Saturday 30 April 2016

Is there such a thing as a Hail Drift? Worcester, Friday, 29th April, 2016.

Oooooh, simply fascinating.
Vicky with an even bigger (well, longer) one.

Today's soundtrack before the walk:

Bruce Soord - Bruce Soord
The Killer Instinct - Black Star Riders
Antiphon - Midlake

Vinyl soundtrack for late afternoon ironing session whilst Vicky is working from home:

Ronco Presents 44 Original Hits From The Soundtrack Of The Film Stardust As Seen On TV - Various Artists (1974). 
Just the first two sides.

Sunday 24 April 2016

Auntie Louise at 92, Erdington, Saturday, 23rd April, 2016.

Auntie Louise keeps her mind active by knitting toys for local charities.
She's also knitted several bags.
Auntie Louise talking about being photographed by The British Legion on her new mobility scooter which they had provided for her in appreciation of her 4 years war service in North Africa and Italy. 

Saturday 16 April 2016

WEC, Silverstone, Saturday, 16th April, 2016.

8:00am.
The view from our kitchen window.
Whatcha mean, you can't see any snow?
It's cowin' snowin, I tellya!
8:15-ish and the new rucksack is being stuffed with all-sorts.
8:30-ish and food is being prepared.
It's a military operation we'll have you know.
11:30-ish and we're at Luffield.
This is the first track action of the day as the earlier sessions were cancelled due to the snow and rain.
The ELMS Qualifying didn't last long for the Murphy Prototypes car. 
It's heading for the barriers and a back-of-the-grid start.
Not sure who the driver/culprit is but he'll be popular when he gets back to the Pits.
11:50-ish and we're in The National Pits Grandstand waiting for the WEC GT Qualifying to start.
It's all a matter of layers David.
A smug git in several layers.
The new Ford GT.
Looks great, sounds fantastic.
What's not to like?
12:40-ish and the WEC prototype qualifying is coming to a close.
The Audis prove to be the fastest in the damp conditions and score a one-two 
on the grid for tomorrow's race.
12:45-ish and Porsche Carrera Cup GB cars are ready to roll out of the paddock 
for their first race of the weekend.
1:00pm-ish.
ELMS Pit Walk.
4 Hours of Silverstone winning team from left to right:
Harry Ticknell, Simon Dolan, and Giedo Van Der Garde.
2:15-ish and, having had some lunch at Copse, we await the start of the ELMS race.
3:45-ish.
We've walked down to The Wing for the WEC Pit Lane Walk and, intriguingly, folk are bashing marking tape with rubber mallets.
Not on Pole Porsche 919 gets a severe seeing-to.
Team members prepare to practice the re-fuelling procedure on the Manor Racing LMP2.
Duckin' and divin'.
It's not the people, it's the rucksacks!
4:30-ish and it's a sky of two halves as we have a sit down, a cuppa tea, and a bit of a rest.
Vicky returning with said two cups of tea.
5:00pm-ish and the Four Hours Of Silverstone winning G-Drive LMP2 sweeps through Abbey.
5:15-ish:
Somebody who's carried an umbrella all day gets a shift on and heads back to the car park.
There were loads of threatening clouds today and we could see it raining in every direction we gazed in but, amazingly, none of it fell on Silverstone itself all afternoon.

Fit Bit facts;
Time at circuit: 6hrs 40 mins.
Distance walked: 6.8 miles.

Problem-free drive home and we're back safe and sound by 7:00pm.

Looking forward to a lie-in tomorrow.

Below:
2 bonus quality movies!


ELMS Qualifying at Woodcote.



Manor Team refuelling practice.

Sunday 10 April 2016

Meeting Humphrey, Droitwich, Sunday, 10th April, 2016.

James (nephew), Humphrey (great nephew) and Auntie Vicky.
An olde fella and a young-un.
Humphrey said to Vicky, 'I am feeling very tired.'
He wasn't joking.
Morrisons Choo-choo train.
50p - worth every penny.

BSB, Silverstone, Saturday, 9th April, 2016.

12:15-ish:
First things first.  A swift walk to Woodcote for two cups of tea 
and a Beef & Ale Pastie to keep us going.
Lovely day so far.
It's the future.
Silent electric motorbikes.
Vicky buying a rucksack and a T shirt?
It's unheard of.
No wonder riders are sometimes called jockeys.
This is Keenan Armstrong urging his 600 STK Kawasaki towards Copse.
STK 1000's about to brake for Copse.
Jesse Traylor and Hudson Kennaugh (Kawa and BMW respectively) are the riders.
A Tyco BMW 1000 Superstocker wot's seen better days.
Trim that beard!
Our very first shot of Bruce Anstey off the 'bike.
Well done Vic!
The Paddock Cafe has been re-vamped.
Vicky's verdict: nicer surroundings but less variety on the menu.
Fancy making an offer?
The forecast was for rain in the afternoon and here it is.
It rained harder whilst we were in the Paddock Cafe and this shower lasts for all of 5 mins.
Then it drizzled off and on for a bit.
It's a momentous occasion 'cos it's the first time it's rained on us at an event since September 2013.
So we guess we were due some.
Bike of the day.
Anstey's current Classic Bike TT Festival steed from the days when Men were Men and all that.
3:00pm-ish:
KTM British Junior Cup Race is on the go.
Reece Guyet leads Tom Airey.
Moto3 GP rider Phillip Freitag (GER) gets last minute instructions before going out on track.
Moto3 GP rider Charlie Nesbitt.
Moto3 GP riders hard at it on The Wellington Straight.
Traditional shot of Vicky getting the teas in.
A touch of drizzle. It's only water.
16:15-ish.
Leon Haslam (Kawasaki) not exactly hangin' about.
Taming The Beast (just about).
Shane Bryne on the 1199cc Ducati Panigale.
That thing has got some grunt.
Silverstone grandstands and Silverstone weather.
Nearly 5 o'clock now.
Time to head back to the car park.
Vicky and Silverstone in a Bon Jovi tribute.
According to Fit Bit we have been here 5hrs 33 mins and walked 5.25 miles.
No wonder we are knackered.
It's all good tho'.

Friday 8 April 2016

Vicky's 54th, Thursday, 7th April, 2016.

9:00am-ish:
Nowt to do with Vicky's birthday. 
Just to report that the first item for the 'office' has arrived this morning. 
It's a box to store all our olde 7" singles in. 
It's self-assembly - outrage!
Midday-ish:
On Vicky's birthday Vicky gets what Vicky wants so David gets to hone his exquisite skills with the  frying pan and the George Foreman as he creates one of his signature Turkey Sausage, Egg and Mushroom sammidges. 
Incredibly, Vicky has it without the mushrooms. 
Sacrilege.
Mmmmmm, scrummy. 
Vicky's verdict: a 19/20 if ever there was one.
Not a 20/20! David is gutted.
4:10pm and we've driven out to Holloways for afternoon tea.
It consists of far too many sammidges and far too many cakes.
The Food Police are circling outside but, luckily, it's a Tea Room Lock-in.
We're not gonna be able to finish all this Vic.
It's total carnage. 
We're happy but defeated.
Holloways have provided us with a handy box to put the remaining cakes in.
That's David's supper accounted for then.
6:45pm-ish.
Nice evening walk along the river to walk-off the indulgences of the day.
Let's finish with a Birthday-selfie. Yay!

Birthday soundtrack?
Some peace and quiet please, Dave.