Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

No shed today, it's my day off and instead I shall be doing the early doors weekly shop at the Cathedral of Choice (though not as much choice as there used to be.... think about that. Will we ever get back to the super choice there used to be?) Then early breakfast and second sleep and later in the morning I go to Colne with daughter Susan for a light lunch, a bit of market browsing and then back home.

[Sue]

Morning

It was a chilly night and a chilly start to the day, following a lovely day yesterday. We went to the cemetery in the morning, Bob with his camera was hopeful of some good autumn photos for his photography group. Once again the trees failed to deliver. There is a magnificent tree at the bottom of Burnley cemetery, usually a beautiful red at this time of year. It was not although many of the leaves had fallen. There was however a magnificent fungi in the grass, the size of a dinner plate which I still have to identify. In the afternoon I had a very satisfactory visit to the asthma clinic, who agreed with me that all my symptoms, including the high blood sugar are a side effect of the inhaler I am taking. So its all change and a review in a month.

She asked me why I had left it over 15 months to go and see them as nurses appointments are different from GPs. I explained it was difficult to get through on the phone and that I did understand the problem but that it was the same telephone line, the same queue and the same receptionist as the doctors appointments and thus it was impossible to get an appointment. They need a separate line for routine clinics and nurse appointments. I explained I had also been waiting for a call for my annual review, the last being 2.5 years ago! However the care I got was perfect, no complaints there.

Later I did a bit of jigsaw and cut out a nice warm top as I have been unable to buy any new jumpers that I like. I have plenty of ordinary jumpers but wanted something that is a bit different in style . I had a whats app call with Briony who was over the moon with her birthday binoculars and lots of other goodies. Eve had bought her a book on 100 WOMEN WHO MADE HISTORY , which I had considered getting her myself for Christmas. History is Bs big interest especially historical people . Back to a rethink. A book on birds may be the next choice

This morning is dance exercise, followed by a bit of sewing , then its Friday lunch with friends . Have a good day

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. Let's hope your education of the nurse at the asthma clinic has been productive. I hope you get the result you want from any change in treatment.
I'm having breakfast after shopping and the next move is bed!

[Stanley]

I shall go in the shed and play with a casting then a sleep and bookie watch and a bit of cooking.....
That's how it looks at the moment.

[Sue]

Morning

A bit of sewing this morning, then off to the cemetery and then a meal at the Ram Inn. Yesterday I made enquiries about adding Dave to the headstone at the cemetery. It is actually a lot cheaper than I anticipated so I shall discuss that with Jane this morning and later with my brother Bob. I think we will go ahead. Otherwise nothing else planned except maybe some more sewing. I could do with doing some more garden tidying but will probably leave that till tomorrow, whatever the weather.

Have a good day all


.......oh yes its Saturday. Bacup market first, just remembered

[Stanley]

I hope you dodge the rain at Bacup market Sue.
I have just come out of the shed after two hours.... I'll be back later.



I've started on the cylinder.....

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed trying to get a centre for my cylinder so I can have a reference point for some serious boring and marking out of the main dimensions of the cylinder.
Bookie watch may be on today, i missed entirely yesterday, no point going out in horizontal heavy rain.... (Thinks of Wendy.....).

[Wendyf]

I might have a rest day today, or a gentler walk with Col.

[Sue]

Morning

You need a rest day Wendy, you have been going at quite a rate with your walking. A gentle stroll would be nice with Col. I shall be gardening and clearing another border. We have a man who delivers manure and puts it on the garden for you. I would like to be ready for the delivery any time soon. One blast today should sort the back garden out. The front does not have as many herbaceous perennials in it that have to be cut back so there is less to do there.

Yesterday went well, so it is time to move on. Trish, Jane, Bob and I had a good lunch at the Ram Inn in Cliviger, afterwards where we chatted, and reminisced about Dave's life and all his missed opportunities. Its my sisters birthday today so we treated her to lunch. Dave was by far the brightest, cleverest , most knowledgeable, most able and ambitious of all of us, but seemed so unable to use it . He was a talented runner, in his youth running with and against Brendon Foster but university introduced him to friends and a lifestyle he could have done without. As I said a life full of missed opportunities . The ashes were spread complete with a sprig of sage, his favourite herb, and a bouquet of flowers in Burnley FC colours, his favourite team . It was sunny, but rained later whilst we were in the pub. Fascinating places, cemeteries. We spent some time reading the headstones as we were in the oldest part of the cemetery where grand monoliths towered above us.

Back home I did some sewing and hope to continue later this afternoon after the gardening. In the evening we had a message from Julia inviting us for Christmas. We had invited them all here but Julia is working Christmas Eve and I quite understand that she does mot want the long drive so late in the day. So the festive season is upon us. Like you said in another forum this week Stanley, you can't miss all the adverts. The Christmas lights were being put up yesterday by Whitworth council workers and we ordered a Christmas tree from our plant man on Bury market. I can do without the adverts but do like to see Christmas lights on dark dreary nights. I must sort out a piece of my art to have printed for Christmas cards .

So a dryish day hopefully, the forecast is ok. Bob will be down at the park as usual but will be home earlier now the evenings are darker. I shall get him to check all the plants we put in the gardens there this week. Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

You're right about it getting dark earlier Sue. At 16:00 yesterday it was definitely dusk and with the cloud we can expect, today could be earlier. Glad you have got the week behind you now Sue.
I've just had two hours in the shed, I'll be back later with a pic.....



I plugged the bore and did my measurements and marking. I have all the external surfaces machined and am ready for boring tomorrow. A good morning I think.

[Stanley]

I'm set up ready for boring my cylinder so that's where I will be first thing this morning. Bookie Watch could be on as we might have a dry day.... Then a long call with my mate John Ingoe this afternoon, it's time we caught up.

