Getting near the end of the project. I've done 90-odd days this year, done a couple of professional courses which I've been putting off for ages, dealt with an unexpected building job on the house and managed to do enough to steer No 1 Son through a reasonably successful first season of flat track racing. It's not been easy. A few more weeks work, No 1 Son gets married in October and then I think that's it for the year.

Looking forward to a long winter break again. Most of my long-delayed bike projects have lurched forward, had a wild day last time I was home, blasting round the back roads between Peterborough, Oundle and Stamford on a 1975 Sportster which I've lately dragged out of retirement. The Evo is fun in its way but it just doesn't have that bites-yer-leg quality that the older ironheads do. 100-odd miles and a stupid breakdown caused by the condenser failing, in best ironhead fashion!

Looking forward to some modelling and regular club nights. I'm a great joiner of clubs, with varying results and after a couple of false starts I seem to have found a model railway club I like. I've now got some room at home and a small diorama seems indicated, to get started on SOMETHING after so much delay...