Another week and another update. Things had been going so well. I had those layouts booked, trade stands sold, measurements and floor plan well on the way. I had even made a start on the show guide. I was feeling pretty pleased with myself! In the last week I even had another RMWebber contact me with an expression of interest in bringing a layout to the show. Oh and Derby beat Forest 1-0. Things really were going so well!

But they say pride comes before a fall don't they? Just as the machine is running well someone shoves a spanner in the works!

Oh I love technology! No sooner had I digested the celebratory bottle of (Jake) Buxton mineral water, things began to go wrong. The connection between my laptop and its screen decided to die on me and the screen went blank. So a visit to the school's technician was in order. Fortunately, so I thought, I managed to do a temporary repair and removed all of the show files from the computer's hard drive onto a USB stick. What a relief!

NO!!!!!!

Two days later and, for no apparant reason, the school's computers decided to wipe the memory stick. All my work files....gone! This included all of the work I had done on the show, the floor plan, show guide, contact records everything!!! Have you ever seen a grown man cry?? You nearly did at this point!

Fortunately I had some paper copies of the measurements and I have saved important emails so I did manage to start again and redo most of the stuff. As I redrew the floor plan I found that one of the layouts didn't fit in its original location! Why??? I have no clue. Did I make a mistake before or am I missing something? I have still not worked this one out so, for now, this particular layout has been relocated.

And so I think I am almost back to where I was before the computers decided to have their teenage strop! I still have the show guide to restart but that is not a pressing problem at this stage.

I remain on the lookout for more layouts and trade stands though. I asked a couple of people at the Nottingham show. Both layouts turned me down, but I did get one more trader showing an interest. I am still waiting on replies from all of those referred to last week and I still hope for a few more people. I hope to have more luck at Belper a week on Saturday.

The layout

Apart from the purchase of a few more items for Skaleby West there is no progress to report.