Thursday, May 31, 2007

HONG KONG SAFE RETURN THIS MORNING





Photos near Jordan, Hong Kong, yesterday afternoon. As you can see the weather had picked up considerably since my arrival Sunday evening when the rain continued through Monday. The flight eventually left from Manchester but I had to go Saturday afternoon, I had one unscheduled change after the debacle as the flights to Paris were delayed by storms yet again, thankfully travelling light with only hand luggage meant the change was possible. The service on board Air France 777 was very good including the food, drink and even the new Editj Piaf film which was a treat. More tomorrow!

Saturday, May 26, 2007

HONG KONG TRIP NOW BACK ON 24 HOURS LATE

I found the only helpful chap around at Air France, now returning original flight but 24 hours late,
looks as if next report will be in a few days, weather here grim!

STILL AT HOME HONG KONG DOUBT IT

I spent 5 hours at Manchester airport before catching a taxi home, Mandy has goine to Devon with friend Sue. A thunderstorm in Paris delayed my flight and they wouldn't let me go because I'd missed the connection from De Gaulle airport. No help whatsoever from Air France, rudest most dismissive bunch you could meet, hate them all.Not sure what will happen, not eaten, hardly slept, feeling pretty down to say the least.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

THATS ALL UNTIL NEXT WEEK

Hi everyone, well packing is done, online check in complete ( but messed up , ended up with window rather than aisle seat). I'll see you all with news of Hong Kong buses and trams next week

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

SMASHING WEDGWOOD GREAT POPS




This time tomorrow night I'll be trying online check in for Air France to Hong Kong. Packing done, all in my camera bag, no check in luggage at all! The garden is nearly ready for summer, just let nature take its course with a little weeding now and then more or less! Off to the Three Greyhounds for a pint, no Corrie on telly, some b***** football instead.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

EXHAUSTED BUT CHEERFUL POPS RALLY DVD READY





Actually friends Tim and Greg Bubb and family lead the way in the Guy GS, more photos from the PMP Sponsored POPS rally at the Wedgwood centre on Sunday.

Tonight busy in the garden , most of the pots filled, just a couple of patches in the back to do.

Got the POPS dvd ready, hope to post on Youtube as well this evening but having wine with dinner so may not feel like it! Trying to wind down ready for Hong Kong trip on Friday night, get there Sat teatime, then back in Manchester Wednesday am.

Some great work on the family history on Manorial records, got it all blended in on our Vincent tree last night, hopefully we may get back to 1300s

Monday, May 21, 2007

MORE POPS RALLY PHOTOS AND OTHER MATERIAL





I'll save some of the best till last meanwhile what a friendly event it was and didn't the sun shine all day,, its the 30th anniversary of the potteries Omnibus Preservation Society this year

http://potteriesomnibus.mysite.orange.co.uk

I've been getting all the tubs filled in the garden, hoping everything will be finished mid week then getting ready for Hong Kong, hope to put bedding in family graves at Southern Cemetery Manchester on Thursday. Also researcher Gill Blanchard has come up with oodles of Vincent family history via Manorial records from Norfolk.

It cheeses me off when I get posting on Youtube moaning rudely about people wasting their time looking at buses when they obviously have no interest in transport, why do they hit the play button I ask?
Same with E Bay which I basically hate but it gives me an e shop, they order then start whinging about discounts, the price is there plain to see.

Nice sunny day today, editing the POPS rally this evening.

PMP SPONSERS OF THE POPS RALLY 2007





Mandy and I are both shattered after Sunday when Mandy attended the Bristol rally with Sue and I went to the POPS at Barlaston which we sponsor every year. A hundred or so buses which wasn't bad considering the clash, I even got some work done in the garden last night when I got home.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

A RELAXING DAY OF SORTS

If nothing else to prove I do have a 'reglar' job, Dave surrounded by the lads at work with safety awards.
Today I spent time in the garden, had a soak afterwards, watched a bit of the cup final, loaded two cars ready for POPS and Bristol rallies tomorrow. The garden has been battered by the wind and possibilty of frost tonight so fingers crossed. Hopefully it will be dry all day in Staffs and Avon .

Friday, May 18, 2007

POPS AND BRISTOL RALLY REMINDER





OK, so the photos were handy on the memory stick from this weeks work on covers, main thing is to remind everyone to see us Sunday, Dave at POPS rally at Barlaston, sponsored by PMP, Mandy with friend Sue at Bristol rally, first time we have covered two events same day.

