A damp and windy day at Showbus, vintage buses almost eliminated, stall numbers way down which can't be bad for those who do attend and numbers of visitors seemed low, yet again. Perhaps the return to the south of England to the Hertfordshire county showground will see an upturn again. The weather was a lot worse than forecast with showers throughout the day. As Mandy wouldn't be able to help putting up the tent and it was supposed to be dry we started with an open sales area which soon proved futile with the dark threatening clouds so the kind chap on the next stall said he would help us which he did and also helped with the dismantle at the end. We still need to get the mould off, haven't had an opportunity yet but we won't need it until well into next season as we should be inside at Detling and Brooklands in April, both are the same weekend. Sales are still very low at events but a flurry on the net when we got home, lots of you are now using the digital download option, all new DVDs are being put on in this alternative way of purchasing at just £8.

So from Donington in Leicestershire we bring you the last Showbus at the location and shots of the buses arriving this morning. It was great being able to meet more of our customers and the fans who track us on this blog and through the Youtube clips. The weather was forecast good for tomorrow we'll have to recheck and hopefully we'll have some bus locations ticked off the list this week and maybe just one day on lorries. Plenty of places I've got penciled in. It was still raining when we got home this evening, the A50 was closed from bridge demolition at the JCB roundabout which lengthened the journey, the diversion signage was disgusting, pointing people back the way they had come in error, we could still see people going round in circles on our way back passing the Blythe Bridge road.

I busy and productive day, jobs around the exterior of the house included sweeping up and clearing the kerb, millions of tree seeds fall on us and get caught if there is the merest obstruction, all around our estate are those who grow weeds as a specialty, very annoying. I got the mastic filler around all the lower rear windows renewed, I thought it was just the kitchen but on closer inspection... Then I repaired several small erosion's of mortar and filled in a crack in the front lower render and later painted it which I had the paint for but it had gone solid with the texture element rock hard in the bottom. It all looks good but the wood cladding upper front needs treatment. All DVD orders sent out and then we got ready for the RNCM reception and concert.

Jose at the restaurant had put a table out for us to eat in the relative quiet of Broskys albeit the bar menu which was just fine. Rosie the new personal giving chief had tonsillitis so never made it but had very interesting talk with her colleague and yet more local connections in our area with the RNCM. It's the clearest sky tonight that I've seen in Lower Peover for years as we get so much light pollution here. I reckon it will be a chilly night though. Anyway we hasd a splendid time tonight and even got the rest of the seasons concerts at the college booked to December. We'll ry and get the Halle and Clonter sorted tonight and we can put it all on the calendar. I did load some more clips on Youtube although my heart isn't really in it at present, thankfully the DVD orders are still tumbling in and yet more digital downloads . Tonights piccies from yesterday at Cannock

Greeting friends, customers and readers world wide as we slog through another day in the crazy world, thank goodness I was born when I was and not now there seems little that is better and even life expectancy in Britain is going backwards thanks to the Tories but I suppose it could be a Russian plot, who knows. We were robbed of our revenue by Youtube and it will probably be three months before the channel is earning again, robbed by greedy US companies claiming the BBC sound effect collection as there own, we have been demoneyterrorised by them or something like that, they won't actually say why but there 'team' examined our channel and we are either playing lopts of unauthorised pop music or robbing tv or video or even more bizarre something to do with computer games which I dont even know what they are. I can't even take ( and have no desire to do so) a photo with a mobile telephonic apparatus mine has been perhaps unfairly described as a brick! So that has meant a cut back on expenditure and even then reliant on a successful reapplication at the end of October, I'll try via the forums to dig deeper they like all USA rubbish companies won't communicate with mere mortals they just send repetitive drivel.

