Symptoms

 

Symptoms.

My catalogue of symptoms seems never ending. Each day something different. Today I have Blocked Eustachian tubes, like you have water in your ears. I am always a little sinuses but it is more than usual along with this I have a mental fog that makes my thinking vague and speech lazy. I am having a conversation and I can’t string a sentence together or remember words. Reading is hard work as my concentration is not there.  All I can cope with is watching tele. Fortunately it is MotoGP and World Superbikes. I feel I should be doing something with my day but I have only a morning’s worth of energy not enough to work through the day. I have bits to do on the car but keep putting it off. I have become a manjana guy. I was never like this. Now I also have sensitive teeth. Hot, cold and bite, I can now feel my filings when I am chewing. This has not been recent. I feel sensitive from top to toe including joints, neck, shoulder and hips.

 

The origins of my ailments begin after my first Covid vaccine. There are irritating symptoms like when you are trying to swallow and it catches your breath and sets off a fit of coughing or your swallow reflex stalls and you take in air making you swallow a painful lump. Gas is caught in your stomach and causes an acid belch and heartburn. My gastric system feels slow and I am not getting the nutrition from what I eat as I should. My poo can now take up to three days before completing  the cycle with uncomfortable gas putting pressure on my prostate generating a painful sore feeling not unlike the effects of a Vindaloo consumed the night before. What have I contracted after catching Covid last year?

I have recently been on a half board resort holiday to Greece where I had the opportunity to eat unlimited food. This included bacon and egg for breakfast each morning and a three course meal each evening. Soup, salad, main course of meat and two veg sometimes a dessert and a beer to wash it down.  My poo then became a regular daily event and predictable. Regressing when I returned home. I don’t think I could afford to continue to eat that much food. The consequences of eating so much was to induce an episode of gout in my right wrist which has been painful and incapacitating. Sunshine and sea has been a good medicine. My sinuses have improved. My binocular vision has stabilised with my vision no longer with both eyes not working together, It is an effect of the eyes not working together but catching up if you move quickly taking time to focus. Not unlike having a hangover but I have not been drinking. This has put me off driving because I could not have a quick look and it did upset my balance. I have had to watch where I put my step especially going down stairs. I did see some improvements away in the sun with my vision stabilising and balance improving with my ability to step over things with confidence.

I feel like my gut is the centre of my problems. My wellbeing improves with the health of my gut. I still feel toxic, lacking energy not only to focus my mind but stimulate my body to do things. I still have problems reading, seeing but not understanding and have to concentrate quite hard to understand the written word.

In August just prior to Registers day I was prescribed Omeprazole for the heartburn and indigestion. It seemed to be not doing allot for my heartburn but may have been why I was so unwell for the British Motor Show the following week.  The dose was increased and within twenty-four hours there was a distinct effect. I had severe gut pain my balance was not good and my energy levels had gone. I could hardly climb the stairs and I had gone quiet. All I could do was watch tele. I stopped taking Omeprazole and the gut pain stopped the other effects have taken more than two weeks to disappear. This is a debilitating drug for me and did nothing to help my digestive problems. I can now read and understand, what was affecting my sinuses has gone although I am not sure if this is related, I can balance with confidence and I have energy and my swallowing and catching breath situation is getting better. Was it the drug the trigger for the beginning of my improvement or my holiday in Greece with plenty of sunshine and good food and some beer to make me feel better?

I'm still not A one, I get easily side tracked. Doing one thing and for no reason other than it came to mind I start doing something else until I remember what I was supposed to be doing so far I have had no disasters but close calls when cooking. A few things have been burnt but not the house yet. This goes along with the brain fog I mentioned earlier. My recent visit to the Nehru Centre for Dementia Day with Gita performing a Sattriya dance and reading a Poem made me very proud of her. It was very thought provoking and an exceptional day.

