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Moving, mortgage, mortality, epiphany

10/25/2016

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In the not too distant future, I’ll be moving house; in fact the packing has already begun in earnest. I have been boxing up my stuff as well as donating much to my local charity shops and dumping car boot loads at my local recycling centre (tip).

You might think that the process of decamping and decluttering would be cathartic and even exciting in the run up to the move…think new house, new location, new adventures…

…but you’d be wrong (at least to a degree anyway).

I have also found the process physical, tiring, stressful and, at times, depressing.

Firstly, a confession. In my house, it’s me that’s the hoarder. To be frank I own too much of everything that I collect, books, CDs, DVDs, clocks, jigsaw puzzles, cufflinks, models and assorted seventies treasures.

The disposal of stuff has meant some soul searching for me and some tougher than usual decision making. But there has been no celebrating in the Baldwin household, just pressure from Mrs B. to get rid of more.

She has a point – to be fair I don’t really need any of it. But collecting the “stuff” has given me much pleasure over the years and sacrificing it is like parting with bits of my soul.

And that parting has made me reflect on mortality more generally.

Moving will entail a quadrupled mortgage (and when we were quite close to paying off the existing one too). For the next twenty years, Mrs Baldwin and I are committed to working full time and being sensible with our expenditure. No wild holidays, flash motors, expensive jewellery or cosmetic surgery on the horizon. If she is looking forward to one, Mrs B. will have to wait for a divorce too (because we can't afford it).

Instead of entertaining thoughts of retiring early, I have found myself hoping that my body actually makes it to the end of the mortgage without letting me down. Whilst I am in reasonable shape (recently confirmed by my doctor), the impact of a potentially terminal type of illness is playing on my mind more than it did a few months ago. The “Stand Up to Cancer” event last Friday night didn’t help.

Critical illness cover was much cheaper 15 years ago than it is now and the new mortgage won’t be fully covered.

Week on week, I have been watching the new house rising from its foundations (it’s a new build). The roof timbers are on and it won’t be long before it is watertight. Part of me is excited to watch/photograph the progress but the financial commitment weighs on my mind like a malevolent counterbalance.   

Mrs B. and I have talked about what happens if it all goes wrong (getting ill, losing jobs, mortgage rates going back up to the levels last seen at the end of the eighties etc.), the upshot being “we’ll sell the house”. Simple really.

And if it happened, downsizing would force me to get rid of more stuff if there was nowhere to put it…so maybe that’s the mind-set that I need to have when packing.

Blimey, an epiphany could be on the horizon here!  

Being morbid again for a moment, when I die, Mrs B. and the kids would probably dispose of all my stuff anyway. Maybe I should save them the distress/pleasure.

I’ll approach next weekend’s packing with a new sense of purpose.

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Billing Aquadrome Disappointment

10/10/2016

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I found out over the weekend that Billing Aquadrome will not host any automotive events in 2017 (or maybe even again). From a personal perspective, that amounted to really bad news.

For the last twenty years, the Aquadrome has been the “go to” place for the Vauxhall Bedford Opel Association annual rally (all of which I have attended). And over the last ten months, I have been to more car events at the venue than ever before (all of which have been written about on this site - see below).

My father-in-law has a house boat on the marina and, on Saturday, amongst other significant revelations, shared the disappointing/shocking news. I didn’t believe him initially and then when I realised he wasn’t winding me up, felt somewhat depressed.

I have since checked some other sources; here’s what has been published by the VBOA:

"With information now in the public domain we can confirm the #VBOArally will not be held at Billing next year, we have a meeting with all #VBOA clubs this Sunday to discuss possible locations. Once we have agreed locations and performed site visits for suitability we will advise on next year’s plan but rest assured we will do everything in our power to run the rally next year. Please be patient while we find our new home, regards the VBOA Team”

Though (by way of a caveat) this insight is third hand, apparently the Northamptonshire site determined that the car shows weren’t family orientated enough and were losing the site’s (millionaire) owner money.

My view on both those points can be expressed in one word…

…BOLLOCKS!

In 2016, I saw hundreds and hundreds of people and vehicles at the events I attended. With each car/motorbike/truck entering the showground being charged a minimum of £10, the venue must have made some significant money (and for doing little more than providing some fields).

Lots of the exhibitors and traders would camp over the weekend and that would generate more income for Billing and drive more traffic to its onsite entertainment facilities (bars, eateries, fun fair etc.).

The VBOA/NSRA/AACI events were family orientated as well with parents and their kids having just as much fun as each other.

More likely, I suspect, is that one or two of the annual automotive events attracted the wrong sorts - maybe the Max-Power-boy-racer-types let the side down. But even if I am right (rather than just being right-grumpy), the decision to bin all the events is a draconian response. 

But even more distressing is the possibility that I may have attended my last VBOA Rally. If for example the VBOA decides to hold the 2017 rally in Tatton Park, I can’t be certain I’d make it. Fingers crossed that Luton Hoo, Knebworth Park or Hatfield House are possibilities.

I think that Billing Aquadrome has made a bad call and will regret the decision to can the cars. The organisers of these events will find somewhere else to go and I will follow (or try anyway).

If my father-in-law wasn’t in residence, I’d never have any reason/desire to set foot in the Aquadrome again.

​If Billing’s Mr Big (the fella with the flash black helicopter) reads this post – I beseech you to change your mind. A U-turn would be okay, it’s even motoring related.

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Recent Billing related posts

http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/aaci-late-summer-open-nationals
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/vboa-national-rally-at-billing-aquadrome-july-2016
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/24424-the-aaci-summer-nationals-and-fathers-day
http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/car-sunday-2-nsra-fun-run-top-gear


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