36 More Hertford

Tuesday 1^st February

We were up early to take Lizzie and ourselves to the MOT centre. We had to leave Lizzie with them whilst they did a quick service and then the MOT, so we loaded Leon and ourselves into the Fiesta and tried to while away a few hours until lunch time.  Everyone we know was at work so it was more difficult than we’d thought it would be. It really brought home to me how the motor home has actually become home to us,  after breakfast in a café, we ended up going back to Rye Mead for another walk around. It has a quiet car park where we could leave Leon in the car without him being too frightened by outside noise.  As it turned out, Lizzie was too big for the garage in the end and they couldn’t do the MOT, but they have sorted out another garage that can accommodate her on another date. We have to be there for 7am, which is fun, because we can’t get off the campsite till then.  One of the rules of the campsite, are that no vehicles move in /on the site between 11pm and 7am.

Wednesday was one of those days that escaped before we really got much done, except to say that I had developed a bit of a rash over my arms, head and body, I tried not to panic too much, (actually that’s probably too much information).

Thursday 3^rd

We got a phone call from Trula today, so we took her out to lunch and then in the evening we met up with our ex-neighbour, Peter, it was quiz and curry night at the Rye House, and it was lovely to see Peter and three of his boys,(young men) also turned up. Mark, a school teacher, Ryan who is at University doing a marketing degree and Chris who is trying to get into the Police Service,(we have tried to advise him, only joking, I’m glad I’m this side of it, but I did enjoy my time). Last time we met up, his other son, Neal, who is in the army, was there.  They are all smashing guys, a credit to their parents. Chris left to meet up with friends and the rest of us formed the winning team in the quiz, (apparently there were only three teams in it, but I think we put in a marvellous performance, none the less).  Actually, of the 35 out of 50 questions we got right Karen got about 30 of them. She is one cute smart ass. But she did get to drink the wine that we won so I suppose it was fair.   

Friday 4^th

Unfortunately, not really, still giddy with the success of the quiz night, I agreed to go to The Excel in London for the motor bike show with Ray.  Wallace was a joy even on the London roads.  I hadn’t been on the bike, since Ray brought him/it, back. I loved it.  We watched a show by some of the older generation motor cyclists racing around a circuit, doing various stunts, and cheating, but it was fun and right up my street. I have to admit, there was a couple of riders that were even before my time, (only in so much as the length of time I have been glued to motor cycle racing), but John McGuiness, famous for the Isle Of Man TT, Neal Hodgson, BSB and WSB champion, and Dougie Lampkin, who is another superb stunt rider, we saw him on the IOM and there isn’t anything, that he can’t make a bike do.  The others are no less important and I think Ray remembers them better. I did know of Randy Mamola, mostly because he used to commentate on Euro sport, and now his son is racing.  It does make you feel old.

There were some seriously mad free style riders in the back ground, they do tricks like flying in the air, letting go of the bike and then catching it, and all kinds of other scary moves,  oh, and some skinny  women, in bikinis’, fire eating and gyrating to music. Think they must have got lost on route to a different show!!!!!!! 

Things are looking up.....

All was not lost though, bought a fab motor cycle jacket for Charlie, our grandson, he will have to grow into it.

Nick Sanders  and Austin Vince

The above 2 psychos are Nick Sanders and Austin Vince. Nick has been around the world on his own on a sports bike 7 times. He holds the world record for the fastest man to do it on two wheels but Guiness have stopped recording his exploits for safety reasons - wussys. Austin did a similar trip with some of his mates (twice) and is one of only 5 men who have driven a bike through central Russia. He was the leader of the trip and the normal route accross Central Russia is by train as there are no roads. He is also a maths teacher in Highgate and has now married a woman called Lois Price who does similar riding and is equally psychotic. 
As the picture above was taken, he was asked what he was going to do when he stopped the riding and he said the the audience "I going to make porn movies and Lois is going to be my co-director". The man is completely nuts. He has organised an off road orienteering on motorcycles type competition in the Pyrenees in July. Karen and I have signed up for it !  When we told him we were going 2 up he went mad and said we were bonkers. Kettle/pot/black !!

Saturday 5^th

Spent the day feeling sorry for myself, rash has spread, have been unable to get Doctor’s appointment, kind of worried if it is infectious, might have caused an epidemic in London excel and surrounding area.  Whoops!  Ray went to see Naomi and Rosie, I was a bit worried and didn’t go as Charlie, Naomi’s boy, is only just one year old, didn’t want to pass anything on to them.  However they phoned to see how I was and we are now roped into a night at the Bingo.  Suppose I have to earn our travel expenses somehow.

Sunday 6^th

Stopped feeling sorry for myself, don’t feel unwell, have decided must be allergic to Ray, couldn’t possibly be the cat, spent the day doing the house work and scratching. Probably too much information again, sorry.  

Monday 7th

I went to get the crash bars on Wallace beefed up and the engineer who had put me off twice - since December - put me off again so I managed to find another one to do it on Monday next. Otherwise a quiet day.

Tuesday 8th

Got up early and took Rosie for a driving lesson then came back and chilled out and then dressed up for a meal with an old work colleague of both of us, Sandra (Sandy) Weedon. She is one of the worlds beautiful people but when she worked the street with us she was a force to be reckoned with. She scared the pants out of her younger partners let alone the criminals. She was/is a legend and you could not meet a nicer person.

Karen Ray and Sandy (Sandra)

Wednesday 9th 

I played with the bike all day, making some hanguards for Wallace (or me actually) to stop the cold and rain on long journeys. Karen went to the doctors to get her tennis elbow looked at. He gave her some serious pain killer/anti inflammatory drugs that seemed to work quickly. She was asleep within half an hour and snoring loudly.