inside.  This is how it looks.  Through the door ...

 

The view to the rear of the van.

 

 

The table folds down, the cushion slide down, and it makes a nice little double bed.

Its a right little piece of Retro Cool ... right down to the In Car Entertainment!

 

We will certainly be doing the Retro Rides Gathering in comfort this year ... and Tash can't wait to get cracking with the sewing machine!

Visiting Nettlebed - June Edition

It's when we go to see Catherine and Chloe that I really realise how quick these little ones are growing up.

The hair gets longer, the running faster, and the interaction ever more emphatic!

We made the trip to Nettlebed yesterday, had a lovely walk in the morning, let Millie (the dog) tire out Alfie and Chloe, and then drank tea whilst kids slept! Oh, and whilst Catherine repaired/beat up my Alfie abused neck and back. 

It was a lovely day, and as always Alfie and Chloe had fun together

 

Their playing does now seem to involve more bullying/biting/scratching/throwing than it used to .... and more karate, as this photo shows!

 

Tell ya what though, those people who claim that kids don't play together until they are three are SO wide of the mark!

I didn't Realise I Had So Much To Write About

Its been a little while since I updated the blog, and when I flick back through recent photos I see I realised I haven't really been up to much.  Don't get me wrong, a lot has happened, but not much that's either completed nor photographed.

A lot of time has most definitely been spent working, and one thing that's for sure is that the years Gathering is going to be the best ever ... by some way!  And amidst this, the Benz battery failing and agreeing to buy a caravan I seem to have done a fair bit in the kitchen.

Last week I had the urge to make crab ravioli on ginger veg soup - my first experience into the world of homemade pasta!

It turned out great though, and I was amazed at how easy the pasta roller was to use!  I had made the soup and crab filling before Tash got home, and once she arrived we had a long sheet of pasta rolled out within a couple of minutes!

 

Thankfully it all turned out really well, and its something I'll be giving a go again in the future.  And Alfie adored it too!

 

This was followed up by making my first brew of Nettle Beer.  Its a slightly different recipe this time round, notably using less nettle tips.  One week to go till its gets bottled, and three weeks till the tasting!

And finally I put some of our old bread to good use by making Vanilla Bread Ice Cream!  I had a quick taste while I was churning and its lovely, but the real tasting will come tonight with some rhubarb crumble! I cannot wait!

Whilst warbling on about food it reminds me - we had an offer from Able & Cole recently.  As most of you know we have our fruit and veg (and often much more) delivered by Abel & Cole.  Its an organic box scheme, and they are a fantastic company who make you feel like you're dealing with your local greengrocer each week - and everything is traceable!  A small fruit and veg box is about £15, and if any of you have been tempted to give one of these organic box schemes a go NOW is the time to do it.  Why now?  Cos if you call them now, and ask for a box (just a one off is fine) and say Tash recommended you we'll get a free box and you'll get a free gift too!

There's a few other things I've spotted recently which I'm going to add to the blog too.  You remember Eddie Kidd?  He was a stunt rider back in the 80's, and with me being a child of the 80's its a name I definitely knew.  I certainly didn't know his full life story though, and this story left me at a loss for words!  A real hero!
 
Whilst I'm working I always have Twitter open as its a good medium to keep in touch with people who are involved with the show.  It also mean I get loads of cool stuff coming my way, like this video.  I can't seem to embed from vimeo here so just click this link instead.

And last, but most definitely not least, is the news that yesterday we had another midwife appointment.  I'm sure Tash will go into more detail in her blog but crucially we got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time.  Gavin & Stacey fans might remember when Smithy & Nessa went for the scan, and they had that 'whoa, there's a baby in there' moment of realisation - well I think hearing the heartbeat gave me/us ours yesterday!

Project Single Speed

About a month ago I decided I wanted a new bike - I do miss riding about, and my fitness and stamina are atrocious these days.  After learning of the savings that can be made through the cycle to work scheme Tash and I visited our local bike shop to check out Kona's as I had set sights on a Kona Steely.  The chap spoke highly of the bike, and it was decided that when Tash's scheme kicks back in that will be the bike I'll have.  I also spotted an old bike he had hanging up on the wall which he had converted to single speed. Clearly I don't have enough irons in the fire, and this gave me the idea to convert my old mountain bike into a stripped out single speed cruiser - after all, it won't be needed as a mountain bike anymore! 

The brief was simple - as minimal as possible, with the aim of being ridden around show fields and towing Alfie around.

I've had the bike since I was about 16, and it was last used about 3 years ago.  Since then its lived outside and been half swallowed by the undergrowth on a fair few occasions - all in all it was looking quite sorry for itself, and all moving parts had rusted solid.

 

First off I stripped it down.  You can see all the redundant parts in the dog bowl!  All the shifter assembly, derailer mechanicals, bar ends and rear sprockets were no longer needed!

I paid another visit to my local bike shop and came away with new cables and sheaths for the brakes, new front V-brake callipers, and ordered the rear 16 tooth single sprocket conversion kit.

The new front brake was to replace the old one which had somehow destroyed itself in the past.  It always feels good to fit new parts!

 

With cranksets looking expensive I hopped on ebay and ordered a single 33 tooth crankset.  This arrived soon after and I was looking forward to hitting the road!

But then came Easter, and shortly afterwards the Royal Wedding.  This apparently delayed the arrival of my single sprocket kit and I was left twiddling my thumbs for a fortnight.  Thankfully the kit arrived on Friday, and Tash collected it on her way home, along with a new chain.  Sunday presented me with an opportunity to finish things off and so after a brief visit to Halfords I had everything I needed.

