Gloucester Docks, Saturday, 28th July, 2012.

It's yet another lovely summer's day (there's a cooling breeze today - which is nice) so we've made the short and quick drive down to Gloucester for a look around the re-developed docks.

Well, we say 'quick drive' but the M5 is closed at Cheltenham due to an accident so we come off at Tewksbury and use the A38. It's a bit slower but the scenery is much nicer.

Howard taking things easy and enjoying the vibe.

Hard work? Oh yes, we can stand here and watch it for hours.

Scottish owners?

We know what you're thinking but, no, we didn't venture inside. The Food Police were everywhere. We had a nice pot of tea each to wash down our toasted panini at a far more healthy establishment (absolutely). 

Olde quayside crane (bet it didn't look that good when in use) stands guard over warehouses converted into offices and apartments (you know the sort of thing).

Main canal boat basin.

Different view of same basin with 'Britain In Bloom' (or some such) award winning flower displays.

A chap nearly as olde as The Docks but, crucially, not quite.

Worcs CCC v South Africa, New Road, Worcester, Friday 27th July, 2012.

The long hot British summer continues (well, it's been here for at least a week now) and Bob has come over from Burbage to watch the pesky South Africans succumb (oh yes) to our brave boys from Worcestershire. It's a big crowd and it's not easy to find a seat. And, blimey, it's cowin' hot! So, buying the first teas of the day and slapping on the sun cream, we settle back to decide who's at the crease. Trouble is both teams have a bloke who looks exactly the same as that famous bloke what plays for South Africa. One hour later we realise that Worcester are fielding not batting as we originally thought. It's an easy mistake to make and we blame the prickly heat.

It's one o'clock and time for lunch, dum-de-dum-de-dum (one for all fans of 'classic period' Genesis).

Two shifty looking groundstaff are busy re-marking the crease (aka in some circles as 'doctoring the pitch').

Pesky South Africans practising their slip fielding and doing their best to ignore the barracking (which is far too prevalent in the modern game) coming from two over-weight middle aged chaps who were really good when they were young (oh yes), thankfully, behind the camera.

Rear of the Basil D'Oliveira Stand (no particular reason for including this).

Bob and Dave enjoying the seats in the welcome late afternoon shade below the scoreboard. We've had a cup of tea and a slice of cake from those very nice ladies in the 'tea and cake' pavilion and are looking forward to a return visit before the walk back home under the trees along the river. Yes, it's a tough life alright. Well, if it was good enough for Elgar...........

Monday, 23rd July, 2012.

Third consecutive day of summer shock!

Emlyn's had his first breakfast and waits for his second and third ones in the glow of the kitchen.

The Classic 50, Castle Combe Circuit, Sunday 22nd July, 2012.

Second consecutive day of summer shock!

This is our first ever visit to Castle Combe and, as we have arrived first (which is a first) we get the teas in and have a sit down and take in the scene. We think we're gonna like it here.

One of Vicky's 'jaunty angles'.

Waiting with Paula and Tony for some Special Saloon action at Folly.

David's car of the day. It didn't win but who cares? 

Folly marshals come in all shapes and sizes.

Tony discusses the pros and cons of air-cooled rear engined NSU's. David, who thought it was a Hillman Imp, appropriately just out of shot.

Saturday, 21st July, 2012.

David has had to re-jig the Barbourne GP track so that our living room gets more space for....er..... living in. Here, The Clerk of the Course is using his laser-eye technology to give the altered layout the once-over prior to another epic 100-lapper.

Worcester, Sunday 15th July, 2012.

Untypical 2012 summer's day. Sunny, humid, and some blue sky, and the river in flood. But don't worry, it's gonna rain again tomorrow (that'll help).

The Severn's come up and is now going down again. It's those pesky Welsh: they simply can't control their water.

Enjoying our Green and Soggy Land.

Only squat boats can pass beneath the Bridge Street bridge.

Evesham Cats Protection, Sunday 8th July, 2012.

Cheer up, your new family's coming in to collect you later this morning.

A social climber?

Of course, one mustn't have a favourite but if one did......................

Everybody fed, watered, medicated, and cleaned out. Time to relax with a quick cuppa.

Summer's here? Er, nope, don't be daft.

F1 GP, Silverstone, Friday 6th July, 2012.

Up at 5:am. Out at 7:10. Very wet journey, Vicky at the wheel, arrived in the same car park and at the same time as last year at 9:15am. Aggregate 'roads' are OK, but the grass is very soft and already waterlogged. Vicky does well to wheelspin the Lancer up the gentle incline on the left to the spot indicated by marshals. Hmmm, this could get interesting come home-time.

10:20-ish and that young German-fella splashes up the International Pits Straight in the Red Bull which appears to have some sort of different shade of blue paintwork for some reason or another. No doubt TV will be telling you all about it whilst we sit here.

10:45-ish. Team Marussia practice their pit stop routines.

