Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

The Kids visiting must have been more wearing then I realised! I was in bed and asleep by 19:00.
This morning I shall have an hour in the shed with my engine, first to finish drilling and tapping for the bolts that hold the crosshead slides down and then measuring for cutting the crosshead.....
I have no cooking or shopping to do but as we are promised clear cold weather at midday I shall wrap up warm and have my walk.
This afternoon I am expecting a visit by two young friends, I have no doubt that will be tiring as well so I could be in bed early again!

[Stanley]

First job I finished drilling, tapping and installing the bolts that hold the crosshead guides down onto the bed. Then I could do some accurate measurements and mark the block of bronze that will become the crosshead for the cuts that enable it to fit in the guides. I finished the first cut down one side and set up for doing the other side. That will be where I start tomorrow. Again, a nice quiet hour and as far as I can see an error-free outcome. More of the same tomorrow.....

[Sue]

Morning

-3 here this morning and should hit 0 by mid day! I will be wrapped up warm for Bacup market . We had no telephone call last night so we presume they are waiting for the biopsy results. I think unless things change we shall continue with our short break to Edinburgh Christmas market on Tuesday. At least with mobile phones we are still contactable and only a train journey away . Snow ( light) is forecast up there later this week .

Nothing much to report. We are debating having a trip to Halifax, otherwise it will be garden tidying. I do need to get my last remaining plants out of the greenhouse and transfer them to the conservatory, where they will remain till mid February.

Have a good day

[Stanley]

Morning Sue..... I am so sorry you are still up in the air about Bob's diagnosis. Going to the Xmas Market sounds like a good plan. Nobody down here is going to be breaking any squares to give you a result. Cold here as well but the heating is coping and I refuse to worry about gas usage. I have to live!
Off to bed for second sleep. I shall be thinking of Bob.....

[Stanley]

Later, I never did go for a walk, too warm and snug in here! Logging off now and waiting for Mick and Vick who say they are coming for a visit. I shall be back tomorrow....

[PanBiker]

Going to Mario's tonight for a birthday meal with the kids and grandchildren. Jack will be with his girlfriend Lucy and Carla with Isla and Fin. Not my birthday until Tuesday but who cares. Not done Italian for a while, should be a nice night.

[Big Kev]

Going to Mario's tonight for a birthday meal with the kids and grandchildren.

Excellent, Mario's is a great place for family. I need to go back to Fabello's at The Wharf down here in Foulridge to eat again. The 'happy hour' deal sounds good, I need to go when I'm off shift though as it's 5-6pm.

[Stanley]

I had a good visit yesterday from Vick and Mick and once more I was in bed early. I have no social engagements today and so might make it to 20:00 before going to bed!
I shall be in the shed for an hour as usual this morning with my engine. After that we'll see....

[Stanley]

Only one image this morning. I spent the whole hour cutting and adjusting the profile of the crosshead. I just have two small cuts to make now before it fits the guides. I could have pressed on and done some overtime this morning but decided not to. I am doing this for pleasure, not because I have to!

[Sue]

Morning

We abandoned the market deciding we had enough food if we were going to Edinburgh on Tuesday. Instead we opted for a complete day out. The next bit is cut and pasted from my facebook page…

We decided to have a day out to Halifax Christmas market. Our first AWAY DAY withour new rail card. We bought train tickets getting our rail card discount and were happily sitting on the train at 10.10 in Rochdale when we were told the train was cancelled due to signal failure on the line…it was a through train to Leeds . We were told to leave the train and wait for instructions.

With no instructions forthcoming and a lot of confused abandoned passengers on the platform who did not know Rochdale we decided to catch the next train which went to Todmorden. There we had a coffee in the Board Game cafe, and walked to the bus station where we caught the bus to Halifax on our bus passes. After a pleasant lunch, a good walk round, a bit of shopping we went back to the station to catch the train home, online telling us trains were running after noon…no after 2.30…no after 3.30…..no after 4.00 pm etc.

So we went to catch the rail replacement bus which never came. So back to a walk across Halifax when we saw a normal service Rochdale bus come in . We had to run to catch it but we did. It was packed and took two hours to Rochdale, where upon we had to go back to the station to collect the car.

Despite everything we had a good day out and will venture elsewhere another day. On the PLUS side we can claim our money back for our tickets…..

That pretty much sums up yesterday. It was concluded with a glass of wine and a home made paella ( made by Bob) sat in front of a warm fire.

Today is bedding changing day, a bit of ironing, bringing in my plants from the greenhouse and sewing.

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

And some of us can remember the days when if a train was on the schedule, it ran and wasn't taken off at the last minute leaving passengers not knowing what was happening.It's a disgrace and I'm impressed that you managed to surmount all the difficulties.... I hope you have a more relaxed day today.

[Wendyf]

Sounds like a good day out Sue!

[Sue]

It was Wendy, despite the train

[Stanley]

I'm just back from a walk and a sit. Well wrapped up so the cold wasn't a problem but it's nippy out there!

