Things are coming and going at such a furious pace it's hard to keep up with all the new. The foreman had a word with the plasterer about the mess he made yesterday, much more careful today. The whole room is now plastered and drying out, nowhere near as much mess being created and it should fade to almost nothing as they come to second fit. We've booked the carpet cleaners to come in next Wednesday. Hoping to do an exact measurement and drawing of the new room so I can get a more accurate layout for all the shelving and my computer editing corner. At least it now looks like a room but open to the air partially so it gets chilly right through to the office in the evening. Here are shots of the latest progress.

I filmed my first 19 reg buses in Nottingham, a picture paints a thousand words so here are some shots from Nottingham taken this morning.

I stopped off at my favourite spot on the A50 near Uttoxeter on my return , later got stuck in a four mile traffic jam on the D road getting home.

Scrambled through the dust sheets to my computer. It was a day of dashing around to get up and running on the DVD editing which was successful in the end. First off we had to drop Mandy's car off at the repair facility in Middlewich then come back home, dropped Mandy off to arrange doctors appointment then I went to Ellesmere Port to get the computer online and activate the Edius software licence, it turned out that the adapter they had given me was the only one they had, I had to return all the way home and take that to them. The fun then started as there were lots of hiccups involved and first I retreated for a delicious carrot cake at the market cafe then back and away again as there were more problems , so had my hair cut saving a job a week Thursday when we have the Polio Fellowship meeting in the Port.

Finally got it all home and set up, couldn't get any sound so phoned up Dave Clarke in Sussex who talked my through the problem and eventually resolved it, obviously he charges for his expertise as a editing software trainer, I was really glad I could call on his help. We also set up a few other elements I've yet to use but would have become a problem when uploading off old tape machines. Anyway all was now well although lots more settings and recreation of titles etc but the first DVD has been made , that was Detling and next I'll get Brooklands done and all the others. I'm filming at Nottingham tomorrow with more scenes on Wednesday and Friday , perhaps Grimsby and Scunthorpe or Co Durham or even both. We are out at the RNCM on Thursday with our friend Sue.

The builders made some more progress, completion now seem mid next week, the plaster made a mess, never bothered to use the carpet protector I'd carefully cleaned off ready for them and walked through the house with his shoes on when there is a doorway straight through now. Outside white plaster residue all over which will need jet washing off. Here are pictures of the latest situation. Some difficult wall contours to encapsulate within the proposed wall cabinets but I'm sure I'll get around it!

We were in no condition to be able to blog yesterday, it was the great break through and despite insisting we needed a temporary wall of plastic to prevent dust breaking through we just had everything we could with dust sheets and then plastic sheets on top. I knew this was insufficient but we just had to proceed fingers crossed. It didn't help that the storm which hit today was already building up and rain was day long. The photos show the situation and today we had to do our best to clean up. The old garage door is crewed on as a security measure but there is a gale blowing straight through to th back office and the temporary door is constantly thudding with the wind. There are flooded roads and branches down and leaves everywhere. What a day to be tidying up. We needed to wash the dust sheets after letting them be battered by the wind for a few seconds to shake off the dust. Drying them outside was out of the question and they are hanging from the landing and all radiators. Dusting and vacing took up a lot of the morning. I managed eventually to get the whole place back in a semblance of order and able to process DVD orders which I've done and they will all go out Monday. Whiler breaking through the double skin breeze blocks they hit a wire thus we have no lights in the back office or dining room. It doesn't really matter as we can use lamps if light is required, outside it is 6 degrees like the middle of winter all over again, I hope it picks up for Llandudno and Truckfest next weekend which is the May bank holiday.

We've been measuring up and have a plan for the back office which isn't too traumatic and will make use of the space we have gained which will be two metre wide units by 6ft tall matching the others plus shelving over the packing table. The computer will have to stay almost where it is so we can make use of the end wall, the editing suite will be the other side. There will be a 17 ft run of shelving with about ten shelves all down one side of the new room. The other side sitting on top of the tape archive drawer sets will be more like display units with some greater depth and height and will house various dioramas which I may get round to building and at least  some themed displays of vehicles in the mean time. I'm hoping that this will soak up my collection and all will be on view. The shelving with perspex covers will work out at about £1000 for materials and I think I'll have to do the work myself to keep costs down.

I picked up the editing computer about an hour ago, we got some more plastic sheets from B&Q on our way and called at M&S in Ellesmere Port and had afternoon tea and met with Dianne from the Polio Fellowship in the cafe. It is too wild and windy to fetch the computer in at present as soon as it stops raining I'll go and get it. It was only finished this afternoon hence the delay. I've got an adapter for the only port which is different from the old set up, just in case - I've no idea if I use than port. I took shots of the leads and of course of the software settings I used so hope to replicate after the re-installation of the Edius editing suite operating on Windows10, never thought I'd be using that but as there is only the one programme and that is the one I've used for several years the trauma shouldn't be too bad! Anyway fingers crossed that I can be editing again by tomorrow and catch up, I've already made the DVD covers for most of the unfinished DVDs. Here are shots from yesterday on the new showroom progress.

The garage conversion lads rolled up bright and early and cracked on through the day with floor almost finished, ditto ceiling and studding on the walls. The old garage door has been removed. Tomorrow should see the basic interior complete ready for brick work and plaster board with plastering and second fix of electrics and plumbing early next week. I'm now looking for a joiner to construct the shelves, I'll measure up when they remove the temporary 'door' tomorrow and see if I can get anyone interest otherwise I'll be doing it myself. The height is quite reasonable and the step down from the office to the new office although far from ideal makes the exterior exit more do-able.

