WONDER WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING

yes it's more from Plymouth last Tuesday morning. Waiting for the weather forecast for what its worth to decide on tomorrow's destination, possibly Midlands, maybe South Wales.

I'm copying Fraser McMillans Hi8 onto digital for him, some very strange material when he was at college with Rob Hatch at Preston, they used one of my old cameras I remember. I note my face book associations seem to have increased but have little time for yet more modes of communication. It was quiet at the Greyhounds last night, Carrot and Coriander soup for dinner tonight and bread with bits of nut in, very yummy, still need to lose some weight in a hurry though. I've just finished editing the Vietnam bus DVD ( yes its all happening at same time, who says men can't multi task eh!!

MYANMAY BURMA TRUCK LORRY MEMORIES

to keep all our lorry fans happy I've gone back to 1997 and Myanmar ( Burma) for this evenings selection which represents the last two DVDs I've done on Vietnam and Burmese trucks. Also to follow are the corresponding bus films taken the same year. I've been wading my way through the Rotterdam report at work between other mundane tasks but its Three Greyhounds night so a couple of pints later on. The estate agents are asking us to drop the asking price on the house but why bother, no-one is buying anyway and we aren't desperate to sell. A new clip on Youtube tonight

PLYMOUTH BUS BRETHREN

scenes yesterday morning at Plymouth before we set off home.

caught up with the soaps last night , then back to work and reality today, busy enough but got a lot done, working on my report on the Rotterdam trip last week. There was a fair load on EBay and amazon but Mandy's cleared that lot. Margaret emailed from Toronto, our flurries of snow are nothing on their toll this year. Tonight after work I got the Burmese 1997 Truck film finished, DVD burning as I write. The Plymouth stuff will have to wait in the queue. Zhang needed some passport details etc for China trip, must get my visa application in this next week or so. Perhaps also set my thought on Scottish trip, Mandy fancies Fair Isle after we've done transport, anyone know any good truck photo spots in Scotland?

Some of Mandy's party shots from last Saturday in tomorrow nights blog, still need to update list on my website and get remainder of programmes on EBay etc, list never ends.

WE CELEBRATED AND THEN SAID GOODBYE TO BERNIE

Diggle where we stayed on Saturday night for Mark's 60th birthday bash at the Saddleworth cricket club. Really great time, Mark had invited Tony O'Mahoney and Mary along, I haven't seen them for 34 years since my hippy days in Chorlton. Manchester. The party pics are on Mandy's camera so bear with I'll bring them to you later. I got blisters on both big toes from too much dancing and my arthritic leg, well I've bored everyone rotten with that ever since. After the party we left the Hanging Gate at Diggle in snow and ice and took a couple of shots at the nearby canal. Then headed home, changed suitcases, had a cuppa then drove to Devon.

Kitley House hotel was quite nice, I thought the rates were good considering the package, anyway no choice as the funeral ceremony was there on Monday. We had lots of relations with us on Sunday, we'd all made it safely past the snow which lay deep over Exmoor. The ceremony was different reflecting Bernie's views and he had really decided on the format. The burial below was a green funeral at a nearby woodland site, very exposed. wet and cold. Everyone spoke so highly of Bernie's generosity, playfulness, , humour and his love of life and of course his family. He was a leading light in the education world and this was fully reflected in the speeches.

The hotel seemed to get more like a castle surrounded bu a moat as the weekend progressed. We stopped briefly at Plymouth before setting off up the M5 towards home in the afternoon today. We had a couple of diversions as 2 accidents were separately blocking the M6 motorway but home for Quiche and beans by teatime.

a last look at Bernie, taken by me on Bentota river, Sri Lanka 1980, apologies for repeating from previous blog and for giving Bernie a birth mark, droped tea on the photo?? He would have appreciated that bit.

BLUE TITS WELL IT IS COLD

still not entirely an image of the past although the excesses of Northern Ireland seem to diminish year on year, I suppose the baby will go out with the bathwater and historic cultural imagery which in a more peaceful context would look quaint will not be acceptable in a politically correct age for the province. These scenes around 1980, a project for a 'rainy' day, put all my Irish images on CD

bloomin heck, don't i look young, all that black hair, good job I had a tripod for the camera.

