Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

First thing this morning I made some final adjustments to the bottom crankshaft brasses and then turned my attention to the top caps. Half an hour later I had got the major dimensions milled and was ready to finish them but that's for tomorrow. Right now I want to find my breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

A busy painting day yesterday as I managed to finish all the gloss paint in the kitchen , and also washed down the door frame of my sewing room that leads in to the kitchen. It was looking very yellow. Todays plan is to paint that as well as our bedroom window cill which has a small spot where the pain has lifted off. That will need sanding and washing down first. This morning we are walking in to Rochdale to the bank and to return two items to M&S . Its due to be dry, cloudy and breezy. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

You did well yesterday Sue! We have a lovely morning here in Barlick, full sun. I hope you get the same.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed for an hour of therapy early doors this morning. Beyond that and second sleep I have no needs or plans.

[Stanley]

More progress on the top bearing caps for the crankshaft. Tiny cuts to finish the lugs and ensure that there will be room for the 4BA studs and nuts, drilling the oil holes in the tops and ensuring that there is enough meat in the lugs for the studs to capture. More careful and accurate progress. Now for breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

I can stand down from painting for a bit until Bob has painted the ceiling then I can start on emulsion on the walls. That won’t take too long as one half wall is a brick feature wall ( left like that after a kitchen extension in the 80 s ) and three walls have doorways in. The doors are pine and will only need an oil not a paint. Two walls are units . The big problems to come are to move the dresser and the fridge freezer to paint behind them. Yesterday I painted the bedroom window cill and the doorway into my sewing room, then spent a couple of hours outside pruning the overlong shoots on the Bramley apple tree to keep it in a decent shape and height. It is covered in blossom this year after a poor year last year .

This morning I may potter with a bit of light weeding in the front garden, but at lunchtime we both have appointments at the surgery, Bob for a blood test and me to review my xray. Thank goodness it is my left hand that is causing problems or I would never have got the painting done. It will be a late light lunch, then an early tea as we are going out for a ‘Christmas’ meal with our hairdresser friend Kath. Its the first opportunity we have had due to us all being tied up with other things for weeks. Its due to be a nice day. Have a good one

[Stanley]

Good luck with the Bramley blossom, I hope you get a good set. The weather favours it, all you need are some busy pollinators!
I like the sound of the decorating report..... You can take it easy now. Good luck to both of you with the appointments, I have my fingers crossed for you.
I am going to improve the shining hour now by going to bed for second sleep. I shall be back later......

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed doing useful things to my crankshaft bearings early doors. After second sleep I fancy a walk and of course a possible pop into the Co-op..... I can always think of something for the cupboards. Like every wartime child I was brought up to keep good stocks.....

[Stanley]

Today's task was to drill the two top bearing caps 3/16" clearance for the 4BA studs that I shall be fitting, then mark the horns of the bed and drill the holes for the studs No. 32 which is the tapping size. Then tap all four holes, install the studs and mount the caps to check the studs are a fit and long enough to hold the caps down for boring. All is well and now I am ready to bore the bearing 1/2" and fit the shaft but that's for tomorrow. Right now it's breakfast time after another careful and accurate step forward.

[Sue]

Good luck with the Bramley blossom, I hope you get a good set. The weather favours it, all you need are some busy pollinators!
I like the sound of the decorating report..... You can take it easy now. Good luck to both of you with the appointments, I have my fingers crossed for you.
I am going to improve the shining hour now by going to bed for second sleep. I shall be back later......

Morning

I did my gardening in the morning so the front looks better apart from all the pink confetti of our magnificent cherry tree which is just going over.



All went well with the appointments. I saw the Dr, not one I particularly like and as expected he was rather brusque. He made an appointment for June for the steroid injection as we will be away most of May. I then went back to the waiting room to wait for Bob whose appointment was half an hour later. The Dr kept collecting his next patients when he noticed I was still there, we explained why. He said if I didn’t mind waiting till after his last patient of the morning, ie the next one he could do my injection then. So I went back in to a very different personality. He was chatty, funny, and said he didn’t like to think of me suffering in pain for a month. It will take a couple of days to take effect. The diagnosis by the way was severe arthritis in the thumb and its base and mild arthritis through out the hand.

In the afternoon I could not do much as the injection point was tender but Bob managed to paint half the kitchen ceiling. We have decided our challenge is to try and get the kitchen done by our trip to France or just after, then we will leave the lounge and dining room till the autumn. Meanwhile when time allows I will do the gloss on the 8 doorways in the central hall way, a couple at a time. That is achievable over the summer when we're here.