I had perhaps my best day truck filming today since Malaysia and Indonesia early this year. I got four programme worth of film at the A500 junction ( lower) with M6, motorway blocked all traffic via the Stoke D road. It was one endless stream at my erstwhile favourite from earlier days on the roundabout by the old Irlams depot now Stobarts, the sun stayed away until I'd finished. It was then at a total halt the only lane open was closed and traffic stretched from Stoke to Stafford northbound. I went south following the clear sky to Cannock Bridgtown  and had some nice shots there but a few clouds appeared so then headed north east via a scenic route through Rugeley towards Uttoxeter and thence to the A50 where I saw nothing but sunshine.

One kind driver threw me down a box of Maltezers, hows that for kind, I remember in a heatwave drivers chucking down water bottles which were being distributed quite widely in the industry. There were wagons galore, nothing out of the way, no paint jobs or unexpected classics other than JCB. Then a police man came along,, .... we've had a call someone waving at the lorries, a concerned member of the public rang in , we have to investigate all calls ( except robberies, thefts, burglery etc??) . He was very polite and friendly and gave it a light touch but really they have that much time and resource in Staffordshire I'd demand a fifty percent reduction in police resources from tomorrow, get your bins emptied every week instead. I even got topped up with my sun tan today! Phototos start at the M6 closure diversion before the sun came out.

It has all been a bit fraught after Mandy's fall but we seem to be coming back to normal although normal is of course very busy. We had a day out filming yesterday to York and Harrogate, very mild and sunny, warmer still today. This morning we had to go to the fracture clinic at Macclesfield hospital, the consultant seemed happy with the knee  although we didn't get far talking about the small circular thing above the knee in the xray. Tomorrow I hope to get some truck film done either Cannock,Walsall or A50 at Uttoxeter roundabout, it depends where the most sunshine is. Friday we have a teatime concert at the RNCM, Jose the restaurant manager is making a special place for us as although its closed that evening for a function we'll take part and eat from the canteen but in the restaurant, the students are doing an edited down Carmina Burana. Anyway must dash, he are shots from York yesterday

 Mandy continues to make progress with her knee although we've got an appointment at the fracture clinic on Wednesday it's more belt and braces than anything else. The weather this week is a bit of a mixed blessing, as the sun sinks lower shadows become a problem and it's sunshine and cloud not one or the other. The same happened this morning when I shot off on a quickie to Stobarts port at Widnes which reminds me I need to pay for the bridge crossings although it would be so much easier if they made it pay i the bucket or tap your card like the Mersey or M6 toll road. We had a bit of a rough night though, Mandy got no sleep at all plagued by indigestion and sick twice. I did manage to get some good shots, I thought they's all still be using the temporary road to the port from the bridge nut the old road is open enough to take the traffic for the port from the bridge to the usual roundabout where I filmed as I have many times. A lot of new lorries for Stobart, other fleets mainly boringly white!

Tomorrow we are hoping to have a crack at buses in York and Harrogate, I'm not sure how Mandy is going to get on getting up early and the cars are the wrong way round on the drive, everything takes that much longer after the fall. I think I'll be doing the film work for the armistace centenary on Wednesday afternoon, a day we've put aside after the hospital visit for jobs around the house and garden talking of which we picked up a pile of bulbs at Fryers garden centre this afternoon after we'd done the banking. Thursday should be another film day and Friday editing and a concert and reception at the RNCM at Manchester. Tonights slide show is thus inevitably  Stobarts Widnes Port.

omentous days seem to always be rolling in and today was no different, today we now celebrate the heat in Mandy's injured knee vanishing thanks to the Naproxem in the cupboard which the hospital doctor told us was wrong to use as it was prescribed for me but we had a few pills left over now time expired but seem to have hurried Mandy's recovery without the need for a doctors appointment, the NHS is broken, finished, unworkable the sooner any government recognises this and we get a better replacement the better, the Canadian and Irish systems seem a lot better way to go with an element of private but still free for those that need it.

