The nights and mornings are getting darker. The time of year I dislike is approaching fast. I don’t hate winter I just don’t like the wind and rain, the cold I can handle. I was born to wear flip flops.

We have had a busy time this year with family and friends and going places. The eclipse was a bit of a let down. I expected darkness to fall on us and an eerie moment but it never happened.

I kept taking glimpses of the sun with my camera expecting it to disappear any minute. So I never really saw it at its best, the light stayed virtually the same so I only got one photo which I liked.

A classic car show at Tatton park was a day out for us. Only an hour away so sandwiches made etc and off we went in the van. Taking the van enables Nikki somewhere to retreat to while I spend hours looking at cars and taking photos. She loves the events but I love them plus more if that makes sense.

A great selection of cars and bikes etc was there and the weather was on our side with the sunshine we have had this year. Of course I took lots of photos, some arty farty ones also. I will let the photos do the talking so here are a few of the ones I took.

A great day was had at the car show with me wishing I could win the lotto and have a nice big garage full of cars I love. It would have to be a big garage though, more like a warehouse, with a house on top for Nikki.

I am loving my VW camper and wanted to get more info about the air ride system on it. To the people that don’t know about air ride it’s a system that’s fitted to a lot of custom cars, vans etc that enables you to adjust the ride height using air bags that have a compressor to pump air in and a valve that lets air out depending which ride height you want.

I like cars/ vans that have been lowered but at times they are not practical. With this system I can have the best of both worlds, low for cruising every day, high if I need to get over big speed bumps and dropped to the floor when parked just because it looks cool.

So a trip to a guy who fits air ride systems, about an hour and half away to chat. He didn’t fit this system but knows the guy who did and in his words he is the best and the system is the best out there which was good to hear. We talked about the system and he showed me the best settings for my van and he even got it working via blue tooth on my phone. I just love pressing that button and watching it drop as low as will go.

Jo, Nikki’s sister was visiting us again for the weekend and the same weekend was Oswestry balloon festival which we had planned to go to. Not for the day but I wanted to see them set up take off which they were due to do on the Saturday morning and Sunday morning with a night glow on the Saturday evening.

So the plan was I was leaving at 5.30am to get there, all of ten minutes away. I was up early as usual and then I started to hear movement from upstairs. We left the house on time, got there parked up and went into the park where all the balloons were getting set up.

Testing their gas burner systems, unfolding the balloons, getting the tether ropes sorted. There was a few people turning up and the atmosphere was great. Being so close to them setting up was great. Again I will let the photos do the talking. We were there about two hours and then went home for bacon rolls. Thirty balloons went up that morning. I would have loved to be in one of them.

As my van is a keeper I wanted a personal reg plate on it but I didn’t want to spend a fortune. DVLA was the place to go and I found one which I bought. I then had to get some new plates made up and inform the insurance. This all involved filling in forms on line and a phone call to the insurance before I could drive it on the road after the plates were fitted of course.

The form arrived telling me that plate was mine now. New plates ordered and delivered. Plates fitted and then a phone call to the insurance. Which was going very well until they informed me there would be a admin charge of £37.50 for the pleasure. I told them I was not happy about paying that after paying a lot of money for my insurance anyway and it only takes them 30 seconds to press some keys on their keyboard. I wish I could earn that sort of money then I might get my collection of cars. Anyway she asked me if I wanted to proceed. I said I don’t really have much choice do I except when my renewal comes around as there are a lot of insurance company’s out there.

After the lovely hot spells we have been having it all had to end some time. And the other night we had a storm with thunder and lightning. The thunder was continual and the lighting was just like a dodgy light bulb that keeps flashing. The temperature has now dropped.

Bank holiday is upon us and yes in true bank holiday style it’s been raining. But there was a Steam engine rally near Shrewsbury which I wanted to go to. We went yesterday as the weather was not great but better than today. Again sarnis packed and off we went. Only half hour away and opening at 9am we got there at 9 15am sat in traffic for about ten minutes.

The ground was wet and there was a lot of mud about but it was fine when we arrived and up to now it was not raining. So we paid for our tickets and a programme and went on in.

I love the traction engines, old fair ground rides, the organs etc. The whole thing about it, the sounds, smells atmosphere was great. There was so much there, traction engines, classic cars, classic motor bikes, old push bikes, old buses, old Lorries. I was enjoying it so much. Plenty of trade stands, food stands. Old tractors ploughing, traction engines working, fairground organs playing. Again I will let the photos do the talking.

