Aya gotta loight boy?

I didn't think I'd ever hear that for real, but today I did from a guy with a pipe at the Worstead festival.

Apparently I have been to the Worstead Festival before, but it must have been years and years ago. Certainly the time Pops video-ed it, getting commentary from Grandad (and repetition from Nan) I must have been at Bible Camp. We started in the Church..

Inside is the font cover that Grandad carved during its restoration..

and the photo of Great Grandad with Worstead's other WW1 men (bottom row, 3rd from left)

The Guild of weavers and er... knitters and stuff was in there, and there was a 'community project' that anyone could do a bit of. I added a bumblebee stripe to the traditional black sail of the the Wherry. I figured since it already had a bright pink mast no-one could complain.

Wandered past the stalls of crafts and overpriced grub (should I confess to going back to the Ramblers Association stall to buy a guide book to short walks around Norwich?) and on to the main event ring. We decided that Norfolk people are not bred for public speaking and presentation... the guy commentating on the WW2 vehicles was hopeless. Think I could correctly identify more than he did.. but then this one was easy..

Still brings back memories of the smell of binbags of rotting grass in a heatwave! Next me and Chalkie wandered round the vintage tractors. Chalkie told me that the DB is Aston Martin is from when they were bought out by the tractor company..

There was also an old Caterpillar. It needed an air compressor to start it, and made a right mess of the grass when it moved off..

Most exciting moment of the day was when a shire horse went on a rampage (well, ok, got a bit startled and ran at the fence for about ten seconds)

Gutted to find that by the time we found them over the hill, most of the classic cars had gone. There was this nice Jag left, and the judge's Sunbeam. Apparently the velcro holding the roof on was original.

Ice cream scoffed. Back to the event ring for the tractor display, and then the best bit of the day. The Sheepdog demo was brilliant. The farmer lady can't have been from round 'ere, because her explanation was brilliant. Made even more amusing by the fact DEFRA won't allow them to move sheep off the farm, so the dogs have to herd geese.

Off to the coast for tea. Ended up at Cromer. Failed miserably to fly Chalkie's Animal kite. I blame the inconsistent wind. Had more success than the surfers though. A piddly wave came along every ten minutes, and all three missed it every time!

Scene it butt whooping Sunday night. Two hours at Tyre Pros Monday morning got Bumbles wheels properly tracked. Nothing ever simple with Bumble. At least I got a nice cup of Mars hot choc, and a couple of hours of reading Little Women. Popped in to see Nan Leggett (who says we are all mad bugles) then home to try to get some surveys done. Had an hour of 'I'm supposed to be on holiday' in the hammock reading then sleeping in the sun. Then washed and polished Bumble. Beat Pops at table tennis. Late tea, and very late heading off back to Lufbra.

Sea 1 Harley 0

Had planned to be in Cornwall surfing on my birthday. Bumble had other ideas. The exhaust that Pops had spotted 'needed sorting' decided not to wait, and the pipe broke. Still drivable, but not the many hundreds of miles to Newquay and back. So. Back to Norwich yet again, appeased by Pops' idea to change the holiday plans from Norfolk to Cornwall.

Breakfast in bed with a fab book. If you count coffee and cadbury's fingers as breakfast. Little Women is officially fab. Can't believe I never read it before. Especially as Jo is a tomboy with a pet rat. But then I think God does timing, and its doing me good reading it now. Opened pressies. Socks but no pants.

Mum was babysitting Jay Jay, so I got to play with the little dude all day :-) I'm teaching him about Lego. We're starting with Primo and I'm sure by Christmas I'll have him onto Cars Duplo. He loves the slide Ma bought him in Asda last week (exploiting the presence of Bumble).

Last minute decision made by surf report. Cromer always looks decidedly uninviting, but there was BIG surf. So I got into my my wetsuit all by myself. Quite an achievement, but led to the decision to buy a new wetsuit that is not impossible to enter/leave.  I could try to blame the body board, but I was just crap. At least I tried, and Bumble was fab.

