Brooklands Again

I have been a little unwell over the past few weeks but we did manage to do to this years Brooklands meet over the weekend of 16th and 17th June.  This year we concentrated on the Double 12 and will more than likely be entering next year with Winnie our 108 which can be seen at last years event here.

Of course there are old cars...

 Old bikes...

Old aircraft...

Hybrids. This Rolls Royce had a Merlin engine in it.  It made the most fantastic noise!

A little bit of fashion awareness going on for the Vintage Village.

 John with his contemporary 'wanna have' car of the '60's, Lotus Cortina.

A few of our friends readying for the Double 12.  

The hill climb stage.

Regrouping in the Brooklands banking for some control tests.

Geoff with a little more enthusiasm than most!

This very early little car didn't have reverse but added 3 manpower to it's few horsepower.

John about to play in the SLS AMG, this time the new roadster soft top rather than the gullwing.  He ends up with forehead bruises climbing in and out of that one!

It was a great weekend despite the few problems I was having with headaches and we're really looking forward to next years event!

We Are Still Here, Well Not Quite

We're in Berlin for the 125 celebrations of Mercedes-Benz so I haven't wanted to bore you non car types yet again!! So just a quickie post.

We left home with our two old girls Winnie and Gwen on Tuesday and arrived in Belgium for the night. Elsa and Mike are accompanying us and driving Gwen. Wednesday night we drove to Hamm and met up with about 35 others from the MB club. Thursday we arrived in Berlin and made camp in a hotel for the next five night with other members joining us here.

Yesterday we all had to put the cars on the apron of Templohof airport. It's the longest building in the world and has enormous presence. After the heat of yesterday when it was in the low 30's we have now woken to cloud and a lot cooler air. Hopefully it won't rain too much!

I will leave you with a few photos. We're not a million miles from Belgium and the Grand Prix this weekend but we do have MY car here, borrowed just for a bit. Hopefully they won't need it tomorrow on the track!



Just so you have a little impression of the vastness of this place. It goes on forever.



Our girls lined up with other members. All wheels have to be in the correct place on the grid! And this was just the start. They are expecting over 2000 vehicles from all over the world.





From some of the most valuable bits of rubber and metal....





To a Vito van that's earned it's right to attitude!





And some of the prettiest bicycles I've ever seen.





It's opening day today so will be busy. Lots more to see and I have a bag with about six sewing projects in it so if I tire I can always find a quiet corner and stitch.


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Location:Berlin

A Busy Day at Brooklands

Stuttgart had sent over to Mercedes-Benz World 15 of its most innovative models and we had an exclusive talk and unveiling on the Saturday night.  

From this huge 1900, 35hp, wooden wheeled version which set the benchmark for the motorcar from then on.

To the 1955,  196R Streamliner.  This one lovingly rebuilt with hand beaten aluminium. Sir Stirling Moss became the first English man to win the British Grand Prix in a 196R.

Not too sure about the concept car with a joystick rather than a wheel though.

This is an exploded and suspended Mercedes Petronas Formula 1 car.  3200 precision engineered parts created by Dutch artist Paul Veroude. Beautiful in its execution!

And whatever I said on Facebook about being fed up with seeing the SLS AMG on the Canadian Grand Prix, I could quite easily change my mind again if this was heading my way for Christmas!

However I did manage to have a play on the track with this most beautiful SLS. I have been in quite a few powerful cars but this one just sucked the road and had the best handling.  And I was assured that there was a boot big enough for a fair amount of shopping.

But if I were offered the chance to slip one in my handbag to take home, it would probably be this 1954, 300SL complete with suitcase strapped on the parcel shelf.

We didn’t make it over to the hill climb but there were plenty of other things going on all day, my feet hurt by the end of it.  John took both cars around the track several times and there was a Smart car football match and Silver Arrow display teams involving lots of squealing tyres and smoke.  I’m sure Pirelli were delighted. 

I was very glad to make it back to our two lovely old girls, Winnie and Gwen, and drive home in our own mini convoy though. 