Norfolk 2023

 

Norfolk 2023

and the Norfolk Motorcycle Museum

I have been up to the Broads at the end of September for a break away with my brothers Barry and Adrian. A boys week sailing and fishing. I enjoy the trips out in the boat under sail or even by outboard when the sailing gets tough. I don’t do so well fishing so this is when a visit to the local Motorcycle Museum comes in. I drove up to Martham in the Burton having to pay ULEZ as it is not yet a Historical Vehicle and again on the return journey. I feel aggrieved that I have to pay when other larger engined thirsty vehicles do not and yet they cause more pollution in a day than my car does in a year of driving. Norfolk had beautiful weather this year, lots of sun and light winds so I managed a number of short videos reflecting the peace and tranquillity of gliding, sometimes not so quietly, along the waterways of the broads. We found a new pub to visit for the evenings The Nelsons Head that does a number of traditional beers and ales but the food is something else. The ham egg and chips had almost half a pig on the plate with two very thick slices of ham. The beers are guest ales and one night there were more than five available and change regularly, almost daily. It was a beer festival each visit.

On a fishing day I went off to the Museum at North Walsham to revisit some old friends. Not surprisingly the prices have increased since my last visit in 2021. I was in the El Cid then, the Burton provided some interest as it does everywhere and was the topic of conversation. The Museum has changed a bit with displays being more organised and also with new machines coming in to keep the displays fresh and some of the older ones being sold on. It is a dynamic Museum. My interest is still with the bikes But I did hear some disturbing information that post Covid the old British Bike market has become less active. Prices are falling with bikes that commanded prices of £6000 to £7000 have now reduced to £4000 to £5000. I am not surprised as those who bought them at the higher prices have become old or passed away and those left have already bought  memories of their youth. The next generation have a different era of motorcycles to reminisce over. This Museum reflects this with Fizzies and Maxi Puchs, Honda’s, Suzuki’s and Kawasaki’s. One of the guy’s there has a rotary Norton as his daily ride. It is a living Museum and hopefully I’ll be back next year for another visit.

The British Motor Show 2023

 

The British Motor Show 2023

 

I had noticed a request for volunteers for The British Motor Show in the 2CVBG magazine and being at Farnborough and not too far away I signed up for it. It was a club stand and three clubs would be represented. The 2CV Club, The Traction owners Club and the Citroen Owners Club. There was corporate support from Citroen too. The gates were open on the Wednesday to set up the stand and I delivered the Burton late in the afternoon.

 

Gita following behind in the Toyota to bring me home. I was hoping to attend each day but things didn’t work as planned. I left the keys with James Gibson Club organiser and set off home. He would be there all week. Surprise, surprise the 2CV shop was here as well showing their Burton and their electric van but no one else from Registers day.

I was hoping to come on the bike to have some fun and make travelling easier but I was dogged by ill health this week and Gita having to give me a lift back down on the Sunday to pick up the car. Gita dropped me off at the show ground car park and I caught the bus to the show. It was quite some walk just to the bus stop. It was a few minutes transit to the entrance but another long walk, about twenty minutes, from the entrance to the 2CV display area. Once on the stand is was show time and I spent much of it talking about the Burton. Peter from the Thames Tortoises was there displaying his Traction.

I  did a little walk about but the show was just too big at the airfield for me today. I visited the Military Racing Motorcycle Stand and a had a very pleasant conversation with a young man and moved into a display hall to have an equally pleasant with the rep from Pheonix Motorcycles who do trials and off road experiences.

 I picked up a genuine Cornish pasty for a snack before going back to the Citroen stand. I completed the day sitting in my camp chair waiting for the event to end.  The event ended about five pm when the organisers gave the all clear and allowed us to move our cars and disassemble the stand. I was not able to do much towards and was pleased to escape early. I joined the queue of cars to escape and join the queue of the nearest petrol filling station to fill up and go home.

