6.30 alarm, bring tea and breakfast back to us in bed.
7.00 quick walk across fields with dog.
7.30 back just in time to wave wife off to work then go to my desk at home for the rest of the morning - emails/phone calls/paperwork. Brief break to prepare advert for rural cinema event.
12.30 leave with far too much time to spare - just in case - to drive 18 miles up the fosse way to Leamington Spa and reluctantly attend speed awareness course having been caught doing 35 in a 30. Workshop was actually very good, everyone should do one - perhaps we will ....
6.00 home again quick replys to pressing emails, meal, trip next door to village hall to vote, sofa, bed.
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Up at 6am, followed by a full English breakfast at the Kingston Theatre Hotel, Hull. (been on a work seminar at the council offices and had travelled up the previous evening).
Finished at 1pm then lunch followed by a few hours in the car (shared with two colleagues) back to sunnier North Essex using the A15 then A1, M11.
Back home by 6ish in time to see the kids eat their tea and give them a bath.
I must say the Humber Bridge was a sight to behold. I'd never been up that way before. Good views but Hull was cold!
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Woke up about half 7, got up and ready for work, voted, went to work drove around for 140miles, went on my last delivery got about half a mile, my clutch pedal breaks (not sure what yet, it just disappeared up into the dash when i put my foot on it) did clutchless changes the rest of the way there and parked up with a large space in front of me (it was at a hotel 8 miles away...) drove back to shop, cashed up went home, told wife the answer to the question i asked on tuesday was the clutch pedal will break (i was jokingly saying that i've done a service what will break tomorrow? Most of my cars end up breaking terminally just after i spent a load on An mot/service or tyres....)
Looking forward to work today...4 litre V8 for delivery at a £1 a order....
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Wake up leisurely in a hotel room West of Aberdeen and get ready for an 0945 taxi pick up to take me to the airport. A late check in for me today, which is better than the usual 0545 check in malarky! This will be the second part of my 26 hour (approx) commute having driven up to Aberdeen from Northumberland (255 miles) the day before.
Taxi on time (Vauxhall Vectra), and 15-minute drive to the airport through rural Aberdeenshire, and that is all of my motoring over with for another two weeks.
The third part of my commute is then a trip up to Shetland in a SAAB 2000 (Turboprop, not cubic capacity that is).
Part four of my commute is a Sikorsky S-92 helicopter from Shetland out to an oil production platform.
No driving for me yesterday then, and a lot of miles covered. My next commute will be the reverse of all that in two weeks time.
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Well, I don't work, I didn't get the mimsermobile out, and I'm sure you don't want to hear about my hedge trimmng ...but I take comfort in the knowledge from all you Buccaneers, that we all more or less lead the same exciting lives!
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I've been off work this week, so yesterday was not the usual crawl to work and back.
Up at 8ish, pottered about until younger son dropped off by ex wife. Off to Tescos for the weekly shop, 3 miles each way.
After lunch walked to park, had a go on the swings etc then took boy back to ex wife at about 4pm. Decided to take the car for a bit of a 'blow the cobwebs out' session - big mistake. Oasis in concert jammed up all the local roads, so spent quite some time in a queue, during which the temp gauge went mad, and then the engine cut out, despite having put the heater on to drop the temp. Limped home.
Car booked in for a check up on the cooling system next week - seemed to have plenty of coolant in, so heres hoping it is something simple like a fan fuse or some such.
Edited by AlastairW on 05/06/2009 at 18:01
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I forgot to mention the most remarkable incident in yesterdays trip out across the M62 to the East Coast.
Came up alongside ANOTHER Punto MK2b Mulitjet van. Unusual event you see - only around the 6th of the type spotted since buying the van in 2005.
We drew alongside each other and sported like harbour porpoises amongst the whales and sharks. The `other` had white bumpers to my unpainted plastic and I found myself eyeing it up with the scrapyard vultures eye wondering what could be picked of it if it were to end up there before mine . (not the painted bumpers)
Eventually I pulled away surfing the 200nm of torque, leaving it to plod on in its undoubted commercial way. (My own van being of course a leisure vehicle only)
Seeing as there are so few of these vans around, i`m surprised no one has given me a wave yet..