Brooklands Mercs and the Double Twelve

We've just arrived at Brooklands for the Mercedes-Benz World 125 year Celebration day tomorrow. It was an interesting drive up, I was in the 107 350SL and John in the 108 280 SE. It's amazing how vulnerable you can feel in an old car. No airbags, impact bars or ABS and we won't mention the lack of sat nav! At least the rain held off.

It's also the Double Twelve Motorsport Festival and things are just starting. We have a fabulous view of the track and as you can see, I've come prepared!

After the Weekend

The weather is still not too great here so neither is the light. Results of my FNSI.


This is the Jenny BOM on our bed with the sashing done.

And these are the borders. The bottom row shows that I have started the roll back of the edges. They will be added with the corner stones.

Yesterday we had a club gathering at Beaulieu, the National Motor Museum, and a rare shot of our three girls together.

Mike spent ages Saturday cleaning them all up and it was mostly drizzle all day, they still looked rather nice, thanks Mike. But it’s a fabulous hour long drive down the length of the New Forest so that bit was fun too. Elsa even managed to sit in the car and do some sewing.

And this morning whilst doing the Monday morning chores we also managed the pick and blanch another batch of beans for the freezer.

I also refilled the seed feeders for the birds. We are now doing this about every 5 days, there are so many babies about. It takes a full 3 gallon bucket of seed, 2 gallons of nuts (but they only need filling every alternate time), 6 fat balls and 2 fat blocks and a 2 litre jug of niger seed.

Plenty of family time this week and Chris flies in sometime late Thursday too. Can’t wait to see him.

Have a good week all.

Nearly There

I've put the binding on the Hever quilt.  Just a few finishing touches and it can go.  I still like it, I don't really care if it's up to quilt show standard or not, I've quite enjoyed doing it. 

But I have not enjoyed the bung it created in my sewing!  I have lots to catch upon and when it is out of the way I just know I'm going to have to push myself to do the other things!  I know I become bored quite quickly, hence having several varying projects on the go at once, ergo a project with a deadline makes me uptight. Sigh.

Anyway... I was sorting some new photos of the W108 that we had taken down in the New Forest for John to put on one of his forums and I thought I would put a couple on here.  I know most of you are not perhaps into cars but we are and I'm exceedingly proud of the work John has done on this one.  (Don't forget you can click to enlarge.)

It arrived from South Africa in 2003 and was supposedly used briefly.  We're not quite sure how as it had so many modifications done to the engine like inappropriate fuel injection etc that it hardly coughed and spluttered at all.  The previous owner then put it into storage until we bought it at the end of last year.  The body work is all genuine and fantastic with the rich, creamy paintwork of the day.  It just needed a proper clean and some attention to very little of the chrome.

John totally rebuilt the engine and Mike helped with the re wiring.  Everything, and I mean everything, had to be stripped to clean out the red South African dust, that included the fuel tank, not a nice job.  We also had to have a few bespoke parts made where it had been butchered for the injection pump and other modifications. 

She now drives beautifully, if a little dated compared to todays cars, but was a real luxury model in her day.  And just in case you do want to know, she is 1970 Mercedes 280SE W108 and we call her Winnie.

John did see a lovely plumbers van on the way back from Salisbury yesterday. 
"Don't sleep with that drip tonight, call....."

The 16 Done

Just to show what 16 different 4 inch (well 4.5 with sa) minis look like!  This was most of Sunday taken up.

Month 6 will be through the door probably on Monday with the next 8.  As I said, I'm not overly fond of some of the fabric choices but I'm sure there will be a better picture when they are all together. 

It’s been thankfully breezy the past few days but the nights are still quite warm. This place is really classed as a bungalow with bedrooms in the roof so it becomes very hot up there, about 27 the past few nights. With that and being a lady now slightly over 40 and coming into a certain time of life, being hot in bed doesn’t have the same meaning anymore!! When we were pulling the place apart John had proper air conditioning fitted upstairs and I am forever grateful, temperature goes down to about 20. That going and the Climarelle Suprelle mattress comforter I bought the other week and I’m actually sleeping like a baby. Something I have never done well, perhaps all those years of sleepless nights are catching up but I feel good on it.

