Visiting Auntie Louise, Erdington, Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August, 2016.

12:00-ish.

Proudly wearing the winter cardigan that Auntie Louise, aged 92, 

has knitted over the last 10 days for Vicky.

But much too warm for today!

1:15-ish.

One of the great things about visiting Auntie Louise is that we get to eat real food.

As someone who lived and fought through a war she has no truck with the cowin' Food Police.

So, for Vicky and Auntie Louise, it's salmon sammidges on plain white bread with proper butter and a few home-grown tomatoes, with micro-waved chips on the side (the latter not available during the war).

For David it's the same but with full-fat cheese not salmon.

Scrummy.

The view from Vicky's chair of the back garden.

An oasis of calm in a busy residential area.

2:00pm-ish.

After watering the tomatoes in the green house it's off on a short confidence-boosting trip with Auntie Louise in her new Mobility Scooter which was donated by The British Legion in recognition of her war service.

David, encouraging her to get her knee down on the corners, thankfully, just out of shot.

4:45-ish.

Back in Worcester we continue to taunt The Food Police by walking to the river via the local garage where we purchase two Magnums. Vicky has Double Caramel, David has Peanut Butter.

Again: yummee!

It's very warm and humid again. So, in order to keep one's strength up as buzzards looking for any signs of weakness in folk below circle overhead, a decaf tea from The Pumphouse is in order.

As we walk home the Food Police sirens are still wailing loudly and 

so we vow to return to eating healthily from now on.

Back home at 5:30 we finish off painting the last bit of skirting board on the end wall of the kitchen and then (now we don't have Auntie Louise to protect us) David has a very small portion of chicken and veg stir fry (not one carbohydrate in sight) whilst Vicky has half an apple with a small lump of low-fat cheese.

Now, where's the fun in that?

Another day, another coat: Sunday, 28th August, 2016.

9:30am-ish.

Tall person applying edging coat to the upper half of the wall.

Less-tall person applying edging coat to the lower half of the wall.

Less-tall person applying edging coat to the opposite lower corner of the wall.

Good, eh?

Tall person up the ladder and using a roller to finish off the upper half of the wall.

Wall finished by 10:00am-ish.

Not bad going, but it may need another coat yet. We have time to do that today if we need to.

Then it's just the wall around the kitchen window to do.

That's gonna be the trickiest by far. It will involve taking a blind down. 

Could see a lot of general grumpyness breaking out.

We'll be having a go at that next Monday/Tuesday, all being well.

Not exactly looking forward to it.

4:15pm-ish.
We've watched the Belgian F1 GP and had a nice sleep during the middle bit (it's hard to stay awake during F1) and, stepping outside, we find that it is warm and humid (boo!).
This cloud above Northwick Ave is almost but not quite an 'anvil'. Still nice tho'.

Strange river craft chugs along the river at a rapid rate of knots.

Moth, trying to avoid walkers (Vicky), cyclists, and amateur photographers,
scuttles along on its Sunday afternoon constitutional.

Nice bit of back-lighting.
Can't beat it.

Triumph Bonneville (750cc) we presume.
However, it is very petite.
Much smaller than we remember them back in the '70's.
More like the size of a 350.

Another day, another wall: Saturday, 27th August, 2016.

11:00am-ish.

The wall was sugar-soaped last Tuesday so now it's time to apply the masking tape to what will be the kitchen's 'Feature Wall'.

Except there's gonna be two 'Feature Walls'. One at each end.

Not sure what the walls should be called then - 'contrast walls'? Dunno. 'cos the other two walls could also be called 'contrast walls' couldn't they?

It's all very complicated and Vicky's the one with a subscription to Ideal Home magazine and she doesn't know either.

Gerrup that ladder and gerrin the corners, Dave.

OK Vic. I'm on it.

Vicky's brush work is so fast we've had to use flash to capture it!

First coat of emulsion completed by 12:00-ish.

Time for lunch.

Decorating and a new walk: Sat/Sun 20th/21st August, 2016.

Saturday afternoon.

The sugar soaping in the kitchen is all done and now it's time for the first coat of emulsion.

Saturday afternoon II:

Time for the mini-roller.

Sunday morning:

Highly skilled detailing.

Sunday morning II:

Splendid aerial action shot of the second coat of emulsion being expertly applied.

Gotta finish by 1:00pm and the start of the Czech Republic Moto GP round from Brno.

We predict that Cal Crutchlow is gonna pull off a surprising and historic victory on the drying track.

It'll be the first time that a British rider has won a GP since Barry Sheene won in Sweden in 1981.

A 35 year wait. It's gonna get emotional!

Sunday 4:00pm-ish:

We've recovered from Cal's brilliant victory, and have rested after doing the emulsion in record time, so now it's time for a walk. Can't go to the racecourse today 'cos that Ray Smeeting-fella is using it, so we're going to investigate the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.

This is the view from Bilford Road where we start our canal walk.

 Facing south but heading north.

Mother duck and her ducklings corner us and ask the traditional question:

'Got any bread?'

A few yards further on and our new friends are still bullying us.

We promise them we'll bring bread next time 

(despite all the RSPB advice - they know nowt, ducks love bread!).

This land will be the site for a new sports complex at Perdiswell.

