Mostly lemon based

Category: General

  • There are advantages…

    Being able to do work on your own car, because it’s a classic and thus nice and simple does come with certain advantages. While I struggle unevenly against the reliabilty of modern ‘equivalent’ parts, when I can obtain them (which isn’t always) at a pinch I can fit them myself. So the dead alternator whilst annoying (very) is at least not as much of an issue as it might be; for whilst the last couple of days have been a little fraught – not enough sleep and somewhat stressy driving to work (because I was running there and back on one charge of the battery) having got the replacement alternator it’s been fitted in an hour.

    I’m quite pleased – one hour to strip off the old alternator, walk to Halfords (wait five minutes for a manager who could do refunds and exchanges), exchange it, walk back and put the new one on. I did this all in weather cold enough to give me an ice-cream headache as I was walking back as fast as I could. I also got a stitch from walking as quickly as I could, which was entertaining.

    I’ve just stuck the battery back in, but I’ve not tested it, so let’s all cross our fingers shall we – ‘cos I’d like to sleep in tomorrow. While last night wasn’t horribly busy; it was gently constant until 5am meaning that I (we) didn’t *really* get a break until then. So….

  • Lack of being in the mood

    So, todays been one of those days when I’ve just not really felt in the mood. I gave in and replaced the electric radiator in the lounge; the panel one I’d borrowed from my brother in law. It’s been leaking oil gradually and I got fed up of that – and suspected that it’s efficiency was somewhat lowered by the leaking oil. Unfortunately while I was exploring the oil filled radiators (why exactly is it that the come the winter all of the stores heater ranges disappear) Brick decided to leak coolant all over the car park. Having checked it looks like one of the clips was loose, but the pipe it’s connecting looks pretty past it; so I may add that in to my incredibly huge set of jobs for the garage…

    So far we’ve got:

    – Replace Servo

    – Service and tighten head bolts (if necessary)

    – Change rear brake shoes

    – Fix passenger side window winder and door locks (rear one doesn’t work, front one only locks with the key, window winder ceased to descend).

    – Try and see why the heater does absolutely nothing whatsoever.

    I need to order the bits for the service; but it’s being one of those months where I started off doing quite well, and I’m ending the month wondering where in hell the money’s going. Mostly on the house or the car, or petrol, to be brutally honest.

    Unfortunately the Viva parts place is closed today, so I can’t book the car in because I don’t know when the bits will arrive. And for some reason I’m bloody cold again. See, I’m really just not in the mood. I feel tired and cranky; and generally slightly out of sorts with the world. I’m not even sure why; I had a really *really* good evening last night – I suspect it’s just the prospect of 6 days where I’ll barely get to see Kathryn, and 6 night shifts in the cold.

     

  • late night ponderance

    See, nights. I always try and swing my body round to night shifts by staying up insanely late the night before; thus allowing me to sleep late into the day before my night shift. That’s the *idea* anyhow. Which means staying up late at night, which means pondering and thoughts and kind of wondering about things.

    So, I’ve got various things lurking in my brain; the Viva project (which I’ll unveil at some point when Zesthost have sorted out the problems with billing which may be internet explorers, my, or their fault (I don’t know how it happened….)) lurks in my mind distracting me during the day; the house – obviously – continues to be cold and I keep thinking about the bills (including the TV licence :-/ ), and trying to work out whether it’s better to fork out 80 quid on a tool that we need, or leave it and rent it (at 40+ quid a day); and funnily enough I’ve got a strong desire to make a Super 8 film again.

    A couple of days ago I finally showed my cine films to Kathryn and it’s left me with a strong urge to get the camera out again. I’ve been missing the video camera – having played with John’s camera my little Aiptek which shoots at less than half tv resolution it just feels – well – exactly what it is, a cheap point and shoot which does video. But cine film has a certain quality to it; not so much a timelessness as a feeling of being fixed in time. Having hunted e-bay I can see a variety of options; well, two really. The Ektachrome colour film (I need to check any of my cameras will take this), or a black and white film.

    Either way, I have a distinct urge to get the camera out; only I’m not quite sure what to film. Anyone got a script that can be shot in 5 minutes (or so)?

    Anyway, the plan for tonight, such as it is – having watched Long Way Down (which I was seriously beginning to struggle with watching until about 2/3rds of the way into this episode when suddenly it became much more about the journey and the people than just an endless struggle to get the miles in), is to go and sort out the Mac. The only problem with that is that it’s in a room that’s cold. Cold and upstairs. So, thought for the moment is that when I’ve done this I’ll make myself a little cup of tea, grab my nipod, my copy of Accident and Emergency Nursing and head upstairs – taking with me a fan heater (well, I’ll use the bathroom / workshop heater). It’s a shame, ‘cos the gas fire’s just made the lounge nicely habitable. But hey.