Today its art this morning, then there is only Bob and I for lunch. Barbara and Bill are over on holiday near Filey, Wendy and Keith are visiting their daughter in Geneva. Its due to be a nice day, have a good one.

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! I'm glad you both got seen by the doctor and that you got your injection over with. I hope it has the desired effect. There's no sign of frost in any of the forecasts so the prospects for a good set of the Bramley blossom are good.
As usual, you are starting the day and I am finishing the first part by going back to bed..... The difference this morning is that we have full sun and not a half hearted overcast!

[Stanley]

I've just got back from a short walk and a pop in to the Co-op. This morning's bargain was a litre of Berio's best olive oil for £10-00. regular price is over £16. Bright sun out there but the wind is still cold....

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed early doors moving towards line-boring my bearings for the crankshaft. The only thing I have on my schedule after that is posting two letters and the snooker! There is much to be said for being retired....

[Stanley]

This morning I set the engine bed up under the pillar drill and after some very careful adjustments I bored the crankshaft bearings with a 1/2" drill. Note that I don't assume this means I have bored to 1/2" as the drill is an old one. Then I reamed the bore out with a 1/2" reamer. The crankshaft still doesn't fit the bores because I deliberately made the journals slightly over size. Tomorrow I shall adjust the journals to a size that fits the bearings. Right now the job is breakfast!

[Sue]

Morning

We are off to Bradford by train for the day. We are trying out a history trail for my u3a outdoor history group. The one we have been given is far too long for us oldies in general so we are trying to make a abridged version for the less fit. Forecast is good. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Glad you managed to get on the site. There are some little local difficulties like the security certificate expiring. I hope yo have a good day Sue....

[Sue]

Still at the station. Second train cancelled. Yes I had a bit of difficulty getting on the site

[Stanley]

I hope you get sorted Sue!
I have had a short walk and posted my letters. I popped into the Co-op and managed to find a few essential purchases. Amazing how you can always find something. I am sat down now with a packet of illegal crisps....

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed early doors as normal.

[Stanley]

This morning I massaged the journal on each side of the crankshaft until I had what I consider a perfect fit in both bearings. That is one that is too tight if the holding down nuts are dead tight but just right if they are only snugged. This allows for running in. Then I made a collar to space the flywheel away from the engine bed when it is eventually fitted. A good step forward with no mistakes. Now for breakfast!

[Sue]

Morning

We did eventually get to Bradford on the third train which was an hour after we arrived at Rochdale station. Luckily the station has a small coffee / snack bar so we were able to sit in the waiting room with a rather pleasant coffee. The walking trip round Bradford was interesting and about 2 miles in length. We felt most of it was accessible to all though two parts of the city had rather steep sections to walk. We broke the walk up into three areas, a central easily accessible area and two steeper regions not suitable for ‘poor’ walkers. We identified cafes, toilets etc so now I am in the process of writing a short resumé to help people doing the self guided walk. Weather wise it was dry but dull and cool. Before we went I had managed to get my white load of washing on the line and it was dry when we arrived back home just after 4.00 pm.

Today is another dull day but due to reach 17 degrees. I think Bob will be busy at the park. I will be painting three door frames in our central hall way if Bob has time to take the doors off before he goes out. Otherwise it will be Sunday ironing, cooking and a little sewing. Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

Lovely to see you on the site Sue on a difficult day.... I can just see you putting pressure (gently!) on Bob to get those doors off. I'll take a small bet you will succeed.
I am off to bed now to have my second sleep.

[Sue]

Lovely to see you on the site Sue on a difficult day.... I can just see you putting pressure (gently!) on Bob to get those doors off. I'll take a small bet you will succeed.
I am off to bed now to have my second sleep.

Door frames done, now sitting with a cuppa watching live swimming championships on you tube. Eve did the 800 m this morning and is doing 100 m freestyle this afternoon.

[Stanley]

Morning Sue.... 800matres is a big swim!
Site may heal up shortly and then we can get back to normal.
I shall be in the shed first thing doing useful things and then I hope for a walk later.....

[Stanley]

Only a short stint in the shed this morning. I stripped the build down from the stage it has reached so far because today I shall take advantage of the better weather to give the castings a coat of paint on the welding bench in the yard as that means I can use spray paint.... I can have my breakfast early!