Brooks Cottage Motors

I know little of Kate's motoring habits before I met her. A Mini for sure. A Renault 5 by the name of Kevin (remember the "What's your's called?" advertising campaign? - she grew up next door to Kevin Carr...) a Citreon BX bought with her credit card fiend ex, and the yellow Metro she drove when I met her.

Which was stolen one night from outside my house...

From there began an automobile adventure for Kate based entirely on the funds of our little family beginnings. A succession of Renault 4's including a left hand drive 750cc import were an early favourite. Heavily beyond due pregnant she could still manoeuvre around, waggling the dash mounted gear "wand" in the thinking man's 2CV. A dreadful Opel that lasted a day. Borrowed Mini Clubman estate from my sister. A Mini of our own for £100, including 11 months car tax - fitted with a Metro engine and sold years later for £500. A £50 matt black Capri with heavy, heavy steering that the poor lass had to manoeuvre painfully around Norwich hospital during her radiotherapy. Feel bad about that. But - she was so proud to see it meet it's demise at Swaffham with a caravan attached...

The gearbox from the Capri resurrected the first of our fleet of dull, capable Sierra estates. White ones, grey ones, red ones. The last car she ever had was a Subaru Legacy estate. Lovely, comfy, high revving, barge. That I nearly stuffed into a ditch the winter after she died. My own motoring habits? Oh dear. Lets start a list from the age of 7... Ford 100E Ford Anglia 105E x 2 Austin Devon pickup Austin A50 pickup Vespa SS180 Honda CB175 x 3 Vespa 152L2 Mini - the first... Ford Consul Mini pickup x 3 Mini Phoenix kit-car Lambretta SX225 Lambretta Li150 Some more Lambrettas... (10-ish...?) Mini Scamp kit-car Some more Minis (20-ish... maybe many more?) Mini Minus kit-car Fiat 900E van Capri(olet...) Triumph Herald convertible VW Type 2 Camper x 2 Saab 96 x 4 Renault 4 Cortina Mk3 estate Fiat 850E camper Renault 4 van Another Capri Peugeot 405 estates x 2 Mini Trifid three wheeler Renault Trafic Ford Transit Mk2 Ford Transit Mk1 transporter Saab 99 Jincheng monkeybike Honda ST70 Mazda B2200 pickup Transit Mk 3 minibus Ford 107E Prefect Peugeot 406 estates x 3 Royal Enfield Model T Ford x 4 Model A Ford Bedford 4x4 bus and.... some others, no doubt that I can't recall.

T-rex on the radio

T-rex on the radio. Always makes me smile.

Kate was never a fan of Marc Bolan - as a teen she was disdainful of the prince of pop rock excess.

With a loving tease I'd turn up the sound. Ride a white swan, ricky ticky licky, bleurgh...
Can see and hear her now. Bless.

Since I turned 27...

Since I turned 27 I have...

Met the mother of my children.
Fell in love.
Became a father.
Scrimped, saved, and scavenged the hedgerows to feed and warm my family.
Travelled around playing double bass in a band.
Recorded albums.
Written songs.
Made some friends.
Lost some friends.
Built some cars.
Raced a car I built.
Appeared on television.
Performed live at festivals and on the radio.
Lost the mother of my children.
Cried.
Worked out that laying in the bath with cheap gin fixes nothing.
Been in therapy and on tranquillisers.
Rediscovered friendships that will last for all time.
Discovered that I can love again.
Laughed.
Changed from father to embarrassing dad.
Made chutney and copious quantities of cider.

Remained humble; thankful for everything good that life cares to share with me.

Inevitable news

Success. Excess. Senseless. Lifeless. Pointless.
Another tarnished silver spoon rebel without a clue.

Dew between the toes.

And it's an early, early morning flit across the back yard grass to raid the greenhouse for just turned red tomatoes, and a healthy clump of basil leaves. Bare foot and dew between the toes. Them peppers, them's next; for the feel fine lunchtime dine.
Been to the Fat Cat Tap with Them Harvey Boys for a fight the noise battle. We unplugged and won. Too pooped to climb the one to eleven steps, bed beckons but the sofa's nearer...