After doing most of the last minute things we decided to have an Ice cream in Henley, and what better way to do it that by going on the ’78 DT… well half way, rest en foot! The thing seized up on us on the way back, meaning Porl had to push it all the way back home whilst I took photos and made fun! Suddenly it had all gone wrong at the last minute. Ringing Clive to tell the bad news was good news, turns out Russell had bought a bike for the trip but then decided on a better model so he had a spare bike… Quick go and get it then get insured in the morning!!!
Archive for the ‘Living’ Category
It all went wrong before it even started…Thankfully!
Sunday, June 14th, 2009What’s all the fuss!
Thursday, February 5th, 2009Got up at 6 this morning after realising it had snowed some several inches in Redditch overnight. Got onto the roads about 6.20 and suddenly felt uneasy, it was probably the first time in my 7 years of driving all roads were fully snowed in, let alone the fact I was in a rear wheel drive for it too!!!
After circling a few roads around my area I decidied to bare the streets to Birmingham city centre. Immediately becoming gobsmacked by other peoples driving, I had only gone some 100 yards and there was an Escort right up my rear, refusing to use my brakes I slowed gradually using my gears and it worked great.
Pulling away in 3rd still seemed to cause my rear to slip and slide but gently pulling away I managed to do it without getting in a spin.
I had travelled about 1.5 miles in 10 minutes and I was still being amazed by some peoples attitude towards the snow; a 4×4 may pull you better in the snow but it doesn’t mean you can stop any better!!! I had a Freelander so close to me, I couldn’t see his lights, whilst doing about 30-40mph.
None the less, I managed to get into work unscathed in about an hour, just over twice my normal time but I feel so much better for doing it, it was a great experience and valuable for future driving.
It was a scary but fun drive in, recommend it to anyone, just be sensible and use your gears not your brakes.
Wow, long time!
Saturday, January 17th, 2009It’s been a while since I last came here and wrote anything so I thought again, new year new start I would write more… but already we are 17 days in to it!!!
Reviews of 2008… I think I will just leave that one for my memories, not a productive year at all.
2009 however, lets start optimistic!
Within the next 2 months we will be seeing the final fall of Weberrific as neither of us (Dean and I) have the commitments anymore. I do still intend to keep the site(s) alive and maybe, just maybe actually develop a few… Looking at it, I have nickwilkes.co.uk, where-local.co.uk, redditch4x4.co.uk, wilkesphotography.co.uk. hmm, what to do! Lets review in 12!
Although work has been difficult, I have full intentions of getting to grips with a few things this year, in particular my timing and motivation. We have a lot of work scheduled for the next few months so that has at least taken the strain off things for a while. With Lamborghini and Bently placing large orders with us it stands a chance that things will be quite challenging and interesting for me. This week has also seen my annual review which went very well I feel with a mutual understanding of where I am and what it is next I need to achieve. It was a little dissapointing to hear no cost of living increases planned for the year but under the current climate I guess it was innevitible… There goes the house buying idea! But none the less, I am now a Software Engineer, no longer Junior… thus meaning I now have to show my worth and develop into a more expanded, professional and self motivated role.
That leaves me with pretty much 2 options to leave us with, save save save… haven’t proved to be any good at it in recent years but this is the year of the save! The other option being inventive and dynamic, with my interest in automation significantly increasing I have all these wacky and wonderful ideas in my head which are probably already out there but the fact they are hard to find suggests that it is either in its infancy, or is just a poor idea… Time to investigate (Watch this space)!
Uncertain Changes
Saturday, March 15th, 2008We all go through dramatic changes in life, but never did I think it was possible to feel so low through them.
There is a level of uncertainty for me at the moment, I have no way of knowing which way to turn, and even if I did, I think there would be nothing but emptiness awaiting the other side of a monstrous hill climb.
