What made you happy today?

[Barrykearley]

Alice got hers too - proud proud day

[pete]

in isle of man for the classic TT

[C8RKH]

So jealous @pete. It was only a couple of weeks ago I was swimming in Fenella Bay just beside Peel Castle. Stunning.

 

[Bibs]

Where were your car keys at the time?!

[C8RKH]

Haha. Yes good one @Bibs. They were in a waterproof pouch tied round my neck. Honest.

Full story short. On morning of IoM ferry I managed to lock my car keys in the Evora boot. Car was fully locked. I was 300 miles from home and no spare key.

I won't say how, but thanks to @bibs and Lotus I was in the car in 3 hours and away. Fantastic support and service from Bibs and Lotus.

Lesson learned. 

[RobinB5]

Cider making season starting early this year due to the dry weather, apples dropping a few weeks early. Good news is that the first pressing came out at an SG of 1.068, about 9% abv once fermented. Yummy.

    

[Painterdave]

Are cooking apples any good 

[RobinB5]

18 minutes ago, Painterdave said:

Are cooking apples any good 

Any apple can make a cider (just needs sugar), but eaters and cookers don't have much tannin so can end up tasting a bit insipid.

[Painterdave]

I've got grapes and pears as well 

[johnpwalsh]

Happy today. Oh yes. Mrs W convinced me to have a day off. So we went and took in a car show further up the North East coast of Scotland, even took her car. Great day with brilliant sunshine and met up with like minded folk we haven't since pre Covid. Obligatory steak burger, followed by ice cream and a stop off at a local hotel for dinner on the way home. Fantastic day. Must remember to do it again sometime in the next year or two.

[Bazza 907]

Yesterday I went to Blenheim Palace for the Salon Prive club day. I arrived early and parked up with a great bunch from the Lotus Drivers Club. Later in the day the Essex was picked out to represent Lotus by the Club Secretary and entered the main South Lawn event. It won a fantastic cup, medal and rosette. A superb day and great to meet so many friendly people who really cared about cars. I've attached a few pics taken by a lovely chap who also won a prize with his McLaren (RJVimages).

   

[bogle]

Congrats on your Essex S3 win!  Nice to see the Esprit doing well on the home ground.

[Mark Blanchard]

Went to Cliveden House for lunch yesterday, to celebrate my 50th birthday.  Took my fake Lotus.

[Barrykearley]

What a simply lovely MR2

[Bibs]

Happy 50th Mark

PS I bet you had pasta and a latte ventre quadraformagio!

[Mark Blanchard]

Thanks chaps.

I know it's a sin to post up red Italian things on here.  So any abuse is perfectly justified!

[Barrykearley]

It’s a lovely car chap - hope you’re enjoying it. 
You could always spice things up by mentioning cambelts 🤣

[Mark Blanchard]

25 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

It’s a lovely car chap - hope you’re enjoying it. 
You could always spice things up by mentioning cambelts 🤣

That's this Friday, I'll report back.

[Alfa2Evora]

I suppose on balance, this should go here as although I'm not happy about all that's gone on to reach this point I am happy now with the outcome.

JENNIFER: LATEST UPDATE

The original plan by the Stroke Unit staff to isolate Jennifer within the department and put full barrier nursing in place so that she didn't become distressed by a move to strange surroundings didn't come to fruition.

The one-size-fits-all protocol implemented by the Infection Control Committee insisted that she be moved to the Covid Isolation Unit and even although she only demonstrated the mildest of symptoms for only 2 days and then was asymptomatic and testing negative every day from then on, they further insisted that she had to remain there for the full 10 days. Apparently, there are no exceptions to this, despite there being a clear case to be made here on the basis that there was greater risk to Jennifer's general stroke recovery by being isolated in such a way than anything that Covid could threaten.

