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As a lot of us are facing lockdown 2 and some people might be struggling with it, I thought as one of the quietest members of the community that I should write in this post because it feels relevant to me. I often want to reply to threads and be more active but often just lack to confidence to type anything and I feel I want to explain by sharing with you all. Where would I begin to even start, I'm sorry for droning on but maybe me, sitting here typing this may one day help. I hope someone will actually be interested enough to read this and that this part of my life that I'm going to share will help someone else who feels like I do. I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder quite a long time ago 15 years ish now, I actually was assigned an amazing psychiatrist that quickly found me some medication that kept me balanced out and thought that was it. I guess for me all the trouble started when I met someone who changed my world totally. We'd met through work, she'd just come out of another relationship and what both of us didn't know when we did meet was that she'd just fallen pregnant with her ex's child. So I stayed with her I adored her and nothing would take me away from her, I helped her to make her pregnancy as comfortable as possible, helped her raise the little boy and treated him like my own. Things were really difficult but we found a way or I thought we were, my work meant I was in London most days and living in Essex on weekdays and our place was near the Welsh border, 3.5 hours in the car each way. A bit further down the line my mum collapsed one evening, she was rushed to hospital and had suffered a massive hemorrhage type stroke, the doctors put her chance of survival at 10% and scarily her chance of surviving without major disabilities at 3%. A month into this my Girlfriend decided she'd be better off without me and ended our relationship, but she wouldn't fully let me go. Between her and all what was going on with my mum I became exhausted, my average day with work included became a 20 hour day after I'd gone to see mum and I certainly couldn't give my girlfriend the time I needed to. So I moved back in permanently to my parents and nearly exactly 2 years to the day my mum got sick, she came back home!. She made fantastic progress and became one of the 3% of cases that made a good recovery. She still needs a mobility scooter to go any real distances but truly a miracle how well she's done. So after a rough few years I decided to start chasing my dreams in life, I felt I'd given up a lot in life to help my mum so it was time to enjoy life, I ordered the westie to fulfil a childhood dream! One of the dreams of mine was ever since it launched was to go on a specific cruise ship. Independence of the Seas, It was home porting in the UK so I took the bull by the horns and booked my entire family aboard for 2 weeks to explore the med. It was a really special time however all I could think about was having my ex and the little man with me. I was there, lucky enough to live my dream, yet I hated every minute of it because it all felt empty. We then went to Russia on another cruise this time following one of my mums dreams, and once again the huge hole of the pair of them dominated everything. Once again I felt totally empty and alone in a void. As time has gone on, the emptiness stays it never goes, the more empty things feel the less I feel able to talk about things. I can be pretty good at hiding my emotions to most people. I got back in touch with the ex because my boss told me she was in a spot of trouble, she sends me pictures of the not so little man now, I even got to see a video of his school assembly, and I'm so incredibly proud of him but that's overwhelmed by the huge amount of guilt I feel for not being there for him over the years. I wanted to be but she wouldn't let me be there and its difficult because no matter how much I wish I am I'm not his dad. It's broken me to just know he'll never really know me or who I am. Life to me has seemed to evolve into a struggle everyday between two massive forces of wanting the emptiness to stop and ending it and the will to keep on going. So I just try to keep things in balance, even right now the westie just seems like a mistake, it failed its IVA because of emissions and brake balance, just feels like the end of the world. Hopefully I've fixed it to get it through its retest but I don't feel confident in myself at all. Just emptiness and a lack of anything inside. Anyways if anyone has read this thank you for taking the time, I wish I could write more on here and feel more part of the community, most days I don't feel I belong anywhere really and I hope you all understand a bit why I'm so quiet. So if I can ever be a friendly non judgmental ear to anyone then my door will never be closed and I hope everyone is looking after themselves through the new lockdowns as they can be somewhat tough!

Hi @TomWwhat a journey and I think you're incredibly brave writing what you have done. It's fantastic your mum is doing as well as she is! It's equally fantastic how you've found a way to go on the two cruises. Building a car is no average feat and you should be proud of what you've achieved. The two minor set-backs will be overcome and the smile on your face, once registered when you hit the Vtec zone for the first time will be incredible. No one minds or judges you on your input to the forum, everyone's different, some give lots, some take lots. Just use it as you want! Your kind offer to be an ear to someone may be taken up and you'll find supporting someone that way rewarding. I received a surprise gift yesterday from a Westie friend on here as a thank you for help I've provided over the last year. I don't feel I deserved it, as I'm just giving back what I've received, however it was a great feeling and it's nice to have 'rays of sunshine' during all the lockdown 2.0 craziness. Thanks again for being so open and don't be so hard on yourself! Focus on the great things you've done and I'm sure you've got more great achievements to make that you don't know about yet. Take care, Ian

Doobie Brothers - What A Fool Believes

Bought a good pair of 3M Peltor ear defenders at Aldi (because of course I did) for £15... ...and as I was mildly chuffed about m purchase, I was dumb enough to show Lady Colonial my prize. “Why do you need those?” ”To protect my eyes... why do you think? Because some of my man tools make a lot of noise, that’s why.” ”Do you want me to shout so you can try them out?” At this point my brain-mouth filter should have kicked in... but no. ”You mean up until now you haven’t been shouting?” Sure is comfy in this doghouse after all the time I’ve spent in it.

