Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

What I pick up from that is an air of uncertainty Sue. I can understand that and it must be quite debilitating. I hope you get an influx of viewers and make some progress towards a sale. That would solve many of your problems. Meanwhile you need an improvement in the weather. At the moment we are getting a North wind and can expect daily temperatures of about 8C so that's not bad...... Particularly if, like me, you have the option of going back to bed!
I hope you have as good a day as possible Sue....

[Big Kev]

Looks like a smart little car and I like the registration!

I thought you might like the reg number, I looked upon it as a good omen when I first viewed the car

[Stanley]

Nice...... I hope it works!
I have my ducks lined up in the shed and so this morning I shall be doing useful things to my castings for the latest engine.
I have nothing on my social calendar beyond that and so will be watching the weather with a view to a walk.

[Sue]

Morning

We had an amazingly unexpected sunny day yesterday. Everything forecast rain, the newspaper, weather app etc but it was beautiful sunny blue skies with a gentle breeze and 14 degrees. It lifted our spirits. I managed three loads of washing and dried it all outside. We went to see Joanne in the morning, and after a late lunch did some gardening. Bob removed the debris from a dead fir tree that Yves had taken down for us and I started weeding flower borders which in general had looser sandier soil so the weeds came out easily, only a third of that left to do and a small rockery by the gate. On the way back from Joannes we bought seed potatoes and onion sets so that I can start off the veggie plot later in the week or next week .

This morning Bob wants to mend the outside light. He has already tried but thinks we need a new one. Anyway it may be a trip to the DIY store where I can also buy a few plants for the spaces that have appeared over the winter. It’s a good time to plant with wet soil and increasingly warm days. I intend converting the rhubarb and figs in the freezer into jam. Jam we can take back home with us, frozen fruit we cannot. I am not concerned about the soft fruits as I regularly make fruit compote with that to go with home made yoghurt. I think that will bring us down to every day veg, bread and bags of grated cheese in there.

Its a very cloudy start to the day and rather cool. Some rain is forecast but more of a drizzle I think. It seems to be the last day of rain for a several days . I don’t think the soil can take much more, whenever it does rain it just sits in a puddle on top of the ground. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

That's a cheerful post Sue! I'm glad you had a good day and made progress with your tidying up. I hope you have as good a day today despite the dull start. We are light and bright but no sun as yet. I think we might have a grass frost....

[Stanley]

This morning I spent an hour with the grinding wheel and some big rough files cleaning these three castings up. Just the flywheel to do now and then it is all lathe and mill work. A dirty job and I don't enjoy it but necessary! Now for breakfast.

[Wendyf]

This morning I'm taking some of my mum's 1970s gold jewellery in to the auction house in Colne. It's not my style so it might as well be sold. I've had a couple of valuations but think that I should get a better price in an auction, especially as they don't take commission on jewellery.
Library after I've done that and possibly lunch at The Old Rock cafe in Trawden, which is our new favourite place to go!
Our little group of family history ex volunteers may be going to ply our trade in Trawden Community Library on one Wednesday a month, rather than in Colne Library where we are still unwanted and unloved.

[Stanley]

"we are still unwanted and unloved."
What a sad commentary on how a library should be run..... Why is that Wendy, is it politics or just plain stupid ignorance?

[Sue]

That's a cheerful post Sue! I'm glad you had a good day and made progress with your tidying up. I hope you have as good a day today despite the dull start. We are light and bright but no sun as yet. I think we might have a grass frost....

Its perishing outside. I have had to abandon one bit of garden, its too densely packed with weeds to get them out. I feel some weedkiller coming on. The rockery is easier its built on what had been a heap of sand left by the previous owners. So thats my task this morning. A bit of shopping this afternoon

[Whyperion]

"we are still unwanted and unloved."
What a sad commentary on how a library should be run..... Why is that Wendy, is it politics or just plain stupid ignorance?

It sometimes is a question of space. Libraries try to be all things to all people. including noisy children's storytimes and other things. They end up failing not really being a useful community space, nor the main repostity for books and publications for read, study or take home on a loan.
It there is no dedicated space for some groups it wont help I guess. Does U3A also offer family.local history studies events ?

[Wendyf]

"we are still unwanted and unloved."
What a sad commentary on how a library should be run..... Why is that Wendy, is it politics or just plain stupid ignorance?

A bit of both really Stanley. The library was without a manager for a while, so the story was that all volunteers would be stood down until the 1st April. A new manager arrived in January but we were told that he needed to be trained in local and family history before we could get back to doing what we do. We have stubbornly continued to meet on a Wednesday morning and give assistance to anyone who asks us, making it known that we are nothing to do with the library.
This morning we actually saw the new manager when he emerged briefly from the nether regions, he walked past us twice but didn't even make eye contact. We have been offering our help in the library for at least 15 years and our group includes 2 ex librarians....just a nod and a smile would have been welcomed.

