MANCUNIAN DELIGHTS

as well as a double dollop of Corrie on a Monday , in the middle of which I hurry out this posting I was also in Manchester queuing up at the Chinese Consulate this morning getting visas for a colleague. In between a few minutes to wander around and catch some of the 08 reg Enviros with Stagecoach on this most spring like of later March days.

Otherwise up to my eyes in it but at last I've sent off the photo selection for my book complete with captions, sorry to those who didn't make it to the illustration stage you were in good company but there's only so much space availale.

SHEFFIELD YESTERDAY MORNING

Yes the sun really did shine yesterday morning before it rained, it must have stopped as its been a warm sunny Sunday, I've been down the tip at Northwich, no wonder people just dump rubbish what a rigmarole it is there now sorting out and carrying stuff to the skips.
Then I cleaned paths, washed cars, mended a fence, swept up , fed seedlings, we went to the farmers market , mowed the front lawn and then had late breakfast.

Finished editing Sheffield then I have to list the latest releases and knock our some covers as I've orders waiting for the Scottish trip.

Next weekend it will be Cobham and a family wedding so a bust time, hoping to cover West Yorks and then week after family visit to Devon with some filming on the Saturday if weather ok. The week after South America. Phew!

THE DAY THE RAIN CAME DOWN

as you'll see I've been copying moire photos for possible inclusion in the book 'A Smudge On My Lens' Here are the two Eastbourne buses which once took me to school and the baths etc, both preserved 1987 The Hurricane, and my car, a narrow squeak eh.
Eastbourne bandstand Christmas day 1980s?
1980 Ireland with my Cortina in Cork, typically muddy.
George my dad on his moped on The Crumbles , Eastbourne

Today we went to Sheffield, sunny to start then later started to rain and its never stopped. Came back via Snake pass, bad move, Glossop is a nightmare bottlkeneck and getting in and out of Sheffield isn't much better.

Tonight we went to the Halle, an evening of English light music, delightful, still raining.

Gill Blanchard has done another tranche of Vincent family research which needs digesting.

It was Mandy's birthday today, thanks for the cards folks.

SLOWEST BLOG IN HISTORY

it took twenty minutes to get this wee blog done, I don't know why its on a go slow, anyway Edinburgh last Saturday. Yorkshire tomorrow then Halle tomorrow night, Mandy's birthday. Busy at work, just back this evening from Manchester , work related run. Things are proceeding slowly all round really.
Still plucking at photos for the book but nearly there.
Still have to remove abusive messages from Youtube each night, soul destroying really.

GLASGOW LAST SATURDAY

and finally where I lived 1979 to 83 at Ballynash near Foynes in Co Limerick, Ireland

Well super busy, just editing Edinburgh the last of the three Scottish films from the weekend, still got the covers to do.

I'm also busy sorting out photos for the book, still!! Hence the shot of the Irish house.


Its also Three greyhounds night and Mandy is yelling through that Emmerdale has just started so that's it for tonight.

STAFFA LAST SUNDAY, FINGLAS CAVE

the old reactalite glasses giving it some welly in the sunshine on Staffa last Sunday morning.
Sublime trip, Mandy is huddled in sheeting to keep the wind off, the boat was tossed and thrown about in the wind and waves.

The cave itself, a bit slippery inside
The geology is like the Giants Causeway in N Ireland


Got a knock back from Ebay over my complaint so perhaps that will be the end of our shop there, what a bunch of complete and absolute w*****s.

I'm still scanning photos for my book 'A Smudge On My Lens', nearly got enough to select from, a trip in the attic last night made progress.

Doing the Scottish trip DVDs tonight, Glasgow now ready bar cover.

Got the Scottish photos printed, should be a good selection for the sales / rally season. By the way we are doing the St Helens Chester running day next month.

ALBERT GONZALEZ MASIP NEW AUSTIN 12

Announcing the safe arrival of Albert's Austin 12 in Barcelona, a new spark plug and some polishing and all is well!

SICK TO DEATH WITH EBAY SITE MORE SCOTLAND

Fort William late Saturday morning before we headed back down to oban, while I was fiming Mandy had her tumble on the pavement. We both thought Ft William much better than oban as a place.


After we filmed on Oban we got the ferry over to Mull. We hope to bring you shots of our trip there in the next few days.

Hassle tonight with ebay, they eliminated some of my listings as I have a supposed illegal link ( to our website) , what a crowd, they are the most weird arbitrary outfit who don't five a damn about clients and are run by robots in America. May just pull the plug on the Ebay shop as sales are very poor considering the expense of listing plus the cost of paypal etc.


I'm working on editing the Scotland DVDs, started with Glasgow tonight.

I had a trip up into the attic searching for photos for the book 'A Smudge On My Lens'.

I am sending off all my Eastbourne timetables for a quote on a sale, part of my continued disposal and work towards retirement and being rid of the damn buses for once. They seem to bring me more grief than its worth.

Scotland for the brave Easter Weekend

as you can see these shots are in Oban, an otherwise seedy spot akin to a mini Blackpool but West Coast Motors brightens it up, generally grumpy drivers but some exceptions. Plenty of bus traffic, follows on from Fort william earlier on Saturday this weekend.



a mixed weekend with only one real low point, Mandy had her third bad tumble in two weeks, on the pavement at Fort William, flat on her face, injured lips, nose, teeth etc, blood everywhere. That apart everything went really well, a good trip up early on Friday and to Edinburgh where cones and barriers make photography hell but some interesting bus diversions to concentrate on. The tram works dominate the centre now. Weather started well then downhill, chilly certainly, wet slightly then on to sunny Glasgow of which more tomorrow

EASTER REFLECTIONS

1974 leaving Brundetts Road for our wedding, busy sorting out photos for my book
Mandy with Sue Littler in one of our early minis, I think this was the mustard yellow one.
On the beach at Eastbourne way back when, nice picky isn't it.
Mandy chained to the kitchen sink at Egerton Rd South in Chorlton mid 70s.
The back of 99 Egerton, notice the garden swing we inherited!

On a serious note, Bernie Ashmore is recovering from his operation, Mandy's cousin, wife Helen and son Joe are all in our thoughts at present.

We are off to Scotland early hours tomorrow morning, weather looks wild, cold and wet so no promises, heading for Edinburgh then Glasgow where we stay overnight. Saturday up to Fort William and then back to Oban for evening ferry to Mull. Back home very late Monday.

I'm downloading my 1997 trip around Russia which should all be on DVD by the end of next week.

A SMUDGE ON MY LENS AND EDDIE STOBBART

lunch time near Middlewich, a truckers photo day, these and other views slowly building up to a new programme which reminds me i must do our truck advert tonight.

My sister Margaret is popping in tomorrow evening so time may be precious with family, our thoughts go out to Mandy's cousin Bernard and his operation tomorrow.

I'm doing a Youtube on Nottingham Bus Spot which is now finished, I intend to sort some photos out for my autobiography A Smudge on My Lens.

Meanwhile a bit of Coronation St first.

By the way the police came round and offered apologies for the way I was treated whilst filming in London the other weekend, better than a kick up the bum I suppose.