GREETINGS FROM THE MID WINTER CAPITAL OF CHESHIRE

autumn seems to have given way directly to winter this year and we haven't even puts the clocks back yet so in a couple of weeks we'll be in the dark in the daily commute both ways. Oh you lucky people who have already retired, a glance out of the windows at the freezing rain coming down or the icy blast of the wind and its back under the duvet you go. I'm just burning the master DVD for the video taken Saturday at Dumfries, Ayr and Irvine, it actually looks better than I thought battling as I was between tropical rainstorms, col and then sunshine. A little clutch of new Oxford releases seem to have emerged, I must have a look on their web site and see what else has been added as forthcoming especially on the buses side, I've heard no rumours at all. The EFE models are mainly just reliveried versions of models released ages back although there are some which find a notch in my collection still. These days I've taken another direction in their display with bespoke displays of the models on a theme, say a country like Ireland and include buses, trucks and emergency services etc. My little row of 00 scale fire engines is starting to grow, I was once in the FBS and had quite a collection of models mainly larger ones. I got some great shots in the stations in Ireland both north and south back i the early 80s, they were always very helpful and friendly even when they were having to defend themselves from missiles being hurled when they were out on a shout.

We';ve had a nice warming curry from 'stock' this evening, Mandy is also doing a home made rice pudding, thats double rice tonight but I'd better not say anything. We are only picking at the delicious fudge we got at the Bridgeton open day and it will be the end of the week before we can dip in again vas our two weekly dieting days are almost upon us. Talking of upon us the adverts for the December editions of the magazines will be due by next week, the television is already filling up with Christmas adverts, it should all be banned until December at least. I've managed to get all the outstanding photographs right up to date and filed, just need to get them loaded on to our Smugmug still photo site from where you can buy copies from just 50p a time. The Sri Lankan views will supplement my 1980 trip, at that rate of return I'll probably be pushing up daisies before I go back unless they get trolleybuses or start with double deckers once more. I'm at a meeting on Wednesday, doctors Thursday morning, teleconference Thursday pm, yes it's all go in training.

I thought I'd quickly dip in to the Sri Lankan truck photos before i file them, I checked on the internet and they are in the most part fairly unique in content compared with what is already out there. It's such a shame that outfits like Classic and Vintage Commercial are so narrow minded and just want their pals material, wouldn't ever want to hear them appealing for material as I'd tell them where to stick it. I'm thinking of having a look at what else is about for 2015, I've got a lot of regulars now and it would probably pay to spread the word elsewhere. A reminder please click on an advert or two each time you view my Youtube clips, I can't find anyway of sending messages out to viewers now, they make it so damn difficult and add all sorts of rubbish which I can never understand. This Weebly site pulls the same sort of tricks on you, you log in and its all changed. EBay damn them did the same with the 'printer friendly' version of order forms which are needless to say all jumbled up when printed and as much use as a chocolate fireguard!