[Stanley]

What a shame Wendy.... That sounds like a typical minor official seeing you as a threat. Can't someone have a word with him? It's so silly and wasteful of available talent. I am reminded of the new librarian who disposed of much of Wilfred Spencer's research papers on the grounds they were rubbish. Helen told me the story of that mistake....
I shall be in the shed first thing improving my castings. I suspect the main target this morning will be the flywheel. It's dirty work fettling castings and the sooner it's done the better. I'm not to sure about the rest of the day, it looks as though it's going to be a cold day so I may stay inside in the warm. I find I don't deal with the cold as well as I used to.... (Can't think why.)

[Sue]

Morning

What a story Wendy. I am so thankful to Colne library as with the help I got there I was able to unravel the mystery of my Widdup family. I hope things get sorted soon .

Yesterday was a chill day but thankfully no rain arrived. By the end of the morning I was ‘all done in’ as far as weeding was concerned so gave up . We had lunch and a quiet sit down for an hour before doing our shopping. I didn’t find any plants so will try again elsewhere, possibly today. We did manage to buy an azalea for the spot where the tree has been taken down from the local garden and home stores where we bought a new bottle of gas. We should have looked at their other plants

This morning we are off to Malestroit, a local medieval town situated on the Nantes to Brest canal and on an old pilgrim route. Its market day but we are also taking two bags full of books to the English second hand book shop there. We may have a walk down the canal towpath to the first lock and back and possibly do lunch. This afternoon I shall make rhubarb and orange jam. I was all set up to do it yesterday afternoon but found I had no sugar. That was AFTER we had been shopping so we need to call in somewhere today. This evening Laetitia and family are coming round for a drink and a chat.

The weather is going to be cool and cloudy. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Busy as usual Sue. I'm glad you've seen sense and stopped weeding. I found some eco friendly weedkiller fpr the front flags, it is based on Acetic Acid and is naturally bio degradable. It's very effective and I'd recommend it for spot treatment as well as area spraying. I hope you have nice weather then you can have your canal walk.....





First I cleaned up the flywheel using files and the vise. Than I temporarily installed the milling machine vise so that I could mill the base of the bed casting flat and level. I've taken the vise off again and so I am ready for milling the base and the top details of the bed as I can now bolt it down on the bed on its freshly milled bottom, But that's for tomorrow. I finished by vacuuming up my chips and the grinding dust I have made fettling the castings. That was a productive 45 minutes and I deserve my breakfast.

[Sue]

Busy as usual Sue. I'm glad you've seen sense and stopped weeding. I found some eco friendly weedkiller fpr the front flags, it is based on Acetic Acid and is naturally bio degradable. It's very effective and I'd recommend it for spot treatment as well as area spraying. I hope you have nice weather then you can have your canal

We make our own Stanley , vi egar salt and washing up liquid and use it all the time to keep things under control but it doesn’t kill the routes and is not good in contiuous wet weather as it washes into the soil affecting the soil. What I am dealing with are deep rooted weeds in clay like soil, and have spent 4 to 5 months growing un restrained when we were here in No emer ot rained every day so my autumn clear up never happened. Once out the other will be very effective through subsequent visits and the summer. We had our meal, bought some plants had a walk and am now making jam.

[Stanley]

I suppose anything based on Paraquat is illegal in France......
I shall be in the shed first thing doing useful things to castings, the dirty but essential precursor to proper engine building. I don't do too much to them as I like castings to look like Cast Iron and not perfectly smooth steel. The forecast is for a dry day. I don't need any shopping and so I'll take a view later on about going for a walk. I don't like the look of the cold North wind!

[Sue]

Morning

Just about any chemical weedkiller is illegal in France Stanley. Those that are legal are under lock and key at the garden suppliers and you have to ask for it. It makes us chuckle as other really harsh chemicals are on the shelves in the supermarkets. What with no garden fires allowed either it makes keeping a garden nice quite difficult. The french in general do not do flower beds, that is seen as an English garden, and generally they have lawn, statuesque shrubs and pots of geraniums. Even veggie gardens are getting fewer as people have less time and both partners work in a typical household. Those that have veggie plots tend to use weed suppressant membranes , like we do to keep the weeds down. I cover our plot with an ultra large B&Q ground sheet every autumn and any weeds under there pull out easily in the Spring

We had a lovely day in Malestroit, took two big bags of book to the English second hand book store and indicated to them that there will be many more to come. After a walk round the market we had lunch at a crèperie that we like and then did a very brisk 3 mile walk down the canal to the next lock and back. We missed any rain there was though drove through a heavy shower on the way back . It was nice to get out and last night I was certainly not as tired as I have been.

