BEST FILM IN THE WORLD WELL PERHAPS IN SWINDON

A mixed bag of a day with a lot dine, some not done and a big surprise. I decided to get up sharpish and crack on with loading the latest batch of 16mm cine film to go on Ebay, I got that finished took Mandy her tea and had breakfast after which I got the DVD orders done and ready to post plus got the covers on the replacement stock ready to clot in at Cobham next Sunday. We've got hotels booked for quite a few of the rallies now from Herne Bay to Southsea and Alton plus our trip to South Wales. I've generally gone for the dearer option for a flexible booking with premier Inn as if its a rubbish forecast we can forget it and cut our losses. I think Worthing taught us a lesson last year as well as Herne Bay two years ago. THe rallies booked with extra days around them will see quite a smattering of film visits in the South and South East this year. I do need to book for East Anglia but as there is an element of holiday I might splash out on something better.

I got all the cars and van washed, got the power washer out and later cleaned the rear and side path of green growth and then put down a mix of diluted bleach with washing up liquid which 'sticks' it to the surface. Well when it was all dry later it looked very good and nearly ready for the expansion joints to get new sealant then colourant and a final seal finish. Then it will all look nice and new, last time it was redone was about 7 years ago but it costs about a grand to get them to do it mind you I've not seen the price of the materials yet. It was all fairly back breaking work especially moving the leads and keeping the electrics from the water. The garage painting will be around the same time, all waiting for some steady warm dry weather, 2020 then.

Inside I carried on with the 16mm film copying it, then one reel which had no markings and I can't have paid much for as they wouldn't have known what was on it turned out to be rather remarkable, 25 minutes of Swindon in 1961 a vehicle drives around various suburban and shopping streets passing Gaumont cinema twice, a few buses which at once had told me where it was, perfect condition, unmarked, perfect weather, colour, etc, not sure what it was for on 16mm must have been the council or something similar.  It's television  quality, national archive interest so I'll probably pop it on at £1000 and see if anything happens. Later i had my first try with the 9.5mm projector I got from Home Cinema at Cleethorpes, I got an electric shock, I was ok although it left my arm sore for a while, I did carry on but couldn't get any sensible results so I'll let him have it back. It's the christening tomorrow and perhaps Monday if the weather is good a film day. Then Friday Saturday down south and Sunday at Brooklands, in between Hil and Sean visit us. The dining room is restored to non cinema usage. Anyway I feel a taste of Surrey coming on so here goes!