It was the Foundation for Ministry 20th anniversary celebration and our awards for completion, all our small team made it except Mike  who really seemed to have been dogged by work call outs at every prime moment. The weather stayed fair and mild so much so that I'm planing a morning at Stobarts Widnes Port tomorrow getting as much as I can before they change back the link road and open the old Runcorn bridge as a toll crossing, probably next year. Its looking quite reasonable all week and the is a possibility I might get down to the South East to finish off the area of listed destinations for this year. Getting what we can done before we go off on our November exploration to Reunion and Madagascar. As always a loty to do, I got a lot of new DVDs listed on EBay haven't finished yet though and I've also got the Leicester Bus Spot Ultra finished and just need to complete the DVD cover. After dashing around this morning we had to get changed and hurry off to Chester, no chances taken with disabled parking slots and the bastards ( excuse the French) which patrol them so we parked on the double yellow lines although I doubt that the wardens work on Sundays.

The service at the cathedral was quite long and moving although some parts overlong but hey ho, so that's another chapter finished, I wonder what the future will hold, will vicar Jane ever repent, will churchwarden as was Keith ever apologise, I doubt it and this doubt if I will ever officiate at St Oswalds again, the church of England safeguarding is I can report about as robust as a chocolate fireguard and no wonder so many got away with so much awful behaviour and probably still do. Actually I still almost wish I'd worn my I love Putin badge to the service but that's the devil in me no doubt!  What can i give you by way of photos, well thinking ahead to the Indian ocean in November how about Mauritious

Yesterday morning we had to get up and off early as Mandy had her stents out from the recent tear duct operation, that went well although with the loss of mobility from the fall on Thursday everything takes that little bit longer. Somewhere along the line I did manage to get the lawns treated for the bare patches post heat wave. Today it was up early for the British Polio Fellowship agm at the Holiday Inn at Ellesmere Port. I think the best description is a blood bath, the last year has seen the realisation that their accounts were a nonsense and that the likes of promised legacy gifts which were in hundreds of thousands were nothing like that, the new premises which had been purchased at great cost further drained funds and the staffing was almost unsustainable. With the premises up for sale and most of the staff gone they still couldn't and it felt like wouldn't tell members what the real costs would be and could the charity survive, like the church pccs it smelt like smoke and mirrors being used to further confuse. Anyway it was great to talk to members from around the country and several of our group members attended. Numbers are ever decreasing as they either die or become too infirm to travel, so next year we meet in a redundant phone box.

We got away just after 4pm and called in at M&S for some vegetables and a couple of quick to do meals for the freezer should fate deal us another blow. We got the Bupa renewal today which had gone up by £800 a year so decided to put the money away and pay ourselves when required. The good news for today was that the PIPS results came through and Mandy gets the same as before and three year review which we believe are more likely a phone call rather than complete reassessments. Perhaps we are on the turn with some good luck coming for a change. I'm just getting all the PMP orders sorted, mostly on EBay which I still haven't updated, it's such a chore but I will do it. All we can ask is please use our own shop why give money to EBay or Amazon when direct payments to our shop support the PMP archive. I'm really into editing the Bus Spot Ultra Leicester and will get more done this evening and in between get some more digital DVD uploads on the shop. I see York and Harrogate looming if the weather is ok plus the likes of Halifax and Bradford plus trucks of course, should be better weather next week but it has been hopeless this past week more bad weather tomorrow, Sunday. We've got my service at Chester cathedral with my ministry course certificate award and celebrating 20 years of the Foundation for Ministry course. Looking ahead then photos from Harrogate and York.

Sometimes everything is a bit of an uphill struggle, the last couple of days since Mandy's latest tumble have taken their strain on us but I'm keeping the house as warm as possible and even doing a bit of the cooking and tidying up as we go. Mandy is now using the wheelchair around the house which is a bit hazardous as we are more geared up to just using it outside for distance. Well I've made a start on Bus Spot Ultra Leicester and I'm up to 1993 having passed through the early decades quite swiftly but includes trams and AEC Renowns etc through royal celebrations, decorated buses and trams, post war and into colour cine with buses through the seventies and eventually cine with real sound and start video in the 90's which sharpened up and colour adjusted looks the business.

