Chat Thread - HAPPY June 2nd- 8th 2014

[Jediboy]

This weeks theme is HAPPY.

The theme is open to interpretation, but the idea is for something/anyting that makes you happy. A hobby, a place, a memory.........anything at all, so long as its happy. No restrictions on PP.

This is the CHAT THREAD:

Pictures to be taken between 00.01am Monday 2nd June 2014 to 23:59 Sunday 8 June 2014.
Pictures to be posted in the entries thread no later than 23.59pm Monday 02 June 2014.
Poll will be up Tuesday 10 June 2014.
Winner to be announced Saturday 14 June 2014.

The Rules for the weekly competition are...

By entering you agree to take responsibility to
Post a topic on the Sunday following your declared win
Create an entries thread
Create a chat thread
Create a poll for that weeks comp and declare the winner on the Saturday
(if for any reason there is a problem and no subject is posted by the winner by Monday night admin will advise second place winner to post the topic asap, do the poll etc.)

In case of a tie, the first entry posted wins.

Photos to be taken during the specified dates, ie Monday xx to Sunday xx

Pictures to be posted in the entries thread no later than 23.59 Monday night.

[Oldboy]

Reminds me of the old joke....

The seven dwarfs where in  the bath and all start feeling happy so, happy got out! 

[Jediboy]

Oh dear Old boy! ?

Having set this theme I'm struggling for ideas. I can think of plenty of things that make me happy but it's putting them into a photo that's causing me a problem at the moment.

[Reinardina]

Oh dear Old boy! ?

Having set this theme I'm struggling for ideas. I can think of plenty of things that make me happy but it's putting them into a photo that's causing me a problem at the moment.

There are always the kids, or kid related things.

Not sure I'll manage something, as I have to rest, with my leg 'elevated.' (Nothing serious.)

[Andrew]

I'm off to London tomorrow to catch with Eileen Rafferty (for those with long memories) and a bit of tea shop crawling.
Apparently we're going to take some pictures as well.

My picture could well be Eileen tucking into a bit of sticky bun - especially a cream one.

Failing that, there are plenty of things in London that can make a person smile, especially the South Bank, Covent Garden, Trafalger Square, Picadilly Circus - and in good weather, any of the Royal Parks. Of course the coach journey could be a bit of fun as well, according to the weather forecast...

[Hinfrance]

Well, as we don't put pictures of friends and family on the internet, I couldn't show the people who make me happy, or them being happy, so I've gone for the next best thing - a montage of a few of the things that make me smile.



They are, starting top left and going clockwise, my Corvette, my Les Paul, my faithful old bass guitar that has done hundreds of gigs (the last two with practice amplifiers in the background), and lastly my keyboard. All overlaid on a picture of my K5.

[Jediboy]

I like what you've done there H. Good idea to show what makes you happy. What sort of vette  do you have?

[Hinfrance]

Thanks Chris. I really didn't want to say "look at my stuff". But as it's taken most of a lifetime to acquire, and my beloved bass has been with me for nigh on 25 years and seen some hugely fun gigs, I took the risk.

My 'vette is quite old too. It's a 2000 model C5 I've had for 10 years now with a few performance and suspension mods. Red - how could it be any other colour? Shame about speed limits, but there is no law against accelerating briskly .  .  . yet

[Jediboy]

Your 'stuff' makes a fascinating photo. I used to play the guitar, briefly and badly. Had lessons but just wasnt a natural. Is love an American muscle car too. Always liked them.  One day maybe. I'm a bit jealous I must admit.   

[Hinfrance]

Mmm. . . I wouldn't really call any post C4 'vette a muscle car. They are 'proper' sports cars. I have been lucky enough to have driven a fair few high performance cars in my time: father in law has 911, one of my best mates made it rather spectacularly and has owned XKRs, one Ferrari*, and one of those huge nosed Mercedes things. I've borrowed them all from time to time. I've also had a Nissan SX200 (pre emission regs - huge fun) and a Camaro Z28 (that's a muscle car!).

But my favourite car is the C5 'vette with a manual box (not driven a C6 or C7). I'm on my second, and now that I am retired, my last one. My next favourite fun car was a Skoda 136 Rapid coupé which I had a 'fast road' conversion done on. I've never had so much fun with a car. Another one of my friends was a police patrol car driver at the time I owned that (he's retired too now - passing years eh?). He laughed at it, until I sent him out for a drive in it. He had to be forced He came back half an hour later with a grin as wide as you like and the exhaust red hot.

* complete rubbish. Looked pretty though. I met another 'vette owner here in France. He had a Ferrari before his Corvette. I asked him why he changed from an Italian super car to a blue collar sports car. He replied that there really wasn't that much difference in performance and handling, but that unlike the Ferrari, he knew that when he sat in the 'vette in the morning and turned the key it WOULD start.

[Jediboy]

Thats a fair point!
I've never driven an American car. I've been lucky enought to drive some nice cars but nothing exotic, like a Ferrari or an Aston. My friend is happy to take me out in his DB9, but despite my best efforts he won;t let me drive it.
I once owned a Mitsubishi Evo 8 FQ 300. A bit brash, but a great car to drive. One day, when the kids have grown up, I'll have a nice car.

[Jediboy]

Saw this today. Very nice looking.

http://m.chevrolet.com/corvette-z06-supercar.html#.U5ODjD29K0c

I know a chap who races for Chevrolet. But the coolest car I've seen him turn up in is a Camaro. Very nice though.

[Hinfrance]

Saw this today. Very nice looking.

http://m.chevrolet.com/corvette-z06-supercar.html#.U5ODjD29K0c

I know a chap who races for Chevrolet. But the coolest car I've seen him turn up in is a Camaro. Very nice though.

But enough about cars - where are the other HAPPY pictures? And HAPPY chat? 

[Reinardina]

Enough about cars? I've only just caught up.

The only 'long nosed' car I've ever been close to, was my sister's 1995, or 96 Mustang, in a beautiful racing green. If the Americans called it that.

I loved it, but have never driven it, as by then I had already lost my licence. It was a 'proper' car, that could be repaired by a mechanic; the parts could be expensive though as they often had to come from the States.

An 'attention seeker's' car, especially when driven by a woman, now of a 'certain age.' We were regularly surrounded by (car) admirers. Men of course. Quite fun; I'll miss it.

Was impossible to park in narrow spaces, as the doors were very wide. The times I had to make an undignified exit, squeezing through the gap, are numerous. Happy days!

A week ago, she exchanged it for a Kuga, as she wanted more room, now she has become a grandmother. She does have an invitation for the launch of the new Mustang in January though. I wonder ...

First thing she missed, was the very high quality of the paintwork of the old beast.  They don't make 'em like they used to!

[Reinardina]

Saw this today. Very nice looking.

http://m.chevrolet.com/corvette-z06-supercar.html#.U5ODjD29K0c

I know a chap who races for Chevrolet. But the coolest car I've seen him turn up in is a Camaro. Very nice though.

where are the other HAPPY pictures? And HAPPY chat? 

My Happy chat was the tale about the Mustang.

For the rest, I have been very unhappy, as I am working on  loan machine, without editing software. Any editing has to be done on my steam powered Toshiba, with Elements 8. It puffs and it groans and gets warm under the collar, and to top it all, I have lost 'touch' with Elements 8; I cannot find my images, unless I go through the lot, and I keep doing things wrong, so it is not really a pleasure.

The sun is out now, so maybe I can go out too, and find something happy, but there is still so much to sort out ...