Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

Good luck with the back anyway Sue.



I've done my shop and had an hour in the shed starting on my eccentric rod. Now for breakfast......

[PanBiker]

Waiting for Sally's "new to her" Canon camera to be delivered. Just had an update and Hermes which says it will be this afternoon between 2pm and 4pm. I will have to make sure they don't just dump it in the bin.

[Sue]

Painkillers kicked in beautifully this morning. We did a 5 mile walk in the forest around the cottage getting back before it was too hot. It was quite a climb to start with but worth it for the view . Although we took a picnic lunch we were back in time to eat it in the garden at the cottage. Now having a siesta, doors and window blinds shut . Later we are pottering to the gardens of the estate without a mansion. A nice stroll to finish our 5 day break

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7 mikes to Paris !

[chinatyke]

Only 7 miles to go, Sue, on your London to Paris walk. Well done. Hope you've got a bottle of Champagne to celebrate.

[Sue]

Only 7 miles to go, Sue, on your London to Paris walk. Well done. Hope you've got a bottle of Champagne to celebrate.

I think we can find something

[Stanley]

All the shopping done yesterday.... So full shed this morning. Should be a bit cooler, it's almost cold outside at the moment!
I think the change has arrived. I spent the last two hours of the night under the duvet, first time for over a week. I sleep a lot better when it's cooler.

[Stanley]

Two hours in the shed, it is a lot cooler. I hope Sue's back is better or at least manageable.



Today was more fiddly work on the eccentric strap and rod. No cock-ups up to now!

[Sue]

Driving home through Wales. Limited coverage. Will say more later

[Sue]

Much better thanks Stanley

[Stanley]

Good Sue.
Much cooler in the shed so it will be pleasant in there this morning.
Susan and I have taken notice of the advice on the site and the cooler weather. Next Saturday we attempt Skipton Museum again and will check if the stalls on the market are different on Saturday!

[Sue]

Morning

We had just set off in the car yesterday when I remembered I hadn’t written. I had to wait until we drove high in the hills before I could get a signal hence the short message. We had a good drive back though the traffic was building up by 3.00 when we arrived home. We called at Welshpool for a coffee and a toilet stop and browsed the shops to find it had a fabric and craft shop, needless to say I bought some fabric. Back home the garden was blooming with roses, and some veg which was lovely to see. I even have one tomato almost ripe, and several runner beans forming.

It was a good break and despite my back we managed a lot of sight seeing and a number pf walks...a very pretty place . The strong painkillers seemed to work on my back and by yesterday it was considerably improved. After a good nights sleep in my own bed it seems fully recovered. The locals seemed surprised that one morning we did a 5 mile round trip walk to the top of the hill behind us on the path behind the cottage. It was 1079 feet. To us it was little different from walking 2 miles up to Lobden golf course in Whitworth. We were up at the top by 11.00 am, whilst it was still coolish and the views were superb. The walk down was through the forest but quite exposed in places. The down route was longer as it wound round the hillside. We arrived back at the cottage at 12.30 pm with picnic untouched so decided to eat it sat in the shade in the beautiful garden.

This morning is Bacup market. After that some ironing, having managed to do all our washing yesterday after unpacking. We have no more plans except a 5 mile walk to complete our virtual walk to Paris which has taken us 6.5 months in total

Have a good day, I think its going to be cooler.

[Stanley]

Morning Sue, glad your back storm has subsided, always nice when they go away! It sounds as though the Welsh break was a success (apart from the bed....). You'll know what questions have to be asked if you repeat the exercise.



Here we are at knocking off time after two hours almost in the shed. The steam chest lid is back on and the studs trimmed to length. All that is needed now is to make the connecting rod, fit it and time the valve by adjusting the eccentric. Then we are ready for a run! I am going to order another casting kit today. I have to have an engine on the go to keep me alive! Now for breakfast and second sleep.

[PanBiker]

Welcome back Sue. Engine looking good Stanley.

For us it's a trip to Sandbach North Services to pick our Ruby up for a couple of weeks. Just had a quick look at the road reports and their is a car fire being dealt with between the A500 roundabout and the services, just the section where we turn round. With a bit of luck it will be sorted by the time we get down there. Will have to keep the TA's on in the car.

[Sue]

Yes looking good Stanley.

It will be nice to have Ruby staying . Hope the traffic is not too bad. I think a lot of the holiday traffic was moving ( perhaps not the right word) yesterday

[Big Kev]

I went to Screwfix yesterday (3 miles away) and traffic seemed heavy, even for a Friday.

[PanBiker]

We are back safe and sound, the trip not too onerous apart from one idiot! Ruby kept us updated as to her and her mums progress up from Stratford. We had just got to the other side of the M62 junctions when she texted to say that they had arrived at Sandbach! Road works for us in a couple of places with mandatory average 50mph in place. We decided to stop on the southbound side of the motorway and go over the bridge to collect Ruby as we were running a bit late. That would allow her mum Laura to set off back sooner. We collected her OK and then went back over to the south side and got a brew to take out. Then down to the A500 junction to turn round. The roundabout there starts as four lanes reducing to three each junction traffic light controlled. I was simply following my lane to pick up the M6 North, well within the boundaries of the lane markings an an idiot behind me tried to undertake when I was turning left off the roundabout when the lights changed I was in the outer of the two lane exit, (both for the M6) and he tried to drive across in front of me then had the cheek to honk me when he had to anchor on, bloody idiot! I had to floor it to stop him clipping the back wing. Anyway, the rest of the journey uneventful and we got home just after 1.30pm.

