I spent a thoroughly marvellous weekend surrounded by crusty old classics – and some nice, tidy ones – at the long-winded Practical Classics Restoration and Classic Car Show, NEC, Birmingham. I was tweeting my delicious findings as I went, like so.

I wasn’t there to ‘work,’ so no pressure to create a show report. I was there to help sell 2CVGB to the masses, and to just chat 2CV with folk who had happy memories or technical queries. It was a very relaxing show – far more than the bigger November Classic Car Show, which can get a bit too hectic. I also caught up with fellow motoring scribes, which is always a pleasure.

Which leads me to the present day. It would seem that my temporary full-time employment is at an end, as a permanent employee has been engaged. I can’t say I’ll miss the alarm clocks but it has been a very nice and welcome distraction from the stress of trying to earn enough to live on by stringing words together in an engaging and grammarful manner, just like this sentence isn’t.

A suitably inspiring weekend, in more ways than one – not bad for a phone pic

Not wishing to get too bohemian, I really do like writing. Even though I was working full-time, I was still doing the odd bit of paid wordsmithery, but I feel suitably refreshed now and ready to really let my fingers fly. Let’s hope I can find sufficient avenues for my outpourings, as there is a 2CV to restore. Spending the weekend on a stand with four very nice 2CVs has not made me feel any more joyous about the upcoming MOT expiry. However, it was nice to meet readers who have followed my exploits with the 2CV. Like myself, it seems they generally agree that she simply has to remain a 2CV. I’m sure she will, I’m just not sure how long she’ll be resting in my garage before it happens.

One final point. I must say that my Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is a marvellous thing. It seems to have coped very well with the dreadful lighting at the NEC, and I didn’t get my Canon digital camera out of my bag all weekend! The BlackBerry Curve is not missed at all I’m afraid.