Very windy today, garden looking a bit blown about but well over a thousand plants now in and its looking promising for a great summer display.
We are packing the cars tomorrow and finishing the garden then packing for my trip to Hong Kong next weekend.
When Mandy went for mini dvd tapes and some Hi 8s which we do our video masters on we found that Maxell have stopped doing them leaving just Sony which cost double, implication, it won't be long before video gets like cine, you just won't be able to get the media any more. I predict stopping new video releases by Christmas , just DVD for new stuff but video still available on whole back catalogue as long as we can.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

EXTRACT FROM DAVE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Hi everyone,
not sure if anyone ever reads this stuff but herewith another extract from my book!

1978 age 26

By the rivers of Babylon I sat down and wept, so sang Boney M that year, I was still tuned in to Top of the Pops but for how much longer. The momentous events which would see the downfall of communist dictatorship were helped along with the election of Pope John Paul 2. Even for those with no interest in the Catholic religion his presence would be hard to ignore, such a charismatic and inherently holy person was I think a surprise for the Vatican. Not such a shock was the overdue fall of the Shah of Iran although his successors were a bunch of religious loonies who unlike the new Pope sought to rule by fear and their brand of Islam started a new chapter in the battle against Christianity and human rights making the old dictator look like a rank amateur.

The Bee Gees from Australia brought us the seminal Night Fever and became the kings of the disco, Boney M were one of the last groups I bought records of, their album was recorded in Germany, I think my very last ‘pop’ record was by Police. Meanwhile a strange noise emitted from Kate Bush with Wuthering Heights sort of edging on the punk world but in a classical context. The rest of the year continued with disco mania lead by John Travolta with the hits from Grease together with Olivia Newton John, even Rod Stewart seized on disco for a boast to his coffers with Do Ya Think I’m Sexy. The novelty act from close to home had been Brian & Michael recalling the painter LS Lowry in Matchstalk Men and more easy listening came from the Commodores with Three Times A Lady. Boney M seized the Christmas No1 with Mary’s Boy Child; we’ve seen that before at Christmas in 1957!

Meanwhile at 99 Egerton Rd South I had set up a dark room in the attic, a bit messy with no running water, dishes of chemicals and clothes regularly stained. I only did black and white, some of our first holidays to Cornwall were recoded, I remember the little Jersey cows at Canyon’s Quoit in particular, an ancient stone monumental building. One Sunday while Mandy was down with the horses I was up in the dark room developing when the door bell rang, you have top cover everything up being developed before exposing them to natural light, wash my hands, get down the ladder, downstairs to answer the door where stood two well dressed missionaries from everyone’s favourite religion, no thank you I said before they got into their patter and shut the door, I wasn’t rude but hadn’t the time to mess about, back then reversing the process , sage light back on, then again the door bell goers.

Not best pleased I went through the rigmarole again only to find the same two plonkers stood in front of me. How would I like it they said if someone shut the door in my face, ok I said, hang on a minute and I’ll be back. I went to the kitchen, half filled a bucket with water and returned to my little friends and chucked it over them, fine, now see how I enjoy playing silly buggers I shouted as they retreated spluttering down the path. When Mandy got home Margaret next door intercepted her, I don’t know what happened with Dave she said but we ended up with these two soaking wet Mormons in the kitchen crying their eyes out!

BUSY IN THE GARDEN BUT UP TO DATE WITH DVDS




Well a busy day yesterday getting the garden ready for the bedding, made a start also got all covers done, Mandy's back from Ireland.

Don't forget next wekend is Bristol & POPS rally which we will attend, myself to POPS at Wedgwood centre Staffs , Mandy and Sue to Bristol, praying for a break in the rain.

Nearly finished editing this weekends South Wales visits, they'll be ready for the weekend as well

Monday, May 14, 2007

GARDENS OF DELIGHT AND RAIL




Mandy should be back from Egypt later this eveing, a break from the rain, it was sunny at tea time, the garden is showing lots of promise. Catching up on DVD covers tonight, and loading trailers on You Tube, must do Ian Allan adverts as well. Hope I get time for Corrie!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

CARDIFF NEWPORT BUSES WHAT WAS WORSE THE WEATHER OR THE DRUNKS



Cardiff was pretty grim, weather awful, windy, wet, sun, cloud, rain, sun, cloud, wind , rain. The pavements were all cracked, a goodsend for a solicitor. There were drunks everywhere and the one way systems take you in circles. Thank goodness then for Newport, the sun came out, the bus station was sheltered from the wind, it even got warm. Just a bit of hassle from kids, very friendly crews and what an amazing slalem the buses have to go through at present to get into the bus station, the light was spot on.


PONTYPRIDD BUSES SATURDAY PMP





It seemed that every bus enthusiast in Wales was at Pontypridd yesterday morning, they could have sold tickets for street corners, weather very mixed, good at the bus station when the sun popped out, obvious why of interest I think!

BLACKWOOD NEW BUS STATION





mainly sunny when I was a Blackwood, new bus station open, just a few finishing touches going on, very friendly and no hassles filming. The road signs to Blackwood are hopeless!