;-)
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liftshare to work. very green of me...
contrubuited to HJ website, considering swapping old Skoda for older BMW. Got persuaded not to. got persuaded to. got confused. another for and another against. gave up thinking about it.
liftshare home. walked to polling station past said bmw. like it again. resolved to avoid asking the opinion of onsite forum in future and just go with instinct.
Drove to a finance meeting in local town. Skoda running really well. Decided to keep it and forget about changing it. then noticed back light of blower dials stopped working so used this as excuse to change mind again.
home late. finance committee meeting killed brain. ate toast.
Wow that was a boring post.... but its brought me nearer to the weekend.
Happy weekend all!
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Yesterday got up much too late. Felt carp. Used car to take sister-in-law currently suffering bad health to vote in the Euro bit of the elections. Voted myself for reasons of civic duty. Took SiL to Oddbins on the way back. Walked to pub. Felt better after that, illusion perhaps.
Today, got up much too early. Paid a Westminster PCN, 60 quid would have become 120 otherwise, at last possible moment. (Incurred 14 days ago as follows: collecting granddaughter, just 7, from tea with a friend just over the Westminster border a mere mile from here, parked in residents' slot - masses of empty space of course - because it was 7pm, forgetting that in that zone residents' slots are banned to foreign vehicles until 10 pm. Granddaughter's friend's father useless lumpish carphound with no manners, a typical middle-class 35-year-old these days. Children misbehaving. Finally left with nipper after about 7 minutes to find ticket on screen. Westminster fineswine use scooters, so no sign of one. Damn pickpockets! Gave nipper severe wigging, but not all that severe as she wasn't to know.)
Took tube to lunch in Farringdon and back. Direct line, under half an hour if you are lucky. Free too if you're my age, not ludicrously expensive as full tube fares are these days, a couple of quid for a journey that used to cost a couple of bob. On the way back an adult male Asian stood up and insisted I have his seat, as he was getting out at the next station. Pleasure at witnessing good manners and reflection on how much politer well-brought-up Asian and black people seem to be than the increasingly hobbledehoy British somewhat muted by fear that I could be starting to look old.
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Yesterday! i have job to remember what i've done today.
Anyway got up at 5am, took my trusty old MB to work, giving her a swift Italian tune up on the way, the road surface was perfect and you know how it sometimes is..;)
Loaded up the truck and delivered my first load of 10 cars 2 drops during which time i spotted the smoking Laguna in another thread.
Returned and loaded my second load, this time 3 drops, had lunch..well toast and jam..and went and delivered those.
Not reloading in the afternoon, as have to go somewhere else today, so early 4.45 finish, and a very easy day.
Went home in car, made dinner for us as i was home first...see a new man.
Then we watched something we'd previously recorded, fed the abundant wild birds (will have to get a second job soon the amount and variety of food they eat) and about 8.30 we popped up to vote.
(SWMBO is still disgusted of Tunbridge Wells over the non security of our voting system..pencilled X's and cable ties for the ballot box, she may have a point it does seem little better than Zimbabwe).
Did a few bits and pieces, browsed the forums i use, got ready for bed together..most important to us..and the rest is history.
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Yesterday, drove Backbridges to Palmanova in a hired Polo from Puerto Pollensa. Played 54 holes of mini golf ( nine year old nuts about mini golf ) Back north to Formentor beach for the afternoon. Snorkelled and attempted to catch fish with child's net all afternoon. Failed. Nine year old caught one though. Amazing how small Mallorca has become since they opened the motorway and indeed how fast a hired Polo can be if required.
Today, endured the indignity of modern air travel back to UK. Had treated family to short term car park for convenience but had forgotten which floor car was on. An hour later, car found ( disadvantage of having silver Mondeo becomes apparent when it's lost, "s'cuse me, don't s'pose you've seen a....?") :-(
Polo was OK actually. It was a 1.4 petrol something. Sub-branded "United" there. Went well enough and felt well put together if crushingly boring in most respects.