Filled the van with junk for the car boot then eventually out to Pizza Express for my favourite, followed by dough balls! Was sorting out yet more stuff for the carboot from the top of the wardrobe when Ma turned the lights out. Nearly shouted at her, but turned round in time...

Bless her. Up early Saturday for the car boot, but not early enough. We foolishly believed the sign on the gate 9-11am and got there at 8.15. Everyone else had got there at 6. Sold hardly anything. Then on to the garage to fix Bumble. Noticed the front tyres were wearing strangely so took it to Tyre Pros. Bumble refused to be identified, so had to go back Mon. By the time we'd had dinner and all fallen asleep it was too late to go windsurfing, so we went spamming instead. Pops narrowly won using traditional methods of scoring, but I got longest drive (well over 100 yards), longest putt, closest to the pin, and only par. If only every other tee shot didn't fly off into trees and bushes. Still, recovery shots getting quite good!

Slow

Relaxing day. Shower for midgets then wedding breakfast. Jon finally appeared. Then promptly disappeared! Wimped out of body boarding. Went for a little bimble around the block and got 2 caches. Stopped at Aylsham on the way home. No caches there so went for a cuppa at Lesley's. Got shown then empty shell that is her new house. Got a cache in a layby on the A140. Chairs out in the garden and read Little Women for the rest of the afternoon. Won just ever so slightly at Bond scene it. Watched the Laguna Seca MotoGP. They need to sort Rossi's bike out soon. Why oh why did you leave Yamaha Vale?

Blub

Cried twice. Three if you count hiding in the van. Best moments of the day were my Superman change in the van when I thought I had 4 minutes before the ceremony started, the gasp of "I forgot the rings" from the brides mother and Jon having a dance off with a bridesmaid. Not so good moments included the photo from Steve's speech that included me (Victorian costume). Hurrah for Baggy Trousers at the end of the disco, as the rest was more like being in a club (loud and unrecognisable, therefore clearly post 1984 and not on Radio 2). Only got 1 comment (positive) on what I was wearing. Bumble earned many admirers, and the trend continues as everyone of those liked his wheels.

Attempting to only do a small selection of photos here. Rest are on my website... Jon's Wedding Gallery

And my favourite....

Shiny shiny

Bumble has had his face and hair done ready for the wedding. Colour polish worked nicely. All hoovered out etc too.

Exploding Brass

Taverham Band

Inside what precisely?

Jay Jay's first birthday and geocaching with Chalkie. Shed sorting

Black again

Finished Bumble's front bumper and changed the fuel flap. Looks good. Failed to get gas refill. Out of stock then more expensive.

Loft

Finished sorting

Sent from my iPhone

Loft loot

Am trying to sort loft today. So far I have put one thing in the car boot box, found 2 useful bags, and fixed the bathroom light! 

... Am too much like Grandad.. I'm a hoarder! Not much more in the car boot pile, but its tidier. About halfway down the loft now.. not looking forward to tackling the boxes and boxes of books. 

..Rossi canvas on the wall. Thanks Chalkie. 

.. Come on England!!! Hope is my hero ;-)  Just watched them outplay Japan and win 2-0. Brilliant goals from White and Yankey. LOL!!! Hope 2 Interviewer 0.  Int: So what does this do for England. Hope: Puts us top of the group doesn't it? ... Int: Are you happy with the changes you made? Hope: Yes, I made them. 


I really wish I had asked Hope for a hug on the stage at Graduation. Missed my chance there. 


Hope with cool hair.. 

Hope with her 'game face' on..

Are you a girl?... No, I'm Darth Maul

Spent the day challenging sexism. It seems that 5 year olds can't cope with a female Sith Lord!!

