NORMALLY IN MAY THE FRUIT FROM THE EARLY FRUITING CHERRY TREES ARE READY FOR CONSUMPTION AND THEY ARE EXCELLENT FOR COMBATING GOUT. THIS YEAR, DUE TO THE BAD WEATHER, THE FRUIT WAS UNUSUALLY NOT READY TO EAT AND BY THE TIME THAT I HAD TO LEAVE FOR THE UK MY BIG TOE WAS STARTING TO GET RED AND PAINFUL. NOT ONLY THAT,MY OTHER FOOT CAME OUT IN SYMPATHY AS A BREAK IN MY FIFTH LEFT METATARSAL WHICH OCCURRED WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN SUDDENLY BECAME INFLAMED AS WELL!
NOW IT WASN`T ONLY THE WEATHER AT BEAULIEU THAT I HAD TO WORRY ABOUT. ON THE THURSDAY HAD LUNCH WITH TIM HOULDING AND THEN DROVE STRAIGHT DOWN TO MY HOTEL NEAR LYMINGTON.
EVERY YEAR I BOOK AT THE LAST MOMENT VIA ONE OF THOSE ONLINE HOTEL WEBSITES AND STAY AT SOME OF THE MORE EXPENSIVE HOTELS FOR LITTLE MONEY. IT`S SURPRISING HOW SOME OF THESE HOTELS STILL HAVE VICTORIAN PLUMBING AND SERVE AWFUL FOOD DESPITE THEIR NORMAL PRICES BEING OVER THE £100 MARK. SOMETIMES THERE ARE EVENTS SUCH AS THE BOAT SHOW THAT DATE CLASH WITH THE BEAULIEU AUTOJUMBLES WHICH CAN MAKE ACCOMMODATION DIFFICULT TO FIND.
THIS TIME I FOUND A SINGLE ENSUITE ROOM IN A PUB. IT WAS A DISASTER AS I KEPT BUMPING MY HEAD ON THE SLOPING CEILING BUT THE BEER AND FOOD WAS GOOD.
FRIDAY MORNING SAW ME ATTEMPTING TO PULL ON MY SHOES OVER THE RED GLOWING TOES, WHAT AGONY! IT TAKES MORE THAN THAT TO PHASE A BITSA BUILDER THOUGH, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, AS I HOBBLED TO MY CAR.
AT THE AUTOJUMBLE CAR PARK, UNUSUALLY THE SECURITY GUARDS WERE VERY SYMPATHETIC TO MY PROBLEM AND I WAS ABLE TO PARK IN THE DISABLED AREA. NORMALLY IT`S MY KNEE JOINTS THAT ARE THE PROBLEM AND EVERY YEAR SINCE THIS PROBLEM STARTED THERE HAS BEEN A TUSSLE WITH SECURITY TO GET PARKED NEAR THE ENTRANCE.
I MUST HAVE BEEN A PATHETIC SIGHT AS I HOBBLED ROUND THE JUMBLE, I WENT ROUND TWICE ON THE FRIDAY BUT ONLY MANAGED ONCE ON THE SATURDAY.
I DIDN`T FIND ANY BENTLEY BITS AT ALL, ALTHOUGH ANTHONY REPORTED HAVING SEEN A CUT DOWN 4 LITRE RADIATOR. THIS MUST HAVE COME FROM DAN RENS`S 4 LITRE ENGINED CAR THAT HE SOLD SOME YEARS AGO. I REMEMBER SEEING THE CAR WITH IT`S BODY REMOVED AND WAS AMAZED THAT THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR VINTAGE NUMBERED FRONT CROSS MEMBERS USED IN THE CHASSIS CONSTRUCTION!
DAN RENS WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO PUT A 4 LITRE ENGINE INTO A THREE LITRE CHASSIS AND I MUST WRITE A LITTLE PIECE ABOUT HIM TO ADD TO THE SITE.
I BOUGHT A FEW INTERESTING TOOLS FOR MY WORKSHOPS AND SO ENDED MY UMPTEENTH VISIT TO THE BEAULIEU AUTOJUMBLE.
I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO WITH ALL THOSE RUSTY OLD BENTLEY SPARES THAT I HAVE AND HAD A CHAT WITH ANTHONY ABOUT IT. I`M CONSIDERING PUTTING ALL THOSE PARTS TOGETHER AND MAKE ONE WHOLE ASSEMBLY FROM THEM. I WILL DEVOTE A NEW SPARES PAGE TO THIS WHEN I HAVE THE TIME.
ALAN