It's all go in Felixstowe

Today was the 35th Annual Ipswich to Felixstowe Vintage Car Rally, something which representatives of my family have been going to for the last 30 years. I haven't been in a long old while. Now, any of you that actually know me know that I have a hard time trying to distinguish between cars and cantaloupe melons. I don't drive, can't drive, only recognise my sister's car if she is sitting in it but I had been charged with the task of taking some photos of the old cars, motorbikes and, most importantly, scooters for my brother and sister-in-law. This meant that I stood there, camera in hand, asking my sister, 'is this an old one.... how about this one?' as the cars drove through Felixstowe on their way to the seafront and the promside finale.

We both took turns with the camera, me and Penny, and came up with some real beauties. Some of the shots even had the cars in them but there were also several great shots of the wall across the road from us and, in fact, some new cars.

We were waving to the drivers of the vintage cars but trying not to wave to anyone that was just in an oldish car for fear that they might take offense. And these are some of the things that we saw

A few years ago my mother was horrified at the rally to see a car that was the same as the one that she learnt to drive in. Followed by one the same as her brother's first car. I guess that was the year that she started to feel old!

She used to drive a VW campervan when we were kids but she never managed to get her mitts on one of these

We were under strict instructions to get photos of bubble cars (very small cars indeed) and I think that we did ourselves proud with this shot

And, although Auntie Doll had put the lamb in the oven to roast, we had to stay until the buses turned up

Then it was back to Auntie Doll's for a roast dinner and then home to torment the cat.

and count how many cellphones we really did have in the house

Probably too many. The one on the left is the one that I have been borrowing off mum over the years. It is big enough to type messages with two hands and all ten fingers. The one on the right is my new phone which feels like a toy. This was my phone in Korea after one of my students had finished with it and her sticker pack one day

It is May Day tomorrow (hum, no today but the bank holiday is tomorrow) so we are staying here until Monday afternoon or so then back to London, Essex anyway.

Thanks for the phonecall, Patrick and Heimi, I hope that I get to speak to you next time but just hearing your voices made me smile.