[Stanley]

I think I'll paint the flywheel and bed after all and make the wooden plinth, it's still dry so I can get the chop saw on the bench in the yard. I hate sawdust in the shed! I shall want to put the flywheel in the lathe to repolish the bits I got stray paint on.
One thing to report, the 3MT live centre arrived from China, Sits closer in to the tailstock and much larger.
Then my usual short walks and inspection of the bookies. Yes, they are open all hours....

[Sue]

Morning

Busy morning yesterday, but all washing and ironing done and fresh food bought at the market. In the afternoon we set off for our walk. Determined to make the 5 miles we need we planned a variation of many of our routes cutting across each other. It turned put to be a very pleasant 6.2 miles cross country so we completed our virtual walk to Paris and started another, Iona to Lindisfarne. We took a photo of the 5 mile point, ie when we virtually reached Paris.

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the route

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the goal achieved

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Virtual Paris and a selfie at the point


We toasted with a beer when we got home followed by a cup of tea and a BBQ tea before we had a zoom u3a wine meeting. The theme was desserts made with wine. I had made a summer pudding with fresh fruits from the market and there was enough for todays dessert too.

Today I shall change the bedding and possibly make a pair of shorts from the fabric I bought the other day. Otherwise no plans when Bob is at the park. I have some plants to put in the garden, ones I have been nurturing from seedlings in the greenhouse. I was going to plant some out at the railway at the park too but with it being so dry and not being there to water daily I may wait a bit longer. They are fine in the greenhouse at the moment.

Have a good day

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. Congrats on Paris. As for rain, I think we can expect some in the next week. It will be welcome.



Here's where I finished up this morning. I have decided not to paint, I like the natural Cast Iron finish. The oak bed is sanded and is soaking up Linseed oil. Tomorrow I shall be looking at the connecting rod and crosshead.

[Stanley]

The engine looks quite good. I shall carefully make the connecting rod for it...... A two day job the hours I work! So the aim is for the shed first and exercise afterwards!

[Sue]

Morning

Well yesterday ended up quite different from the day I had planned. After breakfast I gave Briony her zoom art session, but just before that we had a message from Julia to say Eve was swimming the 200 IM in a gala at Coventry pool and it was being live streamed so we were able to watch her swim on our laptop sat in the kitchen. I got quite excited, it brought back the days when we used to watch Julia swim in top national events. It wasn’t Eves best swim but she told me later on whats app that her goggles had slipped when she dived in which messed up her stroke. However to me, a doting grandmother, she looked superb. She has a look of Julia when she is swimming.

In the afternoon , having washed the bedding and got it on the line to dry I decided I would go to the park and plant the cuttings I had grown in the greenhouse . There were over 70 in total. The mother of one of the younger members of the club ( he is 14) offered to water whilst I put them in. On returning home I planted out the rest in our garden ready for next year, and cleaned the greenhouse, so that there are only tomatoes growing in there now. I washed the pots with the hose pipe and put them away in the shed for another year. Later I watered the garden and in particular my veggie plants. I have several tomatoes turning red, and my beetroot are ready for picking. Then it was time to make the evening meal.

This morning is pilates and yoga, this afternoon our friends Wendy and Barry are popping round. I also want to pull the beetroot ready for pickling some tomorrow.

Have a good day

[Stanley]

I hope you have a better day than I have managed to arrange....



Knocking off time. I made the connecting rod the wrong size and have had to scrap it. I shall chop a new one out of the solid tomorrow. I cut without measuring twice!!

[PanBiker]

Packing the car for Sally and Ruby's "save a booking" Glamping trip for a couple of days. Carla and her friend Helen had booked a couple of pods up on a remote farm site between Kirby Lonsdale and Lancaster. They were both taking their kids, our Isla and Fin and Helens kids Rita and Ernie. Two days of chilling planned. Friday Helen had to isolate and it was too late to cancel the booking. Sally and Ruby have taken up the former Solbergers pod and will be heading up there after lunch. Ruby's first go at anything remotely like camping and she commented that she doesn't want to be cold or have to wee in a bucket! These folk from the Midlands, Ha, read the comments on the farm site who have diversified and like many they get glowing reviews. I don't think Ruby has to worry, one report said "love the immaculate toilet block with it's underfloor heating"

I think she will survive and have a blast with Isla and Fin, both seasoned campers, a wooden heated pod with lights and electric will be a breeze

[Sue]

I agree Ian. We have viewed these pods from a far. They are like miniature small cottages! Julia and family love them, but they also like rough camping

[PanBiker]

I equate them to the Hobbit houses in Tolkien. Sally and Ruby have set off, they are going round by Gisburn to get to the A65. Apparently around Skipton is rammed with the Food Festival event on Heslaker Lane and the traffic it has generated onto the A59 and about. I think Ruby would die if we took her wild camping. Done plenty of that in the past in our motorbike rallying days but we now prefer a proper site with facilities.

I see locally that Windlefield Farm above Earby have diversified with some pods. Last time I was up there there was 3ft of snow and I had to go to mend the TV.