Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

Back to normal today. I shall be in the shed early doors and later after second sleep I will be cutting my pork belly up and nesting it with onion, oranges and spices in the slow cooker. (Did you ever try it Gloria?)

[Stanley]

This morning I took the cylinder off the bed and marked the back end for drilling and tapping to fit the studs that will hold the back lid on. By knocking off time I had the first rough fit complete. This needs to be refined now but that will do for tomorrow. 45 minutes this morning of quiet steady progress. Now I want my breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

Our case was collected around 3 yesterday and we should be reunited in just over a week. Otherwise yesterday passed rather quickly filled with lots of small jobs and a long sit down in the afternoon as we did a little online research for wines ( see later). I tackled my difficult patch in the front garden and made progress, moving and replanting primulas as I went creating a tidier more formal look. I can now see the patches where new non spreading perennials will go in . Hopeful this tidiness will deter some of the local animals ( including a fox) , though cats will like the bare soil

Its a dull damp start to the day but not excessive, it should be a dry afternoon. This morning its a trip to the hairdressers for both of us followed by a trip to Whalley and Clitheroe where, following our online research, we are hunting down an American wine that is not Californian and is preferably one of the NE states. Saturday is July 4 th and our monthly zoom u3a wine meeting. The theme is Independence day . We feel Californian wine is not appropriate for the theme as it did not join the union until 1850. We understand Virginia and Georgia have good wines and may just be available ( at a price) in independent wine shops. Watch this space as they say. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! Your talk of American wines reminds me I once tickled Uncle Bob's taste while I was staying with him and Paulette in St Louis by finding an Oregon (1859) wine for his birthday.
I've had a good two hours second sleep and am ready to fry sweet potato chips. If I really feel domestic I can put my pork and orange in the slow cooker. The world is my oyster!

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed early doors refining the fit of my back lid, I am not satisfied with it. Later after second sleep I have a bit of extender cooking to do and I need to deal with my pork and orange after de-fatting it. The forecast is not bad so a walk and a bit of traffic management could be on the cards!

[Stanley]

This morning I set off to refine the fit of my back lid and what a good job I did! I keep telling you that I am slowly deteriorating and today was further proof. I had fitted the back lid to the wrong end of the cylinder. I have put that right and we are now on track. I can go forwards tomorrow with installing the studs for the Valve chest and lid. Right bow I am going to have me breakfast and stop kicking myself!

[Sue]

Morning

Yes , Stanley, wines from Oregon are available but not widely being the 2 nd largest producer and exporter of wines from the States. That is about 4 % of the total with California being the prime exporter at 84%. Wines from the 13 original states are hard to come by, New York state being third, Pennsylvania 4 th and Virginia 10 th, the latter barely contributing to the total production and export. With my sisters help we tracked down a New York state wine at the independent wine shop in Whalley. It had better be good the price we paid for it.

We had a light lunch at the garden centre in Read on the way there and combined that with an unsuccessful look for hardy fuchsias, thus on the way home we stopped at another garden centre in Burnley, where I used to take Mum years ago. There I was successful so did a bit of planting in the front garden when we got back. By this time my washer had finished, the sun was out and it was windy. All the washing dried in less than an hour.

This morning is art at Haslingden and as I am going to miss the last two sessions before the summer break we have decided to have our end of session lunch out. The forecast is dry and about 19 degrees, have a good day all

[Stanley]

And another breezy day if anyone is doing their washing Sue.... I shall resist the temptation and confine myself to a walk.
I have dealt with my pork and oranges, everything washed up and tidy. Now I'm having a pot of tea....

[Stanley]

I shall do my hour of Occupational Therapy in the shed early doors and might even repeat my walk later. I shall wait and see how cool that wind makes it.....

[Stanley]

This morning I drilled and tapped the cylinder for the six long studs that attach the steam chest and lid to the cylinder. Then I bored the steam chest walls clearance and offered the chest up to the studs. It slipped on all six studs with no adjustments needed. Perfect. I deserve my breakfast!

[Sue]

Morning

Today is U3a art, the topic is portraits and Bob, Bill and Keith have been volunteered as sitters.( note the HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERED) I like doing portraits in charcoal though I have yet to perfect the technique of the portrait looking like the sitter . This will be followed up with our usual lunch at the Lake. Bob is out at an engineers meeting this evening . That will be our day. Have a good one

[Stanley]

Morning Sue, have you seen David's video on owt else or any other business? Bobs trains are on Youtube....

[Sue]

Morning Sue, have you seen David's video on owt else or any other business? Bobs trains are on Youtube....

I have now

[Wendyf]

We are in Chester, staying at the Boathouse Inn where Colin and I first met, celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. It's a very different place now to the Newcastle Breweries boozer where I worked behind the bar and Col was a customer. Tomorrow we are booked on a 2 hour river cruise on the Dee, then we might have a go at the Chester Mystery Tour as recommended by Sue!
My brother and sister in law have come up from Devon to join us for a weekend to remember.

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[Big Kev]

Happy Anniversary

[Stanley]

Lovely Post Wendy and so glad you are able to do it. Looks like a day of rain today but I doubt if you'll let that bother you!
I shall be in the shed first thing refining my castings. I don't need to go out for any shopping and we have rain and wind forecast all day so staying inside and a dadnap at dinnertime could be favourite.(I have absolutely no problem in not going out for exercise....

[Stanley]

This morning was the equivalent of pausing and taking a deep breath. I hadn't one particular task in mind but the general one of looking at these castings and refining the finish of all of them. I spent 45 minutes and I'm satisfied they are a better finish and fit than when I started. That will do me. I shall go and look for breakfast now.

[Cathy]

Happy Anniversary Wendy and Colin.
It all sounds wonderful.

[Sue]

We are in Chester, staying at the Boathouse Inn where Colin and I first met, celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. It's a very different place now to the Newcastle Breweries boozer where I worked behind the bar and Col was a customer. Tomorrow we are booked on a 2 hour river cruise on the Dee, then we might have a go at the Chester Mystery Tour as recommended by Sue!
My brother and sister in law have come up from Devon to join us for a weekend to remember.

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Have a wonderful day/ weekend. Hope it doesn’t rain too much

[Sue]

Morning

Happy anniversary to Wendy and Col. Today we are packing a small bag as we are off to a celebration tomorrow in Levens. It is the 80 the birthday party for my ´old’ u3a art teacher, Mike who we always meet up with in January when we are up in the Lakes. Wendy and Keith are going today to stay in Levens for the weekend. We will join them tomorrow for the party and staying over till Monday. As we leave for our cruise on Tuesday morning todays task will be to ensure all washing and final packing is done, otherwise no plans. Its due to rain most of today ( and tomorrow so no party in the garden) , have a good day all, especially Wendy and Col

[PostmanPete]

Happy Anniversary Wendy and Colin...!!

My wife and I have been happily married for two years now.

1995 and 2009.

[Stanley]

"My wife and I have been happily married for two years now."
I suspect that is a clever joke..... Being old and slow in these matters I am not sure.
Am I right?

[Cathy]

C’mon Postman Pete , explain yourself.

[PostmanPete]

"My wife and I have been happily married for two years now."
I suspect that is a clever joke..... Being old and slow in these matters I am not sure.
Am I right?

Yes you're right..!

I should have put a laughing face after it....

[Sue]

In all the years he has been married only two were happy. Very old joke