OneGuyFromBarlick

Morning

I do think you are a lot fitter than Barry,Stanley. He has been relatively immobile with arthritis in his feet for many a long year, which did not help his weight. He had a number of serious health issues too which if you remember put him in hospital for a number of weeks last November.

Yesterday was an exhausting day. I spent all morning clearing the half of the flower border I had left from the previous day. 5 barrows of flower vegetation and its only a small border. In the afternoon it took both of us 3 hours to deal with the abundance of cooking apples. We pulped it, we sliced it, we made crumbles, we made apple sauce for with pork. There must have been 12 kilos of prepared apple in the end, and its all now in the freezer. I kept two back to make a tarte tatin for tea. We had just finished with the apples when it was time to cook our Sunday roast.

Meanwhile we think we discovered where the stone marten is getting into the roof space. They had kept us awake nearly all night the night before. We found a big pile of poo on the window cill of one of the bedrooms ( apparently they always use the same spot) so I had that to clear up. Anyway whilst doing that I discovered a gap in the wall where the frame is fitted in so Bob has filled it with foam. Online tells us they don’t like noise so we keep a radio on all day, they also don’t like strong smells so we sprayed the area with disinfectant and a lavender spray. We will buy some air fresheners to stick in the roof. Sadly it is not a permanent solution and when the house is empty they will be back. I am sure there are plenty of entry points on a 170 year old stone house.

This weekend was the culmination of the swimming year with the Swim England National age group championships. Eve had managed to meet the entry time for the open water competition. Her 2k race was Saturday and she knocked 6 minutes of her entry time and was delighted with her 14 th place, which seeds her as 14 th in England in the 14 year old category . Less than a minute separated her from the first 13 swimmers. Julia’s Masters competition was yesterday, 5 k followed by a 4x400 relay. Sadly one of the swimmers was taken ill, heart attack perhaps, we do not know. Anyway the excellent organisation swung into full force. The man, in the elite athlete category, was brought out of the water very quickly, CPR had to be applied, the air ambulance was sent for, all swimmers called out of the water and the meet abandoned. All this happened within 15 minutes. Eve was a bit shocked as she was standing where he was brought on shore and given CPR. Apparently the man is in hospital receiving care but we know nothing else.

This morning I shall do pilates, relaxing after yesterday. A warm cloudy drizzly day forecast. Have a good one.

Thanks for caring about reassuring me Sue. Don't worry, I'm not stressing about other people's deaths or ailments.
I like the battle against the stone marten, I had to look it up and I know this is not your view, it looks a cute little beggar! They look intelligent, best of luck with the ban!



As promised, only one item on the agenda. Drill and tap the crosshead and fit the two guides. It took an hour of quiet careful and accurate work but as you can see, we got there. Now I can think about making the bearings for the crankshaft or making the crosshead itself. That's for tomorrow!

Today I shall be going in the shed as usual but after that we have an exciting day. No second sleep because Jonathan, my plumber, comes shortly after 08:00 to install a new CH boiler and do a couple of other jobs. Tension mounts and I look forwards to it. I hope all goes well......

Morning

Second quiet night from our visitors who live in the roof. Mind you we have had this before then out of the blue it starts again. We went to the shops yesterday and bought a selection of things we though would deter them. You can by an ultrasonic gadget but they cost over 50 euros and need to be plugged in . With no electric sockets close by that was a non starter so we bought a selection of smellythings, air freshener blocks, toilet blocks and a box of dog and cat repellant which smells awful. Inthe afternoon Bobwent up there and cleaned it up. What a mess, then he spread various smellies around. We shall now wait and see.

What a horrid day yesterday . Continuous rain and very humid. It was not forecast like that. I had to dry my washing in my Lakeland tent but we also bought a new clothes airer that I could part dry things over to try and reduce the electric used. The new room is a great place to put it as it is warm and out of the way. I started to do the beds and rooms for our visitors I hope the weather improves. Its just like home....

Today it is supposed to be basically dry. This morning I shall cover my cabbages with a bigger net as they are now growing . This afternoon its pickling time for beetroot and onions. Have a good day all.

Morning Sue. I think you must be right, you seem to be having similar weather to us. Today is advertised as the best day this week. It's drizzling! I don't have to go anywhere and am ready for the plumber to come and fit my new CH boiler. Tension mounts....



Today I have shifted my attention to the bronze bearings for the crankshaft. I did very careful measurements and marking. I find it very easy to make bad mistakes when visualising three-dimensional components. I think it's all summed up in the last image, I am ready to go over to the 5/8" cutter to finish the bottom brasses. A good hour of steady progress!

