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  • 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.

  • Discovery of the day

    I’m much less good at grouting than I remember. After an experimental hour in which I challenged the concepts of standard grouting I can now safely say I suck at grouting. I hope Kathryn doesn’t mind doing the rest, and fixing up the hash I made in the shower; I’ve cleaned it up but I just couldn’t get it right. So I think I’ll do prepping for grouting ahead of her, and she can grout, if that seems reasonable to her.

    I’m gonna start stripping the radiator (more) after I’ve had my tea though. In other news the tiles are all attached to the walls. Apart from the area I’ve left (because if I need to get to any of the pipes I thought it’d be easier if there weren’t great chunks of tile to have to remove first.There’s no ‘user servicable’ bits behind the boxing, apart from the two valves that came as part of the flexi-hoses for the sink (which you can’t get them without, at least, they didn’t have any without) and since there’ll be hot/cold valves for the entire upstairs, downstairs, then I’m not worried about hiding it all behind tiling.

    But until I know it’s all sealed okay I’d like to have some access available.

    Hopefully, if we can get the ‘areas’ done today, I can put the shower in today. Maybe tomorrow’ll be bath day :)

    Ra.

  • Another day another visitor…

    It appears that we have visitors in our house. Well, at least one visitor who I have to say is not welcome. We’ve gained a small brown furry thing of the mouse variety who (unfortunately for him or her) crossed the kitchen last night while I could still see (him or her). Small and brown and moving swiftly. So this evening we shall be off out to purchase some humane traps, and our unwelcome’d guest will be taken on a free tour out to the local countryside.

    I spent some of last night sticking flour/sugar/etc into boxes, and have some concerns about the rice (which is open, and I didn’t think to seal). I have an idea where they’re coming from though – it came from the larder and sprinted all fuzzy like towards the fridge (bloody food orientated creatures), but on thinking about it I recalled a hole, a hole located behind the washing machine. When they took out the wall the floor there was a bit lower than the floor in the rest of the room, and there’s a small gap where what was once the hearth has crumbled. I’m not afraid of mice, but I don’t like them in the house for a variety of reasons, one of which is their tendancy to get in all your food (and make you have to throw it away), another is their tendancy to urinate and defacate everywhere. So, catching the buggers is high up on the priorities list; and sealing that hole (and checking the larder, which is more of a dog than you might believe, since the new boiler’s being stored in there and it’s not light) is also very high up.

    The problem is, with the building work there’s boxes and things stacked everywhere, which makes life a little more difficult.

    Anyhow, progress: yesterday I finished painting the ceiling above the shower, not a huge thing I realise, but it meant that the missing light could go into it’s snuggly little hole, which means that the room is now much warmer again. The tiles are done bar 8, which I’ll have to cut and do today, and maybe a nasty little shimmy-tile because of a wall that’s not straight.

    So then it’s on with the grouting and the painting. I may clear the area in front of the radiator-space so I can paint that today. Then it’ll be top-coat-able by tomorrow. Yes. So. That’s basically the plan for the day.

    In other news, this talk by Larry Lessig is very good / interesting… And Brick still lurketh at the garage.

  • Again with the cold, aren’t we done now?

    So, yes. Another day of tiling ahead, and then some grouting – and stripping the old radiator down. There’s four more days in this week and in those four days I’m hoping to achieve:

    – Tiling and grouting complete around sink, bath, shower, toilet and radiator’s locale.
    – Woodwork (behind radiator) painted.
    – Radiator stripped and repainted.
    – Radiator pipework completed and radiator connected.
    – Temporary kitchen surfaces up in the…kitchen.
    – Pipework run under the floor in the kitchen to connect up lounge radiator, with take off fitted but switched off for kitchen radiator.

    With that little lot completed we can call in the gas engineer and get the new boiler fitted; which would mean actually having heating. A blessing of unimaginable proportions. I’m lucky in so far as I don’t have to get up *every* morning at 5ish, which Kathryn does. At least some days I can wait until the weak sunlight has started to filter down; and also I can just sit and wait for the heater to warm up the bathroom (speaking of which…) and for hot water that is truly hot.

    So having heating that can take the house up to a reasonable temperature would be really rather nice.

    At the moment, the fire in the lounge isn’t really able to make the lounge warm by itself, probably ‘cos that back door doesn’t shut, which is another job that should be (and is) on my list.

    So that’s my day planned out, when the shower’s warm I’ll be heading in there. But there’s a trifling issue which is occupying my mind – that of my laptop. A while back firefox became such a pain to use (pausing every page load or scroll or on change of focus for up to 10 seconds) that I switched (albeit temporarily in my head) to IE. IE is awful, it’s stayed awful, and I still think it sucks. However, it does to a greater or lesser extent, work on here. However, now in the list of oddities has arrisen another; the laptop’s started to crash. With fair but not incredible frequency it’ll just lock up completely. Not ctrl-alt-del-able, not power-button-hold-for-offable but solid dead crash. Out with the battery and power cable crashes.

    Following this last one we had failed services on startup and Control Panel wouldn’t open… It seems to have ‘settled down again’, but I suspect it’s coming time for a mighty reinstall. I want to try Linux again on here, since I can’t have OS X; which means getting the linux install disk onto a machine with a burner. Since the PC in the lounge is *also* waiting for a reinstall (house has priority!), then that’ll be the Mac (which is currently somewhat of a blank slate, since I got the install to work but it’s not yet got any actual software on there, really. I’ve got Toast, just not installed). So I’m thinking I best get sorting things, and get all the data off here pretty soon otherwise things are likely to suck, in all reality.

    Still, that’s where we’re at. Cold, mostly….