Mehr Leistung zum Ellbogen .....

Grüße meine Freunde ...
Not really sure why I am writing in German but it does liven things up a little - anyway I will leave it to you to make use of the google translating service.

As our tweeting Amigo let slip last week, tickets to see the famous foot tapping ensemble, curiously named Elbow were secured and with the beautiful one having to pull out with a last minute injury, the Bish stepped in and so reunited again we journeyed to that cultural oasis, colloquially referred to as Birmingham.

Elbow:

Not to be confused with ...

.....one of these

Hailing from Manchester they have been around for many a year - indeed their first EP was released June 15th 1998. 10 years later and they win the Mercury award with 'The Seldom Seen Kid' - triumphing over such illuminaries as Adele, Radiohead and Robert Plant who were on the shortlist.

Anyway - great set: ...note the new song at Number 5, its a goodie!

Intro

1.     High Ideals 

2.     The Bones of You 

3.     Grace Under Pressure 

4.     Mirrorball 

5.     Charge 

6.     Leaders of the Free World 

7.     Grounds for Divorce 

8.     The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver 

9.     The Night Will Always Win 

10.  Weather to Fly 

11.  Fugitive Motel 

12.  Puncture Repair 

13.  Lippy Kids 

14.  The Birds 

15.  Open Arms 

Encore:

16.  Starlings 

17.  One Day Like This 

Never a truer word ....

Sibling genius ...

Now and again there are moments when you are genuinely surprised and struck dumb in sheer admiration of an event, gesture, comment, item...it could be anything, but you know it when you see or feel it.

I have had quite a few moments like this - the male heir's film debut, the first born's fashion show and the beautiful one herself.

Smithington minimus my younger sibling has turned this ...

Into these beauties....

Truly genius!

Darting over the Severn ...

If there is one thing you cannot accuse the Bish of being is ..... is being idle.
The man has been cruising the virtual  bazaar, colloquially known as Bay of the E. His patience and perseverance has been richly rewarded. He has tracked down, haggled over and successfully purchased a selection of seats for the mighty bus for a very reasonable sum.

So it was over to yours truly to fire up the Smithington Jalopy and venture forth to collect these prized possessions. The first trip saw me cross the Thames at the Dartford crossing and venture into an area that quite frankly made me glad that the jolly old automobile had locks on its doors!

For the uninitiated the Dartford crossing consists of 2 tunnels each 1430m long taking you south to north and a bridge spanning 450 metres and rising to a height of 137m, for the return journey. The bridge opened in 1991 and the tunnels in 1963 and 1980 respectively. The reason for sharing this is .....beacuse I think its quite interesting.

Anyway, another trip was required to collect yet more furniture but this time heading due west. Traversing the original Severn Crossing, it occurred to me that  I seem to get all the fun jobs!

The crossing opened in 1966 and spans the rivers Wye and Severn. It is not one bridge but actually consists of 4 distinct units - the Aust viaduct, the Severn bridge, Beachley viaduct and the Wye bridge. Now I do find that a lovely bit of useless information.

Meandering up the Wye valley, the journey is one I have made several times before and I have to say we must get the funbus there as it is a delight with really good pubs en route particularly at Tintern. No problem securing the seats and happy to leave the doors unlocked ....West is best in my book.

This is what the fuss is all about and Bish is already getting excited at the thought of mastering the mechanical complexities of fitting them

A greek hero given the needle ....

Chums - what can I say!....I have a confession to make.

In true testosterone fuelled fashion, I have manfully soldiered on over the last 6 months with what I thought was an age related dodgy ankle and tight hamstring that has increasingly reduced me to a bizarre gait and a penchant for paracetemol. Well, after finally bowing to the beautiful one's awesome wisdom I finally admitted that there may be a remote chance I had a slight medical defect and maybe I should get it looked at by someone who (as unlikely as it may sound) is appropriately qualified and as such may know more about this than I do. So with deep trepidation and despondency off I went to meet my local General Practitioner.

 It seems I am the proud owner of an 'opothy' ..... to be exact I have Achillies Tendinopathy - I am officially diseased!

So now I have to stop my galavanting ways until the blithering thing has mended itself.

I am now in therapy - Physiotherapy to be exact. A young lady not much older than the first born has been rubbing my leg and ankle every Friday for the last few weeks. It is not exciting and it is rather annoying, until today.

Today I had Acupuncture - she took great delight in stabbing me with copper needles that are meant to get my Chi channels running free. Anyway I survived and in a curious kind of way feel rather proud of myself.

Its OK...but I think she thought me rather strange when I asked for pictures!

Proud to announce ...

Well my funbus hombres - what can I say. The mighty bus has sailed through its annual medical and has been given a clear bill of health for a further 12 months. No operations or medical interventions of any kind are required - it is in fine fettle.

A wise and elderly mechanic who looked like Yoda's younger sibling cast an expert and very detailed eye over every inch of the bus and deemed it good. He commented on the quality of the bodywork and waxed lyrical about the delights of a computerless internal combustion engine - apparently they don't make them like this any more! Regrettably it was me he was conversing with and not the Bish so it was a one sided conversation with yours truly nodding and grunting at the right moments wondering what language he was talking and where was the nearest Costa. He was however a jolly old boy and I would have no problem spending a convivial hour or two in a pub with him - just as long as Bish was there to interpret!

This is a clean 2 litre Pinto ford engine that Yoda's brother  is in love with. 
The one in the bus is a tad rustier!

....and this is Yoda. 

So here is the final pic as the funbus heads off to its winter quarters and hibernation...

Plans are already being hatched about 2013 possibilities. Known destinations are France and the Vendee; Glasto of course and Croyde but thoughts are also turning to the Forest of Dean, Derbyshire,Amsterdam and even Copenhagen - world and oyster springs to mind.

So adieu, farewell, so long, au revoir to the mighty bus until 2013.