Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Morning

It was a very wet day with light showers alternating with very heavy showers. We shopped im the morning, decorated in the afternoon and it was u3 a wine appreciation on zoom in the evening.

Today its decorating , clearing some of the cut wood ( no machinery allowed on Sundays) and lunch out. In the absence of any roofer appearing after yet another request , this afternoon Bob is going to crawl into the roof space and try to seal round the chimney from the inside. All this rain is playing havoc with the ceiling in one of the bedrooms. We can see the damp patch spreading. Water is leaking in round the chimney of the old unused chimney. In the original restorations , the fireplace was replaced and the kitchen units built round the flue. Chimneys aren’t sealed with lead here but with a ring of concrete that cracks and has cracked over time. The repair is too cheap and small for roofers to want to do the job, and anyone doing the job has to be officially qualified and registered or can end up being reported and paying a fine as well as us. No mates repairs here! So we just have to wait, till our latest roofer that has promised to do it, turns up which is going to be some time in this weather.

Have a good day all hope the weather is kind. We are due a couple of days of dry weather

[Stanley]

Morning Sue.... From the sound of it France is more hide-bound by regulations than we are! I sympathise with the chimney faults and will think about Bob crawling in the roof space. The man is a bloody hero!



I started by refining the fit of the lid on the steam chest, I wasn't quite satisfied with it. I touched the cutter up before I did this. Old cutters when they have got this short lose a bit of temper and need sharpening more often. Then I used the steam chest as a template for drilling the clearance holes in the lid, once I had them done I used the lid as a template for transferring the hole pattern to the cylinder valve face and tomorrow I shall start by drilling and tapping these holes for the long studs that hold the steam chest onto the cylinder.....

[Sue]

Morning Sue.... From the sound of it France is more hide-bound by regulations than we are.......


Too true they are. Apparently we have to be careful just giving this wood to our neighbours,if they come in and help us cut it up as technically they have rights on our wood in the future, as we understand it. We cheque with our friends all the time what we can and can't do . Local legislation changes often and we have to be on the ball if we don't want to be fined

[Stanley]

One way to keep civic revenues at a high level Sue!
No such problems here thank goodness....
I shall be in the shed as usual for at least an hour this morning advancing my cause with the current engine. The rest of the day looks like a reading day as we are promised cold rain and even hail all day. (I don't think I have ever seen hail specifically forecast before without mention of thunder. Perhaps they mean hard sleet, it's certainly cold enough.....)
A day for keeping warm and dry.....

[Sue]

Morning

Nice day yesterday, today is more variable. A lot of painting of white was done by me whilst Bob cut small branches off the fallen tree. After lunch, I carried on whilst Bob went in the roof space. As we suspected its very damp up there and in places the old stone marten droppings had turned into a vile wet mush. With mask on he cleared that but decoded not to foam the gap incase it sealed the damp in and the wood of the bedroom ceiling started to rot. We shall have to write a pleading email to the roofer who says he will do the job.

Its just started to rain heavily but I will continue with my plans, that is to finish the white paintwork and then get out in the orchard to complete the removal of the old fruit patch so we can seed it with grass before we leave next Sunday.

Have a good day all

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[Stanley]

Morning Sue, that looks like progress. As for Bob and the stone marten crap.... least said the better. I'm so sorry you are having your stay marred by such things. I shall cross everything for you!



This morning I reached a point when I could no longer ignore the fractured drawer that holds my BA taps and dies. It was on the verge of shattering into pieces so I had to start the day by swapping the contents into the intact drawer next door that contained the seldom used gauges and metric taps and dies. Once that was done I checked my sizes, got the 4BA tap out and the No.32 tapping drill. I got ready for drilling and tapping and did the first hole in the cylinder. That got me to closing time so I have left it at that. Ready to start straight into the job tomorrow now the side issues have been dealt with.

[Sue]

Remember my niece Emma was looking for local people for her short film on the Pendle witches. Here is a right up in the Burnley Express. We went to the premier at the Bolton Film festival a month ago, sadly Emma missed it as she was stranded in Scotland, that weekend, Weather bound

https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/peo ... ls-4399480

[Big Kev]

Good stuff shame Emma missed it though.

[Stanley]

I clicked on the link but was submerged in a flood of demands so I ditched it. I will take Kev's opinion as read. Well done Emma!
I shall be in the shed and starting straight into drilling and tapping for those long studs. Very important that they should all be square with the surface of the valve chest. I've seen me have some real struggles with them in the past but hopefully have learned now and can do better!
Not looking at any walk later.... we are in a spell of cold wet weather and I'll risk losing the rational exercise of a short walk each day!

