What a way to start a Billing weekend! David got to me at 11:30, as arranged, but then tells me he has no brakes in his Peugeot. Great! After a quick look round it, I see that the nearside rear wheel cylinder is leaking. I told him that we can't repair it just like that, so we try and get all his stuff in the Viva's. Edd and Spot are here so we try and divide the stuff between the three of us. Now it's not just his stuff it's Hannah's and Kara's as well. Still we managed to get it all in. DHR had never been so full. We arrive at about 2:00 on the Friday in sunshine for a change.

Flod, Deon and most of the Laxton clan are already there and set-up when we arrive. After setting the tents up I help Flod and Deon with the main tent thing. I'm told my help isn't wanted because I broke it twice last year. Then the bit everyone was waiting for...the raising of the Outlaws flag! The new, freshly painted flagpole holder was unveiled to the public for the first time and caused quite a stir. I was struggling a little with the hammer and we needed something very heavy to get it into the ground, so we got Flod to jump on it. Brilliant! Funny but I heard no micky taking when they saw how wonderful it looked. Now for the down side. I'd burred the edge over while smashing it into the ground so needed to file it a bit before the pole would fit and I'd left the flag pole lifter in the garage so getting it out might be a problem.

After a cuppa we wandered over to the jumble for the first time. You can see that parts for our cars are getting harder to get hold of. A few years ago Viva parts were much more common than now.

As always with Billing recently, the rain started in the evening and seemed to be on and off all day Saturday as well, particularly Saturday night. Every time I ventured to the auto-jumble on Saturday, down it came and they covered all the stuff up. I still managed to buy things. Some bumper bolts, some springs that hold bushes in a starter motor, a roof ariel and a trolley jack. There were two other things I wanted, a new rear bumper and a set of rostyle's. On Sunday when Joanne came I got the rostyle's. The bloke wanted £70 on Friday but by Sunday they were down to £60. Joanne and I managed to knock him down to £45. The bumper was £75, she wouldn't let me get that. (Still there's always next year). We had a good selection of cars over the two days and about twenty four at any one time. They ranged from standard HA's, HB's and HC's to a 2ltr Sirrera powered HB, a V8 HA van, a Zetec powered HA, a V8 HB GT, a Pinto powered HB, a V6 HB, a 2.3 HB estate, a gas powered HB, a few standard HB GT's, a Crayford GT, Colin Robbins race replica HB, a Beagle camper and a Chevette. I've probably forgot something but you get the drift. A great selection and all nice people.

Saturday night and the Outlaws held there AGM. You could never say the Outlaws AGM's are boring...they're over to quick. I then get presented with the 'chod' award. Now throughout the year mistakes and stupidity are counted up and the person who cocks-up most wins the award. I think I had 14 on the list and my closest rival had 2. My problem is the web site. I write everything down for posterity so am bound to get more things on the list. Still with the award, (a mounted bent valve), came a set of two Brabham pictures, so winning the award isn't to bad. Drink flowed, more wine this year and voices grew louder, as did the laughter. Sharpy turned up very late in his 2.3 HB estate, (which he was sleeping in). It was Chris and Michelle's first Billing with us and god knows what they thought of it all. I hope they had a good time.

Sunday the weather was great and I got panda eyes again. Joanne and Alex came up for the day and brought Vikki and Ryan with them, which was nice. It was also handy because Joanne took some parts home for me so I could fit everything in to go home on Monday. At one point in the day Joanne said "I know that man over there", pointing to a man by the Beagle camper. It turns out the lady who owns it lives in Tring, where we work and the mans son goes to ALex's school, which is where Joanne had seen him. Small world isn't it? We all went for a curry in 'Vinnie's' on Sunday night as usual. Spot, Edd, Flod, Deon, Chris and Michelle and me. A nice finish to the weekend. Knackered doesn't come close to how I feel now. I must be getting to old for all this.