We heard from Chris on Sunday, his calls are always few and far between. Indonesia does not have too many places for signal or internet especially on the more remote islands. Of course he is having a ball surfing every beach they can find. He will be home at the end of August and I can’t wait to see him. I know we saw him in Australia last November but 18 months away is a long time, I’d better look out for some warm clothes, he’s going to feel the difference.

We took Winnie the 108 out for a run around yesterday. I did have the camera but no photo stops really. John has had a bit of a tweak with the rear suspension and she is now sitting straight. She is a lovely, big, comfortable ride of a car with windows like a greenhouse! She does attract more comments and people having a look than Gwen the 107. Great fun!

Today I am sewing. I have been trying to lock myself away all week and failed each time. I will be a She Bear if I don’t do something upstairs today! Now I’ll just wait for something to come up.

Poole Quay for my Car

Just a few quick photos of last Friday evening at Poole Quay when it was Open Top Sports Cars night.  Of course the only car that's missing in the photos is ours!! It must have been the lovely Italian meal or the wine.  Probably both!!!

They come in all ages, shapes and sizes

TS Royalist is moored to the side.  I sailed on her for a week when I was 14, it's always nice to see her again.

They parked all the way up almost to the lifting bridge.

Our Gwen is in there somewhere, just about the middle of the picture as far away as you can see behind all the people!!

The headquarters of the RNLI glowing in the late evening sun going along past Holes Bay on the way home.

Waiting for Daddy

So what do you do when Mummy is busy and Daddy is out??  You wait where you're not really allowed but have a good view.

But that's why it's called furniture!!

John told me this week that I have bad habits, in the nicest way of course. It may be a clue to my bad knee. I have aways had flexible joints, hypermobile they it, and it can cause a few problems. I used to be able to not only touch my toes but put my head between my knees while doing so. John now tells my that when I bend over, drying hair or gardening, I still have 'backward' knees! I'm nothing like as flexible now but it could be a cause. I'm doing all I can to keep my knees slightly bent now. Change a habit of a lifetime.

On Monday we had a lovely drive out to the Haynes Motor Museum in Sparkford in the Mercedes 108.  Of course we also forgot it was half term and a holiday Monday!!  We are in that lovely lull in life where the kids have grown but the grands aren't here yet, but everyone else's were there on Monday!  We did see Ricky the Racing Car though.... hmmm.  The car performed rather well but of course John now has a head full of other little tweaks in search of perfection. 

The garden is coming back, we're so pleased.  My fears of having a hack and slash ground maintenance type have gone.  Brian speaks plants with me and I can trust him with my babies.  I hope.

Yesterday The postman brought me a great piece of kit.  I remember buying my Nan a carousel for her kitchen tools in the '70's and it dawned on me that it would be ideal for my crafting stuff.  I finally found them and bought two, one for crafts and one for painting.  Lots of storage in a small space and it rotates for ease of use, great!

Last night was Meet the Artist at Stewarts Garden Centre where Nina is exhibiting with quite a few others for Dorset Art weeks.  This was one of the official nights and we managed to find something else to put in the garden.  Again can't show you yet, it's still there!! All Nina's beautiful pastel paintings looked lovely hung on the walls en mass.

Today we were invited to a Land Rover day at Beaulieu Motor Museum.  Lots of off road and mud and I was even praised by the instructor!!  Wanna do it again!!!!  

Tonight it's open top sports cars at Quay for My Car in Poole so we are taking the old SL out for the evening and having chips on the quayside! Warm summer evenings......

All OK, So Far

Vet's went well, just their yearlies and check up.  All ready for any holidays now.

MRI was interesting to say the least!  25 minutes of laying still with headphones on.  The machine was so noisy I couldn't hear the terrible music anyway.  I swear my bones were pulsing with it all and my fillings were foaming. I just did one of those focus inward things and though of a sewing project problem.  Results soon.  Probably take a paracetamol and go away.  Thanks for the wishes Maggi and Lyn.