    I need to get the Mac up and running really, because I’m fed up of using IE on the laptop – but I daren’t reinstall the laptop until I’ve got one other machine working. I’m slightly concerned about the Mac also because when I switch to the BeBox, as I intend to, I’ll have to pick up a wireless card for the Mac… and so far the ‘it works perfectly’ squad of Hackintosh people have produced for me a machine which has never worked the way they said. I’ve still no sound… and the latest Hackintosh software’s only succeeded in giving me more problems (that had no sound or networking). I don’t have the skills / interest / time /energy to care enough or to fix it; so it’s back on an earlier revision which just left me with no sound. Something I can deal with thanks to the nipod, and the existence of the laptop. But it’s not something I have any urge to live with permanently. Thankfully, my life behind the technology curve just got much better, with the addition of a G5 Mac. Only teeny little problem – it’s a dead G5 mac. So if anyone’s got a spare G5 power supply kicking round it’d sure come in handy right about… now.

    Anyway, I should get on :)

  • World of Boredom

    See, when I started doing venepuncture they gave me a book to do with ‘a few questions’. Only the few questions actually turn out to be all the questions in the world. At the time they gave it to me they said you don’t need to get them all done before you do the venepuncture training; only for when you’re ready to be assessed on venepuncture. I’ve actually done all the mandatory ones (at least, I have as far as the venepuncture side goes; I’m just faintly nosing at doing some of the optional ones.

    I’ve also been loading up the new nipod; it has a few unfortunateisms; one of which is that it doesn’t draw power from the USB and the other of which is that it has to be plugged in when transferring data. Oh, and you have to use the database software to transfer stuff, if you want it to do playlists and such. Still, despite the software being clunky like woah, it seems to be working. I’ve been taking the opportunity to home rip some CDs which I originally downloaded. Yes, it’s true, I torrented the odd album, and guess what, now I’ve bought these ones because I liked them and am re-ripping them at the quality I like (ridiculously high).

    In other news, the cut on my thumb looks vastly less impressive when not pouring blood. This isn’t an invitation for it to pour blood, but more a comment on the fact that I thought it was a bigger cut – but I guess it was mostly deep, not wide.

    I’ve done no work at all today, as is commensurate with my plan; which is to not be so tired I want to die when doing my night shifts. My only ‘workoid’ type thing was discovering that the name of the ‘channel cutter’ which I’m sure I’ve heard it called before is actually a ‘chasing machine‘ (which is a far more fun, but less helpful name). I need this because whilst I obviously wouldn’t dream of rewiring the kitchen (it’s against the electrical regs), I do intend to recess wiring into the wall, because it’d be untidy to leave it hanging everywhere. I’ll even pop it in the proper plastic tubes; then there’ll be some plastering, and lo, we shall be sorted. But with a chasing machine that’ll take a weekend, rather than several weeks.

    And in Viva related news the painfully expensive new Servo has arrived; sadly not in it’s original box (although packaged in much paper’n’stuff, and what looks like it was once the lid of the box); and also the new domain name is now mine. Due to a small technical foof (either on my part, or the part of the billing company) my hosting is not yet ready, but once it is world be prepared, for I have a plan of much evil.

    So, that’s my world of boredom.

  • Warning

    Here’s some advice for you, don’t try and align pipes which have landed up out of line by placing your thumb on one side of the (apparently very sharp) connection and using your fingers to prise it past. You may end up attempting to remove a chunk of your finger which will by turns be bloody, painful, and make you feel like you’re going to hurl.

    I think I’ll stop work for the day now.

  • Do you know everything?

    I spent several minutes this morning staring at the radiator trying to remember which ‘tool’ I used for scraping the paint off; then I remembered – old stanley blades. I’ve no idea how many of them I’ve got through; but it’s quite scary.

    One side of the radiator is now stripped back to a joyous black / cast iron layer. One other side left to strip; then sand it, then clean it, then painting. Oh, so simple ;)

    In addition to which, my productive morning has included attacking brick’s brake lights, which are hopefully now working. I can’t actually tell; but if not it’s definately an earthing issue. The brake lamp holders look like someone’s rather cruelly dipped them in rust inducer and then placed them conveniently near the sea on a particularly humid day. I spent several minutes attacking both of them with sandpaper (yes, I know, but I’ve run out of emery paper). Having produced something akin to steel (rather than the attractive iron oxide layer that was there before) I produced lamps which at least are now both on, but I can’t tell if the brake lights are working. If not then I guess I’ll have to give it a more thorough clean. It may be the brake light connector that’s gone as well, which concerns me as it’s also corroded quite badly and would be a pig to replace.