I shall be having a quiet hour in the shed on my engine but after that I am going to have an easy day. Yesterday I was on duty for 17 hours straight as the plumbers worked. No complaints about them, they were superb, never stopped and were tidied up and out of the house by 14:30. It was just an upsetting day.
So today will be recovery before a visit from two great grand children tomorrow!

Morning

Another cool showery day forecast , like yesterday and like tomorrow. In the morning yesterday I covered my cabbages with net, it was a dirty wet job but at least they are now growing, as is everything else. The lawn needs cutting and Bob only did it on Saturday. In the afternoon there was a glimmer of a hope of a dry spell so we thought we would drive to another town and try and find the old railway track for a walk, but it started raining before we got there. We ended up in a different super market than usual buying a few bits and pieces and in Lidl buying some floor covering from their bargain section. Its for the top of the stairs leading into the new room. Anyway there is not enough so we need to go back early this morning and hope they have a roll left. Later Bob continued decorating and I started drafting a pattern for a casual jacket

Today Bertram and Elisabeth are coming for a cuppa, and at last a man is coming to fix the central heating/ hot water boiler. It failed the first day here. Thank goodness we have a small boiler for hot water to one shower . The house feels cold with no sun to warm it through. We are sat huddled in cardigans and slippers in the evenings.

Ooooo sunshine. Have a good day all. Oh its gone

As you can see Sue, I sorted my boiler yesterday. We don't need any heat yet so I have achieved my goal, to sort the boiler before the heating season..... Hope yours gets fixed.....



This morning was all about refining the crankshaft brasses to get them ready for fitting. First I worked on the top brasses and then I measured and marked the bottom brasses and cut them. I have finished up with a full set of brasses that need some final adjustments and then they can be fitted. This morning was a quiet hour and we got good progress.

I shall be in the shed as usual from 6 until 7. Later this morning I shall have the kids and great grandchildren to help me with veggie shopping and I shall buy them lunch. After that I might even have another sleep! A good day....

Morning

Yesterday was drier than expected oe light showers all day not heavy rain, but a very destructive strong wind, which seems to have died down. I did put my washing out first thing but rushed out later and had to put it on my new airer. Despite the warmth in that room, it was still damp when we went to bed. Bob continued decorating, I continued drafting my pattern. Our friends did not come, as Bertram was not well. The boiler man did come and at last after over two weeks we have hot water. I spent the morning cooking beetroot, from the garden, and peeling shallots, also from the garden. The latter have been soaking in brine overnight. Today I shall make the pickling vinegar and bottle up. On a short walk down the orchard I found two more Bramley apple trees we had planted, both full of apples ready for picking. They can’t be frozen, the freezer is full of fruit. Another tree is full of pears, not yet ripe. This is the first time it has fruited.

Last night, the third in a row was quiet in the roof .we have ejected our stone marten, at least for the time being. Bob thinks he caught it on his wild life camera the other night, he certainly caught a hedgehog, crawling out from the centre of a large shrub.

Hopefully this is the last day of rain for a couple of days. We are planning on going out somewhere tomorrow, have good day all . Have a look at theses veggiw prices. Meat and fish are even worse.

I see what you mean....! We are going to have a reasonable day, good job because we are going out mob-handed to do the shopping and have lunch. (Susan, Mick and Kahara and Lily.) I've had a quiet hour in the shed....



More work on the refinement and fitting of the bottom crankshaft bearings. I spent almost half an hour filing to a final fit and then realised I had one more cut to make. I had to put the 5/8" cutter back in but made the cut and fitted the brasses. Then I checked the width of the flywheel between the brasses. There's always something! Tomorrow I shall put the crankshaft back in the lathe and take a skim down each side of the wings..... We're getting there!

Back from shopping and lunch with the kids. I got my meds as well and a tin of Mongolia paint to patch up round the boiler. I need a rest....

The tin of paint clinched it - I must post this link -

The Gas Man Cometh Flanders and Swann

Lovely David.... I promise I won't get paint anywhere near the gas taps.....
I have a bit of turning to do on my crankshaft to get it to fit between the brasses. Then it's early doors shopping at the Co-op and second sleep. After that I shall gird my loins and do my veggie cooking. After that I think I will be knackered.....

Morning

Well I see Rochdale had beautiful blue skies and a sunny afternoon, meanwhile we were drowning in more rain. In the morning I thought to heck with this, I put on my gardening gear and decided to go and clear the rockery and drive entrance anyway, I mean its only water. There was a steady heavy drizzle and a few heavy showers and by lunchtime I was soaked, and barely a hole made in the vegetation. Three more lavender bushes had rotted through at the base, well they are 17 years old, so I took those out and replaced them with a few stones, of which we have no shortage, and extended the rockery. In the afternoon I was out again, this time with Bob as he got the hedge trimmer out to tidy up the laurel hedge by the gate. The e rain was steady and heavy by 3 and we were still not finished with 5 barrow loads removed. You would never know this was all done last visit and normally we just titivate now. We had a cuppa and tried again. We walked to the barn to get the barrow but got stuck there in torrential rain. We abandoned, waited 15 minutes and ran for the house where we remained for the rest of the day. I finished pickling my onions, beetroot and gherkins.