2CV Registers Day 2023

 

2CV Registers Day 2023

 

I was not sure I was going to make it this year. This year I have been dogged by ill health and the ups and downs of feeling good one day and not the next it has been difficult to plan anything. On a good day I took the initiative and made the booking. To the Wirral in the Burton and camp overnight and come back after the prize giving. Two hundred and twenty miles equating to five hours of travel time each way. I was not sure I was up for it but I was with my faithful co-driver so I had the confidence to give it a go. We were going to go up the M1 but a section was closed so Tom diverted us to the M40 which was a little longer and slower but got us there in the end. Arriving around five in the evening we set about making camp. It was a welcoming experience meeting people again.

We had been to the Wirral Rugby Club before in 2018. It has a nice club house that includes a good bar and kitchen. Food available from five thirty and by the time we got there it was closer to six thirty. We ordered and were served with our food quite quickly along with a pint we settled in to see old friends arrive and enjoy the live music.

Up early for a Full English in the Club House and then to join the display. This is when I discover a deep scratch in the left front wing. I didn’t do this!  The car is no longer perfect. I am not best pleased but there is no one to rant at. Stay calm and have a pleasant day. No sooner on display there is a continuous stream of punters asking about all sorts of things from the trip meters to does the power tube work, the ambient air diverters and why so many dials? Late in the morning I did a walk about to see my best in show and cast my vote for the best car. After voting I went to the 2CV to talk about their Burton on display which is still work in progress. They have an AK 250 electric van on display. Looks good and is also a kit. The day rolls on and the Judges announce their decisions. This year I don’t win the prize. I won it last time. A couple did come up to me to say that I should have won the category I entered. Hey ho it’s not all about winning but meeting old friends we had not seen since 2CV meetings in 2019.

We packed up the tent and left about four and made our way back by the M1 and home by eight thirty. It was a long way for just one night but the Burton was doing well with 54 mpg on the way up and 56 mpg on the return ( downhill with a following breeze).

 

 

July 2023 bits and pieces.

 

July turned out to be a washout after the Brooklands show I took the El Cid to Whitchurch for some stitching and renovation by 2CV Mehari wizard Coops. That was a nice day out but left me only the Burton to play with and finding that the trip meter was not working properly I had to investigate. This was an upside down job with my head in the footwell to get to the wiring.

 I even contacted Brantz, the trip meter people to get advice. After a bench test the meter was shown to be OK so the problem was the wiring in the console below the gear lever. A dodgy earth was the problem and fixed by soldering on a new earth tag also done in the footwell. Another fix were the mirrors finding replacements for ones I bought with the kit in 2014 were not so much a problem as I had been lead to believe and were still available from Europa Spares. I was beginning to tick off the list of bits to do. The Buell had problematic tick over and the cooling fan was seizing up and needed to be replaced before complete failure, replacement of the faulty neutral indicator switch and a check on the gearbox oil. In a day it was done and I had my smooth running Buell back again.

I did a bit of DIY at Ivy’s flat with removing the kitchen work tops one at a time, sanding them down with a belt sander and coating them with a hard wax oil to keep the water out. If it not done regularly it all goes black and doesn’t look nice. That job was very dusty and I needed hosing down after each session. Not a job to do in one go. I also made a support bracket to hold the worktop at the sink where one should have been fitted but wasn’t.

I had my Facebook account hacked. Been on a demonstration for the Kucki women who were abused in North East India. Walking from Indian High Commission to Parliament Square and posed by Ghandi’s statue. Finishing off that week with a visit to the Royal Albert Hall having afternoon tea before the performance of Bollywood at the proms. Finally with repairing the corroded switch on a Unicorn bubble generator.

Brooklands Bike Show 2023

 

Brooklands Bike Show 2023

 

Always things seem to happen on the same day, Wey Valley Observed Sunday and the Bike Show. My usual is to support the shop and spend the morning helping out. This Sunday I would finish early and head over to Brooklands to support the club stand at the show. It was quite profitable at the shop and I finished early but not before I had taken photos of the bikes in the car park and pretended to be part of the old stock.

