Back home after a very wet windswept journey north where yet again the water is cascading down from the back of the house down the drive to the road. We were staying with my sister Yvonne and brother in law Graham's at Hythe near the New Forest in Hampshire west of Southampton - mindful of overseas readers querying locations as to where they are but I keep asking don't they have Google and all its maps. The highlight of the weekend, well most memorable event was when at the Ruby wedding celebration at Exbury  and Graham had a giant caterpillar climb down onto his arm, I must try and track down details of just what it was. Anyway a great day for my sister Margaret and  brother in law Roger who celebrated 40 years together, we were at the village hall and together with Marg and Roger's children put on an excellent spread with cake in enormous profusion and take homes the order of the day. It may be wedding, anniversaries etc which get people together in a family spread about but all the better for them to focus on all getting together.

Meanwhile at Yvonne's we enjoyed views, mostly from the dry inside the house of their lovely new garden, I think photos will have to wait for perhaps a spring visit but we do have some shots taken at Exbury village hall on Sunday and to those who didn't read in advance , hence our absence from Showbus for the first time in many years. We will be away next Saturday for two weeks in Indonesia, the PMP shop will remain open as will Ebay with an away message and finally Amazon is suspended in our absence as it has no holiday setting or allowance which shows how well its employees must be treated. Photo of myself and Mandy taken by Graham at Exbury on Sunday. Then a slides show from the other shots I took, I didn't overdo it as there were so man  phone cameras busy at work.

A daunting day of reckoning as the completion of the 16' run of display cabinets stumbles towards completion. The traumas though seemed to come thick and fast, firstly the people selling perspex reckoned I'd need  much thicker sheets to prevent major flexing of the glazing sheets and this would knock out the tracks I'd installed as they were 3-4mm. Thus pricing up and considering the track replacement I decided that I should bite the bullet and go for glass but then I had to check that the glass would fit the glazing which it does, I visited Northwich glass and we tried it for fit and went on like a glove which is ok but there were still two huge obstacles in my path. First the glass would cost about £1200 which is a blow as I had budgeted for perspex at about £250. this was a stunning increase but so far down the line I did look around but most glaziers will only supply the essential toughened glass at 6mm minimum so there were not really any serious competitors as Northwich would do it in 4mm and I knew that fitted.

The next major and heart stopping issue was measurement. As I'd had to use for economy old material recycled for much of the structure there were variations between the four units and even between one unit internally with variations which seemed unlikely but I measured several times then decided that I should get a laser measure . The only people who actually had one nearby were B&Q so looked up the make and price and checked stock on the net then went down, seemed all too easy , right rack 'measuring' right price matched the net, right make - once home and bewildered how it worked it dawned on my I'd got a laser level not a measure.

Back to B&Q, swapping it was almost pleasantly easy (ish) . Then back home, again - it was getting tedious. Not the easiest thing in the world to measure from floor to ceiling with shelved fitted and the height, needed step ladders and then paper on the bottom track as it could be measuring either the top or bottom of the moulding. The measurements when believable were near my manual efforts although I must say given that it is a laser product and many safety concerns the instruction / safety notes were microscopic and I had to hunt them down on the net and enlarge by 500% to read them which is pretty pathetic and probably illegal. Anyway I've come up with some sizes and will get a couple done and review fit functionality etc before getting the rest, they take 6 working days but won't order until back from Indonesia, we leave a week Saturday.

Tomorrow Many has MRI scan at Macclesfield hospital following the growth found on her lung which is believed to be old and benign but they are monitoring it. Then down to Hampshire and if weather and time permit a film stop en route somewhere then family event Sunday, perhaps Southampton docks film Monday on way home. Next blog will be Sunday night. I've loaded a few DVDs on for digital download still a lot more to catch up. I did get some photos filed last night. This afternoon we were at the RNCM launch of new term, with 3 days rehearsal all the new intake of students were either in orchestra or chorus of G&S Pirates of Penzance preceded by discussion of new year themes by management and students. Quiet life retirement-never.

A day of sunshine and torrential rain so stayed at home and got lots done, the new external drive now houses the photo archive also on cloud as back up and all photos waiting to be sorted and filmed. The new packs of plastic sleeves finally arrived so that has got some DVD covers off the packing desk. I booked the transfer to Manchester airport for Indonesia and return also compiled spreadsheet for the July 2020 Pantanal Brazil trip. I fitted all the plastic tracks to the shelf structures, used hard as nails tube for applicator gun which all worked really well and getting in bulk from manufacturer I've lots left for the second part of the project which will be a while before commencing.  We went food shopping at M&S and thank goodness they still have supplies of the marzipan balls which I love, had coffee and cake at Plumleys on the way out where I managed to phone ( no signal at home) to Batik airline in Indonesia to advise about wheelchair but they said it was ok just to roll up at check in with it! I didn't ask if Lion air the parent had had any more crashes lately.