This morning it is -1 C and a thick frost, however it promises to be a nice day. I shall tackle the remaining weeds , I do see light at the end of the tunnel. However I shall hold off planting the new plants for a couple of days whilst it is so cold at night. This afternoon we are having visitors for a cuppa and a chat, our french friends, Bertrand the engineer and his wife Elizabeth . We shall be telling them the house is on the market. No contact from the agent by the way. When our visitors go I shall be making Fig jam. The freezer is beginning to look empty at last. Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! I'm glad your trip out to Malestroit was so good. And I like the phrase "I do see light at the end of the tunnel." That's good to hear... On thbe whole another positive report except for the agent. I hope you get some good news on that front!
I have just come in from the shed and will be back with my morning report in a few minutes.....
Meanwhile. I hope you have a good day!

[Stanley]

I started the morning by fastening the base down onto the bed of the mill and then milling the top and bottom surfaces level and of course parallel. The3n I turned my attention to the bed. First I fastened it down onto the bed. Remember I have already milled the base flat so I have a good reference level. Then I made sure the bed was parallel with the bed, this is important because the first cut is to face the target end that the piston fits on and I want this perpendicular to the centre line of the casting. Then I got set up for tomorrow's work, milling the other faces of the bed and then the beds for the crankshaft bearings. That was a productive 45 minutes so now I deserve my breakfast.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed first thing continuing my refinement of the castings, a dirty but necessary task before building proper can commence. As for later.... I don't think the weather will be tempting enough to lure me out for a walk but we'll see.
(I'm still loving the sight of three crankshafts sitting on the table within eyeshot!)

[Sue]

Morning

Its another cold start at 0 degrees but without a frost I think. A very colourful dawn is building up across the sky and a pleasant day is forecast like yesterday. I finished my weeding and generally tidied up the garden by the entrance gate. We had a lovely visit from Bertrand and Elizabeth, who stayed for a couple of hours. Bob finished cutting the hedge on the roadside of our fence which he was on a deadline to do for today. The local commune has given this deadline so that birds will not be disturbed during their nesting time.

This morning is the market at La Gacilly, we shall go along but don’t need to buy anything. Whilst there we will book Sunday lunch at one of our two favourite restaurants. This afternoon i shall dig some of my veggie plot to get ready to plant potatoes and onions, the pleasanter side of gardening and I want to empty some old home made jars of pickles and fruits in syrup that we have not eaten over the years. I intend saving the pickling vinegar to use as a weed killer on some of the weeds in the paths . We are at Joanne and Pauls for a meal this evening. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! I have just come in from the shed and now it's daylight I can see that all the roofs are white with frost. That's what clear skies gets you! I like the sound of the pickling vinegar. That sounds very much like my eco-friendly weed killer, they gave it the posh name of Acetic Acid..... I shall post shed matters and return.....

[Stanley]

Not a lot to report this morning. I have spent 45 minutes very carefully milling various internal faces and some external on the bed casting All that remains now is the beds for the bearing brasses and two of the lugs for the holding down bolts. That will do tomorrow. Right now I want to post this and have my breakfast!

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed first thing finishing the refinement of my bed casting. I want to check on the target end and mill out the beds for the crankshaft bearings. Oh, and face the remaining two holding down bolt lugs.
Not sure about later, just as yesterday the forecast is for heavy overcast same as we had yesterday but that never happened. So we shall see later..... A walk might be on the cards.

[Sue]

Morning

What a wind chill factor yesterday. Although the sun was out and blue skies it was really windy cooling the low 7 degrees right down. It was however a good day for drying towels and digging. I managed to get about a third of the veggie plot dug over and planted up with potatoes and onions.i even took off my thick outer sweat shirt at one point ! Having been covered with a B&Q ground sheet all winter the soil was not too wet and turned over nicely. The rest of the plot remains covered till our next visit. Apart from planting my new plants in a couple of days there is little left to do in the garden for now, just the weed killing of the paths and feeding the roses and flowering shrubs.

Today will be bit of pottering. We are out to lunch in La Gacilly at 1.00 pm and to Laëtitia's for a beer around 6.00 pm. Before then she is popping round here so I can demonstrate my floor steamer to her. They have to decorate right through before they leave their existing house. We are giving them the rest of our paint and decorating stuff and lending them the steam floor cleaner. Thats it for today, another cold sunny one. The last I think. By Wednesday its up to 17 degrees here. Have a good day all