A while ago now the representative from the Essex and Suffolk Water campaign "Make Every Drop Count" visited us. As a result various freebies were dispensed. However our savings are minimal. Our taps are not suitable for inserts, our cisterns are already dual flush, our shower head is already as efficient as it can be, and our water pressure is s low at times that showers are impossible. Its the 'freebies' I really wanted to address.
A little bag of granules that absorb water was added to each cistern. One of these immediately disabled the short flush capability and had to be removed. The other is still in place. The short flush in that cistern had never been enabled, and did not work when tried. A replacement rose for the end of the hose was provided. It was poorly made and frequently detaches from the hose, it is also partly broken - a real waste of money by the campaign. However the plumber did tighten up the tape so that it no longer leaks.
Eventually a water butt was provided, and was soon installed. It filled up in the first heavy rain the next night, and today I completed putting the down pipe bracket back.
That took a long time for two related reasons. My power drill is battery operated, I listened to a number of people before I bought it about 4 years ago, who all said that battery drills are not under powered - it is. It also has a keyless chuck, or to put it another way, it is impossible to keep the bit locked in the drill when it is used in hammer mode. So drilling in brick means constantly stopping to re-lock the chuck and then stopping for the day to recharge the battery. Only one of the two batteries now charges. I use it very rarely, so to have a battery fail so quickly was disappointing.
The first of the fence panels is now replaced. On Saturday I used a saw that I inherited from my father to cut the fence panel from the standard 6 feet to around 4' 6", and Jo helped me slot it between the posts. The panel is the right way round, according to my dad who insisted that the outside was the side that looked best. This makes sense, because if the panel has to be moved I need to be able to hold the rails.
Nearly Live
It has been a busy week. I've worked more hours this week than any other since I started this job. Now I'm nowhere near the 70+ that I was once working, but that was many years ago. The first phase of my project is about to go live, and performance has (suddenly?) become an issue. It has been overcome, by redesigning some of the code, and the nightly run now completes without time-outs waiting for the database to get nothing.
If you didn't understand that - never mind -, but if you want more detail its here.
Today should have been a welcome break, but there is still one option that doesn't work.
Youth Worker Conference
Both Karen and Liz are away at the Youth worker conference this weekend. I attended a few year ago and had a really good time. It's even better if you're a professional, still I'd like to have been going.
Automated Lighting
The motion sensitive switch out side the front door has been playing up for ages. A few days ago it gave up altogether. I had already ordered and received a new one. Today was time to put it up. Drilling holes in walls and making the nece3ssary electrical connections is not too difficult, but the lack of strength in certain parts of my shoulder made screwing in the screws difficult, and surprisingly keeping the drill straight was harder than it should have been.
I'd read the wiring instructions and wired it up, then came back and read them again. How come they are different the second time round? I went back and corrected my connections. The switch on was fine, and we now have light on our broken steps.
Winter - really?
This miniature rose appeared to have died, and was due to be removed, but here it is flowering at the end of November!
Drugs
This week has also been the week to replenish the drug supply. I had given all the details to the Chemists as they offer a free service to collect and make up prescriptions. I had completed and signed all the forms. So on Wednesday evening the cynic in me was not at all surprised they had never heard of me! They got me the drugs I need though, so it is not all bad. I picked them up on Thursday. The NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) have changed suppliers for some of the drugs, and the headline description is different, so it was back on Friday to check that they really were the correct ones. "It all makes work for the working man to do"
The shed has been re-roofed, and the two visible sides painted. This job started last Monday when Andrew was at home and able to help. After removing the roof,I found significant tree damage and had to replace the supporting timbers. The covering timbers were tarred (with a modern day adhesive) and new felt stuck on, and the edges nailed to the supporting timbers. There is still some tidying up to do. Somehow these jobs seem never ending and never get quite finished properly.
I also painted the boards and the rendering on the front of the house. We started this on Tuesday, and applied the first coat using ladders, and a brush on a stick to get over the porch. On Wednesday I decided to get some new ladders that would allow adjustments to the height I needed, but met a friend, who loaned me a tower. That made things much easier, and I completed the second coat on Thursday without help.
Friday saw completion of the painting outside, and in the porch, and some tidying up in the garden. See to the left of the shed above. Jo was busy all day taking pieces of tree to the recycling plant.
It is always pleasing to see a job 'completed', but I am always led to think about how long it will last - almost always 'not long enough'.
Today it's back to something that, I hope, will have eternal significance, if only a very, very little significance - I'm preparing my sermon for next Sunday. That will be over in a week, and forgotten by most people in two weeks, but something, however small, will last a lot longer.
"The pen is mightier than the paint brush" - no that doesn't really work does it.
While my boss was away I requested some holiday. Next Tuesday to Friday, the week following August Bank Holiday. Today (at last) it was approved. I do hate having to prompt people to respond to these requests. So .. I'm expecting even more rain. The purpose of this week, apart from getting away from work is to do some much needed work on the house, and re-roof the shed. I'm not a great DIY enthusiast. Mostly I avoid it when I can, or get someone in if I can't, but some jobs are just hat bit too small to make it worth the effort.
Liz has accepted a job, one that is way below her capabilities, but at least she won't have to rely on the state for pocket money. The timing is poor though, because as I have time off she starts work! One potential helper less, now I'll have to rely on Andy also having some free time.
Mike has been enjoying his football and getting some better results lately. He's also been Man of the Match a few times. The link will only last a few more weeks - scroll down to week 19 and look at the SBM United result.
Oh yes, and there still the little outstanding issue of the essay .. better get back to work then.
