Deltawing, Sunday, 10th July, 2016.

Moth or…….

……Vulcan bomber with……..

……VTOL?

F1 British GP, Silverstone, Friday, 8th July, 2016.

8:45am and we've arrived.

Up at 5, out at ten past seven, straight into the car park no hassle at all (unlike last two F1 GP's we've attended here), so that's a huge improvement. Could have stayed in bed a bit longer!

It'll get warmer later, so they say, but it's quite cool at the mo'.

So, Vicky:

Layers? Check.

Umbrella? Check.

Cameras? Check.

Tickets? Check.

Car Park Pass on windscreen? Check.

Dosh? Check.

Noted where we have parked? Check.

OK, let's go!

9:15-ish:

Arrived at Luffield after a short queue to get in and a baggage check and it's time for the first cup of tea of the day in time to wander over to the nearest grandstand to find some seats.

10:05-ish and the F1 cars are on track for the first practice session of the day.

Sebastien Vettel (Ferrari) demonstrates the new-fangled safety-hoop-thingy.

Lewis is on track!

Everyone in the grandstands and on the terraces go loopy.

Lewis waves.

Everyone waves back (except those taking photos, that is).

It's a veritable love-in.

The wonderful thing about Luffield is that you can get photos of cars going left to right - every other corner is right to left.

Ocon (Haas) & Massa (Williams) are the drivers providing some welcome diversity.

Talking of diversity, a group of 'Grid Girls' have arrived to cheer everyone up.

We've never heard so many wolf-whistles.

11:30-ish and the session draws to a close.

Lewis is fastest and, look, he's still waving to all and sundry. He hasn't stopped all session.

Imagine how fast he could go if he kept both hands on the wheel.

11:40-ish.

Getting warmer now.

I need a tea, Vic!

12:10-ish.

Life-size Tonka Toy at Luffield as GP2's come out for their Practice Session.

12:15-ish.

Walking along the Luffield Terracing as GP2 driver Mitch Evans (NZ) negotiates the corner.

12:30-ish.

We've wandered up the outside of The Wellington Straight hoping to get some high-speed panning shots of the GP2's but we are thwarted by dint of it being used as a Truck Park.

Vicky loves her trucks so at least one of us is happy.

12:40-ish.

Eventually, the trucks thin out and we can take some panning shots.

This is GP2 driver Pierre Gasly (FRA).

He'll be popular when he gets back to the Pits.

Luca Ghiotto (ITA) went straight on at Village and now waits shame-faced for the arrival of the break down truck and a lift back to civilisation.

1:30-ish.

Having had another cuppa tea, and a pastie shared between us, we've now made our way to Silverstone's newest grandstand overlooking Abbey: The View.

This is the view from…ahem…The View.

The temperature has now risen to 23 degrees and we are roasting nicely.

1:50-ish:

No matter what yer driving, Abbey has to be taken flat out.

What's the betting the driver of the track cleaning truck is making 'neeee-ooww' noises?

2:05-ish:

Proper people with 'big b*lls' taking Abbey flat out.
Vicky says Vettel looks really fast through here but actually isn't,
whilst Lewis doesn't look so fast but actually is.

2:30-ish:

Sparks will fly:

Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull twixt Abbey and Farm.

2:45-ish:

Left the View Grandstand now to take some shots at ground level.

This is Pascal Wehrlein (GER) in a Manor Racing MRT.

2:55-ish:

We've found a new pond at Silverstone, behind the Farm Grandstand.

It's full of water lilies and killer-coi-carp (oh yes).

3:10-ish:

Slowly heading back towards the exit now.

Still time for a shot of Max Verstappen (NED) in his Red Bull on The Wellington Straight.

3:20-ish:

An out-of-sequence shot taken earlier to show that we had our last cuppa tea at Brooklands before heading back to the car park to beat the rush after the end of the afternoon F1 session.

3:30-ish:

Walking over the bridge back to the car park.

We have had a fantastic day but it is time to leave now 'cos we are knackered.
According to my Fit Bit, we have done almost 10,000 steps and walked 4.25 miles. We have paced ourselves today and that's not as far as we usually walk here.

The drive home takes a lot longer than the one to get here: about 1hr 45 mins.

Vicky says it is no worse than any other Friday drive home on the M40, M42, and the M5.

Well, she should know!

Midland Hill Climb Championship, Prescott, Sunday, 26th June, 2016.

10:30-ish:

Team Tony Team Manager, Paula, gratefully accepts from Vicky our season-long sponsorship contribution in the form of a very essential sponge. 

Tony looks unconvinced whilst a smug David - looking forward to many hours spent in The Team Tony Hostility Unit at future meetings quaffing exotic drinks and scoffing canapés - is, fortunately, just out of shot.

Howard tries out Tony's Empire Evo out for size.

Verdict? It's a bit big, we're gonna need a custom seat insert.

Don't tell him yer name Pike!

Martyn Pike - 1974 Ford Escort Mk I - leaves the start line.

We like this sports car but can't identify it 'cos 866 in the programme 

is a single-seater and this clearly isn't.

That won't come out!

Bill Chaplin (Tony's car sharing driver) - heads toward The Esses.

Tony through The Esses (David's version).

Tony through The Esses (Vicky's version).

Gloucestershire.

Quite pleasant, as it goes.

Simon Marsh - 1300s DJ Firehawk Suzuki - at Pardon Hairpin.

The Hill Climb equivalent of a Euro 2016 'team huddle'?

We know the hill climbing community like to innovate but this lot are taking the p*ss.

No idea why David is checking whether it's in focus or not:

he's got his long-distance specs on!

Splendid conveniences no longer in use.

Still better than anything at Donington!

Proper Mini's are so tiny.

Tony heads towards Orchard Corner in his final run of the weekend.

Half a second quicker than his last run, according to the commentator.

2:45pm-ish.

Back at the car park and we are appalled that several owners of inferior cars have had the temerity to park next to us.

Off home now before the rain arrives.

Emlyn RIP, Wednesday, 22nd June, 2016.

Emlyn, our beloved cat, passed away peacefully this morning after a brave battle

 against cancer, arthritis, and old age.

We shall miss him terribly.

Here is a photo of him in happier times:

he's just been told to keep out of the way whilst Vicky cooks the Sunday Roast.

Bevere walk, Tuesday, 21st June, 2016.

Midday-ish:

Deceased shrew-like creature.

Quite possibly a shrew.

Even tinier than you'd imagine.

This is what we like to call 'The Darkness On The Edge Of Town' 'cos it's where we walk to on a winter evening to look up at the stars on a clear night.

There used to be few street lights/houselights, see?

But now they have built a new housing estate.

Vicky remembers when it was all fields 'round here.

How long will it be before they build on this field?

Buffet at Auntie Louise's: Erdington, Sunday, 19th June, 2016.

12:30-ish:

We have raided our local M & S and Waitrose and brought two cool boxes worth of buffet fare to Auntie Louise's to recreate our take on The Queen's 90th Birthday Patrons Lunch.

Auntie Louise is 92.

David can't get Auntie Louise to smile but Vicky can.

Let's get stuck in!