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed as usual at 06:00 working on my crosshead. I always have to be careful cutting the clearances in it. I don't know why but I get easily confused by them. (Not an age thing! They have always confused me. My brain has never been good at reconciling odd, reverse but matching shapes with each other.)
We have cold wet rain and there's not a lot of chance of it changing all day from the look of the forecast so I think I will decline exercise outdoors today......

[Stanley]

Pure fitting this morning. First the small refinements that resulted in the crosshead being a close sliding fit in the crosshead guides. The next task is to mark the end of the crosshead and drill and tap 2BA for the piston rod but before I do that I have to make sure the piston and rod are a go9od sliding fit and that the cylinder is correctly oriented with the valve face perpendicular ro the base and the bed. This entails filing the stud holes in the target end until I have the cylinder right. It took half an hour to get the crosshead to the correct fit and another half an hour to get the Cylinder right. I have taken the 1/4" end mill out of the mill and am ready to fit the normal cutter. I am also ready to fit the cylinder and piston and mark the crosshead with the piston rod. I know where I am starting tomorrow!

[Sue]

Morning

Typical Monday today. Pilates this morning, yoga this afternoon on zoom. I shall be trying out a new laptop for it. I changed my lap top a few years ago, a reconditioned one. It has given me nothing but grief seeming to have a mind of its own. It either won’t switch on or won’t switch off or will suddenly do some sort of update when it has just finished doing it and in general is incredibly slow. In fact I think it was worse than the lap top it replaced which was old but only had a sticky keyboard. So Bob sent for another reconditioned one last week and he has been setting it up over the weekend so we shall see.

Nothing else to report. I have done my packing for our four days away to Edinburgh Christmas market. We are going by train tomorrow and back on Friday. We msay call and see our niece the film maker whilst we are up there.

Have a good day all

[Wendyf]

Have a lovely time in Edinburgh Sue, it should be magical at this time of year. I used to love Christmas shopping trips when we lived up there, especially wandering around the Grassmarket and up Victoria Street.

[Stanley]

Having a problem with my computer is my constant fear Sue. I shall have to shout very loud for help if and when it happens!
I hope your trip to Edinburgh works out well Sue, you both deserve something nice to keep your mind off thoughts o0f other things. Waiting is always hard....
Love to you both and I shall remember you in my prayers.....

[Tripps]

Bob sent for another reconditioned one last week and he has been setting it up over the weekend so we shall see.

I wouldn't buy anything else. I've bought several 'refurbished ' ones for me, and my grandchildren, and never regretted it.They are great value at the moment. Look at the feedback scores on ebay - don't deal if there are more than a couple of negatives - and get a warranty would be my advice. Most of the sellers are very professional. Tesco Outlet are very good too, but don't seem to be doing computers at the moment.

My desktop machine is showing signs of age - mainly not enough SSD memory (only 64 GB) - so I'm looking to replace it. I decided that a laptop is no longer suitable as the screen (even 15 ") is really too small, so I'm looking at another desktop. The one I have is four or five years old and cost £100 and never been a moment's trouble, so I've had my money's worth. It owes me nowt.

There are some very high spec desktop machines available for £200 or less. Mainly described as 'games machines' but I think they would do what I need easily. Problem is they all seem to have Windows 11 which would new to me. I suppose I could blunder my way through it eventually.

We'll see. . . .

[Big Kev]

I decided that a laptop is no longer suitable as the screen (even 15 ") is really too small, so I'm looking at another desktop.

You could get a laptop and a larger monitor to plug into it. You'd have the benefit of it being portable if needed.

I use this setup at home and take just the laptop to the office when I go.

IMG_20231127_153706~2.jpg

[Big Kev]

We msay call and see our niece the film maker whilst we are up there.

https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/peo ... es-4425055

[Stanley]

I am having a very leisurely start as I was up early after a good sleep. Couldn't see the point of just lying there clock-watching. I wish I had the confidence of you lot! Computers baffle me.
I shall be in the shed at 06:00 dealing with matters I understand thoroughly.... I'm making steady and effective progress with my current build.... Time to start thinking about getting some hardwood for a couple of plinths.....

[Sue]

Morning

My laptop behaved itself beautifully. Bob always buys from the same place and we have had many over the years but my last one was a real dud. We just need to transfer stuff now, but not today.

Today we are catching the train from Rochdale to Bolton at 11.20, then Bolton to Edinburgh arriving, hopefully at 3.30 pm this afternoon. We will pop down to the local butty shop here and get a couple of their hearty sandwiches then get a taxi to the station just before 11. 00 it should be a pleasant journey. Snow showers are forecast there

Have a good day all

[Sue]

We msay call and see our niece the film maker whilst we are up there.

https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/peo ... es-4425055

Thanks Kev. The person who did ´wardrobé I think they call it, won an award for her costumes in the film