Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

All that digging will be keeping you fit Sue. As usual you give us another day of steady progress. I hope the rest of today goes well.
I have just come in from the shed so here's my report.....



This morning I started by doing the last milling operations on the bed casting. I machined to two lugs at the front of the target end ready for drilling for the holding down bolts. Then I did my final few passes across the face of the target end to get it down to 3/16" thick. Next I changed my cutter to a 5/8" end mill and cut the beds for the crankshaft bearings 3/8" deep. Note that these were done without disturbing the holding down arrangements so the centre line of the crankshaft is guaranteed to be at ninety degrees to the target end and therefore the centre line of the piston rod. I took the casting off the bed, vacuumed the chips up, rubbed the bed down with a 60 grit diamond hone to ensure there were no dings so now I'm ready for installing the machine vise and tramming it in tomorrow. 45 minutes of steady, error free progress. The next task this morning is breakfast!

[Wendyf]

Yesterday afternoon we risked life and limb litter picking up and down our section of Skipton Old Road. There was less litter than in previous years but the speed and total lack of concern shown by most of the drivers was quite scary. My litter of the year award, which last year went to Red Bull cans, goes to large and heavy nitrous oxide containers!

[Stanley]

It shows how out of touch I am with the modern world that I have no idea what 'Large and heavy Nitrous Oxide containers' signifies.
Down here in the real world just like yesterday, the Met Office's heavy overcast translates to full warming sun here so I am going for a walk before it changes its mind!.

[Wendyf]

Nitrous oxide cylinders are for use in the catering industry to whip cream but it is inhaled for kicks by the youth of today. Looking at the manufacturer's website it is being marketed and sold as a party drug.

[Stanley]

Include me out Wendy.....

[Tripps]

We means the last Tory Government. Perhaps not the most effective law that they passed.

We have updated the law to make possession of nitrous oxide illegal if it is, or is likely to be, wrongfully inhaled, by classifying it as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
It is now a criminal offence to be found in possession of the drug where its intended use is to be inhaled ‘to get high’. In technical terms, “wrongful inhalation” means inhalation for anything other than for medical or dental purposes.

It was already illegal to produce, supply, import or export nitrous oxide to be consumed for its psychoactive effects and it will remain so. There is also a requirement on legitimate producers and suppliers of nitrous oxide to not be reckless as to whether someone is buying their product for wrongful inhalation, with no legitimate reason. Turning a blind eye will also be committing an offence. 

Those found in unlawful possession will face either an unlimited fine, a visible community punishment or a caution - which would appear on their criminal record. Repeat serious offenders may face a prison sentence of up to two years, an unlimited fine, or both. The penalty for supply or production will double, to up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.

[Whyperion]

Nitrous oxide cylinders are for use in the catering industry to whip cream but it is inhaled for kicks by the youth of today. Looking at the manufacturer's website it is being marketed and sold as a party drug.

If its unlawful, why is it still about ? (it plagues London's streets too - and causes bin lorries to explode ) For litter generally should not any manufacturer if found with their name on be prosectuted for unlawful waste disposal (yes this could be unfair but it has to be a way forward)

[Stanley]

I have to agree David, and it was realised at the time that a straightforward ban would be more effective but the needs of chefs and balloon inflaters were preferred over a general good.
I shall be in the shed first thing as usual doing useful things to my castings.... The weather forecast looks decent. I might well be chancing a walk later on!

[Sue]

Morning

The wind chill factor really kicked in yesterday. 7 degrees was the temperature showing but a cold easterly wind made it feel about 2. . In the morning I cleared my old jars of pickles and bottled fruits just in time for going out to lunch. It was late afternoon when we got back so nothing much was done, a bit of jigsaw and reading. Laetitia came round for a demo of my floor steamer which I am lending her to clean through their house when they move out. Yves is having a lot of our surplus decorating stuff too as they have to decorate through before they move out. We went round to theirs for an hour or so in the evening. We will miss these casual chats. Although they will only be a couple of miles away as the crow flies we will have to go in the car . It is a complicated route involving crossing the river, a route that sometimes closes if there is a lot of rain, and navigating the maze of twisting winding country lanes on the other side

Today I intend a bit of cleaning of the unused bedrooms to freshen them up before we leave in case we have any viewings. We continue to prepare and plan for the possibility of a sale so I have now converted most of my frozen fruit to jam and after a bit of advertising to friends back home I have managed to dispose of the numerous jars on the shelf here, so today I shall box those up ready for bringing them back home on Thursday. I think the last of the cold overnight temperatures has passed so I shall plant the few plants that I bought last week . It is 2 degrees at the moment but due to be 10 with some sun. I think the wind has died down. So a few little jobs to do here, have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! That sounds like another day of honest endeavour! I hope it does warm up for you, that's the forecast here as well and looking at the weather map last night, you get the warmer weather before we do.



Every day can't be exciting, sometimes you have to do some maintenance. It's just as important as the glamorous stuff! So it was with today. I had a session on the T7C grinder sharpening the 9/16" and 1/2" cutters. Then I got set up to tram my vise in on the VM using a dial indicator and a big bar of ground gauge steel. That done I put some tackle away. I am ready to go back into refining castings again tomorrow. Right now I have earned my breakfast with over an hour of good work....

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed first thing working on my castings. Later I shall be having a walk, the forecast is good, I have a letter to post and veggies to buy , it's that time of the week again!

[Sue]

Morning

I did all my little tasks in the morning yesterday so in the afternoon we went for a walk, a short 3 mile circular up to the stepping stones and old ford across the river. The river was still very high and the stepping stones were not visible and I should think the ford was only passible by tractor. Laëtitia's new place is only about half a mile from this ford on the other side but the ford is rarely passable by car. It was a lovely walk but although sunny a cold wind caught us in places . I was tired last night and in bed by 10.00 pm, asleep by 10.30.

