Ice Road Truckers

Yesterday John and I went to Rotherham to do a few jobs there, the first thing was getting there,see video.

Once there, the first thing was being welcomed by two of the members saying "Do you want a bacon Buttie" what a fabulous welcome "Yes please was my quick reply!"

Whilst working on the various jobs one of the chaps said "I've given your little dog a couple of treats" is it al-right to give him another", showing me a treat that an Alsation would be given, "don't tell me you gave him two of those" I said, "no he replied the others were smaller",  "thank goodness for that I said, just to let you know his stomach is the size of a ping pong ball", "Well it isn't now said John!"

All for me?

No!

We finished the last job, replacing the two reinforced glass panels in the front door about 5-30pm and set off for home tired but satisfied that we had done a good job and left the place a lot better for our visit, the journey home was a lot better even though it was dark, snow was on the roadside in places but the gritters had done a good job,  arriving back at John's to pick up my car and got home at 7-30pm

Long day but a good one!

Grand scale modelling

Yesterday Friday I was helping John at Macclesfield chapel, we fitted a new section of down spout outside and then it was the title job!

Carrying on from the  Club Blog this week on members modelling,I thought you might like to see Modelling RJR and Dad style 

See here

I know its not a grand piano but its bigger than the usual modelling isn't it , made a new side for the up right piano and strengthened  the feet and here is the finished article

You can just see the blocks to strengthen the feet that were collapsing with keep moving it about!

To-day was the more traditional modelling, at home where I fitted the channels for the windows in the system than John has used on his fishing boat

Has you can see from the card I've slotted in, its all moveabell,

The channel is availabell to be moved in and out whilst painting the inside or outside and when its all finished and dry the glass can be inserted nice and clean and unmarked!

Then fixed all the pictures in place, the card in the window frames will protect them.

So a good couple of days modelling from one extreme to the other hey.

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She insisted on taking innumerable outfits with her and they arrived at the airport loaded with luggage.

"I wish", said the husband thoughtfully "we had brought the piano"

"No need to be sarcastic" said the wife, "its not a bit funny"

"I'm not trying to be funny" he said "I've left the tickets on it"

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Boom Boom 

That's all folks

Stroke!

I got this E-mail a while ago and thought it might be useful to know whilst out and about Not boating but might come in useful to know and you might save a life If not new to you - still worth re-reading!!      INFORMATION   EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW......................... Blood  Clots / Stroke  - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator,  the  Tonguearclayton STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters. S.  T. R.    STROKE   IDENTIFICATION:   During  a BBQ, a friend  stumbled and took a little  fall - she assured  everyone that she was  fine (they offered to call   paramedics).  She said she had just tripped over a  brick because of her new shoes.   They  got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of   food. While she appeared a bit shaken up,  Ingrid  went about enjoying herself the  rest of the evening   Ingrid's  husband called later  telling everyone that  his wife had been taken to  the hospital -  (at 6:00  pm  Ingrid passed away.) She  had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known  how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps  Ingrid would be with  us today. Some don't  die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless  condition instead.   It only takes a minute to read  this...   A   neurologist says that if he can get to a  stroke  victim within 3 hours he can  totally reverse the  effects of a  stroke...totally. He said  the trick  was getting a stroke recognized,   diagnosed, and then getting the patient   medically cared for within 3 hours, which  is  tough.   RECOGNIZING  A STROKE   Thank  God for the sense to remember the '3'  steps,STR.     Read  and Learn!   Sometimes  symptoms of a  stroke are difficult to  identify. Unfortunately,  the lack of  awareness spells disaster. The  stroke  victim may suffer severe brain damage  when  people nearby fail to recognize the   symptoms of a stroke.   Now  doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke  by asking three  simple  questions:   S  *Ask   the individual to SMILE.   T  *Ask   the person to TALK and SPEAK  A SIMPLE SENTENCE  (Coherently - i.e. It is  sunny out  today.)   R  *Ask   him or her to RAISE BOTH   ARMS.   If   he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of  these  tasks, call emergency number  immediately  and describe the  symptoms to the  dispatcher.   New   Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your  Tongue   NOTE:   Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask  the  person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If  the tongue  is 'crooked', if it goes to one  side or the  other,   that  is  also an indication of a   stroke.   A   cardiologist says if everyone who gets  this  e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can  bet that  at least one life will be saved.    I   have done my part. Will   you?     Peter

Windows

Yesterday John left early from his Saturday visit, we usually go to the lake on Saturday's now, but it was too wild, wet and windy, so after a chat, a trip down to Gorton Market for our Bacon Butties, we had a ride to Manchester Pets and Aquatic's to see their prices and condition of their fish stock. We were not impressed at all! though they did have some really exotic animals from birds,snakes, parrots, lizards, gecko's and tarantulas, not for me thank you!

