Temperature rise

The warmer weather and rain has cleared most of the snow, although the 10 foot mountain in the corner of Tesco’s car park will be there for some months yet.


I came across what appeared to be the mass grave of thousands of Snowmen. Fortunately it turned out to be a field of carrots.

They're plagiarising my old films now!

Following the Top Gear electric car episode last November, further evidence that the TV media are spying on me for inspiration. Now they’re raiding my old super8 film collection for material.

Exhibit B: The new Mr. Kipling sponsorship for the TV show “Mr. & Mrs.”

As a young man did Mr. Kipling prefer to take...

his Hillman Imp ...

his NSU Quickly...

or his mini Battenberg?

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Seven inches of snow means we're pretty isolated. Can't get to work so only one sensible course of action. Yes, buy a new camera!

The old Canon Ixus has proved very reliable so I've upgraded to a newer model. 12.1 megapixels. Plenty of photo opportunities out there and a chance to combine both the snow setting and the "panorama stitch assist" with very pleasing results.

Electric vehicles

Evidence that someone from the Top Gear production team was in Seaford earlier this year whilst Geoff was demonstrating the Bombadier.

This week's Top Gear episode featured an Electric Car, designed and built by James May. To get all the presenters in they had to sit three abreast, with Hammond perched on a plastic seat in the middle. They decided to name the car "Geoff".

Goodbye Galaxy

It's been a bit of a fraught month. The Galaxy, after years of faultless service, has expired without warning. Well not strictly true, it gave a few warnings. I've had AA callouts resulting in two tows home. A new wiper mechanism, fuel pump, partial wiring loom and a new front tyre weren't enough to placate it and now the turbo has gone and the power steering is playing up. A two ton diesel cannot get up Stoner Hill without turbo assistance, I've discovered.

Rogate Renault offered me £2K for it as a trade-in but then downgraded their offer to scrap value after taking it on a test drive! So it's Ford Galaxy R.I.P. and, on Thursday, hello Renault Scenic. Not the most exciting car but it'll do for a couple of years until the kids have left home and I can get a Jensen Interceptor!