[Sue]

Morning

Lovely day yesterday, though chilly. I did my gardening and the brown bin is full again. There is still a lot more to do but at least we are ready for the manure spreading. It was getting on for 2.30 pm when I came in. My washing had dried outside so i did what little ironing I had and finished my sewing. Bob was late back from the park. I think the nice afternoon allowed them to do a lot more engine testing than expected plus a few rides were given . The park attracts a fair few families on a fine day, even if it was cold.

This morning is pilates and yoga and this evening is art club at the local community centre. I have no other plans. I thought we may go for a walk but rain is forecast this afternoon so we shall see. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. I have a feeling the afternoon rain might be very light.....
I've had my two hours in the shed and now I'll post on Shed matters. I'll be back in a minute or two with a pic.



I've had a good morning, the cylinder is bored and the steam chest is the right shape, it just needs adjusting for depth. So far so good.

[MickBrett]

I got almost all of that fallen tree sawn up. It just needs loading into the wheelbarrow and moving into position then stacking on the pile.

[Stanley]

Well Mick, they do say wood warms you three times, when you cut it up into logs, when you carry it to the pile and stack it and when you sit in front of the stove. You've had the first benefit, two more to come!
I shall be quietly chasing my castings. Bookie watch could be on later this morning....

[Sue]

Morning

It was certainly a fitness day yesterday with pilates and yoga in the morning and in the afternoon we walked to the bank in Rochdale and did one of our circuits back, just 4.0 miles. The forecast was cloudy but half way through it started raining and we were quite wet when we got home as we had not dressed for rain. My towels on the line were nearly dry when we went out but damp again when we got back. In my on line yoga, before we started I had a lovely long chat to to the daughter of my friend and ex work colleague Wendy, from Rochdale college. Unfortunately Nicky has been made redundant , hence her being in a day class. We haven’t chatted since we did evening yoga together in the studio. As they say, its good to talk. She is taking a few weeks to just chill out and ‘do stuff’ before she starts. Looking for work again in the New Year. I wish her luck with the job hunt. She is an administrator/ office manager though initially she trained as a hairdresser. Many many moons ago Nicky used to babysit for us, and I even gave her private tuition in Biology after her O level failure in the subject. Time flies, she is now a grandmother!

This morning Bob has his u3a photography group at Todmorden but is thinking of joining the Whitworth group. We think it is linked membership to Tod. The advantage, especially in the winter is that it is walking distance to Whitworth. He also has model engineers today. I have no real plans for the day. I have a few bits and pieces to do, make soup, post a parcel, do some online banking. This evening is pilates and yoga. I need to collect some leaves for art on Thursday so may go with Bob to the park , and whilst there may check the plants that we put in last week . Rain forecast, it could be a wet trip out.

Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

We've got a rain forecast Sue but at the moment we have clear skies. Bad to weigh up....
I've had two hours in the shed and will be back once I have posted in Shed Matters.

I've finished the basic machining of the steam chest and lid. I've started on the lids. It would have been nice if Stuarts had given us a boss to grab hold of. No such luck, I shall have to work miracles....

[Stanley]

Our rain so far has been the lightest of mizzles, hardly warrants a waterproof and not enough to wet the flags. Of course it could all change later but the cloud will have to be a lot heavier.

[Sue]

Wet here all afternoon but drier in Rochdale itself. I think we are sitting in the cloud

[Stanley]

Wendy and Sally certainly were in the clouds....
Shed today, it's getting interesting as I have to machine the lids for the cylinder with nothing to get old of.
Looks as though bookie watch will be on as there is no rain forecast.

[Sue]

Morning
No rain of any note forecast today. A few light showers this morning and thats it. I am driving over to Ramsbottom to Clarkes crafts to try and get a couple of things needed for art tomorrow and again on Friday . My sewing this afternoon has been cancelled as Maxine has a really awful cold and her immune system has retaliated. She gets very poorly with the slightest infection. Hopefully postponed till next week. Not sure what I will do this afternoon. We may walk instead. This evening is pilates with the lovely Deborah and i have decided to try a session in the studio as not many people go to that session. I have paid for 4 sessions, ie one a week for a month and see how it goes.

Yesterday I pottered in the garden. I cut back my raspberry canes and dug out my veggie boxes sufficiently to add manure so I am all ready now and we will give the chap a ring to arrange delivery . In the afternoon I went to the park with Bob and managed to find some colourful leaves for art tomorrow. At one point I was being followed by about 40 Canada Geese, it was quite un-nerving. They completely surrounded me . I had a bad experience with ones like that in a park in Vancouver where I was actually nipped by one.

In art to tomorrow we have to take our pumpkin art work so I decided to add to mine yesterday and made a heat resistant table mat. It was something to do and I was rather pleased with my attempt . It was experimental and it could be improved but it was fun to do.

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Its stuffed to create a 3 D effect and the patterning is a simple random zig zag stitch

So thats it for today, have a good one. I wonder if Wendy will be out walking again. At the rate she is going she will have finished next week

[Wendyf]

She is hoping to! I'm going over to Gargrave to visit an ex neighbour who I used to walk with every week. She has to stay in for a delivery but if it has arrived by 2pm we will be out for a walk.

[Stanley]

The most I can hope for is bookie watch, but that suits me....
I have just had a good 2 hours in the shed doing fiddly things with cylinder lids. I'll be back in a few minutes/

[Sue]

Mist here at the moment, I can’t see the hills or even the neighbours trees

[Stanley]

It's just gloomy here Sue/ But not in the shed where it is bright and warm and good work has been done.



I've finished the morning with most of the machining done on the two cylinder lids. Lots of fiddly turning.....