Stuff

Because the focus has been on father, I haven't had much time to post updates on other things that have come and gone over the last month, so here is a brief run down.

I visited the Motorcycle Live event at the NEC in Birmingham, taking a Thursday off work and meeting up with some friends off the DeauvilleUK forum. A great day out that allowed me to get away from the pressures of life and just be me. Found and bought a new helmet which Suzie is going to give me as a Christmas present. And some winter gloves. Loved the 2013 Aprilia Caponord - it looks brill but doesn't have shaft drive that is so important in the adventure bike market so it won't out sell the BMW R1200GS or Triumph Explorer. The old version didn't sell well outside Italy and this could go the same way.

Mark has made a business flight to Tokyo for British Airways - time will tell if he has to go again. Meantime his car has failed it's MoT so that now needs sorting. Nothing serious but a pain right on Christmas - more expense.

Andy has now taken possession (shared with some mates) of a lock-up from which he can start working on his project car and do the servicing of family members cars.

Suzie is very busy at work and has been told that her job is not at risk of redundancy - others have not been so lucky. He little car continues to do well. She and I spent a weekend with Mark & Eleanor at their place near Staines, visiting Oxford Street in London and the Winter Fair in Hyde Park in a packed 2 day visit. Good to see them doing so well for themselves and obviously comfortable in their relationship.

Meantime, I have sold the VW Passat and now have a Volvo S40 1.8 in metallic black (the trip to Staines was it's first long trip). I love it, nice little car. Why did I sell the Passat? Simply because my employer has changed the expenses policy and now any journey over 100 miles (return) has to be done using a hire car, so the Passat would continue to cost me in repayments on the loan and depreciation while earning no income. Solution - sell Passat, clear loan, buy a smaller car with the money left over. Why a Volvo? Because of all the cars I checked out it was the nicest on the day.

And I have put the Honda Deauville up for sale - it is time for a change as I have had it for over 7 years. At the moment the primary candidate for replacing it is a 2004 Aprilia Caponord I have located for sale in West Sussex, but I have to sell the Deauville first....