Posty Posty

So, today we’ve had a less lazy, but superbly unproductive day; instead of doing any of the jobs that ‘need’ doing we headed out into the hinterlands twixt Slough and Maidenhead and wandered about enjoying the beauty that is available, free of charge, to those who like to wander. We actually spent much of (or indeed almost all of) the morning engaged in web-browsery activities, with Kathryn reading and me hunting down bits for the DAF. Not, as it happens, particularly useful bits, but bits, none-the-less. I’ve got four sets of brakeshoes heading to us – not because I need four, but because it was cheaper to buy 4 than to buy two. And while we may not (it is likely not) get through 2 sets in the time we have remaining here; we might. And it seems silly to chance it. I also paid for a new side repeater. This is because, for some random reason, the DAF has a side repeater on one side and not on the other. It has a cable for it, and I imagine that at some point, someone’s replaced the wing on one side. Presumably they suffered a fit of intense lazyness and decided not to get or transfer the rolo shaped side repeater. It is, I am told by some very nice members of the DAF Owner’s Club Forum, the same as that used on the Fiat 500 – and thus it is that which I’ve ordered… Unfortunately, the sills haven’t materialised yet. They did say 2-3 weeks, so if they’ve not appeared after my nights I’ll have to contact them and check progress. It’s not like I can afford this, but hey, what’s money if you don’t use it? I also sorted out my Agency application; it’s been dragging on for a while and thanks to them I’ve had live vaccine injected into my arm (because my MMR wasn’t complete, because I didn’t get it as a kid) – but I neglected to get a copy of the evidence that I got it. So I need to send that in… Which is silly, because if I’d’ve put on the original form: Dates of Vaccination 22/4/03 and 29/05/08, and then sent it, that’d’ve been fine. But I can’t write to them and say I’ve had it now, because I put I wasn’t sure of the dates. Which I wasn’t. Bah. BUT – by ringing them – they’ve been through the file, and all the stuff they said they didn’t have it turns out they *do* have. So it now does just hang on me getting a copy of my vaccine dates. I have, however, failed to change the oil in the bike. I’ve been thinking about changing the oil in the bike, but quite frankly, I’ve done so few miles on it that I resent the need to change the oil. This is, I suspect, linked to the reduced top speed – in that I suspect that some of the missing petrol is going into the gearbox oil, and some of the gearbox oil is being burnt instead of petrol in a crank-case-over-pressurisation issue. But I’m not really sure enough to actually consider fixing it myself – because the only way I could do so is to strip the engire engine down, replace all the seals and measure everything to check tolerances. This would take me weeks, and ideally require a workbench. I don’t have one of them, so… The afternoon, however, was spent wandering the countryside which was a far more sensible way to spend it – despite the grey and overcast nature of the day. It’s been warm and not actually muggy, leading to a very pleasant walk (hayfever not-withstanding). Photos are here. And now, given the impending arrival of my mother, it is probably time to clear and clean the lounge. And perhaps also, finally, put up the cabinet in the bathroom. Kathryn’s painted it, and I’ve done the wall in the office… Which means, it’s time to do things.