Three Okefords Preservation Society Vintage Rally 2012

It was the weekend for the rally held annually at Shillingstone. We have been to this rally several times, but this year was a little different for us.


Due to work commitments we could not exhibit, which was a bit annoying as it is a great rally, in fact we would go as far to say one of the best organised out of the dozen or so that we attend each year.


However, we still made it! Our Pajero being a long wheelbase and a seven seater has a unique feature that all the rear seats fold flat to make a double bed. So armed with a couple of long cushions off our reclining chairs we had a comfy, well sort of comfy bed for the night.


We arrived Saturday lunch time and went off and had a look around and catch up with friends


So many things can happen in a year, sad to say that there are a couple of people that are no longer with us, another has just undergone heart surgery, one has cancer and on a happier note I was talking with a friend, and he said that he had a new addition, I thought he was referring to his new caravan, but he called his wife out and she had in her arms a 14 week old baby! Wow!


We then went and watched the tractor pulling, the event here is not a competition it's all for fun, but they put on a good show, with some real monsters being run.


For you petrol heads there was a tractor running a 7.4ltr Ford V8, with no silencer, just pipes straight out the manifold it was deafening!


Some of the V8 diesels ran that hot that the exhausts and manifolds were glowing red hot!


There was also a monster short wheel based defender Landrover, running a 4.6ltr V8 fitted with a supercharger from a Jaguar developing 600 bhp. Now that sounded amazing.


After a few ciders we eventually headed back to the Pajero and our bed, I wouldn't say it was a great nights sleep, but I've had a lot worse! "M" reckons she didn't sleep but I heard her snoring a couple of times!


This morning we went and had a full English breakfast which to be honest was pretty rank, and then went for a cuppa with friends who had their engines up and running.


We headed back to our campsite mid morning as we wanted to get our big awning up.


You may remember that the last time we used the awning we had to take it down in a hurry as the wind had bent a number of the poles. We had them straightened by a friend of "M"s who has an engineering company.


All our poles are now perfect and slide in and out as they should do.


So the job of laying the poles out in the right place and order is left to "M". I have learnt that it is best just to do as I'm told when putting up the awning. It's so much easier that way.


But, there looked as if there was a problem, two poles seemed to be missing! "M" set about looking for the original diagram and I made a cup of tea. After around 30 mins of "M" still not being able to find the diagram or able to sort the poles out I took it upon myself to see if I could solve the mystery.


5 minutes later I discovered that the poles had been put together wrongly, and so I pointed this out to "M" who replied with the comment - "You are such a F+**ing Wan*^er! The awning is now up and the chicken is cooking on the cadac - roast dinner tonight and all is harmonious on site!


Back to work tomorrow, more "Carry On - On The Buses" for me and "M" is back to pulling her hair out as she has a person working with her at the moment who is next to useless. The person that normally works with her is off as she managed to bust her leg badly and is currently pinned up and cannot do a thing!


So till later.........................