It was quite busy at Brooklands as I threaded my through the crowds to the Club Stand near the Jackson shed. I parked the Buell with the other machines on the display. Next to the stand was another bike club with an interesting display of machines among them were a supercharged Aermacci and a seven cylinder radial engined creation called Radial Nerve. The owner started this one up for us and with minimal exhaust sounded really sweet. I could feel a similar project brewing with my spare Valiant frame. The radial engine is produced by a Czech company for use in period model aircraft. They do two sizes, the seven cylinder, 360 cc and fourteen cylinder 720 cc versions.

During the afternoon I did a walk about viewing the test hill and some speedway bikes that cleared it extremely quickly keeping an eye out for John from the LE club and his Valiant as he had got it running and said he would be there or I could have just missed him. Not far from the hill was the ABC stand. Notable because they are Granville Bradshaw’s creation that were made close by in Hersham. I like the ABC flat twins because of the ingenuity of the design in particular the leaf spring suspension. Something I have mentioned before but not I have had a chance to talk to someone about the ride. It is as good as I thought it would be. Able to soak up really rough roads to make a smooth comfy ride. An excellent system for the technology of the day (1919). The only drawback was the lack of suitable damping at that time. He could have used friction dampers as on the 1930’s racing Guzzis.

There was an excellent selection of classic British lightweights with a smattering of Continental glam. Electric bikes from Zero and Maeving were across the road from us and doing a grand job of providing test rides. I don’t own one but I have range anxiety just thinking about it. Eighty miles is not far and my trip to Cobham then to Brooklands and home clocked 75 miles. There would not be much be much left in the battery  after that trip.

The Rotary Club of Chipping Sodbury 2023 Classic Run

 

Chipping Sodbury Classic Car Run 2023

 

A few weeks ago it was the El Cid that was taken out for a run to the 2CV National near Worcester and now it was time for the Burton. A weekend away visiting family near Bristol and the delights of all the pubs on the main street of Chipping Sodbury. It used to be a market town. It has expanded enormously but has lost the market but still has the wide main street that was the start of the car and bike rally. Not many bikes but over two hundred launched on a scenic drive around Gloucestershire on a gloriously sunny Sunday.

Saturday was used to check the car and fit the rally plate to the front bumper for the early start on Sunday. My number for this year was 197 which was the same as last year. I had Covid last year on returning from Spain and had to miss the event. My brothers’ Adrian and Barry were in a Dolly and were in front of us, number 196. We lined up in Chipping Sodbury High Street at 8:45 for a 10am start. Time to have a bacon roll while watching the other entrants move off. There was a bit of a delay in our start time of about half an hour but it turned out to be critical as the day progressed. Leaving Chipping Sodbury with a wave from the Mayor and a commemorative photograph we were soon on our way chasing those ahead. It was not long before we joined the pack ahead and were behind Adrian in his Dolly.

Today Gita was driving and I navigating. Gita had not driven the Burton since Croatia in 2019 before lockdown. Neither of us has driven much since. Out through Wotton under Edge, Nailsworthy, Michinhampton and towards Gloucester for a coffee break in the Dowty Sports and Social club and some very nice cakes. It had taken over two and a half hours to do this part of the run and left little time to complete the second stage. During negotiating road works around Gloucester we lost our way and not able to discover the route we decided to take to most direct route to return to Chipping Sodbury. We were only 29 miles away at this stage with about one and a half hours driving. How long taking the scenic route would have taken I’m not sure but certainly longer. The run finished at the Rugby ground at 4pm so we had to be back before then to have the pre-ordered lunch. We were just in time to sit and have lunch before the event ended. It was about 3:15 when we parked up and were almost the last to finish missing the afternoon entertainment.

It was a difficult route with a slow pace to cover the forty odd miles in each direction and I was disappointed not to complete it but it was not possible with the start time but an enjoyable day none-the-less. Going to have to do it again.