Busy and varied; some good some sad

As the title suggest, this month has been busy: everything from LNOTP to Fire Stopping, ie - shoving loads of fiberglass insulation in the gap twixt our house and next door as a fire break, and becoming seven again at Digerland.

The fire-stopping has been the least pleasurable activity of the month; partly because the header tank for the central heating, needed moving.

With the tank out of the way, two days of stuffing ensued.
Amidst a flurry of swearing at the itching created by what felt like a battalion of mosquitos, the fiberglass stuffing had been completed.

Yep! even dressed as though going into an infection zone, that damn itch got to me.

An example of stuffing; packing fiberglass really tight in the gap between the two buildings

 

Stuffing done, operation 'replace the header tank' came into play.

Putting in a new tank and pipes is easy; compared that is, to reconnecting old piping to an old tank, praying all the while none of the joints are going to leak.

Happily, passing the toilet paper test (a sheet of toilet paper placed against a joint is the best way to check for a leak, even if it's only seeping very slowly) it was time to refill the tank and flush the system.

How do you flush it?

Easy; run what seems like 'a reservoir' full of water (some times a cleaning agent might be required)  through the entire system, until the water 'cascades' from the hose like a crystal stream.

Only then is it time to refilling the tank properly.
In goes the Fernox; an 'inhibitor,' used to 'inhibit' rust etcetera in the radiators; then it's an hour or so  'bleeding the radiators.' Or in our case two days & it's still developing air pockets.

To do the stuffing, I'd 'mined' the loft of the insulation already in it, simply to avoid buying too many or not enough roles of insulation, so now we know how much we need to buy, then it's just a case of rolling the new stuff out.

So that's next on the list of 'to do' things; reinsulating the loft!
Oh we do know how to live, don't we......


Actually, I think we do!

LNOTP (last night of the proms) at Julia's was a hoot. We even had the President of the Women's Institute gracing us with her presence! OooOOOOOoooh! get that. And she was lovely.

Lovely too was the food; I'd done my signature cheese cake, Tracie loaded the table with cakes, and Julia did the rest; chicken and pomegranate salad, quiches, both gluten free and normal, more salads, more pastries. Essentially it was a luscious smorgasbord of 'Yumminess!'

Contrary to my natural shyness, but going along with the mirth and music of the moment, for the second half, I suddenly appeared from the hall in a modest outfit of a Union Jack Onesie.
(and yes I do know that technicaly, it's only a union jack when its on a ship, but what the heck, it made everyone scream with laughter, so it was worth it).

Two patriotic souls

 

 

Another bit of silliness was a day out to Digger-land; two tickets for which I had been given by Grace and Peter as a birthday gift.

 

It's meant for kids of course, but guess what; who ain't a kid just some times?

 

Me driving a JCB

You've all seen kids trying to lasso a duck at the circus as it bobs along.
How about doing the same with a mini digger?

Takes skill to knock over a skittle, one at a time, with a digger

Called a Polecat, these weird creatures don't have a steering wheel,
you sort of steer them like a tank.
Kids as young as six and seven were bombing round in these like they were formula 1 cars.

view taken from the bobcat of the mud lake we drove through

Not for the feint hearted, this thing goes 50 some thing off the ground

Fifty feet high.

View across Digger-land, with castle and cathedral in the background.

Add caption

 

Polecats track immediately in front of us

 

View of M2, & himself looking beautiful.

I don't know what it is? But I do rather like it.

Wish they had a few more old bits like this around, it would make it more interesting.

 

The saddest thing of this last month was the final flight of The Big Bird; my nick name for our lovely friend; Jon.

He was a wonderful artist and started me in the direction of painting.

These are just a couple of his pieces.

Inexplicably I can think of few people I have felt more bereft at the loss of.
Why? I don't know. It was just a wonderful friendship. And I feel so sorry for his lovely wife Daphne.

We all hope you'll be ok Daphne, and don't forget; that offer of a tea and cake in that café is still on.

Love to you all,
Peter

Oh yes, one last photo; The Red in the Bed celebrating political transformations.