The next jobs are to talk to the body shop in Middlewich about getting the IQ rust spots and chips done plus the scratch on the van, only half inch but annoying! In the morning I'll start the dangerous task of measuring up for the 8 perspex sheets, doors for the 16' shelf unit, I can't afford to get it wrong, I may order just 1 and check it is ok for all the locations then order up the rest as they are quite expensive. Phoned my friend John in Sussex had a good catch up. Photos from the to be sorted area of the new super large capacity external drive, I understand people buy these to extract the disc and use in their desk top computers- sounds a good idea as the storage is usually very poor. I'm loading the trailers for the three Lymm truck films on Youtube after finishing this blog.

I need to go and get dried off as I was doing a bit of lumber jacking in the garden where a Rhododendron had gone bezerk, its coming out altogether, opening up the bottom of the garden also took the top off the Magnolia as it was reaching for the sky. Mowed the lawns. Went family shopping and did three hours of film at Lymm truck stop which was more or less in three shots an hour each, it was really busy. I'll get back to bus film list as soon as weather settles, it was great today light cloud, spot on for this time of year. I'll start transferring some of the files to the new drive as I haven't been able to file anything for days as the previous drive was full, must label them so I know what is on each of them! Here are some shots from Lymm, I'm downloading the films now and will start editing later tonight and I promise to get on with digital uploads.

Some remedial painting after going to B&Q as I ran out of the paint for the downstairs loo but all soon sorted. Also went to Knutsford to get a replacement number plate for the PMP van, it cracked very early in its life and just got worse but I really wanted the original as that sort of thing becomes important when it gets to classic status. Also got the paint pen to cover its one tiny scratch, must phone body shop at Middlewich to see if they can do the IQ while we are in Indonesia. I finished off the DVD covers, all up to date now. I must get the digital versions uploaded, it all takes so much time. Mandy is now back in full flight after her Irish trip which turned out to be mostly hospital visiting.

I had to de-friend a couple of folk on Youtube, I can really not be associated people who air racist views online, they should be careful what they post, I take care these days to be distanced from a lot of people. Another pet hate though is foul mouthed people who only seem to know one word, it does nothing for anyone's professional reputation or personal esteem to be linked in anyway to these individuals. Believe me I've strong feelings about things like coming out of the EU but as it is so divisive there seems no point in re-running debates that have gone on for so long. I have never liked Tories that is well known and certainly I have never voted for them. I listen to the news a lot less frequently as I find it so depressing.

On a brighter note here are the covers for the three latest DVDs, I also got the door track for the shelf units today and a huge clear out / tidy up in the greenhouse cum shed. As soon as we get a dry day I'll ditch all the off cuts of wood and fittings I'd retained for phase one of the display cases. looking forwards to getting them filled with a thousand models, hope most of them fit, the dioramas to be built should soak up a few more and I can arrange temp themed displays until I get round to these future intentions. I'm looking for suitable days for truck filming this week , also need to get copy to the magazines by next week.

Mandy get back later this evening from Ireland. I had a busy day as ever with decorating the downstairs toilet which is a pain as its so restricted an area to work in and I'm not exactly sylph like then ran out of pain but it looks good at first glance, just need a spot of paint mixing at B&Q tomorrow morning to get it wrapped up  plus I did the skirting on the 16' shelf unit in the new office. Getting the runners for the shelf unit doors took ages, there are plenty of people retailing for specialist application making a quick buck cutting it up from the manufacturer, lucky I found the extruders themselves and got a  bundle of tops and bottom runners which gives me loads of excess on the bottom tracks but they'll come in ideal for the large units the other side of the room the next project.

Mean time I also got all the DVD orders away, that tool until 10.30 am, then popped to Knutsford to get the paint ordered for the bodyshop to touch up the Toyota IQ which has some chips ion the front. I also went to the Nat West to transfer some money which had come to the wrong account. So I didnt really get on with the decorating side until late morning. Made myself cheese on toast for dinner, back to dieting days tomorrow. I'll keep my eye open for truck filming, even just Lymm would balance the books with the bus releases. I've still a few covers to do from Hampshire trip. Got £100 fine for parking at the Holiday Inn express at Swansea but they are sorting it out, bit strange as I registered the car on arrival so it shouldn't have happened, very annoying. Although Buses and CVC mags came out no rush for orders today perhaps they'll come in overnight. Shots from the trip last week at the  Isle of Wight.