During those 10 days, I was prohibited from visiting despite having been up close and personal with her for every one of the preceding 203 days. I found it extremely difficult even to make contact with anyone in the Isolation Unit to have them pass on a message, succeeding in doing so on only 4 occasions over the 10 days.

Fortunately, today, Jennifer has finally returned to the Stroke Unit. She's understandably a bit confused and anxious but the sight of me certainly brought a huge smile to her face. She grabbed hold of me and didn't want to let go. Conversationally, she has regressed a bit with the aphasia being more apparent than it's been for a while but she is still aware of what's going on around her - for instance she was aware of the Queen's death so she's definitely retaining what's she's seeing/hearing.

Physically, she has also suffered a setback after being stuck in a chair/bed since the start of the month but I managed to get her a physio session this afternoon, with another booked for tomorrow just to get her back into the swing of things before she returns to the full therapy programme starting Monday.

Hopefully, we'll get her back on track without too much of a delay as the Guardianship paperwork is being presented to the courts next week so we don't have a whole lot of time left now to take advantage of all the rehab therapies the hospital has to offer before the pressure starts being piled on me to move her into a nursing home for her ongoing convalescence.

[johnpwalsh]

Between that and some twat pranging your Evora in the car park  today, you must be about bloody going mad. Hang in there David. We are all routing for both Jennifer and yourself. Hopefully Jennifer will start to pick up again soon now she back getting her physio.

 

John and Wendy. 

[bogle]

David you got hit on multiple fronts.   Life's not fair as I reference your current situation.  You'll been so patient with Jennifer's progress only to get hit with hospital protocols pulling a lot her progress backwards.  Aside from the bad stuff,(and yes, it's quite a bit of it) it's good to hear from you.  There's something about writing things down that helps with unpredictable circumstances.  I'm sure I speak for ALL Lotus Forum members that we are always thinking about Jennifer and you.  Aphasia is tough for both Jennifer and anyone communicating with her.  They know what they want say, but sometimes can't say the word.  Occasionally, you can finish their sentence and other times it's a sort of gibberish and you learn to move ahead.  Hope you can get her back on track with recovery soon.  Angie and I are thinking and hoping for Jennifer and you.

[Alfa2Evora]

Gotcha! Well, I'm pretty sure I have anyway.

Sitting today, literally in the space next to where it was last Thursday, a white BMW X5 with black alloys. What are the chances of there being several of those so I had a closer look.

Scraped along the rear passenger's door and wheel, but no immediately obvious paint transfer from mine although it does look like somebody may have had a session with some T-Cut lately. Then, I saw it. All those hours watching forensic examinations on TV paid off. On the rear wheel, a small amount of bright blue paint on the edge of the rim. I rest my case m'lud.

Local force informed and they're going to follow it up ASAP, and view the CCTV images for final proof. Sad thing is, for it to be parked where it is at this time of day, it must belong to a member of the hospital staff, .

[Kimbers]

4 minutes ago, Alfa2Evora said:

Gotcha! Well, I'm pretty sure I have anyway.

Sitting today, literally in the space next to where it was last Thursday, a white BMW X5 with black alloys. What are the chances of there being several of those so I had a closer look.

Scraped along the rear passenger's door and wheel, but no immediately obvious paint transfer from mine although it does look like somebody may have had a session with some T-Cut lately. Then, I saw it. All those hours watching forensic examinations on TV paid off. On the rear wheel, a small amount of bright blue paint on the edge of the rim. I rest my case m'lud.

Local force informed and they're going to follow it up ASAP, and view the CCTV images for final proof. Sad thing is, for it to be parked where it is at this time of day, it must belong to a member of the hospital staff, .

You need a shot with the damage and vehicle Reg in as well or else the defence is "Thats not my car, that could be any one like it".

[Alfa2Evora]

I have that but didn't want to make it 'public' on here.

[bogle]

Wow, the crime show viewing is definitely paying off!  David forensics investigator of Bathgate.  I hope the CCTV is just another piece of evidence to seal up the case.