Well the NEC came and went.....it was a strange day. I took a guy from the shop down with me and soon realised that he wasnt such a car nut as me and so after a look round he wanted to get back to his missus
I keep telling myself go to shows on my own, but then never listen to my own advice
Anyway, highlights...
Pulling off the M6 towards the NEC Jeremy Clarkson passed us in a range rover

I had to speed back up and we pulled alongside and gave him the thumbs up

He duly saluted back and then carried on his merry way. Also i was a stones throw from Ed China inside from Wheeler Dealers
Car of the show for me?.........a Renault 12 which was ridiculously good.

I fondly remember the 12 from spending alot of my childhood in Madrid rammed full of old Seats. Renaults and Citroens
The CCC stand logo was quite good but i felt the vehicles on show were bettered by the Deux Chevaux stand behind it but that said it was perhaps because it had a variety of Acadiennes on it which i do have a penchant for

. Good cars all though
Needless to say the Xantia handled the trip with ease being especially frugal on the way back when i realised i used £20 to get down but only had £13 of fuel money left to get back

I stuck it in and literally just made it back

...Yes im a plank
Not much else going on other than that, Ive been spending the last few weeks growing a beard! The reasons are varied but mainly because society pushes men away from their natural look to a clean shaven Gillette ideal. The funny thing is when you look backinto history many people admired had beards. Jesus, Charles Darwin, many of the great composers, Jules Verne, Abraham Lincoln, King Henry 8th....the list can go on for ages. So why the change of heart? .....
Its been interesting seeing peoples changing reactions to growing a full beard. Mainly it falls from guys as "hey that looks great, i wish i could grow one but my wife or my boss would complain" to women who either think its amazing or are wary. Anyway...this is what i now look like with a couple of months growth left to go
Start
To Date (not the best photo..)

1993 Citroen xm 2.1td, silver/grey, bowling ball wheel trims, 210k and climbing...