Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! I can well see how unsafe grave markers could get to be a problem. At least they had an efficient system in place....
We're going to see a change from Sunday onwards, the outlook shows a frost every morning after that.... It's sunrise in ten minutes but still dark in Barlick.... That's November for you!

[Stanley]

My aim is to be in the shed early doors working on my cylinder. The rainy forecast isn't going to tempt me out for a walk.....

[Sue]

Morning

Its a cold wet day today. 7 degrees, wind snd rain. I shall run the vacuum cleaner found this morning, well Bob will, and titivate the bathrooms. Not much to do as we have only been home since Tuesday evening. However I have my usual landslide of sewing debris between the sewing room and dining room ( wherevI use the dining room table for cutting out) through the kitchen as Lucy and i cut out her pattern and a toile yesterday. Its amazing the number of stray threads that drop and cling to everything.

Yesterday was a busy day with art all morning, then a walk to the local pharmacy for prescriptions and the local postoffice after lunch. We had just got back when Lucy came an hour early as school had finished early, it being the sixth forms open night at school, for Septembers intake. She stayed a couple of hours then I walked her up to the bus. When I got back I had to start my daily Duolingo french lesson, and before I knew it, it was 7.00 pm .

Today will be much quieter, after cleaning,I shall create more mess as I get on with my own sewing, but that will be in one room. Wendy and Keith are in Geneva visiting their daughter and family so we are eating with Barbara and Bill only today. We have opted for the evening at our local pub here as it is nearer for all of us. During the day I hope to hear from the surgery to try and resolve the issue I have. I used their new messaging system yesterday and got a response within 10 minutes. Its a complicated problem re my medical records that needs sorting( they contain incorrect information that needs amending quickly) but also I had not had my new prescription that had been requested by the consultant I saw on 7 th October. Following my query my prescription has now been dealt with, within an hour or so of my message. These two issues have caused me some stress all the time were in France and has taken some time to try and get sorted this week. My message was marked as high priority so we shall see what happens now.

So its time for a cuppa and my daily french. Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! It sounds like a lot of stress and effort rectifying other people's mistakes. You have my sympathy and I am glad you seem to have achieved resolution.
I've had a slightly different morning. I had another night of broken and inadequate sleep and finished up with all my tasks done this morning except for the shed, very early....
So I ditched the shed, had my breakfast and went back to bed. After a sleep and a long luxurious shower I am about to have a leisurely look at the shed and perhaps cooking my chicken. I see nothing in the forecast to tempt me to have a walk.
Perhaps a more relaxed attitude to my routines is part of the healing process that will improve my sleep patterns.... We shall see.
I hope you have a relaxed day as well. Love, S

[Stanley]

My aim is to be in the shed first thing and do more work on my cylinder casting.....
Later this morning Susan and Mick are visiting so there will be a change of duvet covers and washing the used ones.
At some point I shall have to start thinking about veggie shopping.
Oh, and with a bit of luck Mick will get me a shower hose this morning. My present one is giving notice!

[Stanley]

I wasn't satisfied with the finish I got the day before yesterday on the cylinder. Remember I am milling the tough casting skin off, I never get the benefit of the deeper, softer layers of metal. So I re-sharpened the fly cutter. Did my measurements and marking again and did my best to ensure the faces are at ninety degrees with each other. It all took an hour but I think I have got somewhere near accurate, certainly better than my initial attempt. Now2 I am after my breakfast.

[Sue]

Evening
Just realised I did not write today. Bad nights sleep, awake 3 till 6 then slept till after 8. Out just after 9 then lunch with my sister. We didn’t get home till 4. I lost track of time. Hope you all had a good day. Saw on facebook you were busy in your poly tunnel Wendy

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed first thing this morning for my Occupational Therapy with my castings. I am concentrating on the cylinder casting at the moment. Once I have this done the other castings follow on naturally as they all have to fit the cylinder. Mick and Susan will visit about 10AM, Mick is getting me a nre shower hose this morning from Screwfix and Susan says she is going to vacuum.... They are here until Wednesday. I shall be cooking veggies this morning....
Later.... It's almost 05:00 and I have been very busy getting everything in order. I have decided to decline the shed today, I am going to have an early breakfast and go back to bed for second sleep. I have no feeling of guilt!