[Sue]

Morning

Its a shame you couldn’t read the article Stanley, it was very good, and Emma and the film has been put up for a number of awards in the short film category. Its a good break for her career

We had torrential rain all morning yesterday which meant decorating was done. The white walls and round the kitchen units is now done, the area fully cleaned ie tiles and kitchen equipment and anything fabric has been through the washer. We have done all the repair work on the wall we stripped paper from and we are ready to emulsion there, but first need to get some radiator paint and paint the radiator. Thats this mornings job, a trip to the bricolage ie DIY store. This afternoon our French friends , Bertrand and Elisabeth are coming round for a cuppa and a chat, which will give us a welcome break from our tasks

After the rain the afternoon was dry and sunny. Bob made great progress with the fallen tree, and I managed to clear the rest of the raspberry patch. Today we will buy grass seed to reseed it and turn it back to grass rather than garden. I transplanted the raspberry canes next to the side boundary fence . If they grow its a plus. I then set too to clear the flower border in the main garden and get rid of the spreading perennials. These will be replaced with low maintenance roses or similar. It was tough, wet going but next year our gardening needs will be substantially reduced. I have done about a third of it


Today is dry…we hope. Have a good day

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[Wendyf]

I'm off on a train trip to Preston and the Lancashire Record Office. I have a list of items to look at!

[Stanley]

A full day and good progress Sue. You deserve some good weather to help with the remaining tasks! Best of luck with it.



I continued drilling and tapping for the studs that hold the steam chest and lid on the cylinder. As you can see I was successful and after enlarging the clearance holes by 1/64" the chest and lid fit the studs with no forcing. Then I spent the rest of my hour in the shed looking for an 11/64" drill but haven't found one...... I think I can live with the old one and not go into a decline!

Just seen your post Wendy, have a good trip and I hope you find what you're seeking!

[Wendyf]

I'm looking for building plans of 2 arcades in Colne. There was a semi circular arcade built on Swan Croft in Colne in the 1890s with many shops and a fountain in the centre. It was called Ludgate Circus and though maps show the road layout and we have photos of some buildings being demolished, there are no photographs of the arcade itself. The circular cattle market became part of it in the early 1900s and there are plans from that time. The other arcade, which still exists, on Market Street was built in the 1920s and I'm hoping to see those plans too.

[Big Kev]

I'm looking for building plans of 2 arcades in Colne. There was a semi circular arcade built on Swan Croft in Colne in the 1890s with many shops and a fountain in the centre. It was called Ludgate Circus and though maps show the road layout and we have photos of some buildings being demolished, there are no photographs of the arcade itself. The circular cattle market became part of it in the early 1900s and there are plans from that time. The other arcade, which still exists, on Market Street was built in the 1920s and I'm hoping to see those plans too.

I find this sort of thing fascinating, enjoy your research and I hope it's fruitful

[Tripps]

A modest bit of international entertaining today.

We're having a Merienda.

I'm quite excited. . . .

[Big Kev]

A modest bit of international entertaining today.

We're having a Merienda.

I'm quite excited. . . .

Afternoon Spanish snack? I had to Google it

[Tripps]

Correct - you were meant to.

However - same word, and same meaning, but in this instance Chavacano rather than Spanish.

Aren't words interesting?

[Big Kev]

All this talk of food is making me hungry. Another popular style of Spanish cuisine, consisting of a variety of small, savory dishes served as appetizers or snacks. They can include items like olives, cheese, ham, croquettes, and more. It's a social way of dining, encouraging sharing and trying a variety of flavors and one of my favourite ways of eating.
And this ChatGPT malarkey saves a lot of typing, just input one word, copy and paste

[Wendyf]

Well, I had a grand day out and discovered some interesting stuff.

[Big Kev]

Well, I had a grand day out and discovered some interesting stuff.

Excellent

[Stanley]

Only a dedicated historical researcher could day that about a day out to the Record Office.
Well done Wendy, whate3ver you found you deserve it!
I shall be dead boring and go in the shed for an hour with my castings. According to the Met Office the heavy rain we are going to get this morning should cease by late morning to I might even get a walk in!

[Sue]

Morning

I love visiting Record Offices and have spent many happy hours in Preston, Bradford, and Hereford researching the more social history aspects of my genealogical research. My Maylard family roots in Hereford were fascinating. I even found the site of the family home in a very early hand drawn map, which I was allowed to trace but not photocopy. Once the research found its way into my book of the Maylard family, I sent them a copy of the finished book for their archives.