Up fairly early for a cold shower. Whilst the tarpaulin plan worked (creating a cubicle around the rear doors) the solar powered part didn't. Late afternoon showers would be best methinks, as then the water has had time to warm up! Still, better than nothing. And I left my undies on just in case there was another Norwich Camping style incident.

Perfect timing with breakfast.. my Banjo was ready the exact moment Ma called to say they were at the gate. First time Chalkie hasn't driven.. I guess they had to come in the Golf really! Also predictable was the request for tea on arrival. Also shouldn't be suprised that Ma thinks I am useless and brought her own tea, sugar and milk!

Wandered over to the arena to check out show n shine and find out about the fancy dress competition. Had a morning of misinformation and being sent to ask other people. The Norwich SW club knew nothing about a competition but told me to get dressed up and come join them anyway. Went to where Face Painting was the day before. No-one there. Wandered round the whole show, even bumping into the woman that had done it Saturday. Eventually found it.. right next to the SW stand. Grrr. Meanwhile Chalkie got these photos...

More ideas for Bumble, the Ruby T4 was nicely done inside (and cool Animal sign) and the paintwork on the Beetle was awesome, the black was all sparkly. If ever I save the money, then a respray, with sparkly massive autobot face on the side.

The face painting lady did an awesome job on mine. She refused to do my ears etc though so I had to do it myself. She was convinced I'd have black ears for a month! The chief SW guy came looking for me, wondering where I'd got to. Rushed back to the van for the rest of the kit. Amazed at how well Ma's rain mac works as a Sith robe. Yep, she's lost that now!

The SW guys were so, so lovely. I tentatively approached the back of their stand, and immediately got grabbed by a friendly Stormtrooper and dragged round the front to pose. He was ace, had a lovely chat with him while people took photos.

Predictably, it wasn't long before a kid asked if they could have a fight with me, and predictably it wasn't long before I was on the ground getting beaten up by a whole crowd of them.

You know you are too much of a SW fan when you get scared when some bloke just dressed as Darth Vader walks past!

Found out later he is a lovely guy. We chatted about finding duvet covers on ebay and he told me about how he bought and made his helmet. You have to be 7ft to be Vader... the helmet weighed a tonne! I thought I was hot in my costume.. but those guys must have boiled! Especially Chewie! Was really weird having parents come up and ask me if they could have a photo with their child. Had a fabulous time playing.. although my lightsaber skills got shown up by a couple of fab kids.. the force was strong with them! Amazing how many of the little kids had a real problem with me being a girl though. Depressing that even dressed as a lightsaber weilding evil Sith Lord I still get "are you a girl?"

The line up for the Fancy Dress competition..

Moment of dread when I thought I was going to lose in a Star Wars fancy dress competition... to Ali G! In the end I was second. Stupid crowd cheering for the kid. Just cause he is small. Grrrr.

Felt so embarrassed having to pose with my 20 quid prize money!

Lol!! how can I still look so stupid under all that make up??!

Pops got some pics of the festival atmosphere, and weather! Loved this Camper coffee stand. I think me and Ems should jack in our jobs and start 'T4 Teas'. 

Chalkie's friends Steve and Alison also came down for the day. Alison sneaked up behind me while I was in a queue and said "Aren't you a little old to be getting your face painted?"Oh, and Darth a little less scary in a balaclava!!!

Next the 'arty' shots I attempted...

Dub fans start young...

Off to Cromer?

Well.. we were. Got kicked off the campsite by security at 5. After he helped Pops take the valve off the gas bottle. Took longer to decide what to do next than it did to pack up camp. Decided to go to Cromer as it was closest, and I was starving. So, played with the new paddle ball bats on the beach. Pretty hopeless as it was windy. Then off to Mary Janes for chips. Lots of people stared (still had Darth Maul head) and one old lady asked! Mum played her favourite game of walking 3m behind me, watching people's faces. Worryingly she also plays this game when I am not dressed up. Back home on the A47, bit less than 3 hours. End of a fantastic weekend.