The afternoon was spent making the channelling for the  windows for the "Narra Boat" as per Son John's system where the glass slides in after the paintings all done and the spraying can be done with card in the frames whilst painting inside or outside

Click here for his system

So here is my efforts

Luckily the Veneer I used was the same thickness as the glass so the channelling was made up so, two pieces of veneer of different widths, 

(thanks Bob, still making use of the stuff you gave me and going to a good cause).

When the channels are glued in the glass is removeabell.

Hopefully when the channels are fixed in it will look like panelling with some extra strips in here and there between the pictures.

So now only the trimming and glueing to do now, Picture on the left is a miniature of one of Bob Abell's oil paintings 

And here is some more of his fine work, not bad for a boat builder hey

Well it's off for Sunday dinner at John's now, and then perhaps fix the channels in later

Back to the modelling

As I wasn't out with John yesterday, I decided that I would make a gentle start back into modelling again after month's without the time or inclination.

So the first job was to get out the plant tubs I'd bought instead of the home-made ones

I thought why spoil the ship for a half penny worth of tar as the saying goes, couldn't get the plants looking like that anyway!.

The holes were drilled for the tubs and air vents, after much measuring and repositioning,

Looks about right there,

As you will perhaps remember the red item is the front LED lights fitting, the front chimney was fitted and the air vents are brass mirror screws cut down and a bit of plastic tube added for height, you can get them in brass or chrome, thought the brass would go with the brass hand rails you can see the stanchions for in the foreground.

Rear end showing hatch 

The rear end with another chimney and closer view of vent.

Then it was time to varnish the tubs, what a difference a drop of varnish woodstain makes hey,

So there you have it, the next job is to take it all off again and get things ready for fixing the top to the superstructure, must make sure first though as it's easier to work on the inside before the roof gets fitted permanently isn't it!. 

Not too bad a day, eased back into modelling mode gently and it was the first time I'd left Pepe downstairs without him yapping all the time, I left the gate at the bottom of the stairs open, but he must have thought it better to stay in front of the fire, he's hairy but not stupid!. 

I was also in touch by E-mail with Jackie from Model Slipway as I'd heard there was a waiting list for kits now, and she replied that she and Laurie were semi-retired and working from home now, though not doing the show stands any-more and were relying on word of mouth for orders now, shouldn't be any problem there with their reputation over the years! 

So they are still turning out their great kits, though there is a bit of a waiting list, so I've ordered my next project and looking forward to a ride over the Pennines to collect it and have a cuppa with the "Whites"

Click here for Model Slipway website

What have I ordered, wait and see!

TWTWTW

THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS!

not as interesting as the old TV program I'm afraid, but where did it go!, the first three days I was helping out John at a house in Littlebrough fitting some wardrobes in a bedroom,  what a job the ceilings were ten feet high, so instead of buying and fitting shop bought flat packs we constructed the frame and John fitted shop bought doors, having to cut them for the top ones.

Tense moments drilling the fixing holes for the top doors hinge fittings, don't look quite the same with holes coming out the front do they.

Are these strong enough for Christmas tree storage?

Nearly there.

Not much more done in the evenings as at my tender age, its TV after tea and lucky if I see the end of the program!! though I did attend the committee meeting on Tuesday evening and club night on Wednesday night.

Thursday after dinner saw Pepe and I down at the lake again, for a chat with some of the hardier sailors and a coffee at the cafe with some of the regulars, Nice to see Billy Wilson there with his boats after breaking his arm, mending nicely now though.

