No hilarious incidents involving spilled wine this year, either at Sam's or at midnight mass. No wizards doing the gospel readings either.
I must have been good this year.. Santa came!!! He must be really busy these days, he didn't even wait till I'd gone to sleep, but nipped in while I was brushing my teeth.
Santa visited someone else too!!
I didn't go to church this year.. was too hard last year, seeing everyone else married with kids. So joined folks visiting the crem and then Nan Leggett. Sherry is still horrid, but I wish I'd videoed her opening her big present.. her face when she opened the lid on 50 packs of quavers was hilarious!
The usual longer than predicted wait for dinner. Some more cheery than others!
Obligatory photo of Chalkie taking a photo of me taking a photo of him taking a...
I made these lovely ear-rings from the crackers..
Dinner over... finally... the presents!!!!!
Suprised I got anymore after I almost made Nan fall over when she came in for dinner, chucking the traditional ball of wrapping paper at her. Oops. Chalkie had dressed for the occasion!
So had I.
It was a gift. A very unexpected one. Saucer of milk? Anyways.. Ma and Pa very excited about their gift from me and Jon and Chalkie... (Ma was swearing at it not 2 days later!)
Chalkie also excited about his gift?
Turns out he was just amused as it was what he had got Jon..
Bit of a theme to Nan's pressies..
These lot were all for Jon's family tomorrow.. no suprise it's such a massive pile..
All too much for Nan..
It's not Christmas without board games (or it looks like bored games in Nan's case)
Harley's one beer that lasts till New Years..
I still get ripped for being out drunk by a pregnant lady. I care not.
The plan was to change the wheel and get him started, and Pops drives him home to Norwich. What actually happened was, we changed the wheel, had no idea why he wouldn't start, and discovered that both the exhaust and fuel tank are also badly damaged, so there was no way he was 'drive-able' anyway.
Very, very hacked off at the crappy insurance company. I don't need any help feeling like a useless pratt and a pain in the arse.
Chalkie did help me fit the GPS power supply to Gladis though. Like properly. I now know which bits of my bike come off with only a bolt or a clip or two. I also know how handy thin fingers can be sometimes.
Up early after a night on the sofa.. packed the provisions, and off to the NEC in Birmingham (again) for the Motorcycle Live show. Parking easy but extortionate, and a brisk walk in the cold over to the centre. We got there in time to join the queues before the show opened, and went straight to the Yamaha stand.. but alas... (and typically for me).. I was 3 people away from getting a place on the Off Road free taster sessions. Bum.
So.. next priority.. loos.. next priority.. bargains.. and boy did I find one. I still can't believe that I got exactly what I was looking for, and for such an amazing price.. Alpinestars Gore Tex for fifty quid?!?!
Pops later came back to the J and S stand and got a bargain Astars for 40 quid. I failed to find all the other things on my list. Internet here we come. Most of the day was spent touring the bike manufacturer stands, admiring or not, and hopping on a few..
Some custom bikes.. Mini Sic..
I so want one! Even I could handle this one.. if it goes wrong you just jump off.. and I reckon I could pick it up again! The 4 grand price tag the only problem! Plans for an off road track in Chalkie's garden are forming rapidly hehe
Jonathan Rae and er, Jonathan Rae..
The stand I was waiting for..
So, to get a Harley I need lots of cash, a garage, and er.. longer arms!
Looking at home on a Fat Boy!!! lol
The Avengers custom bike is just awesome..
Drooling over the competition prize.. Had a lovely chat with the lovely woman who took my entry details.. If only I could chat to people out in the real world.. Still, she said she'd be round soon to deliver my bike..
Only HD would put their logo into the tyres..
Lovely Yamaha Cafe Racer (right next to a FS1E). I'm a complete sucker for this Yamaha paint scheme..
Chalkie's best Roger Moore impression. His latest bike of choice..
What a beast!
Went to the 2pm Ramp'd Up Show. Very cool, several sharp intakes of breath as you think they're not going to make the landing, or they're going to hit the rafters. Further plotting regarding Chalkie's garden hehe.
Trying to be arty with Monsters...
Back to the Harley stand.. def need longer arms..
I can't even afford a mountain bike with Fox shocks!!
Nice lines, shame about the wrapped pipes..
Neil Hodgson with James Bond's bike from Skyfall. We made sure to not wander gawping in front of the tv cameras. We did make it onto the telly though.. Chalkie spotted us in the background 36 minutes into the British Eurosport coverage of the show. We're famous!!!!
Plenty of custom bikes at the show..
Cal Crutchlow's bike...
and Cal Crutchlow!! Looking a bit scary..
Me n Cal!! Would be prouder of this if I didn't have my obligatory double chin. Ah well, at least it proves that sometimes being patient and polite does get you what you want, you don't always have to be pushy.
And this is what I wanted...
Lost each other just after this. Regrouped at the Yamaha stand. Nearly spent lots of money, being encouraged by a group of blokes after further discount pretending I was their daughter, walked away when we didn't get it. Hadn't realised the time, no wonder boys getting tired. The walk back to the car much warmer for me and Pops in our new big coats! They def are waterproof! Food plans on the way home scuppered as Harvester full. Ended up with a treacle sponge with no treacle in the pub in Thorpe Acre instead.
Very restrained shopping, for a bike show..
And presents from Chalkie (thank you), resulting somehow from me texting Pops to be less than subtle to Santa about Norwich HDs sale the previous Saturday. Still not sure what I think about the picture on the right. I'm telling myself its 40s Memphis Belle style. Hmm.
