Well it has been a while, but at least things have happened somewhat since my last.

Firstly on the 21^st of July, several club members turned up to give me a wonderful surprise and I am very grateful for their best wishes and joining me on my dreaded Eightieth Birthday, no one should get this old. BUT!

The upshot of this affair saw me on a British Aircraft 700, flying across the pond to England for twenty days, which I enjoyed, not much new except I couldn’t get insurance to drive so had to use buses and trains that’s not a lot of fun and very expensive. I did have friends I have known for many years come and visit me from Northampton and Warwick, both from my Motor racing days, the friend from Warwick was a Trade representative who presented me with farewell gifts at my last Race meeting at Goodwood Race Cicuit Sussex. A World War Two. Spitfire Airdrome.  These days they have a three day race car affair remembering the past with most of the old drivers and Racing Cars from those days, so Roy and I drove over to the circuit to stand on the track and reminisce, this was a week before the yearly happening  a lot was going on there getting prepared, a shame we both could not stay for the event, perhaps just as well, because I once went and it was a case of gone and forgotten. My two Children arranged all this so I am eternally grateful; I am such a lucky Guy.

Whilst in England my nieces and nephew gave another eightieth yet another splendid party with family members.

A long awaited trip under the English channel at 160 mph to Bologna France was a wet cold and disappointing day. I had expected too much I suppose, the Chunnel, was all I had heard of it, we were in a coach which drove on too what was like a big tall Railway Container well lit and you could get off and stand, it took about a half an hour and from England you were in a terminal in France, we drove off and into the town, where we had four hours to view the town and have a meal, it would have all be different on a fine day.

Since I have been back I had a visit to Cannon Creek. Lake City Florida an airpark and an hour and ten in a Quicksilver two place, Forty-five mile an hour and the whole terrain to ourselves, chasing little rain showers, bubbly with lots of lift in places. My how the main stream are going to miss this type of flying. An era never to be forgotten, the only good thing those that fly from now on, will be better informed so I suppose better pilots, but I for one will miss those pioneers, and must be grateful I lived in that era of the guy that not only had a go but advanced flying in many ways. By the way this two seat Quick is for sale $6000 the best one I’ve ever seen.

I expect it is asked, do I miss the life of a commentator? I had, With Ultralights (your darned tootin I do), feeling like a fish out of water, I am fed up to the back teeth with keeping house and cooking. And, since I found out, only(one in five) of those blue pills work. I spent a lot of time thinking What Now? There has to be something. so have taken an interest Bocce Ball, a game played in Europe highly rated in France and Spain, a bit like Lawn bowling on dirt