Cold here innit ?
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Humph, Mother in law has a flat in Cala Vinas, (you can guess who's responsible for maintenance!) been so many times now with the children, many happy memories; so a little envious of your trip. Have you driven up the coast on the West side of the island?. Love those roads in anything-normally Clio, fiesta, Fusion(!), Polo etc. Aren't they all tedious? I must hire something more interesting one day.
Fourteen years since my advanced driving course at work and had to be re-assessed yesterday. Not so outdoors operational now, so a little apprehensive. BMW 530d to drive and I couldn't get comfortable. Front of the seat squab too high, but had to make do. Couldn't fault the car, little of that 'tail off' of many diesels, so you can hang onto a gear, despite the fact it isn't how I drive my own diesel. 2 blue light runs (very strange when you're not actually going to anything) and a long run out for about an hour. Kept my 87 class 1 mark, pleased with myself but bears little relevance to what I'm doing now.
Drove the desk some more then drove home. The BMW is a very desirable car, but honestly don't think Golf GT TDi shamed by the big car. Need something a little larger now but want to keep some of the driving qualities of the Golf. Can't decide. Indecision won't do though. Default Passat a little obvious.
Cycled 15 miles, tea, TV, bed. Love this thread!
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Woodster - yeah we have pootled round the west on previous trips. I want to remember a particularly twisty mountain road near Soller maybe ? Didn't get over that side this time. Fun roads but ultimately much better in something you don't own.....Having said that I wouldn't half have enjoyed a whizz round there in my sadly departed Westfield. Congrats on the pass or whatever it's officially called !
;-)
Funny steering on the Polo mind. No feel.
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>>I want to remember a particularly twisty mountain road near Soller maybe
Sa Calobra perhaps? tinyurl.com/nm3gee
I've memories of driving down it: 3rd gear, change down to 2nd, hard left, 3rd, 2nd, hard right, 3rd, 2nd, hard left etc until you come to a 270 that passes under itself!
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That's the one Tom. Thanks. Did that run a few years ago in a Ka which was actually very suitable for the conditions. Small, nimble and handled well. Scary ditches I think.
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Welcome back - is been tarmac meltingly warm here last week - honest.
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I could well have got up the earliest/worked the longest hours yesterday ..... and I was pleased to see that ijws voted. As a 'semi-retired' bloke, I was the Presiding Officer at a rural polling station about 25 miles away from home.
I got up at 4.40, grabbed some cereal, assembled my lunch/tea/snacks etc and stacked this into the old Mondy estate along with polling station signs, collapsible cardboard booths etc. As ever, she fired into life and we set up to pick up the poll clerk at 5.45. We arrived at the polling station at 6.20, ready at 7 for the first voter at 7.05.
We worked our way through a steady turnout of approaching 50% and it was interesting hearing the mutterings of the voters. They all seemed to be voting"because we are angry". The rest seemed to be staying at home - because they were angry! One observed that "the only name I recognise on here (the Euro-paper) is Arthur Scargill - hell, we're in trouble now!"
I turned the Mondy round at 8.30pm, boot facing the polling station door ready for a swift getaway. I had hoped to get more of the paperwork completed for closure of the poll at 10pm - but still they kept coming! We edged nearer to 50% turnout, but hadn't quite made it by the time doors closed.
We left the village hall at 10.40 and headed for the collection point for the ballot-boxes/paperwork. I demonstrated the Tomtom to the poll clerk (an old, techno-phobic friend) giving him a sample of the rude lady who threatens to do unspeakable things to you if don't turn left where she wants you to! [er, it's true, but my son put that one on when he borrowed it once]. As the old Mondy chugged along country lanes, foxes jumped out of the way and looked back with disdain - in this area, they're more used to shiny X5s - not dirty old Fords.
I arrived home at 11.45, and thought we'd had a good day.
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Haven't posted for a while (new job, 'restricted' internet access), but as I've had a busy week thought I'd respond to this.
Got up at 5.15am (actually 5.35am by the time I rolled out of bed), and headed up the A456, M5, M6 to Manchester. 12:00 meeting, so no need to rush.