[Sue]

Morning

I slept like a log last night, having come to bed early and waking up just now at nearly 7.00 am. Today being Sunday it will be a typical day, a bit of cleaning, some sewing, a bit of cooking and Bob out at the park. I also want to go in the greenhouse where my potato bags are sitting. I grow potatoes in canvas bags during the summer, carry them into the greenhouse in the autumn and dig them from there during the winter. This years crop are all rather small. I intend to replant some bags with some potatoes we brought back from France that are beginning to sprout . Otherwise it will be a quiet day . Its still, clear and cold. Have a good day all

[Wendyf]

As Sue has mentioned, I pushed myself to go into the polytunnel and start clearing up in there. I pretty much abandoned it from August onwards so everything had dried out. It was miserable outside but I felt much better having got most of the job done.
In general I'm coping well with all the tasks that need attention, paperwork, vehicles, batteries and bulbs that are choosing to fail all at once! There is one problem that has me beaten at the moment, which is water springing from the ground infront of the barn door. It is running steadily out and down towards the gate making everywhere wet and muddy. It can only be a blocked land drain somewhere and I need to try and discover where! This is upsetting me more than it should, so I'm trying to distract myself with other achievements.
Another task today is to check tyre pressures on the Skoda which I need to run so the battery doesn't flatten. Colin used to use a big compressor for that job, but I don't know how to use it. I was delighted to find a foot pump in the barn, only to discover that the nozzle had been adapted for a different purpose! As I was wandering through Lidl on Friday I spotted a mini compressor, so if there is enough charge in the battery I'll be able to pump the tyres up....wish me luck!

[Cathy]

I wish you lots of Good Luck Wendy… but remember that you are not alone.
You do have people that you can call on.

[Wendyf]

I wish you lots of Good Luck Wendy… but remember that you are not alone.
You do have people that you can call on.

Thanks Cathy. I have called for help on a few occasions already but I do need to cope with more mundane things myself.

[Stanley]

You'll survive Wendy.....
Blocked drain.... assume blockage is just downhill of where the water is bubbling up. Dig down just there and see what you find. Almost certainly straightforward....
Good move ditching shed and going back to bed early.... I slept for almost five hours straight! Yippee....!

[Big Kev]

There is one problem that has me beaten at the moment, which is water springing from the ground infront of the barn door. It is running steadily out and down towards the gate making everywhere wet and muddy. It can only be a blocked land drain somewhere and I need to try and discover where! This is upsetting me more than it should, so I'm trying to distract myself with other achievements.
Another task today is to check tyre pressures on the Skoda which I need to run so the battery doesn't flatten. Colin used to use a big compressor for that job, but I don't know how to use it. I was delighted to find a foot pump in the barn, only to discover that the nozzle had been adapted for a different purpose! As I was wandering through Lidl on Friday I spotted a mini compressor, so if there is enough charge in the battery I'll be able to pump the tyres up....wish me luck!

I have drain rods if you find where it's blocked. I also have a battery charger if the need arises, or potentially a crash course on how the big compressor works.

[Wendyf]

There is one problem that has me beaten at the moment, which is water springing from the ground infront of the barn door. It is running steadily out and down towards the gate making everywhere wet and muddy. It can only be a blocked land drain somewhere and I need to try and discover where! This is upsetting me more than it should, so I'm trying to distract myself with other achievements.
Another task today is to check tyre pressures on the Skoda which I need to run so the battery doesn't flatten. Colin used to use a big compressor for that job, but I don't know how to use it. I was delighted to find a foot pump in the barn, only to discover that the nozzle had been adapted for a different purpose! As I was wandering through Lidl on Friday I spotted a mini compressor, so if there is enough charge in the battery I'll be able to pump the tyres up....wish me luck!

