yesterday I bought a Decafenated Cofey table

Nah I didn't.

Just like saying it.

But I did buy a laundry basket trolley from a well known discount grocery store- a jermain komponee, but in the end only for the axles and wheels...

What is it?

Well, over here, we hang out the washing out in the sun, usually in the backyard, for the antibacterial solar content and to add vitamin D to our clothes. To save on the naked sunbathing and skin cancer.

Also, to avoid too much exercise in the extreme solar radiation of the southern temperate region of the world by bending down to pick clothes to hang up on the rotating clothes line, we use a trolley to hold the washing basket. You know. After three loads on a Saturday morning [whites first- as they do not retain heat to dry quick enough IMO, then the colours and finally the gothic adornments], my baacckk...

The trolley for the washing basket I bought Tarn many years ago [10?] had also been used as a kart by the kids, too many times. The axles got bent, and the good old black plastic wheels cracked and went missing at the front, a real drag when hanging the laundry and moving it from the inner line of the clothes hoist to the outer wire... You can see by the pic, it is a largish line.

Time for a new one or even hunt one down that was being tossed out as junk somewhere around town at the next Hard Rubbish Week ...


No. As mentioned the discount store had special on this weegen, so early Satdee I hot footed down. In the car, and picked one up. And extras that I did not need when I left home. Hate that.

The new one was not as solid as the old one. Weak even! square tubular, thin, would not last!

Hmm. Marvined again?

Nah! $20 well spent!

Swapped the axles and wheels. Man the new wheels are Nice.

Talk about a Transformer!

Tossed out the old wheels, the remaining pair of. Stored the old axle, and the new now not to be used new frame and gear- in the Shed.

Rollin' 'long jus fahn, thankyee.

Just another day

Another cake on the table

Number one son 

aka Son#1, returned home the other week after a wee trip.

His travels included some live p.jam, rubbish, small falls near buffaloe and a venice beach visit!

Lucky lucky lucky....

Anyway, he also brought back some little things for us all, what a good guy! I also got some parts for a portable weather station and a thingo for my home weather monitor!

The gels had a cake ready for dinner to celebrate his latest birthday now that he was back. Yummo- the usual mud cake!

The Visitor

Ensconced in his favourite place... The gels do not want me to hand this deaf lil ol critter back to the rightful owner! I 'd love to, he needs TLC, from auntie! Oh the poos and wee is funny... once a month maybe...

Just another scan

Second Scan

Last February my neurologist asked me to get a second MRI scan, to be done mid year, in order to compare the scan done last year.


There was a cancellation this week, and the operators called me to jump ahead a few weeks. If I liked.


Yep.


Took home the disk with the images and had a look for any differences from the last scan.


And I cannot tell, so will wait. Easy.


No other symptoms to recall the last few weeks.


A cold does not count. Although... It did start last Monday, and really slow to get to the coughing stage....

Ah well.

Pre-Spring Preparations

Pre-Spring Preparations

The Spring of 2012

Winter

After pruning back the potted grape-vines this year, a look over the vines gave a sort of satisfying 'job well done Tone'. Some of the vines were pretty well pruned back to a few stubs really, accidental or not... We'll see later on. The cuttings from the Shiraz were successful, and you can see the fuzzy buds starting to erupt. On the Pinot cuttings, well, I think only a couple will survive the spring bud season.

Preparations

Separated out the older vines into the side yard for this years growth in order to avoid any contamination by the mildews again. After last years pitiful outcome, I want this year to be anything but pitiful! The "younger" ones I will leave in the backyard, and two year old cuttings will be transplanted into the final growing pots.

Last years inherited shiraz vines from friend Harry that survived last season that were not in the final growing pots were also transplanted this last week. [my baacckk...].

Shiraz

2 yr old Shiraz

Younger Shiraz

Pinot Noir

Shiraz Cuttings Winter 2011

Stock as of End of July 2012

1. 6 planted Shiraz- 10kg
2. 33 potted Shiraz- 10kg
3. 6 baby Shiraz- 2kg
4. 20 potential Shiraz Cuttings
5. 9 Pinot Noir- 3kg
6. 6 baby Pinots- 1kg
7. 2 to 4 potential Pinot cuttings
8. garage Foxey Grapes- 20-30kgs

At End of Winter or early September

I intend to transplant the baby potted vines into the final, bigger pots as I did with the adopted Shiraz vines the other week. 

Weather and back...

I will really have to think about spacing this year. At least a mowers width between them this time or more?

I think I got it

I think I got it

gaffer tape or duct tape- gotta love it

the kids [and me] kept closing the fridge without closing a drawer...
and overloading the little shelves too...

diy glow plugs left me glowing

diy glow plugs left me glowing

Battery?

The last few months, avid followers would know I changed the work/windsurf transport van battery because the bloody thing was slow to turn over and start chugging. Well, the last week it has been like that again, and I blamed the cold. One hint was to use 'Aerostart'  in the air intake to make it start. Another relative said DO NOT DO THAT, it's the glow plugs! Marvined again! Should have RTFM, at least!

Whoops.

Glow Plugs?

Well, a call two days later to a service centre suggested that the glow plugs were buggered or the relay to heat them was gone if white smoke was erupting from the anus of the bloody van. Bloody vehicles.

Hmph! well, to replace the plugs looking like sixty dollars a piece for Mercedes recommended types, forty for another type. And probably four hundred for a new relay or only two hundred for a substitute.

Ouch! $775! And service charge too? Oh no thank you! 

Pulled the pin plugs out, what a hassle! And the relay was removed too. An hour or so of time...

Expert advice.

Three places were visited. The service guy I have used before said I could probably DIY. Mmm. Went to merceded service centre- new quote- still the same. The cheapo relay was available though if I needed it... Next store could get the plugs for about twenty bucks, two days to wait. Great. The next place was only fifteen, two days to wait also. 

I could wait! Good old Repco! They said replace the lot even if one was okay...

Went to the auto electrician with the relay- and with a hand lens he could say nothing was wrong with the board [as an aside, you might have a diesel too, but with a nuclear explosions EMP- you will be buggered too, like I say, an aside..], so there was all that money saved... if the new glow plugs he recommended to get worked okay... 

He also showed me how to quick test- grab some jumper start cables, spit on a suspicious glow plug end, connect it to the battery and if no steam- buggered! Do not put a good one into your pocket right away...

Two days wait.

Went to the wrong store. 

Embarrassing as the last time with the new tyres!  

Had to drive away, and park 50 yards down the opposite side of the road!!! 

Picked five plugs up for seventy five dollars thank you very much! 

Home for the last DIY stretch

And swore and banged knuckles for an hour or so putting the bastards back in the engine. Dropping shit on wet ground, argh! Lucky it was only cool, and not freezing! Plastic tarp was spread after the first dropsy! And a fencing wire kludge to pry the fallen thingos from tight spots in the engine bay the next time. I do like my tool collection this week, no new purchases required!

Happy at last

Fingers crossed. key in and turn for-

First start, brmm !

Ha life, bloody hahaha, a winner today! nyah nyah nyah

diy glow plugs left me glowing