We had two hours without rain. Nikki had gone back to the car for her lunch. I arrived for lunch just after it started raining. It wasn’t heavy rain but enough to get you wet so we had lunch and then went out in the rain to have a look around for an hour. We arrived back at the car soaked but we had enjoyed it. If the weather had held off we would have stayed all day. The queues were forming to get out of the field but once out the wet roads soon washed of all the mud. We got nearly home and the roads at home were bone dry but the rain caught us up later.

So that’s us up to date again. Next up for us is Busfest, a huge big VW van show at the three counties showground in Malvern. It’s actually the biggest one in Europe. We will be there from the Thursday until the Sunday and will be meeting friends so a good time will be had with maybe a beer or two.

When we leave there on Sunday we have the following week off work to have a bit of a tour around North wales. Let’s hope the weather is good. I love this last photo because it’s not posed, it’s just a man and his horse chatting.

Today is the day I got my first state pension payment. I have no idea how I got this far in life. I have asked around and googled it and still no answer to the mystery. But I plan to stay around for a long time yet.

So what’s been happening. Nikki went down to Devon to see her mum and sister leaving me home alone. With instructions on how to operate the cooker and dish washer. Luckily the weather was hot and sunny so I cooked on the BBQ which i can manage.

A big VW camper show was on about an hour from here so I went off there for the day also while Nikki was away. I must admit it’s great having a VW van in my life again.

Some really nice vans there that I could have happily lived with. If ever them lotto numbers come up I am going to need a big garage.

Tony and Anita our friends from Leeds who now live in the Yorkshire dales came to visit us for the weekend three weeks ago. They arrived by train. Was so good to see them and we had the great weather so cold beer and BBQ’s were the order of the day. It’s always good to see them and we always have such a good laugh. They loved it here by the canal as they have a canal boat.

The day after Tony and Anita left there was a bike show on in Oswestry which was a shame they had to go as Tony is a biker and would have loved it. I went along to it on my own. It’s put in by a local guy who builds Custom Harleys. Bikers come from all over and it’s well supported. Some of my favourite bikes below which were there.

Vinny the van is happy here because he gets looked after. He had the snow foam treatment at the beginning of July and looked very nice in the sun.

This weather is so nice but the older I get the more I want to get out the sun. I like it warm but not having any rain is nice. So nice weather and a van parked up and me with itchy feet I had to get away for a couple of nights. So man and van went to Snowdonia.

Stayed on a campsite we used to work on in 2020/2021 so it was nice to go back. It’s a great area and some great walks from the site. And a bike park just half hour away although I left my bike at home this time. The plan was to chill, hike and beer and I managed to do all three.

While I was there chilling a Robin came to visit me often which was weird because when i worked there I had a pet Robin. Maybe he was a relation to him.

I walked up to the Dam on lake Trawsfynydd which was a nice walk of about 6 miles. Going one way and coming back a different way. Shower and then a Hop, skip, and jump to the pub. It’s really that close from the entrance to the campsite. Beer and food was as good as it used to be.

After three nights away I came home. It’s only an hour and half away so it will be one of our go to sights. Next time Nikki will come with me.

The weekend just gone we had Nikki’s little boy (37) with his family visit. The weather held out once again and we had a great time. A nice gentle walk so they could walk across Chirk aqueduct which means you walk from England into Wales. From there we had a small diversion to the pub for refreshments. And then home for a BBQ. The BBQ is certainly being used this year.

The next day we went to the ironworks centre on the edge of Oswestry. There is always so much to look at there and we never got to see it all as some of the crew were getting tired legs. So a rest was needed. Another small diversion on the way home to the Stonehouse brewery and distillery.

Car keys handed to Nikki, a bench in the orchard and beer and food ordered. Then homeward bound where we sat out in our own beer garden chilling. And all too soon it was Saturday and they went home. Everyone had a great time though while they were here.

So that’s us up to date. Nikki went back to work today while I have another day off and go back tomorrow. Coming up the rest of this month we have a classic and retro car show to go to, Jo, Nikki’s sister visiting, Oswestry balloon festival and bank holiday two local pubs have music on. We like to support local so will visit one each day.