I have drain rods if you find where it's blocked. I also have a battery charger if the need arises, or potentially a crash course on how the big compressor works.

Thanks for the offer Kev but I do have drain rods, I just need to establish where the water is coming from. I wish it was as simple as Stanley suggests but for a start it's emerging from underneath huge old setts so digging isn't straightforward. I think there is possibly a blockage or failure higher up and it's underground to that point.
I couldn't use my new mini compressor as the battery was flat on the Skoda. After a lot of googling I braved using a fancy little smart charger that I found in the barn. It is for both 12 and 24 volt batteries and I was concerned that it wouldn't know the difference and appeared to be set to 24v. Google told me that it was smart enough to work it out so I took the plunge! Half an hour later the car was up and running and I was able to check and pump up the tyres!
Phew, another test passed.

[Big Kev]

I couldn't use my new mini compressor as the battery was flat on the Skoda. After a lot of googling I braved using a fancy little smart charger that I found in the barn. It is for both 12 and 24 volt batteries and I was concerned that it wouldn't know the difference and appeared to be set to 24v. Google told me that it was smart enough to work it out so I took the plunge! Half an hour later the car was up and running and I was able to check and pump up the tyres!
Phew, another test passed.

Excellent stuff, top job

If it's not going to be used regularly perhaps a mini solar panel may be a good investment https://amzn.eu/d/bd0DSrk

[Big Kev]

I just need to establish where the water is coming from. I wish it was as simple as Stanley suggests but for a start it's emerging from underneath huge old setts so digging isn't straightforward. I think there is possibly a blockage or failure higher up and it's underground to that point.

Water is a fickle beast, unfortunately it can travel a long way before it makes itself visible, I presume there are no 'plans' for the barn anywhere which might show the path of the drain?

[Wendyf]

I just need to establish where the water is coming from. I wish it was as simple as Stanley suggests but for a start it's emerging from underneath huge old setts so digging isn't straightforward. I think there is possibly a blockage or failure higher up and it's underground to that point.

Water is a fickle beast, unfortunately it can travel a long way before it makes itself visible, I presume there are no 'plans' for the barn anywhere which might show the path of the drain?

Unfortunately not. There is a steady stream of running water which suggests it's coming from an old spring/ overflow tank in the highest corner of our property. There is a drain taking it towards the barn then down the slope beside and beyond the barn until it discharges into our pond and out again down a field drain. There are many places where it can go wrong! Colin had his digger out in the spring and was making some changes.....

[Big Kev]

Colin had his digger out in the spring and was making some changes.....

Certainly worth some exploratory digging where Colin was making changes, should be relatively easy digging if it's already been dug up. How are your digger driving skills?

[Wendyf]

Colin had his digger out in the spring and was making some changes.....

Certainly worth some exploratory digging where Colin was making changes, should be relatively easy digging if it's already been dug up. How are your digger driving skills?

[Gloria]

Might be worth adding some dye to the water which you think is the source, that will clarify where it’s coming from, then it can be investigated further and dealt with.

[Big Kev]

Colin had his digger out in the spring and was making some changes.....

Certainly worth some exploratory digging where Colin was making changes, should be relatively easy digging if it's already been dug up. How are your digger driving skills?

Ah!

[Wendyf]

Might be worth adding some dye to the water which you think is the source, that will clarify where it’s coming from, then it can be investigated further and dealt with.

I'm working on that Gloria. I need to get some dye. I've tried soapy water in what I thought was the most obvious source but that didn't show up. Today I blocked the outlet in the same drain chamber but it didn't stop the flow.

[Gloria]

Might seem a daft question but, does anyone know someone into water divining, they could trace the way it’s coming.

[Stanley]

I don't think that's a daft question at all Gloria. I have seen a water diviner put a well-digging company right on the money!
I missed the shed yesterday morning because I had such a big second sleep after my broken sleep patters. I am hoping to be in there first thing this morning and get some work done on the cylinder.
Mick and Susan are coming again today to fit me a new shower head.... I cooked veggies yesterday. It's all go!