If Worcester City FC ever get the planning permission or the finance, this is where they will build their new ground (they have to play at Bromsgrove at the mo').

Note the Malvern Hills lurking under the low cloud in the far distance.

Heading back towards Droitwich Road and home.

It's been a nice walk. We'll be doing it again one feels.

63 and a day, Saturday, 13th August, 2016.

Birthdays don't last long enough and neither does chocolate.

David's 63rd, RAF Cosford Museum, Friday, 12th August, 2016.

12.30-ish:

This is the face of somebody who's made the mistake of using SATNAV to get here.

It sent us all over the place. Presumably to avoid driving through Wolverhampton. 

Something we did not ask it to do.

We like Wolverhampton!

This is the face of somebody who has come up with the splendid idea of a shared jam scone as a means of forgetting the traumas of using SATNAV to get here.

Hawker Hurricane.

I made this in Airfix when I was a lad, says David to Vicky.

Supermarine Spitfire.

I made this in Airfix when I was a lad, says David to Vicky.

Focke-Wulf.

I made this in Airfix when I was a lad, says David to Vicky.

De Havilland Mosquito.

I made this in Airfix when I was a lad, says David to Vicky.

Centurion tank.

More memories. This time of my 4th Christmas. One of my earliest memories. For my 4th Birthday I got a Dinky Car Transporter. 

For my 4th Christmas I got a tank transporter and a Centurion tank to go with it.

What was it about my parents and transporters?

Dunno, but they were great presents 'cos I've never forgotten them!

Having looked at the Centurion tank a bit closer I think it's a more modern version than the one I got as a Christmas present. But, hey, the name's the same.

Memories of many hours spent in Airport Departure Lounges over the years?

These spartan chairs are much more comfy tho' and there's space between them.

5 olde-fellas wot lived through The Cold War years.

2:30pm-ish:

Back in The Visitor Centre for some refreshment before taking a gander at the final hangar.

I take a photo of Vicky whilst waiting for the arrival of a 'Home-made Sausage Roll' which is, unfortunately, just out of shot.

A shame 'cos it was surprisingly good and I would unreservedly recommend one to anybody visiting The Museum and needing a pick-me-up. Scrummy.

Overseas visiting Cadets rest and check their gadgets outside The Visitor Centre whilst enjoying 

a lovely summer's day just outside Wolverhampton.

6 into 1 exhaust system.

De Havilland Comet.

Note Vicky has moved out of earshot so she doesn't have to listen to David telling her that he made this one in Airfix when he was a lad. Bit harsh.

A Spitfire with a difference.

This is a 1:1 Airfix model wot James May made for that TV programme a while ago……….

…………and here's the Man himself.

He's looking a bit pale.

I know, I'll tell him to nip up to The Visitor Centre and get himself a Home Made Sausage Roll.

That'll perk him up.

It's 3:35 now and time to get going to beat the Friday afternoon traffic.

We are not going to use the SatNav. 

We will simply take the A41 to Wolvo and then the A449 to Worcester.

4:40pm:

Back home safe and sound and about to consume some of my favourite Birthday present 

- a chocolate tree.

Everything apart from the glass base-thingy is made of chocolate.

Somebody shut the windows quick! I can't hear myself think for the sound of Food Police sirens.

By the way, without the SATNAV we did the journey 5 minutes quicker.

We live and learn.

Classic Motorcycle Festival, Donington Park, Sunday, 7th August, 2016.

11:30-ish:

It's hot and sunny shock!

As this photo, taken by mistake, proves.

A thing of great beauty.

Muc-On more like.

Splendid action shot of a proper photographer.

6-into-6: now that's what we call an exhaust system.

House Martin nests on the Race Control tower.

Parents flying in and out too quick for us!

And so the great debate begins: which one of us will drive and who is gonna do the pushing?

Ducati is ready for its carburettor close-up.

Parade riders slowly being consumed by two-stroke exhaust haze.

Left the paddock now and we're on the Wheatcroft Straight where Alan Brooks (9) - KSK 350 Honda & Michael Nash-De-Villiers - 500 Seeley BSA Gold Star are hard at it.

Alan Oversby - 500 Davies Motorsport Honda - at Roberts Chicane.

Bikes and Bikers come in all shapes and sizes.

1:45pm-ish:

We've decided to walk right around the track!

Blimey, bit rash in this heat, isn't it?

This is the view through the fencing at McLeans where there is literally miles of run off.

Wasn't like that back in '77.

All elbows through Schwantz Curve.

Splendid view of The Old Hairpin from the remains of Starkeys Bridge.

Donington has a new 'glamping' facility so Vicky investigates, but it is going to take more than calling one of the 'tents' Barry Sheene to get us interested.

Robert Wittey - PDQ Motorcycle Developments 1170 Kawasaki - at Starkeys.

Craner Curves from the outside for a change.

3:45-ish:

Back in the Paddock prior to departure.

Sidecar bodywork with a much better sponsor than Williams F1.

Todays QI FitBit stats:
11,500 steps.
5.3 miles walked.
31 flights of stairs.
31 flights of stairs?
Must be the walk from The Old Hairpin, up Craners, to Redgate.
Who'd have thought it was the equivalent of 31 flights of stairs?