    I’ve also cleaned up (a little) the space behind the washing machine and dumped some fresh concrete into the (two!) holes where mice could potentially have gained entry. I knew there was one, but having cleaned up a little a second became apparent. it’s not there now though… I felt guilty buying ready-to-mix concrete because it was so much more than getting sand/gravel/cement, but it’s so handy to have around (really!) because I can just wander out scoop some into a bucket, add water and lo, I have concrete. Hopefully that should fix those pesky mice (although we finally caught one on Friday night, and had to stop and let it go free elsewhere).

    Hrm, oh yes, and I’ve grouted the wall where the radiator goes. That can be ‘polished’ later, leaving just the painting of the skirting board on that wall; I’ve sprayed the last bath foot with it’s first coat of primer, and done the second coat of primer on the two shelf brackets. Distressingly I’ve run out of propellant in the primer can; it’s quite annoying ‘cos it’s blatantly got a fair amount of primer in it still. Anyhow, few coats of gloss should see that last foot sorted which’ll mean that for the first time in goodness knows how long that bath will actually have a complete set of feet.

    And finally in my busy morning of catching up I’ve put silicone sealant round the sink. It was terribly frustrating. I’ve never been great at silicone sealant, but I’d got some quite neat looking ones around; but this one just went a bit pear shaped. For some reason when I smoothed it, it went lumpy. I’ll have to see what I can do to fix that, but that’s a job for later I feel. It’s not perfect, but it’s servicable.

  • Something for the weekend?

    Having spent much of Friday morning ringing different companies all around the UK going “Brake servo for an HC Viva”, a local company came up trumps with a brand new boxed (‘new old stock’ or NOS, as it’s called) servo. It should begin it’s journey from the other side of the town we live in to our house today; once it’s here then brick can head back to the garage and have it fitted (woo!). However, I am starting to think I really should do the ‘creation of the electric classic’, so I shall probably buy the domain name I’ve been considering and if my webhosting company get their arse in gear, I’ll get more hosting space, and lo I shall be off.

    At any rate, the brakes were considered to be safe – if somewhat unsmooth in application – so off we went to my friend’s wedding. Somewhat of a late decision to attend, but they seemed *really* pleased to see us; and it was a beautiful reception; loads of kids playing happily, nice food, good music, good company :)

    It is my first lesbian wedding – and the brides looked beautiful :)

    And I got an excuse to wear my silly strappy shoes :)

    Unfortunately, we were both knackered, and it was over an hour’s drive away so we ended up heading home about half 10, not getting home ’til 12 which meant that we were a little slow getting up Saturday to head to Brizzle. (more…)

  • Bother ++

    The brake servo on the viva is officially deceased. This is inconvenient; not least because, well, they’re not easily available. It’s not like walking into a shop and saying ‘hey, I need a new brake servo for a viva’. Or it is, only first they look at you like you’re a talking goat, and then once they’ve got over their ‘what the hell’s that’ the answer is ‘no’.

    Classic places just say, sorry we don’t have ’em. Although one place has ‘Price on Enquiry’ which scares me.

    And to round it off, my garage didn’t do the rest of the service, because they spent their time trying to get a brake servo. I must admit I foolsihly thought ‘oh, I’ll just ring up the spares place that the club recommends and I’ll be sorted….’; yeahright.

    In other news, our phone number will be changing – so if you want the new one you’ll have to ask when we get it. The current ones should be valid to the end of the month; then well be down to the one that ends in a 7 until we get a new broadband phone doojit.

    k?

  • Now I don’t want to get too excited

    …but, I just checked (at Kathryn’s suggestion) the immigration of pets; and it turns out a kitty could just come with us. As in, we could walk straight into the country with a kitty, so long as he’s vaccinated against Rabies.

    We could have a kitty. A little furry kitty :)

    *grins*

    Now, all we need to do is finish the major building work.

  • Bloody Rodents

    Chrissy’s right; we should get a cat.

    I got the mouse trap this morning and off I went on the 2 mile round trip to some fields where I planned to release it. I must admit I wasn’t entirely convinced there was a mouse *in* the trap once I’d picked it up; but hell, we have to try these things.

    So off I went, and after my mile long walk I opened the trap and lo, it was empty. Bloody rodents. Were we not building at the moment, I’d be sorely tempted to go get a cat, because we both *want* a cat, and it’d solve the mouse problem. So I shan’t block up the mouse hole today, but will instead continue with attempting to get the hang of grouting.

    Poot.

    Oh, and my hosting for my website may be having an issue – in so far as I may be looking around for a new host; the company that provide it have much improved, but appear to have ceased to offer the package I was on (which was horrendously cheap); so as a useless expense, I may have to move to a cheaper company. Which’d be shedloads of fun :-/

    Still, we’ll see what happens.