Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

I am dealing with the last pan of veggies. Always nice when this job is done!

[Big Kev]

I had to wash the car, one of my neighbours is having some flagging done and they've been at it with Paddy's motorbike for the last couple of days and there's stone dust everywhere. All finished now so a good soaking with the hosepipe cleared it up nicely

[Stanley]

That stone dust gets everywhere Kev and it's very dangerous as well. Nobody seems to bother with water in the cut these days. I hope they don't regret it later.... I shall be in the shed first thing fettling castings. I shan't be doing a lot after that. Yesterday was a busy cooking day, I deserve a quiet day.

[Stanley]

Back to fettling the remaining castings. I started by taking one more light cut off the cylinder length and then moved on to working on the steam chest. First I dressed the internal surfaces square and to size using hand files and then I set up in the VM vise to cut all the external surfaces square and to size. I finished by putting the witness marks on the cylinder and steam chest castings to make sure they are always oriented correctly during the fitting process. Now for my next task.... breakfast!

[Sue]

Morning

Crossing ok. Just left the port. Stopping at Julias for lunch. Have a ggod day

[Stanley]

Good! I'm glad to here that. Looks like a decent day for you Sue....

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed as usual at 06:00 refining my castings. The build starts to get interesting as opposed to dirty at this point.....
Not sure about later. We are promised dry sunny weather, we'll see when this rain stops!

[Sue]

Morning

Good old french time and we were awake at 6. We will just have adjusted when the clocks will change.

We had an excellent journey to Julias arriving just after 11. As it was too early for lunch we had a good chat beforehand and didn’t leave until nearly 1.00 pm. We had taken her a family heirloom chair ( great great grandmas ‘nursing’ chair some 130 years old) from the house in France, and we have another to take up to Claires in Preston later today. When we left Julias the sat nav said 2 hours 27 minutes to home arriving 3.27 pm in fact it took us to 5.00 with one toilet and drink stop at 3.00. It took 45 minutes to cross Rochdale as we hit the usual rush hour hold ups. The traffic just got progressively heavier from Knutsford but luckily no accident hold ups. We unpacked and ordered an Indian take away and then just sat and watched the Bergerac catch ups that we had missed.

This morning we are going to Haslingden market where our Bacup market butcher has relocated whilst we have been away. He has said he will still deliver but we thought we would go there unless there is bad weather, this afternoon we are off to Preston with the heirloom chair, Great grandpas dining chair of some sentimental value . Have a good day all

[Stanley]

That sounds like a nice re-entry Sue except for the traffic in the later stages of the return. It should be a good day for your trip to Preston.....



This morning I made a small adjustment to the length of the valve face on the cylinder casting to make it a closer fit to the steam chest casting. Then I turned to the lid of the valve chest and milled that square and to size. I gave it it's witness mark so it can always be oriented properly. That's the end of casting work in the mill. Tomorrow I can clean the cast iron dust off it and turn to the lathe where I shall be working on my cylinder lids.... That was a good 45 minutes with solid progress. Now for breakfast!

[PanBiker]

Going to support our Finlay at the Coffee Morning in Grassington being run by Wharfedale RUFC under 14's. They are raising money for their weekend away trip into Wales this year.

[Stanley]

This morning I shall be working on castings using Mrs Harrison. The flywheel will be the first for shaving. Not sure what comes after second sleep. The weather doesn't look very inviting..... I shall take a view later.

[Stanley]

This morning I spent my time on the flywheel casting. It is now rough turned and bored for the flywheel. It's ready for painting and after that will be polished. Then I cleaned up the CI chips on the mill and the lathe. An hour of solid endeavour... Now I am after my breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

Nice day yesterday doing our shopping and visiting , with lots of chatting. Except when we are with Joanne and Paul , casual chatter is what I miss when we are in France. It can be hard work when the only people you speak to don’t speak English and your brain is constantly having to work hard searching for words and phrases in french to both say and understand. Although I work hard at learning the language listening to and understanding others does not come easy.

I think Bob is at the park today, I have no definite plans but will probably do some sewing to get my head in gear for a session with Maxine on Wednesday. Have a good day all.

[Stanley]

Morning Sue, you just caught me scuttling off to bed. We are very gloomy here in Barlick at the moment. Bed looks quite attractive!

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed first thing as usual doing useful things to my castings. The weather forecast is good so a walk could be on the cards later.....

[Sue]

Morning

Its a lovely sunny morning not sure if it will last, there is certainly some cloud around. This morning is french in Haslingden and this evening is zoom yoga. I have no other plans but plenty of jobs to think about. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Now I have the cylinder bored I can turn the lids as I now have a bore to fit them to. I started by sorting the back lid out and at knocking off time I have the front lid in the chuck on the lathe with only the inside faces to work on. I shall finish it tomorrow. Now for breakfast. That was a good hour of honest endeavour with no mistakes.... Just how I like it.

We posted at the same time Sue. Looks like a better day so go out and enjoy it!

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed first thing working on my front lid. Not sure after that. I may be tempted out for a walk or alternatively I might get my pork belly into the slow cooker..... I shall take a view after second sleep. (I think the smart money is on the latter..... )

[Stanley]

This morning I finished machining the front lid and fitting it to both the cylinder and the target face on the bed casting. More to this process than meets the eye but it's done now and after a good 45 minutes I deserve my breakfast.

[Sue]

morning

Nice day yesterday and when I got back home from French the large towels I had washed first thing were nearly dry as Bob had put them out on the line. In the afternoon we walked down to Rochdale as Bob had takings from the train to bank. The hill back was a hard climb as was yoga, as despite gardening activity in France our bodies seemed to have forgotten our normal exercise routine

This morning I am out for half an hour at ten but then plan on emptying the greenhouse as Bob is going to put a false raised floor in there try and resolve the wet floor problem. It will still get wet but things won’t be sitting in it. The drainage holes will ensure the wet drains away and as I always leave the window open a little this will help drying out too. We have never really worked out where the water comes in so all we can do is work with it. This evening is yoga at the studio only with a substitute teacher as Taira is going to see her daughter in a her A level drama production. Have a good day, dry and cloudy I think

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! I am back up after second sleep and have made my decision, housework! I have started by vacuuming upstairs and I have brought the Hoover down ready to do downstairs when I have had a drink of tea.... Then I shall mop the kitchen Vinyl and cut my belly pork up and get it cooking in the slow cooker.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed early doors and I think this morning I shall start on drilling holes in my castings. I shall deal with my pork belly this morning after I have served up my three meals. The pork has to go in the fridge with the rest of the veggies and what's left of the chicken.
After second sleep I shall mop the vinyl, it didn't get done yesterday, After that I shall be logging on to the flight trackers to watch Susan and Mick leave Perth for Heathrow..... the wonders of modern technology.

[Stanley]

I measured, marked and drilled the first 20 holes in my castings. Lots more to go yet! Everything checked at least three times! Now for breakfast.

[Sue]

Morning

Yesterday I managed to get the greenhouse cleared, throwing away a few surplus pots and trays and transferring the rest temporarily to the garden shed. Bob is unable to get the flooring till next week as he has to order it and we are away for the weekend, but it does give the greenhouse chance to dry out completely. Of course as luck would have it some fuchsia plant plugs I ordered , expecting a delivery time of two weeks, arrive tomorrow so will have to live in the conservatory for a couple of weeks . It will probably be warmer in there anyway.

This morning is the hairdressers, this afternoon sewing with Maxine and this evening a zoom pilates session. Have a good day all

[Stanley]

I supervised the flight leaving Perth but found time to mop my vinyl! It was surprising how dirty it was, looks far better now.