Well a quieter day yesterday for our activities. We went shopping in the morning for a few bits but mainly radiator paint which happily we found…at a price,and grass seed. Afterwards Bob spent an hour tree cutting and I seeded the old fruit bed. I mixed wild flower seeds in with the grass seeds and marked the area off with canes and string so Yves does not cut it. Our visitors came about 3 and stayed a couple of hours.

We had a very interesting discussion on dialects, both English and French. Elisabeth is of Normandy origin and Bertrand is Parisien. Apparently he makes fun of her prononciation of many words but it transpires that Elisabeth pronounces these words in the same way that we were taught at school, so that led to a discussion about English French historical ties . Our conclusion was that Elisabeth was right ….we had quite a laugh especially when I pointed out that when England owned large sweeps of France, that France itself was little larger than Paris , and led by a land coveting King whose main object in life was to dominate not only English territories but Spanish ones too. Interestingly Bertrand had been told that the best English accent was in Oxford. We had never heard that before, and were somewhat surprised.

Today is back to howling winds and rain so decorating is back on the cards and perhaps lunch out at a creperie. I may well get out in the garden in wellies and a waterproof to try and clear the rest of the flower border. We only have more fine day forecast and I think we will both be trying to clear the rest of the tree. Luckily the forecast for Monday night is, so far, ok as we will be on the ferry home that night

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Interesting discussion about accents Sue. I also found the assertion that the best English accent was Oxford.... I have always heard, and from my experience of it, believed that the best and purest English is from round Inverness. I don't suppose it matters.....



More careful refining of the small castings. The front lid was drilled for the piston rod and the gland. The steam chest was drilled for the valve rod and its gland and then drilled and tapped for the steam pipe. A quiet error-free morning. Just how I like it.....

[Tripps]

Interestingly Bertrand had been told that the best English accent was in Oxford.

That - and Stanley's reply that the best English is to be heard in Scotland may have been true at one time, but I'd suggest that was a long time ago. We've had great changes to spoken English in the last couple of decades'.


N'art'amean bro - like. . .

The merienda went well, and I broadened my knowledge of the difference between European and Asian attitudes to many things - mainly tea with milk in it, and families. It was confirmed that a perfectly polite response to a greeting is "how old are you?" which I'd heard of but now had confirmed.

I had an unexpected live phone call to Auntie Marilu in Rockwell, Manila - the posh area. We interupted her watching a film on Netflix. Globalisation. The call was free of charge - face to face, live with video - not sure who was more surprised - but for me it's the stuff of science fiction and Dan Dare. I guess Stanley does it every day.

Wonderful experience.

[PanBiker]

Writing up the crosses for the service personnel that we haven't found this year. It's been particularly difficult this year as the recent high winds and torrential rain have covered the churchyard with a thick carpet of leaves which has made finding a lot of the laid down headstones very difficult. Couple this with the fact that it chucked it down yesterday morning when we were doing the distribution which drenched all the spreadsheet paperwork that I use on a clipboard when doing the distribution. I have lost the Shires brothers, Herbert and Wilfred again who I know are on a laid down headstone in the churchyard. I will commemorate them as I used to, side by side on their respective crosses.

A nice thing was discovered yesterday and we also picked up a bit of useful information from one of the friends of Gill churchyard who look after the maintenance and the mowing in the churchyard. I found out that one of the volunteers, my old PE teacher Chris Whale has a copy of the churchyard burial plots map which would be very useful to us. I will contact him and see if I can have a copy for annotation with my data. It would make distribution a lot easier. They have also applied to the CWG for a War Grave plaque for the churchyard. The cemetery already has one on the gate.

The nice thing was that when I went to my mum and dads plot, someone has straightened up their headstone and shored it up at the front it had started to lean forwards as the plot is on a slight incline. Don't know if that is the churchyard friends or John Blades, or his son who digs the graves when required. I was going to mention this to John the next time I saw him and ask if he could straighten it up.

I found my indelible 0.5mm pigment liner pen so I will crack on with the cross annotation. One more trip then this year. Churchyard missing will be set up under the tree on the corner. Two on the banking above for the lads in the Lower Churchyard. Cemetery missing will be on the banking next to the bench inside the gate.

Poppy shop is open now on Frank street so I will pick up a posie for my mum and dad along with the wreaths for Bosom Friends and the Labour Party branch.