BTCC, Silverstone, Saturday, 2014.

We have arrived at the leisurely hour of 11:45 and so have ample time for a cuppa tea at Luffield before the Touring Cars take to the track for their first practice session.

But look at the weather! That Carol-swine said it would be no hotter than 17 degrees and, as any veteran of flat airfield circuits the world over would know, that translates into cold and…ahem….breezy. But Carol has lied again and it's already 20-odd degrees with hardly a breath of wind. We wouldn't mind but we've brought layers and now we've gotta lug everything around all cowin' day.

Howard finds some shade on the bonnet-thingy of a London double-decker now converted into a mobile hostelry. It's all we can do to drag him away.

We still have time to take a look around some of the stalls in the Trade Area and have an interesting chat with some chaps from the Army who are there in a PR-type capacity. 

Cowin' arty-types. What are we gonna do with 'em all? Spraying stuff with their aerosol paints and then trying to flog it. Outrageous. 

12:40-ish: We are now on the inside of Brooklands and the Touring Cars are on track. 

Normally, we can't abide spokes in an 'action' shot (this is a speed sport, after all) but when a car locks up on the brakes we guess it's acceptable. 

It's borderline, tho'.

12:55-ish and we are now on the banking between Copse and Maggotts. 

There's no point in that pillock looking at the display, he hasn't got his reading glasses on. Blige.

Another thing that we are fascinated by: trailers that become hostility units.

It's all in the hydraulics, we reckon.

The latest Fittipaldi to come over here from Brazil to drive our cars and nick our wimmin'.

This is F Renault racer Pietro.

Lea Wood's car……….

…..and Lea Wood's helmet.

2:30-ish. Having had lunch and a good look 'round The Paddock, we have strolled under the tunnel at Copse and are now making our way to The National Pits Straight Grandstand.

As we do so, Dave Patterson trundles by in his Ginetta GT4. 

3:15-ish: we are now settled in the National Pit Straight Grandstand having watched the Ginetta Junior qualifying (as manic as you would expect) and the Formula Ford cars are almost ready for their first race of the weekend.

But never mind all that rubbish! Look at the weather! Feel the warmth! Must be in the mid-twenties.

We are sat in one of the Silverstone Grandstands, normally notorious wind-tunnel freezers at best, and we are soaking up the rays in just one layer. It's unprecedented.

It's a new world record!

Jade Kruger crosses the finish line to win the FF Race in his Mygale as we continue to roast.

4:15-ish: Colin Turkington in his BMW. He's got rear wheel drive 'n' everything and he's quick, y'know. Very quick.

Tune in to ITV4 tomorrow and hear Plato and Neal telling you how unfair it all is.

5:30-ish: We watched the Porsche race from the Woodcote Grandstand but, if we are being honest, it was one of the most boring car races we have ever watched, so we are not going to mention it here, obviously. No, definitely not.

So we finish the day with a quick look at the F Renault race at Luffield, just the first couple of laps, before driving off down the A43 for our annual catch-up with Sue and Billy at The Green Man.

6:30-ish: Vicky, Sue and Billy looking at digital images on a gadget. Said gadget hidden behind several glasses. But it's there (oh yes).

7:15-ish: there's nowt like finishing off a good meal with a cuppa ice cream.

Shame this fella forgot about his sensitive tooth (caused by too much chocolate lately).

That'll learn 'im.

2 iffy photos, Tuesday, 16th September, 2014.

 A lovely constitutional today with two of nature's most colourful, yet hard to spot, things along the way.

Firstly, this bright green grasshopper on the path (which made it easy to spot)…...

….and, secondly, a kingfisher flew along the river towards me before alighting on a branch to feed on unsuspecting sticklebacks below.

I know these are iffy shots but we shouldn't fail to record these things just because of that.

We have lived here now for just about 9 years and I take this constitutional about 5 days a week on average (you do the math) and yet this is only the sixth time I have seen one in all that time (two of those sightings were on consecutive days - just to emphasis their rarity).

That bright turquoise flash just below centre and to the right of the shot is on a branch about 6' above the river and is the bird in question. I'm sat about 30 metres away on the opposite bank with the compact digi-gadget at full zoom. Just to give you a sense of scale.

The kingfisher dived in a couple of times, returned to its vantage point, and bashed its victims on the branch before swallowing 'em whole (as you do). It eventually flew off to the left and I departed for home in a wonderful mood.

Emlyn's Misano Report, Sunday, 14th September, 2014.

