The Wanderers Return!

Some old friends returned to visit us the other day - none other than Crispy and Pancake, the pair of nearly-tame Mallard ducks.  Hoorah!

They've been back nearly every day since!  Maybe we're too generous when we feed the birds?

Fully Armed - A Mini-Rambo

Sam's collection of NERF toys continues to expand, and he added to it recently.  Sam & Dad were fortunate enough to win the half-time draw at a King's Lynn Town match, and Dad had earlier agreed to split the winnings if they won.  And that's how Sam found himself at Toys R Us in Peterborough with an unexpected £75 burning a hole in his pocket!


It's always the same though, when you have no money you see lots of things you like, and when you have the money ready, you can't decide what you want.  The eventual choice was a disk-firing NERF machine gun, an impressive piece of engineering in itself.

We've hatched a plan to host a "NERF battle party" here in the next half-term holiday, Sam will invite a few mates around, they'll run round for a few hours shooting each other, then I'll feed and water them and pack them off home.  Can't wait!

"Where's Your Hair Gone?" **

Which young chap hasn't tried this one at some time?  We mocked up a picture of some hair removing cream and sent Sam's mum a message saying that I'd found this next to Sam's toothpaste, and wasn't sure what he'd been doing with it.

And then Sam returned to his mum's place looking like this:

** = what Sam's mum said when she opened the door and Sam whipped off his hat....

Easter Monday Banger Racing - Part Two

As well as the three-wheelers there was a good line-up of 1300cc bangers, which provide fast racing, and a fun Destruction Derby at the end of the afternoon.

For the first time at King's Lynn the 4X4 category was on show.  Our favourite racer was the car shown above - the exact opposite of a monster truck - tiny shopping trolley wheels under a massive Chelsea tractor.

The final race of the Wacky Races day is the caravan race....Top Gear would approve....

The race has to be the final event, because when the caravans are wrecked the track is completely covered with debris, and the remains of dead caravans.

Most drivers take pride in painting their caravans to match their cars....

If you want to use your caravan again, DON'T lend it to a banger racer....

Wacky Races 2012 was cold and damp but really good fun!

Easter Monday Banger Racing - Part One

Easter Monday saw us taking our seats in the main stand at the Norfolk Arena (known to the locals as The Speedway), for the annual Wacky Races, a feast of banger racing fun.

The best bit of Wacky Races, most folk will agree, are the races involving Reliant Robins.  This year we counted nineteen three-wheelers lining up for heat one.  Above are the cars exiting the pits for the first time.

Some of the cars started in better condition than others....

There's a ridiculous-ness in seeing these daft inventions, possibly one of the lowest rungs of the automotive evolutionary ladder, taking part in motor sport, traditionally where the very best machines are found....

The racing is fast(ish), furious and most important of all, hilarious.  Cars roll easily, and there seems to be at least one motor on its roof at any given moment.

When a car flips over, do they stop the race?  No way, Jose!  The marshalls simply push it back onto its wheels and off it jolly well goes, to re-join the fray!

If you've never been to any kind of motor sport event before, we'd highly recommend marking next Easter Monday on your calendar, and enjoying this crazy spectacle.

Last word on the three wheelers....can you guess what malfunction caused this car to stop running?  There's a clue in the picture....

Sport Relief 2012

Last Sunday saw us setting out to plod a mile in aid of Sport Relief.  Sam was involved in a music festival with his school in the morning, which didn't go as planned!  The incompetent music teacher got her timings completely wrong, so Sam didn't finish his performance until twenty minutes after our Mile began.  Rubbish!

But we decided to go and do the run anyway, with so many people backing Sam's efforts with their hard-earned cash.  Off to the National Construction College at Bircham Newton we went, and we ran around the course in splendid isolation.

We added up the total of Sam's sponsors yesterday.  He has raised a fabulous total of £134.05!  Even better than the £88 he made last time.  Well done Sam!  In the picture below is Sam and Woolpack landlady Toni, handing over the great amount that the regulars raised.

The Mart 2012

On Valentine's Day every year the UK's showmen open for the first funfair of the season.  It's called The Mart and it's been happening for the last 800 years.

Of course the original trading aspect is long since forgotten and it's "just" a great funfair these days.  Here we are posing on the Crazy Frog ride before it started - Dad seems to have grown a pair of finger-shaped horns!

Poor old Sam had to stand still for ages while Dad tried to get just the right amount of blurry lights in the background, thanks Little Dude!

Everyone loves the dodgems, natch, and last summer Sam graduated to driving himself, no Dad in the car at all!  At The Mart that's not allowed so Sam steered while Dad spotted targets.  "Mercy is not a word" was Sam's battlecry, and wow, is he deadly behind the wheel.  His pre-driving nerves are showing in the picture.

One of our favourite rides is the Snowbob, a traditional "sit in the car, go fast in a circle over bumps" affair.  Now, either Dad's getting older, or this year they've increased the speed.  Man alive, it was fast, furious and fantastic!  Afterwards we agreed that the best word to describe this ride this year was "violent".  Ace!

See you in 2013!