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Saturday 29 September 2012

September & The Goodwood Revival

Wow that was a month and a half, September...

It fitted in two hill climbs in the Imp, a trip to Goodwood Revival, and many hours under/in/around the car by Mr H. getting things fixed!

The Goodwood Revival was a wonderful day. We spent a comfortable night at our friends cottage near the venue, and had a superb meal at the local pub which was walking distance and restaurant quality at pub prices. Perfect.

The next morning we donned our period dress and set off for Goodwood...


We spent a happy time browzing the period market place and resisting buying things!   I was a bit disappointed at the low quality of some of the items in fact, but anyway it was fun looking. I managed to find a new (old) hat which went with my dress:


There was plenty of period racing on but our favourite event was the St Mary's Trophy which was 50s/60s saloons including Jaguars, A 35s, a Rover P4, Ford Anglias etc.  The great thing about the racing at Goodwood is that the drivers don't hold back, no matter how immaculate their pride and joy.  A BMW 700 was being thrown around the track and went off several times only to rejoin the pack - the owner/driver evidently have a fantastic time!   It is also impressive how when things go wrong they just get on and fix it before the next race. There were stories of new engines and gearboxes being put in overnight, even involving drives to Wales to get the parts. This is serious stuff.  At the end of the St Mary's Trophy it transpired that the driver of the winning Jaguar had had gearbox trouble so drove using only 2 gears, and one hand on the gearstick!

Mr H thoroughly enjoyed his birthday present (the ticket) and we will definitely be going next year!

On a car related subject, I have just been accepted for membership of the British Women Racing Drivers' Club which I am stupidly excited about!  I'll be going all out in 2013 now... 

And our Imp Adventures have their own blog... http://www.impish-adventures.blogspot.com  where you can keep up with the action ;)



Friday 14 September 2012

Keeping busy!

At this time of year my brain is ducking and diving into different roles: writing pieces for the work websites (two different sites), discussing the best way to do the PR for new initiatives, listening to ideas from my colleagues and thinking about if and how to implement them. 

It's a love/hate situation - I love it because there is plenty to think about and get on with and it is challenging I hate it because it is lots of bits and pieces rather than one big project or the 'head-down' frantic issuing of certificates that is the first half of the year.

For those of you who don't know what I do as my day job, have a look here: What we do 

I hope you all have a good weekend.  I am going out for a meal tonight with Mr H and my best girlfriend; we very rarely go out so it's a treat!  And on Sunday we're off to Goodwood Revival, I can almost hear and smell it already ;)

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Hummm

I tried a Zumba dance class tonight, which turned out to be an hour of trying to work out what she was doing and translate that into what my body should be doing, and mostly not getting it quite right. It was a bit like being thrown in the deep end, which I don't like.   I remember feeling like that when I started choreographed dance classes on the 3rd week and felt totally out of my depth; but of course once I got used to it, and started learning it, I loved it.  So I won't chuck this away on this one experience.

I used to do dancing quite regularly but not for 3 years or so, and I have totally lost that flexibility and wiggle.. ok not that I ever had much but I could shimmy ok!  Now I feel stiff and ungainly especially when comparing myself with the sylph-like teacher who was hip-swinging her way through the moves.  And my brain hurt. And my leg hurts. And I'm tired  Hummm I think it's time for a rest from the gym for the rest of this week.

I used to have a good workout routine going: Tuesday and Thursday evenings and something at the weekend, and it was just right.  Then a lot of the staff changed and the timetable changed and I haven't got back into to a new routine yet, so now I end up going more than I really want to, plus I've been trying out different things which is good but I haven't enjoyed them all. So I'm feeling a bit down right now about the whole thing; I must sit down and work out which classes I want to do and settle into a new routine.

I need routine now anyway, because my OU study books have just arrived, whoohoo!  It doesn't start until the beginning of October and the website doesn't open until 27 September but I can start reading. I must decide when and where I am going to do my studying... somehow I managed it with Mr H home from January to May this year but I can't remember how!

The final instructions have just come through for my next hill climb (and last for 2012), it's on the 21st Sept so I'm looking forward to that.  Mr H says he feels as though he should be working on the car! I suggested he went round and checked all the nuts and bolts in the suspension ;)  I'm sure Django will be happy to help him as always....


Before that, however, we have the Goodwood Revival to go to this Sunday. Rosie, bless her, has offered the use of their cottage up the road from Goodwood for Saturday night so we will make a weekend of it.  As this is Mr H's birthday present it will be a nice extra. We're going in the Imp so will be parked in the pre-1971 carpark, and have some suitably 'period' style clothes to wear.

Well it's time for a cup of tea, so goodnight for now,
Jx


Tuesday 11 September 2012

Today

Today is one of those dates that none of us will forget: 9/11.  A date that will be forever etched in history as one that changed lives and the world as we knew it.

This post is not related to 9/11 as such, except that it is today's date.

For me today is a day for moving on.  The claim arising from the crash has been settled out of court, and that means that I can put all that behind me; no more repeating what happened, what I can and can't do or how I feel about things to solicitors and lawyers. That slate is clean and finished with and it feels quite strange in a way.

Perhaps this is related in my mind, but I have decided that I want to work on coming off the Dihydrocodeine again; this time I have Mr H here with me instead of 450 miles away. I hope I get further with it than before, I would love to be independent of it, and I'm sure my body and mind would like that too.

Also today my new OU course books arrived for 'Crime & Justice'. I had a quick flick through and they look really interesting; I can't wait to get started once the website page is up and running and get my brain working again after the summer break.

So, today is a different sort of memorable day for me.


Thursday 6 September 2012

AWOL but still here in spirit!

Where have I been?  nowhere, just feeling uninspired to discuss any burning issues... I've also been distracted by going to the fitness studio regularly, and preparing the Imp for my first speed hill climb which is this Saturday (that's motorsport, not hill-walking).

Re the fitness studio, I have been working hard and have managed to shift quite a few centimetres; at the  moment I am going 3-4 times a week usually straight from work, for 30-60 minutes.  It's been great over the summer and I've had quite a few classes alone ie. personal training, while everyone else was taking summer holidays!   It's going to become more of a time-management challenge in a couple of weeks' time when my new package of Open University materials arrive for the new year and I have to fit that in as well....
Talking of which, I have not posted since I got my results for this year, a Grade 1 pass Distinction which I was (of course) over the moon with. I'm feeling all fired up for next year which is Crime and Justice and will be pulling out all the stops!  I'm halfway through my degree now and just starting level 3 so it's going to get a bit harder.

As for the hill climb, I think I'm ready, the Imp is as ready as it's going to be thanks to my untiring mechanic Mr H (yes I have helped him with some stuff as well).  The forecast is dry which is a relief for my first event, since rain makes it a completely different kettle of fish.

I'm hoping that once my studying starts again I will have fingers itching to share my opinions, thoughts and discussions with you... it will be making the time to post that will be the issue!

J.