11:00-ish. We've had enough of sitting opposite the pits and, before the hordes come out of the stands at the end of the first F1 session and after a well-earned cup of tea and a shared pie and peas in that red bus behind Vicky, we trudge up to Luffield for the GP2's. Hmm, wonder what state the car park is in now?

Midday-ish and the GP2's splash around Luffield through the standing water.

1:00pm-ish. David's highlight of the day: watching the Historic F1's at Woodcote. Just like back in the day, he mumbles.

1:05-ish. Appallingly, not everybody sat in the stand is a fan of Historic F1. Well, we have had an early start.

14:30-ish. A few F1 cars have splashed past at the start of their second session but now all is quiet on the track 'cos it is really tipping it down. Lewis is shown on the TV screens relaxing in his garage and updating his Facebook page. We decide to head back to Luffield (it's warmer on the banking than in the stands) via a stop for a hot drink. But who's going to venture across that to get a cuppa? Not us!

3:00pm-ish. After finding a stall that isn't mud-logged selling tea we feel slightly revived. Things are stirring again on track now. Quite a few cars are flying past us at Luffield. We watch for about 15 minutes. We would like to stay longer but are tired and weather-beaten (or beaten by the weather, you decide). It's time to go back to the car park (gulp).

3:30-ish. The traffic beneath the bridge from the circuit to the car park is at a standstill. This is a strange one 'cos they are all heading to, not from, the circuit. Shouldn't all these people have arrived and got in hours ago? And why is there no traffic in the lanes on the other side of the dual carriageway for folk leaving?

5:30-ish. We're finally heading out of the car park. What a fandango. Vicky had to get out and push at one point. There was one queue across the car park and one queue only. Everyone leaving joined it. Nothing moved for ages. No sign of any marshals/stewards. Only vehicles moving were the 4WD's. Gangs of 'em roaming about looking for a way out but not finding one. Eventually, people got out of their cars and began talking to each other. It transpired that the one and only queue also had vehicles in it which were still trying to get in! Some folk said they had got through the car park gates 4 hours ago but had only 'travelled' a few yards in all that time. They had been told to drive into the car park as it lead to the camp site (it doesn't).  So we (and everyone else trying to leave) realised that we were going in the wrong direction and we should be trying to get out by the same way we had come in. Have you tried doing a 360 degree turn on waterlogged grass in a cowin' Lancer auto?

19:45pm-ish. We have made it safely home. Loads of police and stewards in fluorescent jackets along the road outside the car park. Much standing still and gawping but little in the way of decisive action. Cheers for that. Of course, the sun shone as soon as we had battled our way onto the A43. However, it was stop-start all the way home. Accidents, flooding and general mayhem the order of the day on all the Midlands motorways. That car will need a trip the car wash tomorrow.

N.B. Having now watched the news, and caught up with all that has been happening around the country yesterday (we are writing this blog the day after), we think, with the benefit of hindsight, that we got off lightly. We bet there are still some folk who haven't got out of that car park yet! Or into it, come to think of it.

Thursday, 5th July, 2012.

Sunshine and fluffy white clouds in July shock!

Quick, take a photo.

What of, the car park?

Yeah, perfect.

We have been made so giggly with excitement by the general wooziness of the sunshine that we have driven down to the Cotswold village of Western Sub Edge for a pub lunch at The Seagrave Arms. Well, Vicky is on holiday.

Ah, a nice slice of bread and Gloucestershire butter whilst waiting for our mains (pollock for Vicky, and slow roasted belly pork for David and, yes, we had desserts - there's no law against it).

Yet another 'let's live here' moment.

Strolling around in the sun are we? Enjoying the best day of Vicky's break? Have you heard tomorrow's forecast? The word 'atrocious' has been used to describe it. Hmmm, atrocious weather and Silverstone? Could be an interesting combination. But, for now, let's just amble around the village. Nice.

The Hive, Worcester, Tuesday 3rd July, 2012.

The Hive, Worcester's new University/Public Library and Heritage Centre, officially opened to the public yesterday so, with Vicky on holiday all week, what better time to pay it an initial visit and give it the once-over?

We've already commented on Birmingham's almost completed new public library and it looks as though The Hive uses some of the same materials. So, after ten years of hard winters (and even harder summers) the cladding should be deteriorating nicely on both.

The external surrounds provide many skate boarding opportunities and chances for graffiti artists to practice their considerable skills whilst, ahem, older, visitors can recall the black and white era by doing Harry Worth impressions on their way through the main entrance.

Whilst digging the foundations the contractors discovered the remains of a Roman oven (amongst other things), which has been neatly incorporated into the library under the stairs.

No new modern building worth it's stuff should be without some modern art. Here, Vicky reflects upon  The Hives'.

The internals are light and airy and there's plenty of state-of-the-art technological stuff. None of it will last very long if that chap in the middle is the sort of scrote they're going to let in.

This is the one Vic: 'Ageing in Society', it can be our manual.

The Hive has won us over. It's got a lovely cafe and the menu includes 'Slow Cooked Belly Pork'. We'll be back.