Here you can see him dipping into his Auntie Caroline’s cod and chips.
To pass the evening, I went to see Caroline again.
We ended up going out to the chippy (not half as good as a traditional Belgian fritkot), I have to admit, and that was where His Nibs joined in the (af)fray.
But Caroline’s cat Bigsy is very poorly and she might not pull through. I wanted to make sure that I saw her and gave her a stroke.
So after many vicissitudes, not the least of which was parking up for the night in a zone where there was no mobile phone signal (something that only I can do), I finally made contact with whatsername and, sure enough, my wallet was there.
That was just as well as I would shudder to have to think what I would have had to do had it not been there.
She was making breakfast for the family (it was quite early) I was also invited to eat there and that really put an end to my journey to Ilkeston and Vehicle Wiring Products, as they would have been closed by the time I would have arrived.
Instead I went to DK Motorcycles in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
As well as selling road-going machines the company also imports classic motorcycles from the USA. They arrive in all states of repair and I always like to go along if I can to see what’s arrived.
They had a few mint Hondas, including a couple of rare 1970s 350-fours as well as a pile of other stuff as well that was fit for renovation, including a 95%-complete Honda 160.
As an aside, I passed my motorcycle test on a Honda 160 belonging to my mate Ray Stigter.
Many of the machines that arrive there are only suitable to be broken up for spares and I always go to chat to the guys there because many of you might not know that I own probably one of the rarest of all Japanese motocycles – a CB92 “Benly” from 1961.
It’s basically complete and after we assembled it we even had it running after a fashion, but that was back in 1974 and that is a long time ago.
It desperately needs an overhaul but spares for it are impossible to find now – hence the regular visits to DK Motorcycles.
They might one day have one in that is only fit for dismantling but to date the guys in there freely admit that this is one motorcycle that they have never ever seen and don’t ever reckon that they will do either.
One regular feature of this blog in its previous incarnation was something to do with poorly-sited solar panels.
But we gave that up when we were overwhelmed with them. Some of these solar panel salesmen have no shame of course.
We’ve seen some dreadful ones on our travels in the past but this must be pretty near the bottom of the pile.
It’s all about the salesman’s income and nothing whatever to do with the reputation of the product that he’s selling
Lunch was at Waitrose in Sandbach and then I went to B&Q in Crewe to see if they had the doors that I need for my house. My house is dark and gloomy due to the small windows and if I’m putting partition walls in, this will cut the light down further.
What I need is some dirt-cheap glass-panelled doors and finding them in France is impossible. However B&Q does a nice cheap line in exactly what I want.
The door that I fitted into the attic came from there and you can see what a good job it does as well – hence a requirement for another half-dozen to match.
B&Q came up trumps in more ways than one.
- they had enough in stock.
- they had some that were only 650mm instead of 750mm and that’s what I need for the bathroom and the office.
- with my trade card I had almost £100 off the retail price – £240 for 6 instead of about £335 or so.
When you think about it … “you are always thinking about it” – ed … that’s just 20 weeks of rental on my mailbox paid off in one swell foop.
You can see why it’s important to have a UK address if I am buying stuff over here.
Now Caroline and I are having a coffee on Sandbach Services. In a short while I’ll be dropping her off at home and making my way in the general direction of Bacup.
I have to go to see a digger there tomorrow morning.