The car behaved strangely on the way home and we had a slow puncture.  At least we made it home.  Still, I have a pastels group tomorrow so John will have something to do going to get that fixed. 

I saw the Sparrow Hawks yesterday doing their mating dance above the house.  I have no problems with them even if they do take a few of the garden birds. They are beautiful and selective and very much a part of our home here. 

This is the male who decided to fly into the garage one day and needed a hand getting out.

And this is his wife with a rather unfortunate collared dove.

And seeing as she is almost half again as big as her mate, John was quite relieved it was the male he had crushing his finger when he had to rescue it rather than her!  The photos were from last year.

We also had the House martins back today though their nests from last year took quite a battering over the winter they'll soon have them fixed up. 

John, you call it fishing, I call it sittinginaboatforhourswaving

astickupanddownyackingaboutnonsencewithMikeandGreg

andcominghomecoldandsmelly!  But you enjoy I so I enjoy it too. xxx

Happy St Georges Day!

The W108 passed it's MOT with flying colours!  Well it did fail first because they thought it had no screen wash, but they just couldn't find it as it was a floor button.  I'm so proud of John really getting stuck in on this car!  Mind you, without Mike's help it could have been a longer, different story!!  Thanks Mike xx.

Today we have a visit from Building Control to pass off the last of the work we've done on the house.

I also should be having a delivery of my new Bernina!!  Bogod phoned Wednesday to say it had arrived, now it's down to the delivery guys. I will let you know later hopefully.  It is my Embroiderers Guild day but I think they'd forgive my absence!

I'm off now to play with a vacuum cleaner and then Bob the Bernina. In that order!!!

Fandabulously Stitchy!

Yesterday morning at 7 am, for the first time ever, I dyed some fabric!!!  It was great and I loved the result.  But I'm not showing you lot yet!  I can feel an urge to dye some more.  I have now realised that there is no need to fear not having just the right colour.  It is there, I just have to dye it myself.  What a great revelation that is!  Something I'm sure a lot of you already know about.

The rest of the day was a major push to finish Arabesque.  This morning I did the last 5 lines of background quilting and washed it.  It is now drying flat on a pile of towels and will then be bound.

I looked at a couple of other projects and started the embroidery from the Stitch magazine I am doing in tandem with Elsa.  I also have the Little Fellas working hard on the next stage of a project using the stuff I dyed. 

I then realised I was having pains in the chest from being hunched over for too long so we went for a lovely drive in Gwen, the '79 SL with the top down out through Shaftesbury on through over the Somerset border and in a large loop back to home.  It was glorious!  Just the right thing to blow away the cobwebs and end a weekend in sunshine.

The garden is moving on a bit now and I loved the colour of these tulips about to open so thought I would share them.

And what do you think of these blousey show offs!  I don't even remember buying tulips that looked like these!!

Last Full Day With Visitors

Elsa and Mike go home tomorrow.  Still, we've made sure we've put them to work today.

I have been over the moon to have Elsa help in the garden.  My knee is playing up and I have an appointment with the surgeon again next week.  Not sure if it will be fixed this time but I always hope.  In the mean time I pottered a little whilst Elsa turned the mess of the winter compost bins...

Into organised and turned future fodder.  Four lots out onto the garden and the rest turned and mixed with the mowing's to cook away. 

Mike and John have been in the garage tinkering for hours.  The W108 managed to drive out under it's own power! It had to go up and down the road a bit to settle the suspension as it has been on stands so that meant John could drive Gwen out!!  She's been stuck in the corner whilst the W108 (yet to be pet named) has been rebuilt and sorely missed on beautiful days like we have been having.

Not a lot of needling today apart from a little more on Arabesque.   I hope to be on the final quilting of that soon.  Now for another evening of the BBQ, it's almost desperation grabbing the sun while it's here!

Oh, we did have the company of Izzy up on the G&T hut.  He came up the garden like a galleon in full sail and then parked but then he never, ever really does much else.  The Somali's may be a little unhinged but Izzy is just plain cantankerous.  In a loveble way of course.

And we had our first Magnolia Stellata out.