I started work about 8.30 this morning finishing about 5.30pm with much accomplished including all the recent round of bus DVDs now edited and several DVD covers made and loaded to items already in the PMP shop. I also reinstated the shelves after yet another dose of white paint and then the blue grey contrast walls where they meet the shelf units repainted. Then the downstairs loo mostly painted, ceiling heater light dismantled and cleaned then reinstated, looks much brighter. Several clips of latest bus DVDs from Hampshire are on Youtube and then tomorrow I'll get all the DVD orders cleared and away at the post office, quite a lot waiting to get done. Here is the shelf unit, all 16 foot of it waiting for runners and perspex sliding doors which I'll get ordered tomorrow.

Some images from our time at Portsmouth

Time is racing by as ever and I'm on with getting all the DVDs edited and hopefully digital versions on as well. I did have a break from decorating, the shelves are now over three quarters painted and just the deeper shelves which are recycled and have a melamine surface which is harder to paint albeit they looked grand in their wooden veneer in an earlier life. I picked up some suitable paint to finish the harder bits especially these 9 shelves and the skirting board on the total length. I've also got some no nails adhesive which will be put into any sections not 100% secure already which again is mainly the larger shelves at the top and the only two recycled 4" deep shelves out of the fifty plus I have put in. It is all starting to look the business, tomorrow I hope to measure up and order the track and perspex for the doors. I'll pop a picture on tomorrow. I've added all this weeks releases to the shop albeit the latest still without a cover picture but I should have all the covers done by Monday if any orders are received before then.

The garden looked well after mowing the lawns, lush stripes. I've also trimmed the edges and strimmed the front lawn. Next door with the bungalow popped round to tidy the garden although it will all come out and be relaid after building is done but at least they take care to consider the neighbours. Les Halman a local grower owns a number of surrounding properties which are in a bad state of upkeep, we've complained to his daughters estate agent business who let them out, even grass growing from gutters, down pipes out of place, water cascades, wall damaged bricks lay around - really pretty disgusting. Also the lack of care for the roads is bad as obviously the council like all local authorities are strapped for cash - if we each keep the gutters clear it will benefit everyone.

I'm hoping to get the downstairs cloakroom decorated tomorrow if time permits, I'm hoping that the shelves are at an end stage until the next materials arrive so I can get on with the other jobs. Whwen the cabinets are ready I'll fill them and make a start tidying up before thinking about the big display cabinets on the other side, a more simple structure really mainly a frame with perspex sides and front and free standing display units which can be arranged at will, a few cheapo B&Q shelves might suffice for a quick fix of a few ad hoc displays which I'll have to consider when filling the shelves otherwise I'll have to fill gaps or put a sign up removed for exhibition! Here are some of the latest DVDs which have covers ready.

Some photos from Fareham yesterday morning.

I'll get round to a more full note of my travels or not depending on how much work I get done this weekend. The grass will need a cut before it rains tomorrow. I only got in the door at 8.30pm after leaving Southampton at 3.30 this afternoon. Main hold ups A34 crash M40 congestion thereafter stupid signs with meaningless restrictions. I saw my first 69 reg bus at Southampton. Today finished the shooting in Portsmouth and then went to Fareham, not a lot of action, perfect sunshine though, friendly and I got an hour of film then on to Southampton which I think was the cream of the crop all round this past week. So where do they park perhaps their first 69 reg delivery, under a tree to keep cool perhaps and enjoy the dappled shade! Anyway lots of others to get edited and that's another 4 or 5 in the bag depending on what I got on the Isle of Wight, it was quite a lot with the top deck rides.

I've managed to get most of the outstanding DVD covers completed and also edited all but Hereford bus films. I've had a few domestic chores and got the post away and carried on to the petrol station getting my car ready for the hike to Portsmouth and then onward by ferry to the Isle of Wight where I hope to get shots of the school fleet returning to the depot and general bus services and coaches at Ryde then onward  to Sandown and then Newtown and back to Ryde then across to Portsmouth and perhaps late afternoon shots at the Hard bus station. Staying in Portsmouth overnight then any remaining Portsmouth film and on to Fareham bus station and then to Southampton returning perhaps via Salisbury but time may be limited as I'm trying to get back to Cheshire for a folk evening at Clonter which starts at 8pm. Taking of which Jeffrey has had a bad fall on the stairs and is still in hospital, over in Ireland our friend Jane is in hospital recovering from an extensive operation to repair her femur and hip after falling over a bucket. Here are some shots from Swansea yesterday morning. Will try and blog from hotel tomorrow if not back with you all Friday night. I want to get some work done on the shelves at the weekend, it is looking good but still a way to go.