Tomorrow its all day at the British Polio Fellowship agm at the Holiday Inn at Ellesmere port, used to have work meetings there, even had a Christmas do there which ended in a punch up, happy days. We have to go as Mandy is chair of the host area Cheshire, Wirral and North Wales. We'll need to do some shopping at M&S on our way back. The weather has continued to be horrendous, high winds yet again, torrential rain once more and now thunder and lightening. Saturday looks like a respite then get hammered again Sunday. Sunday is the award service for my ministry course, it's at Chester Cathedral in the afternoon so a lay in before we go with luck. Seeing as we are looking at Leicester here are some shots from the East Midland archive, digital downloads available via the link. Progress being made with yet more digital downloads put on the shop, I found that the site puts the files in size order whatever I do, no stopping it, they should be viewed in numerical sequence but I suppose those savvy enough to use this facilty know that!

who is ont really is turning ouyt to be a nightmare year for health issues. The rain was hammering down this afternoon but Mandy wanted to go to Whitestuff shop in Chester as they had 20% off for one day only but I needed to get some grass seed to repair the front lawn so I was about to get into my little car and Mandy into hers, next thing she is on the driveway in the wet and me shirt alongside which she was taking to ensure the right sizing. She managed to get into her car and insisted on going out so we ended up heading for Whitestuff in Wilmslow which is nearer but when we got there it had closed down so battled through the horrendous traffic to St Annes Square in the centre of Manchester when finally Mandy admits she can;'t get out of the car or stand. So back in and all the way back to Macclesfield hospital for a few hours in A&E, a narrow winner over Leighton hospital as Macc has free disabled parking near casualty. Waited a reasonable amount of hours then examined then another wait then xray and another wait then reexamined with xray. No fracture revealed but there is a growth of sorts showing up, groundhog day or what we've just been through all this with Mandy's growth on her lung revealed by the chest xray, appointment to come back to fracture clinic and consultant to scratch their head about the round object.

We'd gone out and left all the machines on so dived back in and then carried on round to The Crown , had dinner and a couple of jars there, felt better for some food having just had our two diet days. We met John and Tabatha there, we'd talked last week in the Crown, they are new neighbours in the houses recently built on a tiny plot of land on the corner of the road. As soon as Mandy isd more mobile we've invited them round one night, meanwhile we met Louise who is on  the parish council and she who got the hedges cut back off the pavements, she was aware that the developers had been using our small road as an entrance to the new development on the adjacent green field , planning said they must enter from the Middlewich A road, so everyone is going to complain to the main council tomorrow although we have to be up early as Mandy has appointment at Leighton hospital for stents to be removed from her tear duct operation, then pick up my new specs at Ellesmere port etc etc, yes a fun time but I did get a letter to Alan Millar at Buses magazine about the new PMP digital downloads and my ideas on archives plus got a few more films on DVD and made a start on the next Bus Spot Ultra covering Leicester, phew other than that not a lit!! Photos from my Wolverhampton visit the other day before the monsoons set in.

I need to check the weather outlook and see if there is any chance at all of getting out with the camera tomorrow, I doubt it but the next Bus Spot Ultra may well be Leicester for which I've got a few clips in hand to add to our large archive coverage. We went to see cousins Trish and Derek this afternoon and arranged a dinner out in October.  I've download some other films which may come in useful, I've also got the itube video downloader on the new computer with Windows 7 although as soon as I tried to record on it the image froze so copied them on to tape. I got another couple of DVDs on digital download and added the DVDs to the PMP shop, I'll put the digital download versions on as well hopefully this evening. Tonight I've some more shots from our Midlands outing, the lorry shots from Wednesbury, I loaded three clips, the whole recording of this trial stopover which didn't really prove fruitful enough.