It’s wet and miserable outside and the last time I posted on the blog was June last year, so it’s obviously time for the 18th attempt at starting the blog as a regular update on happenings in the Draper clan.
I’m currently waiting for the glue to dry on my latest modelling project. Having built a rather nice champagne gold E-Type Jag after Christmas, I’ve now moved on to the Jag XJSS. This was the road going version of the Jaguar D Type that won Le Mans in the 1950s. There were originally going to be just 25 of these built, but in 1957, 9 were destroyed in a fire so only 16 were sold. In 2016 it was decided to build 9 ‘continuation’ models to complete the original run of 25 cars. Steve McQueen owned one of the originals (obviously) which is now in a museum in Los Angeles. As far as I can find out, the last one sold at auction went for just over $13 million in 2023.
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| Revell Jaguar E Type |
I’m pleased to say my model making skills have improved enormously since starting this rather nerdy hobby just over 12 months ago, but much improvement still to come I hope.
Heather is still painting beautiful watercolours and really enjoying being part of the art society in Lytham.
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| By my hugely talented wife! |
We’re having a musical year this year. We’ve already seen Ruby Turner and Martyn Joseph (who was utterly brilliant, by the way. 5th time we’ve seen him and this was the best.)
We’ve got tickets for Bruce Springsteen in May (bucket list job) and we’re having a couple days in Harrogate in November and taking in a Bellowhead gig.
Added to this we have 3 weeks in France in June/July.
On the medical front my medication was changed last autumn and I am no the proud possessor of a PSA of 2.5, which basically means that the meds are keeping everything in check. I do, however, have another PSA test next week so fingers crossed everything is still OK🤞🤞
Heather’s fine, having finally shaken off a cough which lasted a good 6 weeks. The family are all good, but for Gill who has had Covid and was really ill for a week or so and only started working again (from home) yesterday. Josh is absorbing knowledge like a sponge at school and Nick is doing his grading to become a black belt in karate at the weekend.
OK! That’s it. I’ll try to not let it be 8 months between posts this time. I’ve purposely stayed away from politics, but must recommend The Rest Is Politics blog with Alistair Campbell and Rory Stewart and Stewart’s book Politics on the Edge. Well worth a listen and a read respectively.