Today is supposed to be dry, though not sunny. We are off to Vannes for the day.

We had a fourth night with no roof visitors.

Have a good day all

Hard luck Sue.... Yes, we had a normal summer day yesterday but tomorrow they promise us 13C and rain with single figures during the night. Almost heating season!



Just one job this morning... reduce the width of the crankshaft webs until they fit in between the brasses on the engine. The first part of that was to start afresh with my HSS cutter. Take a fresh piece of cobalt HSS and sharpen it carefully, hone it with a fine diamond hone and test it for centre on a piece of scrap steel. Then turn the webs down and re-finish the webs. Then off to the Co-op for the weekly shop.

Stanley we are promised rain and cool in the morning then after 4 its onwards and upwards for at least 10 days

Stanley wrote: ↑04 Aug 2023, 06:48 Then off to the Co-op for the weekly shop.

Did the grandkids not help you do that yesterday?

No Kev, Thursday is Town square shops and veggies. Yesterday that included the Well pharmacy for meds and Redman's for two and a half litres of Mongolia paint. That was sufficient! Friday is milk and other dairy like butter and cheese.
This morning I shall prepare my chicken and get it in the oven by 06:00 so it will be ready when I get up after second sleep. Then into the shed for an hour of honest endeavour on my castings. Later I shall deal with the chicken.... That will be enough for today, I have been into the collar since 03:00 this morning.....
At 03:15 this morning I was talking to one of my grandchildren who is in the West Country. She was just coming in from the pub and said it had started drizzling there..... They love getting my 'I haven't died in the night' email every morning.....

Morning

Nice day yesterday, blue skies but heavy clouds. However we had a good day out in Vannes. Today will be food shopping. Tomorrow Laetitia and family are coming for a meal at lunchtime so we need to buy the bits and pieces. This afternoon, which is meant to be dry I will try to finish tidying the rockery and front entrance by the gate. The garden will then have all have been cut back to a manageable state. This Autumn, I shall be replanting with less vigorous plants, and ones that spread less. Its a shame I can’t bring them from the UK, they are so expensive here, like everything else.

We had a bad night, our roof-space visitor was active again, from just after midnight. When we got back from Vannes we discovered two big piles of poo, one by the window in one of the bedrooms, the other by the opening glass doors in the lounge, the room below. We cleared it all up at about 8.00 pm, disinfected and sprayed with air freshener. This morning it is back , more than ever on the bedroom window cill. We just don’t know what to do. Barbara and Bill are sleeping in that room in 10 days time, and like to have the windows open, which are classic french floor to ceiling double opening windows, opening on to a small set of railings to meet safety regulations.

Showers this morning, dry this afternoon, possibly sun. Have a good day all

The visitors..... You'll have to put Bob on guard with an air rifle. Alternatively enquire locally. You won't be the first to have had this problem and I should think they have worked out a solution. Good luck with it I can tell it's stressing you a bit!



I wasn't satisfied with the amount of room there was between the brasses for the crank web so I took a 1/32" skim of the inside of each brass and that cured that! Then I fitted and drilled the top brasses for the holding down bolts. Then marled the bed for two of them and drilled them. I have tapped one 4BA and it was closing time so I left it at that. Plenty of time tomorrow!

We have ever enquired locally hence the solutions we have tried, and been on line. We have two or three more things we can try. The only certain solution is naphthalene moth balls but they are banned in France/Europe . We are going to try camphor if we can get, or small light or ultra sonic scarer. The latter two will need a socket wiring in

Here you are Stanley, Bob caught it on the wild life camera last night. Not the time, 22.18. Thats our lounge door and we were sat on the other side watching TV. Another shot shows we have two, and the only time there are two is when they are mating. We need to bet rid fast before we have young to contend with too. Bob is rigging up a light on timer, and we bought an ultrasonic scarer. Our friend will try and bring some moth balls over. It gives me the creeps !

What an unpleasant problem Sue, I hope you find an answer very quickly!

Wendyf wrote: ↑05 Aug 2023, 18:16 What an unpleasant problem Sue, I hope you find an answer very quickly!

Part of the problem of a long term empty house. Hopefully Bobs solution will be a permanent one, they don’t like light or mothballs. The ultra sonic solution is a bit hit and miss