Today promises to be a lovely sunny day at about 17 degrees . I want to get the bed stripped, washed and on the line early so we can get off to Rennes. I want to browse material at the three fabric warehouses there. We may decide to go on somewhere else or may just come back. I want to clean this bedroom this afternoon as I make the bed back up. As the whole house has to have a thorough clean before we leave I have decided to stagger the tasks over a number of days,

This evening we are going to the Chinese buffet restaurant in Redon with Laetitia and family which will give us a nice ending to our stay. Although we don’t leave till Thursday lunchtime it is the only suitable evening for the others. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! I didn't realise you are only having a short stay. Glad the weather is picking up for you. I am just back in the kitchen from the shed.....



This morning I started my day with a complete re-sharpen of the big cutter in the T&C grinder. Then I started on refining the Cylinder casting. I finished up ready for boring it but that will be tomorrow. The job now is breakfast!

[Stanley]

I shall be putting my chicken in to roast shortly and then I shall go in the shed and carry on refining my cylinder casting.
After second sleep and dealing with my chicken I think I shall be taking a walk as we are promised a bright sunny day.
Later at 05:20. The chicken is in the oven with all the usual suspects, my meals for the next two days are in the fridge and all the pans are washed and ready for a veggie cooking marathon tomorrow.
I deserve a sit down for a few minutes!

[Sue]

Morning

Yes we only came for two weeks Stanley, our normal Spring visit ( apart from covid when we got stuck here for 8 weeks) . We come to do a Spring tidy up of the garden and prepare the veggie plot. I usually do a bit of a Spring clean, wash voile curtains etc but did all of that last November in preparation to sell. We keep this trip short so we can accumulate some of our 90 days ( in 6 months) for other trips to Europe if we want them. This year we are doing a rail trip to the Danube plus cruise in July

Today will be towel washing , a clean of the rooms we have been using over the last two weeks and Bob will be finishing a small loft hatch that he has been making . The roof space is divided into two by a stone wall that clearly shows where the house was actually a house with attached barn. He put in a loft ladder and light in one half last summer and this is just a hatch that allows a ladder access point to the other half. That more or less completes our renovation .

Otherwise I hope to enjoy our last afternoon. Yesterday was 17 degrees and I was gardening in a t shirt whilst I fed the roses, and washed down the garden bench. I just remembered I need to treat that today as it will be staying outside under the wisteria rather than being brought in the barn like we usually do, a bit of stage setting in the garden to help sell the place. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. Good forward planning again! Have you heard anything from the agent? I think something positive from that direction would make your day.



This morning I continued working on the cylinder. First I cleaned up the steam ports on the valve face by hand with a small file. Then I measured and marked the position of the central exhaust port, 1/4" wide, and cut it 3/8" deep. Next I measured and marked the position of the 5.5mm drilling for the exhaust port from the inlet face to the centre of the valve. Next I threaded the exhaust port for the exhaust pipe which I shall make later. Then change the mill over to boring. I have fitted the boring head and the cylinder. I have checked the centre of the bore and it is fine, so I have adjusted the boring bar so it is starting central to the bore. All the slide locked and I am ready now for boring. I always enjoy boring, it is so satisfying. That is for tomorrow, I have spent an hour doing useful things with no errors. Now I deserve my breakfast.

[Sue]

Sadly the estate agent is out of action for several weeks, she has broken her heel. Another member of the team will be dealing with us but we need to find out who

[Stanley]

That can be a nasty and intractable injury. It could easily knock her out for months, never mind weeks.

[Sue]

Okay had feedback…we asked for it in the end. He loved the house but found the area too isolated which it is. At least we know there is nothing to change about the house and no more work that we need to do

[Big Kev]

Okay had feedback…we asked for it in the end. He loved the house but found the area too isolated which it is. At least we know there is nothing to change about the house and no more work that we need to do

The right person will turn up eventually

[Stanley]

Kev's right, it's a matter of patience, a waiting game. But you knew that didn't you....
I shall be in the shed as usual and later I shall be cooking veggies and once more I have hit on the warmest day this year! We are forecast to have 16C today with only a light wind chill. Never mind, it all brings night!

[Stanley]

Just one task this morning, bore the cylinder to 1.5" diameter. Then clear up chips and return the VM to normal milling mode. All accomplished successfully and now I am looking for my breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

Yes exactly , we are in no rush. We were asked if we wanted to lower the price . We said no for two reasons. Firstly we are barely out or winter and only 3 months since it went on the market and seconly its already on at a bargain price in comparison to what it should be. Here prices are estimated according the land value per square metre in the area. Only the house is included and not the garden, orchard etc. It was estimated at 200 sq metres but later paperwork showed it to be 240 so it was under valued when put on the market. The whole plot is 7000 sq metres. We shall wait and look forward to another summer here, we have already booked the ferries.

Talking of ferries ours from St Malo is tonight. I only have the kitchen and bathrooms to titivate after use today. We are on a ‘ leftovers ‘ omelette for lunch and driving to St Malo afterwards. It’s due to be another nice day but back to a cooling wind. I think the sea may be a bit agitated!. We are leaving a spotless house and a tidy garden with buds forming on all the blossom trees and shrubs. We are keeping our fingers crossed. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Another positive report and yes I have noted that the crossing might be challenging. Fingers crossed for Bob!

[Stanley]

I've had an enormous second sleep. I am back in the world now and having a hot drink before starting veggie cooking.