 

Single sprocket correctly spaced, chain tensioned, new hub bearings fitted and I was ready to set up the brakes around the slightly buckled wheels.

It didn't take long though, and soon after I was ready to embark on my first shakedown ride.

 

With the test ride showing no suspicious knocks or noises, yesterday I saddled up Alfie's cart to see if it would haul him along OK.

Whilst cruising up West Drive I hung my phone behind me to grab an 'action' shot of him ... and to see how petrified he looked!

Its fair to say he loved it, and even though we were only out for about half an hour I think it will be the first trip of many.  And with fuel prices being so high I might be tempted to use it even more ... if my legs can take it!

And altogether its cost me something like £60 (of which half of that came from my Grand National winnings!), which is an absolute bargain considering the amount of use its now going to see.

The Perfect Day!?

As Saturday approached I realised it might just be the most perfect day for me.  It wasn't intentional, but as things panned out I ended up with a daily itinerary of morning - steam fair, afternoon - football, and evening - cinema to see TT3D!

We were up early to get to Stotfold Mill for the 10:30am opening.  The watermills annual event is always a 'must do' for us, largely so I can go see the Wall of Death!  This year we were joined by my Dad, Team Ferg and Claire and Sean with Jamie.  Everything steam powered is there for your enjoyment, from big fairground rides to small novelty engines.

We were one of the first through the gates and immediately hit the stand selling various seedlings.  I managed to walk away with 12 marigolds (not washing up gloves!), a courgette plant and an apache chilli plant for just over a fiver!  Bargain!  And straight after stumbled across the chap selling model cars.  I failed to find the corgi model of Bluebird, but Alfie came away happy!

After showing Alfie the birds of prey display we made our way towards the mill itself to show my Dad around.  The mill was restored a few years ago after being demolished by fire in the 90's, and some of the work that has gone on is simply amazing!

My annual trip to the coconut shy followed soon after.  12 balls for a pound!  Dan kicked things off by hurling balls at crockery, and then Dave and I got stuck into the totally tropical fruit!

And I came away with a lovely pair of coconuts!

With time ticking we parked up the buggies and all stepped inside the wooden cylinder that is the Wall of Death.

 

For anyone not familiar with the Wall of Death ... they ride around it!  Up and down, sidesaddle, no hands ... its the best entertainment you can get for £2 - fun for all the family!

We then made a line for the marquee to enjoy a bite to eat and a well deserved ale.  Time passed too quick and before we knew it was 1pm and time for Dad and I to head off to Villa.  Sounds like they all had fun in the afternoon though, and the little ones all enjoyed rides on fire engines ...

 

swinging chairs ...

 

and even mini-motos!

We arrived up at Villa Park in good time, it was just a shame we had to watch a dreary 1-1 draw against Wigan.

 

After a slow exit out of the car park we made it home just in time for a bite to eat, a quick dog walk, and then Tash and I ran straight out to head to Milton Keynes - leaving my Dad looking after Alfie, who at 8pm was still playing in his room some 2 hours after being put to bed!

The reason reason for our jaunt to MK was for our first 'date' since Alfie was born, and our first experience of 3D cinema!  The film in question?  The documentary about the Isle of Man TT, filmed last year when Ian Hutchison won all 5 races, and largely focusing on Guy Martin a rider who I have long been a fan of.

Tash and I spent our £30 (HOW MUCH?) and in return got a pair of tickets, pair of 3D goggles, small drink, packet of Randoms ... and of course some popcorn.

Before long it was time for us to enter the world of 21st century fashion - 3D time!

 

Although we look like we should have gone to Specsavers I have to say 3D cinema is bloody amazing!  Cars 2 is coming out this summer, and the trailer was the first item up and looked totally breathtaking!

Thankfully we were just as lucky with TT3D, and we thoroughly enjoyed our night out. 

But please tell me why, when the cinema is damn near empty and there is no-one else sat in our row, does some chap decide that the seat next to me is the perfect one for him to sit in??

Gravel Trap at Turn Eight!

With my trip to Ilford out of the way, and a sense of normality returning to my life I was determined to get the garden finished off.  Nettles were starting to take hold, and with Alfie and I spending more and more time outside I want the place to be safe (well, as safe as anything ever gets for me) and pleasant.

I got home late on Monday 2nd, and Tuesday was Tasha's day off.  This gave me the perfect chance to get things moving.  A trip to a few DIY centres saw me armed with a membrane to go down over the paths and a few bags of gravel to throw down on top.  The plan was to get the membrane down to keep the weeds at bay, and the gravel on top to sort out the main path and give me an idea of how much gravel I would actually need to do the whole garden.

As you can see, it all went down smoothly but it quickly became apparent the small bags of gravel would not be the way to go about things.

 

The massive bags you can buy are about 1 tonne in weight.  Its £175 from Focus, £60 from Wickes, but just £41 from a place I found online via ebay.  Instead of waiting till next month - which was my original plan - I jumped right in and placed an order!

I spent the next few days getting the rest of the membrane down, waiting for my Friday delivery.

Friday arrived, and by 8am so had my gravel!

 

I dragged the wheelbarrow into operation, and Alfie and I spent a while getting some of the gravel down on the paths.  Its fantastic having him wanting to get involved and help with everything I do.

Its hard work moving a tonne of gravel though, and he soon got tired.  We stopped for some food and he then went down for a well deserved nap.  While he recharged his batteries I got to work finishing everything off.

 

We are a touch short on gravel though, and so we'll need another bag next month to get it all completed.

 

But I'm sure you'll agree that the garden now looks like a very welcoming place!