I went to Shrewsbury to meet up with Peter of OTA, I had a coffee, dropped off the digitised cine ready for long term storage, Peter had been unable to access their bus films but promised they would have something for me to work through next time we meet, meanwhile I can't copy anything until we clear the dining room of the 1000 boxed up models awaiting their new home in the ex garage cum office when complete and shelved. The weather had been very wet and unsettled we had hailstones thunder and lightening when I got home. I managed to hack off parts of the laburnum tree that are dead and dispose of them and started to trim the hedge but rain stopped play. Down the Crown for a couple of pints, much needed after all the graft today. The computer should be ready tomorrow, no messages received I'll ring them in the morning. Frustrating being unable to make progress and weather with return to normal work etc has been quite dismal perhaps it will pick up again but then I'll be catching up with editing, vicious  circles or what.

The lads have been here all day, the new floor is in, electrics first fix and ditto plumber. Tomorrow walls and ceiling should be done and then with skip delivered first thing the old garage up and over door comes off. The bricks have been matched to the original extension. The new door and window should be in place before the end of the week. Then it is plastering and 2nd fix items to finish about Wednesday. They all seem very pleasant and competent. I'm going to leave Mandy in charge of them tomorrow as I'm off to Shrewsbury to exchange cine films with Peter Waller at the OTA. I've done a bit of work on Mandys family tree by way of a diversion, hoping that my editing computer is up and running by Friday. Mandy's car goes in for repair on Monday after its brush with the gate post. Heard from my pal Martin down in Somerset who raised a fantastic sum from his Easter railway day. No need to water the garden tonight, thunder and lightening outside and throwing it down, first rain in a couple of weeks, much needed to get the moorland fires under control in the hills above Manchester. Photos this evening from my trip to Birkenhead yesterday afternoon.

A bit of a rush as we are off to see cousin Trish who has been discharged from hospital today after her fall down the stairs, Derek is playing at a gig tonight so we said we would keep Trish company and put his mind at rest although I don't think stair diving will be on the menu. I'v been filming today at Runcorn, Widnes and Birkenhead and the garage conversion starts tomorrow after all. Here is the garage as of this evening, ready for the builders and despite forgetting about Easter they are going to stick to the planned schedule.

Shots from Rundown and Widnes this morning, slightly hazy sunshine but still warm and no sign of rain so still watering the front lawn and freshly planted climbers. I got the last dregs out of the garage when I got home and Mandy had to go to the doctors as she has an infection and I'm seeing doc tomorrow re the cough which I've had for eighteen months.

I was thinking of Nottingham tomorrow but the slightly hazy sun seems to have changed to another day of full sunshine which better suits Widnes and Birkenhead. Widnes perhaps gets a little more attention than it would if it were not for its status as one of  just a handful of municipal operators left running buses. Birkenhead always attracts a good audience. A few orders for DVDs to go out tomorrow but generally things are quiet. I'm looking a little ahead with a couple of possible weeks in May when we could well cover developments in Scotland, it will happen. By the end of next week we should be up and running with editing again. I've made covers for those due even when the DVD doesn't yet exist. Here are some covers but if not on our shop they are not ready yet. Of these below Tunbridge Wells and Sheffield are available.

I got some climbing plants for the new shed area front and rear and tided the back garden borders a bit, each day more things appear about one to two months early, we have had more butterflies than all last summer. I've got all the sales stand DVD stock replenished after Brooklands and Detling rallies, we seem to have sold quite a few, remember we no longer bring the truck films to bus rallies but if there is anything you want we can bring it for you. The May holiday weekend will be the usual mad whirl weather permitting of Llandudno and Truckfest. I'm very much looking forwards to our Irish trip this year, provisionally looking at end of June or the middle of July.

EBay has messed around with their shop yet again and I'm reduced to pressing buttons at random to try and download orders and very nearly missed one altogether which was on the email advice but not the sold section, phoning them gets you to The Philippines which I've just returned from, the most crazy out of this world nation who would have you think that many speak English but it is meaningless waffle which explains the hassle people have with many call centres.

The explosions in Sri Lanka are another nail in the coffin for peace and harmony among nations. When will the UK break off relations with the likes of Saudi Arabia which constantly supports and finances ISIS attacks and ban them from trying to wreck our countries. Mind you Britain in its inglorious past lay the foundations for most of these terrorists in its divide and conquer regimes. Sri Lanka has suffered civil war for many years I don't think they are in a mind set to take this on the chin without retaliation. Meanwhile in our wonderful democracy peaceful climate protesters are arrested by the hundred, isn't democracy great I wonder what it feels like living in one.

Today after church I got the vehicles cleaned and polished and fed the plants, sprayed against disease and cleared the gutter and pavement outside the empty house next door  as well as getting several more DVD covers made albeit I can't edit them until the end of the week when our computer is returned. Here is a shot of our new shed for PMP stock and the trellis we put up on Friday.

Yes we have managed to file away and upload the still shots from our recent Asia trip joing the hundreds of thousands of pictures already there waiting for you to pick out the prints image files you need covering most of the world and it's bus, truck,tram and trolleybus systems. I've also got more of the Hong Kong images ready for DVD downloads together with the first of the Taiwan features. More coming on stream tomorrow. Today I also managed to get the remainder of the display cases removed from the PMP office. Looking more bare and tatty by the day just ready for the super facelift and the new editing studio and show room. It almost echoes in here now, not just that I also managed to get the lawns mowed and edges to lawns trimmed and swept up after yesterdays concrete works.

In the afternoon it was the Buses Worldwide meeting at Brian and Sue Rowney's home at Tyldsley , I did a slide presentation on the Asia trip and Brian covered the German regions around Hamburg followed by refreshments, we were that full that we scrapped dinner had some cheese and biscuits tonight and pudding. After church tomorrow I want to get the garden borders weeded, the hot dry weather continues so still watering the rather shabby from lawn which hasn't recovered from the last two dry summers.