Today I shall be Mainly...

[Big Kev]

It was quite entertaining, works on so many levels. Chippy tea at Banny's finished it off nicely.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed as usual at 06:00 starting to make the crosshead. Some careful measuring first! We are promised a cold but dry day so I will have my short walk I think. It will be a treat to see the sun!

[Stanley]

Today is crosshead! First I did some very careful measuring, the drawings aren't accurate enough for me. I started making the stock square in the mill bit then swapped to the lathe as it was easier and quicker and just as accurate. I finished with the stock square and reduced to the exact dimensions I need. Tomorrow I can start to put some shape in it.

[Sue]

Morning

Well its another of those annual days that remind me I am getting older. To celebrate we are out for yet another meal tonight. The forecast is cold dry and possibly sunny so I think a walk may be on the cards. We will have to keep to the paths as many of the fields round here ar flooded or impassable as they are so wet and marshy

Have a good day all

[Wendyf]

Happy Birthday Sue!

[Sue]

Thank you Wendy. Makes me older than you again…I think that is right though I may be a year out

[Stanley]

Never mind who's the oldest, as I said somewhere else, it's all relative. Happy Birthday Sue and many of them.
Just to save you time researching, My next birthday is St Valentine's day and I shall be 87 years old.

[Wendyf]

Thank you Wendy. Makes me older than you again…I think that is right though I may be a year out

You are right Sue, I catch you up again in August

[Gloria]

Happy Birthday Sue, enjoy your day.

[Big Kev]

Happy birthday Sue

[PanBiker]

Happy Birthday from me also Sue

[Sue]

Happy Birthday Sue, enjoy your day.

21 again, and again…and again and…NOT again

[Sue]

Thanks all, lovely walk this morning in the sun

[Stanley]

I was tempted by the sun and decided to walk up to the pharmacy for my medications. It was a mistake.... All the tarmac pavements are shot ice and I regretted going out as soon as I realised this but went carefully on. I am back home in the warm and very lucky not to have had a fall. I shan't make the same mistake again.
PS All the stone flags, including the new ones in the Town Square, are ice free!

[Stanley]

I shall go in the shed for an hour but no way am I going out on those pavements until they have thawed. (It's -6C at the moment and will be below Zero all day)

[Sue]

Morning

Yes it was a bit slippery here too. We had to be careful on the stiles.We managed two decent walk yesterday amounting to over 7.5 miles in total. The views were beautiful with snow on the top of the mountains. Today I think we are either walking over to Grasmere or driving up to Keswick. Its supposed to be the best day of the week, so a walk is definitely called for somewhere and I need to walk off some of these meals out I have been having

Thanks all for the birthday wishes for yesterday. It was a good day

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue, we have light snow drifting down here. I don't think it will amount to much of a fall but it's too slippy for me and I am not going out today. Too risky....



A good hour and a quarter in the shed. I started as always with measurements and checked them. Then I cut a channel down each side of the crosshead, marked it with a witness mark that sets its orientation and then re-sharpened my favourite milling cutter. A good morning and more error free progress.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed for an hour working on my crosshead. No thoughts of a walk until this ice has gone underfoot. I am not taking a chance on a fall! The glass has started rising, perhaps we will see an improvement soon.

[Stanley]

More crosshead. I started by marking the position of the drilling and tapping for the piston rod and fitted the rod. Then more careful measuring and mill out the recess in the front end of the crosshead to accept the end of the con rod. Making that will be the next job. A nice hour and a quarter with no mistakes.... More progress!

[Sue]

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Morning

Still no snow here, just a fine dusting yesterday tea time as we walked over to the leisure centre for a swim. It was the first swim in 3 years and although I did 20 lengths it was in two bursts of 10. The first was hard going. We also did a lovely walk to Grasmere and back over the tops, getting back at 2.00 for a late lunch. Elterwater had sat in heavy mist but it was beautifully sunny in Grasmere.

This morning will be another swim and early lunch before pottering ove to Keswick. Another dry sunny day is forecast though a little warmer than the -4 we have had the last two days. The week seems to be rushing by the forecast for dry weather improving daily. I think this may be the best week we have had here.

Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

The glass is rising strongly Sue. The weather will do nothing but improve. Good luck with it.

[Sue]

Ps, the white is frost not snow. The road was treacherous in places, the grass less so but a little slippery where there was no bracken, which we found the easiest to walk on

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed for an hour as usual but once more, I shan't even think about going out for a walk as it is still so bad underfoot. I hope it clears a bit before early doors shopping tomorrow.

[Sue]

Morning

Still no snow here, and certainly the best weeks weather we have ever had. Yes its icy but only in patches. Yesterday morning we went to the leisure centre for a swim. We were the only ones in there, a clear indication that the weather is good. In the afternoon we walked the railway path at Keswick . Its 3 miles plus a bit extra to the cafe and toilets, then back. Including walking to and from the car it was a 7.5 mile walk along the river. We got back just as the sun disappeared behind the mountains when it became noticeably colder.

Today we were hoping to meet up with an old university friend for lunch but unfortunately he has a hospital appointment. So it will be a trip to Kendal. There is an excellent art shop there and I need some watercolour and drawing paper, then a visit to Lakeland. We want one of their clothes driers for France, plus some wood oil for the doors at home. We may do a short walk and possibly another swim. We have yet to decide which way round we shall do things but as we brought all our meals with us we would prefer lunch back at the lodge.

Yesterday we also had an avian visitor, quite well known round the site apparently and very tame indeed.

A photo sent by our immediate neighbour in France shows the storm they have just had has brought down half of our Mimosa tree. We hope it has not damaged tge BBQ and pizza oven. Yves is going to check for us

The forecast for the rest of the week is dry cold and sunny. Have a good day all

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[Stanley]

That cock Pheasant has found a safe haven!



The focus this morning is on the crank pin bearing. I did an hour and a half and have made good progress. More of the same tomorrow....