I must have been well knackered out after Dutch trip, didn't get up until nearly 9 this morning, blue sky and cold mitigated against filming and anyway we have party in north of Gtr Manchester tonight, leaving home about 3pm as we get there in daylight in case of snow or ice. I have downloaded my 90s trip to Vietnam and Burma, some nice truck shots, I'll bring images soon, DVD should be ready this week. A couple more truck ones then some trams and hopefully regular weekly coverage to start. We are doing Malta this year as dramatic reduction in fleets forecast soon. All Ebay and Amazon orders cleared, next chance will be Wednesday after we get back from Devon funeral, perhaps a chance to blog tomorrow in transit between venues.The bird table and feeders bulging with colour, chaffinches galore on the lawn, great and blue tits, green finches, starlings, pigeons, blackbird, robin.. thats just one look just now. The spring bulbs are going to put on a great display after the cold has prevented them from blooming far too early like last few years.

CHILLY TIRING THAT WAS THE NETHERLANDS

Schiedam, near Rotterdam this lunchtime

then its Amsterdam mid afternoon before flight back

It was an early start on Thursday at 4am, arrived in good order but hit heavy traffic on way to Delft, found our office , only got lost for 5 minutes, not bad really, I hate sat nav, I can get most places in Europe within a couple of minutes so why bother. Really nice people at our office, but a long day. Hotel in centre of Delft hidden in rabbit warren of canals, you had to pay up to 10pm to park your car, had a good meal in the central square. I suppose it all looks good in the summer when you aren't shattered and cold ( and wet). No snow there, non here either. Up early, well woke at 4am again but then again at 7 with alarm, not bad brekkie with beans on toast, that's a feast in Dutch hotel. Staggered to office with another minor detour ( lost again). After early meetings I was in Europort , sunny but cold, heavy traffic, hate Dutch drivers, they really are aggressive. Found some useful plant hire contacts and then went to loom at containers used as accommodation in university in Amsterdam. Just a few tram shots I'm afraid and zero film. Not sure about Saturday, weather and roads look dire. Family do Sat night, thankfully we stay over. Sundays drive to Plymouth looks even worse.

DISTANT MEMORIES OF SUNNY DAYS

so what did Dave, Mandy and Sue get up to in New Zealand after enjoying all the sunshine, oh no not another Irish pub.

Today I got wrapped up with work ready for my Rotterdam trip tomorrow at 4am, just getting my bits together after this blog. Burning upstairs in the last of the Manchester DVDs , covers the 2002 Commonwealth games bus services. Next I'm going to do a truck film then Regional Arhive South West, maybe between a couple of current ones depending on weather etc. Speak to you all again Friday night.

LONG SLOG THROUGH MANCHESTER

nearly at the end of the long slog putting all Manchester bus archives onto DVD, I'm working through 2002 which was the year of the Commonwealth Games, a memorable event for its safey, friendliness and wet weather. The buses galore which served the event form part of our archive of around 2000 hours of film and video.

I've finished Many's speech for Bernie's funeral next Monday, Also joined Sylvia's Facebook , well took invitation up, seemed rude not to, so I have a Facebook although not really sure what that involves, stick to my blog and you'll see it all here. Off to Rotterdam Thursday early, remember no blog, poss post Friday then maybe Sunday, back Tuesday night after that. Not much snow left, it never amounted to much despite all the hype.

SNOW WHAT SNOW SOFT SOUTHERNERS EH

Last night we were at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester for Opera North's production of Richard Strauss , Elekta. Susan Bullock fell ill during the day and at incredibly short notice Janice Cairns covered ( she was most nervous and afterwards her relief was palpable) , she got applause to compensate and showed appreciation of her efforts. The music is indeed Elektrafying, at a loud exciting gallop all the way through, its just a one act no interval, phew. The promised snow never really happened in Cheshire other than a sprinkling although it did snow a little this teatime. In London an inch of snow and all buses were cancelled, isn't it so pathetic. The only recent snow scenes I have were in New Zealand in January when we nearly got stranded on Franz Josef glazier.

THE FIRST SNOW FLAKES ARE FALLING

I'm nearing the end of the huge exercise of transferring all my Manchester bus archives to DVD for launch at Boyle St in March although they are actually already available anyway should you be interested. The photos reflect the end of the nineties.

It is a weekend of reflection, the first snow flakes of the year are falling now, heavy snow is forecast, Mandy dreads it as she can't go out , too slippery. We are composing Mandy's speech for Bernie's funeral a week Monday, lots of happy memories but still bitterly difficult for everyone.

We were at Clonter opera last night, RNCM student Kathryn Rudge won, I can say I did cast my vote for hert, but it was a narrow decision, it was an all girl night.

This evening we have opera again with an Elektra Strauss evening with Susan Bullock at the Bridgewater, should be fun in the snow.

I've been out and cleaned the cars inside ready for Mark's party and the funeral. So this week is getting very busy, Rotterdam Thur , Fri, Sat party, Sun travel to Devon, Mon funeral, Tues travel back. If you see no blog you'll know why.