His Nibs is at it again

. Here you can see him dipping into his Auntie Caroline's cod and chips.

Yes, after many vicissitudes, not the least of which was parking up for the night in a zone where there was no mobile phone signal (and only I can do a thing like that), I finally made contact with Mandy and, sure enough, my wallet was there, which was just as well as I would have been having major problems if it hadn't have been.

I was also invited to eat there and that really put an end to my journey to Ilkeston and Vehicle Wiring Products, as they would have been shut by the time I would have arrived. Instead I went to DK Motorcycles in Newcastle. As well as selling road-going machines the company also imports classic motorcycles from the USA. They arrive in all states of repair and I always like to go along if I can. They had a few mint Hondas, including a couple of rare 1970s 350-fours as well as a pile of other stuff as well that was fit for renovation, including a 95%-complete Honda 160. As an aside, I passed my motorcycle test on a Honda 160 belonging to Ray Stigter.

Many of the machines that arrive there are only suitable to be broken up for spares and I always go to chat to the guys there because many of you might not know that I own probably one of the rarest of all Japanese motocycles - a CB92 "Benly" from 1961. It's basically complete and after we assembled it we even had it running after a fashion, but that was back in 1974 and that is a long time ago. It desperately needs an overhaul but spares for it are impossible to find now - hence the regular visits to DK Motorcycles. They might one day have one in that is only fit for dismantling but to date the guys in there freely admit that this is one motorcycle that they have never ever seen and don't ever reckon that they will do either.

Lunch was at Waitrose in Sandbach and then I went to B&Q in Crewe to see if they had the doors that I need for my house. My house is dark and gloomy due to the small windows and if I'm putting partition walls in, this will cut the light down further. What I need is some dirt-cheap glass-panelled doors and finding them in France is impossible. However B&Q does a nice cheap line in exactly what I want and the door into the attic came from there and you can see what a good job it does as well - hence a requirement for another half-dozen to match.

B&Q came up trumps in more ways than one. Firstly, they had enough in stock. Secondly they had some that were only 650mm instead of 750mm and that's what I need for the bathroom and the office. Thirdly with my trade card I had almost £100 off the retail price - £240 for 6 instead os about £335 or so. When you think about it "you are always thinking about it" - ed that's just 20 weeks of rental on my mailbox paid off in one swell foop. You can see why it's important to have a UK address if I am buying stuff over here.

And so to pass the evening I went to see Caroline whose cat Bigsy is very poorly and might not pull through. We ended up going out to the chippy (not half as good as a traditional Belgian fritkot), and that was where His Nibs joined in the (af)fray. Now we are having a coffee on Sandbach Services prior to me dropping caroline off and making my way in the general direction of Bacup where I have to go to see a digger tomorrow morning.