As Craig mentioned back on page 1, I'm sure we could all find a way to justify a journey that fits within the guidelines if that was what we wanted to. The issue here is the juxtaposition with the intent of the guidelines and the latitude that is applied to them which makes them essentially unworkable if one applies a little imagination. Add to that the lack of actual primary legislation to back them up and it is clear (to me at least) that the aforementioned non-thinkers will obey (nothing wrong with that) and those of us who might want to do a little more than obey have options that whilst they might be considered in breach of the guidelines, would seem to have little consequence in law. Either way, it's a BIG so what... The only consequence we should be interested in is the one that affects our health and the health of those around us. If I decide to drive my Westfield for leisure, alone or with my bubble, without coming into close contact with others, wearing a mask (and I also wear gloves when outside) at the petrol station or at Starbucks drive-thru or wherever, there is no jeopardy to health and the guidelines for preventing the spread are still intact. And whenever I leave the man-cave, my over-riding thought is how might this journey affect my potential exposure and what can I do to mitigate that. Gloves/mask/social distance/wash my hands. Easy. The difference is the nay-sayer tabloid reading FaceTwits expect that risk to be mitigated by the government even though they refuse to abide by the guidelines and will pay no thought to the INTENT of the guidelines, irrespective of how clumsily they are presented and justified. The ironies abound...

Wow that was a hard read Tom and I wish I lived nearer to help you get the Westfield finished so you can have a release and some success. Just reading it I could feel the sense of pain you have and the guilt that you are carrying over something that was clearly not of your making. Your Mum and family must be so proud and feel lucky to have you but the price you pay for being the rock for others is high. I would hope you have sought help for yourself as too often when helping others you forget yourself and no one notices. But reading Ian's reply he is right stop beating yourself up, focus on the important things to you. What I learnt when I had problems is to recognise what is in my control and what is not. You have no control over your ex or her child so whatever you feel is outside your grasp to change that. I found it hard to learn to recognise the difference between what I could change and what I could not but now I have it is easier to deal with what life throws at me. The death of both my parents in close succession and then my Fil were hard and just when I got over those my brother died and as he lived in France with the lockdown I could not be there for his family or go to his funeral. But I understood that I could change nothing which before I would not have been able to accept I could have not have done something different . It still hurts but I accept that hurt is part of life. As for not having the confidence to take part in the threads, well anyone who can write what you have shared is not short of strength of character and if you have read many of the threads on the boards you will know that we are a friendly bunch who like a laugh and do not take life too seriously. Get stuck in, what is the worst that could happen? Get the car finished and then get out with your local area you will be welcomed with open arms

I think you chaps worry too much 🙂

Love their sales pitch... Titanium wheel nuts are 29% stronger and nearly 50% lighter than steel which results in a decreased rotational wheel mass, quicker acceleration and handling benefits in high performance applications. Additionally the lower thermal expansion of titanium results in more consistant tension under heating. Super lightweight in design and engineered from aerospace grade titanium these open ended wheel nuts are supplied laser marked with the RCM Power Parts logo on each nut. Slimline 17mm hex for ease of installation and removal regardless of wheel design. Who is the guy with deep pockets to prove out the acceleration improvement! haha

@BigSkyBrad have you read Robbie Robertson's autobiography 'Testimony'? It's a cracking read. 4% Pantomime was titled after the difference in alcohol content between bourbon and whisky - and what that did to Van Morrison.....

I don't know, Don, and I don't care, the original article you posted referred to 'a Uswitch expert' didn't it? The press are now referring to 'A spokesman for ABI' , I know which of those I would ask! Unlikely to be 'bogus' but for a lawyer, his interpretation of the law is fundamentally flawed... He said - “Essential travel is largely defined as ­shopping for necessities, picking up medical supplies, caring for a vulnerable person and getting to and from work if you cannot do so from home.” He added: “Anything else is not really acceptable. This is a patently inaccurate summary of the law. Some people do need to check their cover during lockdown, if, for example you use your car instead of the train, and your policy doesn't include commuting. For me this article was a blatant misrepresentation of that point, scaremongering, to get clicks.

Steel has some Weight to it.

Why not email the editor and ask?

Didn't know Matt had been ill with covid and hopefully mild and still turning out great cartoons. Awaiting peer review regarding latest vaccine news.

Sorry Don , I disagree, my policy document defines clearly what is covered, at some length, and carefully identifies exclusions. It is the basis for a contract between myself and the insurer. In the event of a claim I fully expect to be held to the text of the policy document, and to hold them so too. The idea that an underwriter can come along later and decide what is or isn't covered - no! Jim

Does this not cause a problem with seeing while you’re doing all this noisy work? you might want to try putting them over your ears 😀

As @Rush Momosport noted after trying mine, these are really nice 😁

Do they come pre-drilled? Thansk

Got a link fellas ?

Michael McDonald was in both bands

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-motorists-told-insurance-might-be-invalid-for-non-essential-trips-during-lockdown-12128401 Coronavirus: Motorists 'will still be insured' for non-essential lockdown journeys. In any case my policy is a legal document that we are both party to, neither party can unilaterally change it, they wouldn't have a leg to stand on. They would at the very least be required to inform me if something I might do would invalidate my cover, or they could be party to me (and millions of others) driving uninsured and therefore breaking the law. The western world in its entirety seems to have lost the ability to critically evaluate incoming information.

I refer you to the words “could” and “may”, not “shall” and “will”, and yes, proof most certainly required!

Its click bait for Facebook thickos.

November 3rd, 2020 Spend: £12,000 Whilst on holiday in France, with very little to do, I started to reflect on life and really missed having a V8 in it. So a plan hatched; sell the Westfield, and buy a Seight! I present to you: Barney I'd spotted him on Ebay, but the auction disappeared before I sold my car. On the off-chance it wasn't sold, I messaged the seller. And as luck would have it, the original buyer had pulled out. So I agreed to meet up today and with the help of @kenton made a deal.