My career has become challenging, of which I have no idea how I am going to cope, and at the present moment in time I think I need friends more than ever, but that is something else that is changing, our friendships have become weak to the point it feels lost, like a long term relationship it feels a relief, but at the same time it leaves you looking at an empty space within your near future. I have been spoilt for friendships, but never have I felt so alone, maybe because I have been so spoilt and now have nothing it is a shock. Nothing ever seems to come easy or ever rewarding and there is only so much that one can take without there being consequences, uncertain consequences that hurt.
Something must come along surely? Life is never about doom and gloom for me, so what is going on? Bring back the happiness, please!
Farley Quarry 20/01/2008
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008On Friday 11th January I won an auction on eBay and collected the Suzuki SJ 410 on the 12th for the sum of £330;
Since then my dad, Jon and I have done nothing but work work work on this little beast (aka Roller Skate) to get it ready for Farley Quarry near Much Wenlock, which was on the 20th. A new clutch was required, new battery and alternator and a few legal issues with the trailer.
Started fitting the clutch on the 18th and immediately had problems, we had bought the wrong one, registration of vehicle seemed to be incorrect with engine, no problems, we looked further into it, apparently it had part Fiat, part Spanish Suzuki, with special thanks to Sureparts. Sure enough my dad managed to get it in by late Saturday afternoon and it was suddenly a mad rush to test it all, to my horror I didn’t concentrate properly and wrapped the trailer lead around the front bumper of the SJ… without realising I drove it off the trailer and nearly wrecked some £100 worth of electrics but thankfully nothing was damaged. On a good note the clutch worked a treat. So she was ready just in time for Sunday.
Got to Farley quarry, she started up a treat which was good news as the alternator was not working and we were unsure of the new (old) battery condition. Porl got in and we went around a bit of the grounds to see what was about, I saw something interesting; axle twisters (extremely uneven ground over a short space). Within 5 minutes I had almost rolled the vehicle, we were precariously balancing near on 90 degrees sideways! Driving in this position is quite difficult and stalling really doesn’t help!
Porl decided to go in his vehicle and I follow for a while, this scared me a bit as I was still totally new to it all… I regularly forgot to let handbrake off and have now managed to totally knacker that up. I stalled the car a few times, but was really amazed with her capabilities up the hills.
Not a video of my car, but almost identical to what I did in the same spot (in wetter conditions) – not that I am trying to make excuses! I got my wheel caught too in the same way, causing the vehicle to go up at 90 degrees, but twice, you would have thought I had learnt the first time!
In the mean time however, when I stalled, it wouldn’t restart so I was stuck in this little ditch that is far worse than it looks in video. After trying to get her out for a while, a chap comes over with an electric winch, great, got the straps out and started pulling. All of a sudden, ‘snap’ the strap frayed and snapped flying the shackle on the end straight on to the window, smashing it completely.
Got it restarted and went for dinner, had a whopping great big double beef burger with cheese, MMMMM!
After jump starting it down a hill, I just thought that things were going to get worse, but carried on out. Within minutes I was struggling to find gear and managed to stop some way away from the starting position. Had a little look but couldn’t really do much so Porl towed me back to the trailer and we left it there whilst going out for a little longer.
Absolutely fantastic day out (to the point of wetting myself of laughter!) and are now aiming to get it all repaired and better than ever for Sunday 10th February which is at Sibbertoft. Finding someone to deliver a windscreen is impossible so I am going to Chesterfield on Friday all being well, might have to stop in at Deano’s as it appears the scrappy is minutes away from his house, bargain!
How clean does she look considering the dirt she had been in, damn!
Virus
Monday, July 30th, 2007Since last Tuesday, I have had the longest virus known to me! Everything from severe sweating, major headaches, drowsiness to yellow vision – and no, I haven’t seen too much of the Simpsons!
Just been to the doctors and has said carry on taking the paracetamol and coldsore cream for these 20+ coldsores that have appeared on my eye and nose of all places! I have never had this before and never ever required more than 2 days off so having 4 makes me feel really bad. Lets hope tomorrow I feel much better because I am getting fed up now!
Want to go to the pub!