Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

I have finished veggie cooking and the hob is clean. I think I can stop worthy endeavours now and do nothing for a while!

[Stanley]

Doing very little beyond shed and a walk I suspect. Far too much honest endeavour these last few days!

[Sue]

Morning

It was a long drive down yesterday, about 6+ hours though we stopped several times. The traffic was flowing nicely and there were no hold ups. I have to admit to sleeping most of the way. The road was long and straight and the scenery was little more than the trees and hedges at the side of the autoroute, and thus very hypnotic. After arriving at our hotel we had a beer and then went for a 1.5 mile circuit through the village before we ate. The hotel provides a simple three course meal in the evenings which meant we did not have to go looking elsewhere.

We are being picked up this morning after breakfast outside the hotel by Catherine and James who have planned out today, a trip to a village this morning and a chateau this afternoon. Afterwards we will plan the next couple of days between us. The forecast is warm and sunny. Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

It sounds like a well organised stay Sue. How could it have been anything else?



This morning I re-worked the elements in the crank pin to cylinder train and I have rectified the faults which were mainly small changes to the length of the elements. The piston now runs central in the stroke clearing both ends of the stroke. The crank is, like all my engines, a touch tight but that's no bad fault and will eventually run in. Now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

I've had my walk and a sit on the bench supervising traffic, Then I called in at the Co-op to check up on the patient but they are no better. However I saw something I haven't seen before, tinned haggis! So I have got a tin and in a change to my programme I am having haggis and neaps for dinner today.

[Big Kev]

Taking my mother out to the shops, she needed some new clothes for her upcoming holiday. That was successful
It's her birthday on Monday (87) so yesterday treated her to a curry for tea and a bunch of flowers, she was very pleased with them.

IMG_20250516_154123~2.jpg

IMG_20250516_154141~2.jpg

Needed two vases.

[Tripps]

Good man. . . .

[Wendyf]

Lovely.

[Big Kev]

She scrubs up well for her age

[Tripps]

I just see the word Image.
With two diffrent browsers and on two different devices.

[Wendyf]

Same here.

[Wendyf]

If I right click I can open it in a new tab. Nice photo!

[Tripps]

Ah - even I can manage that - it works for me too.

[Sue]

Taking my mother out to the shops, she needed some new clothes for her upcoming holiday. That was successful
It's her birthday on Monday (87) so yesterday treated her to a curry for tea and a bunch of flowers, she was very pleased with them.
IMG_20250516_154123~2.jpg
IMG_20250516_154141~2.jpg
Needed two vases.

Very nice thought. I wish her a lovely birthday

[Big Kev]

[Stanley]

I had to open in new tab as well.....
Nice pic when I eventually got to see it.....

[Sue]

Morning

Yesterday was a lovely day out with sun blue skies, old french villages, market, chateau and lunch out. It was nearly 7 when we got back to the hotel. Sadly the kitchen was shut everywhere was quiet being a hotel mainly used by people working away from home during the week. We did not want a restaurant so had to make do with a pizza from a machine eaten in our room. It may be the same today.

This morning we are being collected at 9 as it is a long drive to where we are going and perhaps not as enjoyable as yesterday. James wants to go to the village , Oradour, where all its occupants were massacred by the SS at the end of the war, which is preserved as a ´museum’ . Afterwards we will find a place for lunch and another more cheerful visit in the afternoon . Both Catherine and James are half french and both their parents and grandparents were affected seriously by the war

It will be another long day but its so nice to spend time with them. I found Catherine through my genealogy and she provided some of the photos and info in my Book on the Maylard family that I wrote and published in 2010. We have met 4 times now, twice in the UK and twice in France. Its due to be 24 degrees and sunny. Have a nice day all.

[Sue]

I had to open in new tab as well.....
Nice pic when I eventually got to see it.....

I had no problem seeing the pictures, they were just there

[Stanley]

I can well imagine the visit to Oradour sur Glane not being exactly a fun outing Sue and I'm not sure whether I would want to go there. We should remember these things but not necessarily re-live them.... There are some episodes in history I avoid reading about as they affect me so badly. I hope saying that doesn't make people think I am uncaring....
I hope the Pizza wasn't too bad!
As for the images, the vagaries of the site seem to change day to day. I know the lads are working hard and the sooner they crack whatever is the problem the better!

[Stanley]

I wasn't quite satisfied with the fit of the work I did yesterday so I spent over twenty minutes refining it. Then I started on making the valve eccentric and will finish that tomorrow. Now it's breakfast time.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed early doors for my daily dose of Occupational Therapy. It's going to be a good day for a walk and also I fancy cooking some savoury cabbage as an extender... You know how I love extending my cooking!

[Sue]

Morning

Well that was a very moving visit yesterday to Oradour. I took no photos, i felt it was inappropriate. There is now a large visitors section which leads into the old village with a step by step account of what happened, followed by a short information film which then lleads you out into the village ruins, a village stopped in time with remnants of burnt out cars, tables, sewing machines, many of all of these. There were labels explaining which building was which, so many cafes and hairdressers. In the cemetery there is a memorial to all the dead whose remains are interred together. At the side of the memorial column are two large glass covered cases containing ashes and bone remnant emphasising just how awful this evil event was. We did not go into the museum. We did not want to see the toy remnants , burnt out watches , clocks, dentists and hairdressers tools and other belongings. In 1953 when Catherines mother went these were all still in situ

Afterwards we ate lunch in a cafe in the new village completely detached from the old village before moving on to a pleasanter afternoon driving back through beautiful countryside and stopping at a small village for a beer , a village in the category of ono the most beautiful villages in France. Which it was. Today is due to be very warm. We are off to St Emilion in wine country followed by Sunday lunch to round off our visit here. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. I completely understand why you thought taking pics was inappropriate. I'm glad you went there but even gladerer that you had a more cheerful afternoon!



If you're wondering why so little progress, the answer is simple. You're dealing with an old man who has forgotten how to read a caliper. I made the eccentric 100 thou too small and had to start again. Luckily I have plenty of stock as I am using the CI blank Stuart's supply for the piston and I never use that, I don't want the piston seizing in the bore because someone forgot to oil it so I always use bronze. That's my story and I am sticking to it. I shall finish the eccentric tomorrow..... Now for breakfast.

[Stanley]

I am back up after two hours second sleep. Two pans of savoury cabbage are very slowly cooking on the hob. You can't beat an extension for cheap healthy food. Tastes good as well!

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed doing useful things to my eccentric.... After second sleep I shall be doing useful things again but that time on my pork belly.... It is time for it to go into the slow cooker with oranges and spices!