7.15am - head onto A556, M56 into Manchester. 7.30am. Realise I've got a 7.30/8am meeting in Buxton. Turn off towards Wilmslow, head for Macclesfield then Buxton
8.45am - Arrive Buxton. Asked if I could find a supplier to remove a car that our client had 'blown up'
11am - leave Buxton for 12:00 meeting in Manchester City Centre - that A6 is an awful road, its only about 30 miles, but it took me until 12:20 to get there.
2.30pm - head for home, M56, M6, A460, A449, A456. A little bit of queuing traffic on the M6, but nothing serious.
Arrive home safe and sound at around 5pm. Having clocked up over 800 miles in the 3 last 3 days.. Managed to get to Hull, 180 miles in under 2.5hrs on Tuesday!
I'm looking forward to a 'quieter' week next week - only a trip to Slough next week.
Edited by Webmaster on 05/06/2009 at 22:40
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4th June was an unremarkable day regards motoring, however caught the brand new series on National Geographic fronted by the wonderful Chris Barrie - Great British Machines. Fantastic insight into 1930s British engineering in the run up to WW2 covering road, rail and air. Brilliant stuff on the Spitfire, put it in your diaries for next week - 1950s - Routemaster. Trailers for the programme also feature the role of the Transit Van so looking forward to that one. Anyone on here never driven one? Thought not...
Just remembered an amusing incident on my way home on the 4th. Slowed to let a moron reverse out of his huge estate (where he could easily have turned an oil tanker around) onto a busy main road. I thought he was reversing towards my bonnet where he would then engage first and drive off in front of me. However he completely reversed across my bows into the next lane going in the opposite direction. I carried on and kept my eye on him in my mirror as he continued in reverse (but going in the right direction for that lane) for 150 metres or so (cars in front of and behind him). I was gripped by his inability to reverse in a straight line, he snaked left and right until he eventually reached the major roundabout from which I had recently exited whereupon he decided it would be prudent to try and turn around. So he begins this painful multipoint turn at the entrance of a roundabout at which point I lost sight of him, closed my gaping jaw and carried on.
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Not the best June 4th I have ever had. SWMBO's mum's funeral. Family arrived in morning, Hearse arrived at 1210. Made our stately way to Dunham Lawn then a small reception in a hotel near home. Met a few people I've not seen for years, including a very early girlfriend.
Best friends from Cumbria came back for dinner at home, left about 2030 and then we chilled.
Hope no other BR had a day like mine.
It's all over now, she was 94 and had a good life...bless her.
Ted
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Alarm off at 6:30
Snoozed till 7:30
Got to work at 8:00, 15 mins late....apu
Went to first design meeting of the day at 8:15 then went to canteen to get sossy sarnie at about 9.
Left Crewe at 9:30 to head to sunny Coventry, drove at 60 mph on m6 (own car- 40p per mile from employers) -talking footie with colleague and stopped off at M&S Hilton park for another sandwich.
Arrived at Coventry and checked out press tool for a couple of hours. Had a few coffees and talked about how good a job we had done on project so far.
Left Cov at 2 and drove at 60mph back up m6 (car is xk8 running on lpg)
Got to Crewe at 3:30 and looked busy till 4:45
Went home at 4:45 happy as I had day off today.
Made fajitas and watched a bit of tv.
Went to bed.
Oh, there were 20 Lambert and Butler in there somewhere too.
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4th June, beginning of Winter here. Frost in the valleys. Dragged myself out of warm bed for 8 am appointment with Molar Mauler to have crown fitted. dental surgery required driving along an aforesaid valley, and yellow indidcator light , unseen by me before, came on in Prius instrument cluster. Didn't seem to be behaving differently, but stopped and consulted manual. Low temperature indicator comes on at 3 deg C, but gave no suggestions as to what to do.
Continued to Mauler, and departed 8-15 for home. Noticed that engine kept running when stopped at traffic lights. Sent e-mail to Toyota Customer Service enquiring about action to be taken in low temperatures. Quick reply that indicator is just to tell me that the engine will keep running to maintain emissions controls at working temperature.