The chip is showing up the old block with his painting yesterday between running his taxi service for his children, check out his blog click here

I ready must get stuck in and re-start the Narra boat, al-ready thinking of the next project, but mustn't fall into the trap of starting another project before finishing the present one! 

Days at Etherow

Friday saw Pepe and I at Etherow as it appeared nice and sunny at home, but once at the park it was more open and quite cold.

Took a few pictures with the new camera as shown.

A visitor to the park with Wayne the head warden

The ducks in a feeding frenzy as there weren't many people about to feed them.

And don't fee sorry for the little Mandarin Duck in the middle of this group as they are able to stand up for themselves

Tufted Duck

And Pepe found a new friend, both got their coats on!

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Saturday saw us back at the park with John, to try out the new Jet ski! , Met Colin there sailing his "J" Class and what a fabulous paint job on that, there again he bought it off Terry Miles who knows about paint as its his job.

Click here to see video

Another pleasant surprise met Velda and I's friend Margaret in the park, she  loss her Jack Russell terrier "Sally" at the back end of last year and surprise surprise there she was with a new one 

A three year old rescue Jack Russell, just picked up that day and introducing her to the joys of Etherow, a bit nervous but  soon came round with a few treats out of my pocket. 

Sylvia was there and as she had just lost her "Laddie" was tempted again I could see, good company, though very tying aren't they.

Well that's all folks, hopefully it will be getting lighter and brighter soon.

Another birthday been and gone!

Well that's another birthday been and gone!.
47 years old, what!! you didn't know I was Dyslexic!

For my birthday I got a new compact digital camera off Pepe! well the thought was there, he couldn't reach the counter at the shop. This camera still small enough to fit in your pocket has a brilliant zoom on it and is almost as good as my Lumix G (the 3/4 SLR) which is good for events and holidays,but you'r going to miss that special shot you come across whilst out and about aren't you.

So a picture is worth a thousand words they say.

Remarkabell isn't it for a compact.

look at the detail on this last picture.

Not quite the last picture.

Grand Children.

So beware club members, if I haven't got you in the club friends album yet because you disappear when I'm around I can get you from afar now! 

18x zoom and video recording

On offer at Curry's/Pc World at the moment half price, probabelly a newer version out already, you can't keep up with technology these days can you, unless you are prepared to spend a lot of money that is.

Grand Daughter Ruth is quite happy as she has my old Samsung and doing very well on her Facebook page with it, found out more features on it in the first hour than I had in the past 18 months, its frighting how quick they are growing up these days isn't it.

Will have to get her to give me some lessons on the new one hey and she's the youngest!.

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Children,what a comfort in old age

And how soon they bring it on.

Don't worry if your life's a joke  

And your successes are but a few

Remember that the mighty oak

Was once a nut like you.

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That's all folks

New year

A Happy New Year

 to all our readers.

My New years resolutions are to finish the "Narra Boat " and to do a lot more sailing this year, sail

all my boats and not just the ones that are easiest to throw in the car, I don't 

think I'm on my own when I say that most people only sail the current model,

 favourite model  or the easiest to hand.

I was thinking of downsizing my fleet but then that "Our Lass 11" from Model

 Slipway looks very nice and it is my favourite Kit manufacturer, even before my

success with the "Aziz".

click here to see website

I'm glad that my "For Sale"Section on the Club Blog has been a success, it seemed strange to me, people on the landing stage at the lake saying one day "I'd like a certain boat"  and the next day someone saying they had same to sell, it seemed the logical thing to do to get these people to-gether!.

Still onwards and upwards, passed all the secretary stuff over to the new sec, so now will have more time to think of other ways to advertise the club.

Just got back from Sunday/New Years day dinner at son John's and very nice too, they had two male missionaries to dinner this week, one from Utah and the other from Indiana, they must appreciate a cooked meal (the same as me,) being away from home at this time of the year, and as John  was a missionary for two years makes him do his bit same as people did for him whilst he was away.

Well it's my birthday to-morrow and if I knew I was going to last this long,I would have looked after myself a bit better.

That's all folks, if you want a joke its on the club blog to-day.
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Oh al-right then just one,
The cannibal children were sat round the camp fire with their mother and one said "These missionaries are nice Mum" 
"Yes" said Mother, "But eat your vegetables as well!"
Boom Boom
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