There is only a week left before I leave BAE Systems.
(I would have been with BAE Systems and its predecessor companies (Ferranti, Ferranti International, GEC Marconi) for 2 months short of 20 years).
Then I can have a weeks 'holiday' before I start in business for myself.
I will be going to the Teesside Sprint practice day to help the new owner of my Radical to set the car up. Then I will be down the following week to take part in the Teeside Sprint using the Hawke single seater. Hopefully the weather will be a bit better.
I paid a flying visit to the Kames sprint practice day last weekend, to see what my fellow competitors were up to this year.
From the Scottish Championship Sprint & Hillclimb championship registrations, it looks like 'the usual suspects' plus another converted FF1600 with ZX10 Kawasaki power.

Today I have made the format for my personal and business web sites based on the same theme.
The only difference being the logo in the top left corner.
My personal site has a "D" and the business site has a "W".
The previous theme which was used on the personal site had a few problems with IE5 & IE6.
The business site's theme seems to work a lot better on these browsers.
As I was in a creative mood, I also created some business stationery using the web site's logo/heading.


The old logo from my personal web site has now gone...... No it wasn't my workshop!
In fact it was a photo of Upper Tullochgrue Farm Steading, Nr Aviemore (part of the Rothiemurcus estate)

Very picturesque but not very good for going out to the workshop.
Swept the paths twice already and another inch has fallen in the last half hour.

Just tidying up the web site - changed the logo in the heading from the templates standard arrow to a "W".
Just had to go out and brush off the snow from the satellite dish as the digital TV signal suddenly disappeared!
(can't have that as I want to watch the Grand Prix).

The Inland Revenue Seminar was quite useful.
Got a few pointers on how to keep the business records so that it will be easier to extract the relevant information when self assessment time comes round.
Luckily that won't be for a while as I intend to start my first accounting period from 6th April.
Bit of a change in the weather - when I came out of the seminar, there was an inch of snow on the ground.
Since last Friday I have made a few adjustments to the format of my accounts spreadsheets.
I have also been updating the web pages.
Google now spots the www.westgarage.co.uk web site when I search.
Still to contact some suppliers to see about getting materials & parts made.

One thing my business plan has highlighted is the need to do some market research in order to figure out who my customers are likely to be and what (if any) products they are willing to buy from me!
I have given myself a wide potential product base, once I have '"tested the water" I will focus on those areas which prove the most promising.
I may find that I branch off in some other direction which I have not yet considered.
Speaking to a some acquaintances, has already provided a few possible avenues which were not immediately obvious.
In preparation for starting my business, I have been designing and drawing a few parts which I need to have machined.
This coming Friday I am booked on an Inland Revenue at the local Business Gateway, the subject being - Becoming Self-Employed.
No doubt they will provide information on lots of ways to pay the IR and lots of penalties for not paying!