Repairs to garden windbreak until lunchtime, then vehicle to panel-beater for mod to previous replacement of rear plastic fairing [ used to be called bumpers]. Toyota had sent incorrect fairing for one slaughtered in small carpark altercation with a reversing driver. Fairing was for more upmarket model that had fancy finishing pieces along the bottom. Toyota had offered to give me those free as compensation, and panelbeater fitted at Toyota expense. [ About 200 pounds worth. Anyone would think that Toyota wanted to keep their customers.]
Spent the afternoon modifying a test paper for my students . [ I do some part-time tutoring in mechanics and thermodynamics at the local Tech.] Collected vehicle at 4-30 pm.
Had a quiet evening reading forum [ this thread hadn't appeared down this way by then ].
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Thursday 4th June - GCSE Science and English papers at the local school - where I am invigilating whilst looking for real work. So up at 7:15 and take 9 year old to school 1 mile west in Espace, then 2 m East to secondary school where I meet SWMBO and her brother (all of us invigilators today) and 15 year old daughter who is taking both exams.
Deal helpfully with students when pens run out, noses run or answer wrong qusetions! Wife takes espace off to primary school to do reading with kids and I take Megan to Aldi in Bishop Auckland for new TV . Find they only had 4 delivered so none left, visited Spennymore Aldi who did have some left, so spanking new HD 32 inch TV for under £300.
Back to school for round two of exams. Had to write up incident of two pupils talking - why can't some of them follow simple instructions?
Collect little-un at 3pm in Espace again and off for weekly shop (which feels expensive when not working). Completed 3 more job applications and talked with several agencies about work - anyone here need a Project Manager?
Cut grass before it rains on Friday (which it did so felt very smug!)
Ran through next week's geography paper for revision with daughter who is taking it all very calmly.
All in covered about 30 miles in the two cars doing very short runs.
Now if you'd asked about last Saturday with sunshine and Yorkshire Dales.... very different.
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Woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head...
Sorry, must take this seriously, although the above is not far wrong.
Drove the CC3 the 12 or so miles to the park and ride, then the bus into the office.
Work was a little more exciting than usual - a chief inspector was cleared of assault after a four-day trial.
Not often you get one of those in the dock - Google the obvious if you're curious.
Leave work about 5.30pm and retrace steps home, except get the roof down on the CC3 for the last leg.
A few minutes of wind-in-your-hair motoring is quite a good way to finish the working day.
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Woke about 08.30 in our Murvi Morello parked on the nice campsite behind The Masons Arms in Odcombe, near Yeovil.
Leisurely breakfast, then off to Montacute House. Easy parking for the van (6m long, rather wide turning circle, and long wheelbase mean concentration often required).
After NT lunch tootle up M5 back home,topping up with cheap diesel at Asda Patchway.
Passing Sainsbury's at Wallbridge, Stroud, become aware of 2x Police cars behind me, so wait behind artic blocking left filter up to Golden Cross, rather than mount pavement, and proceed up hill observing speed limit (3l. auto Ducato deceptively fast), so as not to annoy plod.
Stop for lights at Golden Cross about 6 cars back from line.
Four police cars roar past in right lane and stop at lights.
About eight cops jump out with machine guns and wrench open doors of 54 plate Laguna third car back from lights in O/S lane.
Lot of very angry shouting by police, two men dragged out, one knocked to floor, both have hands tied behind backs. Boot opened very gingerly by one cop.
One dragged back up and limps towards ex-police house on the corner, supported on both sides.Other walked behind wall, and glares across road.
One plod dons blue gloves and backs Laguna into side road to Rugby Club, after traffic told to move ( all cars told to stay where they were up till then to maintain road block)
Traffic told to move.
We finish drive home.
Greet cats-always annoyed when left behind, so not friendly until bed time, when they sneak into bedroom, hoping to stay night.
Unload van fridge and bring in dirty washing.
Cup of tea then cut grass before forecasted rain starts.
Sort out post, e-mails, catch up on BR.
Have supper.
Bed
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