My pre-race warm up session went well this morning. I had two breakfasts of Sainsbury's Chicken chunks in jelly in the hostility suite, the first at 8am and the second at 9, and now the Moto3 race is on I've fallen fast asleep. Weird. 

Not to worry, it's excellent preparation for joining my servants for their breakfast at the hostility suite in the break between races.

As soon as Moto3 finishes it's off to the hostility suite for some more top class dining. Trouble is, it is not quite ready yet and the chef is in a bit of a panic. I've been instructed to keep from under her feet so I've decided to strategically place myself on the periphery so as to be ready.

I can sense things are about to be placed on the table. Poached eggs on toast, so I'm told. I'll need to eat fast 'cos Moto2 will be starting in a few minutes. Luckily, I'm good at that.

That egg and toast was lovely. Just the job.

Not sure I can stay awake thru' the Moto2 race….nope, I've gone.

I'm not too happy that Mika Kallio didn't win but, hey-ho, I had another splendid meal in the Hostility Suite at 12:45 by way of consolation (that chef is a very accommodating person) and now the MotoGP race is on I simply can't keep me eyes open. Funny that.

Ah well, it'll all be over soon and then it'll be off back to the hostility suite for another splendid repast at 5 (followed by another one at 7).

Yep, all-in-all, a most enjoyable meeting. Roll on Aragon in a fortnight.

Tour Of Britain, Worcester, Wednesday, 11th September, 2014.

Off out are you? On a Wednesday morning whilst Vicky is out at work and when you should be doing the housework? Disgraceful.

Make sure you close the door on the way out.

It's 10:00am and the BMC Team Coach is the last to arrive. 

According to the programme this team is American.

We'll leave the 'jokes' about American punctuality to the generation who fought in 17 World Wars.

Such un-PC references have no place on a blog such as this. Oh no.

This fella is a proper cyclist. Not like one of those blokes wot huffed and puffed his way up the A444 to Twycross in a vain attempt to stay fit back in the day.

I'm not sure of his name but he is well known to the spectators wishing him luck. 

It could be Kristian House but then again it might not be. He's in the Rapha Condor JLT Team, of that much we can be sure.

Madison Genesis Team riders warm up.

Note Tom Stewart (no 91) demonstrating how to update yer Facebook page at the same time. An essential skill for any modern sportsperson.

Sam Harrison, of the NFTO Pro Cycling Team, keeps hydrated.

Nice shaved legs, by the way. Now I see where I was going wrong. 

That, and the lack of a figure hugging T.

Yet more updating of Facebook pages going on.

Dale Appleby is the culprit this time, but they are all guilty bang to rights.

Madison Genesis Team warms up.

Disgraceful lack of social media updating going on here.

Yer civic dignitaries - looking suitable bored and bamboozled in equal measure.

The signing on is held in the shadows of The Hive.

Except there are no shadows 'cos it is so sunny once again as our lovely summer continues.

Australian journos frantically searching for a non-weather British news item, happily, out of shot.

Team Sky with Sir Bradley Of Wiggins on the left.

You'll have to take my word for it but the fella in the cycling helmet is Mark Cavendish. I'm 6' tall and I'm holding the camera high above my head and keeping my fingers crossed to get this shot, such is the crowd clamouring to see him.

The last time a stage of The Tour started in Worcester (2007) he was just a name in the programme, now he is a household name (as is Sir Bradley) and needs police and security to get him from the team coach to the start.

The programme cost £2.99 in 2007, by the way. It cost a fiver now. Hey-ho.

Team Sky supremo-fella, Sir Dave Of Brailsford.

A man who has had to manage the aspirations of both Sir Bradley and Chris Froome.

The jury is still out on that one in my opinion (oooh harsh). 

Scott Thwaites had better get a move on if he wants to make the start on time.

Down at the start and the riders await the signal to depart.

The crowd is four deep here and I'm holding the camera above my head and hoping.

I would say that the number of folk here is double that of 2007. 

Amazing what a bit of success in Le Tour and The Olympics can do, eh?

At 10:45 prompt the riders are away and it's next stop Bristol.

Sir Bradley Of Wiggins is the fella in the Team Sky gear.

OK, that's it, I'm off back home now.

I've got a cat to feed, some soup and mackerel pate sammidges to make and consume, and then some housework to do and all before Vicky gets home to make an inspection.

It's a cowin' tough life.

Worcester, Sunday, 7th September, 2014.

The hedge at The Barbourne Works is a disgrace.

Vicky can feel a strongly worded eMail coming on.

Always good to calm down with a walk along the river.

Note all the leaves on the ground. They are not so much autumn leaves as leaves that have simply given up the ghost as a consequence of our dry summer.