In, Out and round about

The past week been in, out and round about, been to Son John's for Sunday dinner last week with Marjorie. 

Playing with the dogs before dinner, John's two Cockapoo's and Pepe.

And with the old dog himself , Me!

During the week we (Pepe and I) went to the lake to test and video Mate Bob's two latest boat's

"Ellie" Vintage Broads Cruiser

And the Bob the Builder

If you are as good as Bob you have to have a handicap and here I am, but there again I did supply the Champers for the maiden voyages!.

Click here to see the action on the water

Whilst there Bob took this picture of the unusual family that's been together for the last few years, the mother, father, baby and white minder, talk about mated for life!.

On the hobbies front as mentioned in the last post made a start on the tug boat I'd bought with the fire engine.

First it was a Jet wash to get any grime and mould release agent off it.

That's a bit better isn't it.

Then I struggled to get it on top of the wheelie bin and gave it a spray of primer paint.

Whilst having a cuppa waiting for it to dry, noticed that it was looking like it was going down into a trough, as in the film "The perfect storm" and realised the lid of the wheelie bin was buckling with the weight and the heat of the sun didn't help, so just managed to lift it off before it fell of, what a relief!.

                            

Then a light masking and a drop of sea colour, now on my Black and Decker workmate, it's a bit sturdier.

Today before going to the lake it was more masking and the hull painted Red!!

From the rear.

Inside the trough, remember it's a flower planter like the fire engine, so it's never going to float or have any electric's unless it will have some solar lights fitted, Just thought about that!!, don't know how I do it for the money!.

Here are some of the plants coming up in the garden at the moment

Getting the hang of it, there again it's only been a couple of weeks, hopefully some of them are supposed to come up every year, we will have to see.

Whilst at the Wilmslow Garden Centre in the week with Marjie took these pictures with my Iphone, not bad are they, it makes one wonder if you really need to carry an ordinary camera about these days, there again my main camera has a 50x zoom, its stretching  the phones capabilities a bit much for that.

Still if you can get near enough these are quite good, Marjorie strokes them on their backs and must think I'm a bit of a wimp when she see's my antics.

 There again when I was a young lad (That's a long time ago now but I still remember it ) I was stung on the back of my neck and it knocked me out, perhaps that accounts for my strange behaviour now I imagine  you thinking.

Well that's enough for today, must get the buffet and drinks ready for England's first game tonight!!.

Good luck England.

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"The doctor told me I would have to limit my drinks to one a day"

"I'm now up to June 2016"

Fred the Boozer has finally given up drink for the sake of his Wife and Kidneys.

"I think your dog likes me said Fred.

He hasn't taken his eyes off me all night".

"That's because you're eating off his plate".

"Has your wife learned to drive yet, Fred"

"Only in an advisory capacity!".

That's all folks.

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Jobs over the weekend.

Been busy over the weekend, had a trip to the lake on Saturday then it was home via pals Bob and Joyce to see how they were getting on.
Then it was home to finish off the Fire Engine details as below.

Was only after I'd sprayed all the model Green I remembered that the rear was mostly silver chequer plate, so that was the next job

Then picked out the valves and connections

Added a number plate, realise the number plates in them days were silver and black but where's the fun it that!.

Hose reels on the side painted

More detailing on the front ie blue light, bell and windows. I know the windows look a bit funny but the interior of the cab was cream and I've been out in the evening when the sunset was on the windows and it looked a bit like this, there again I was only a young sprog at the time!.

And there you have it a coat of copper paint on the inside of the trough to seal it, I'll bet you'd forgot it was a planter!, it was finished.

On sunday it was a quick spray with lacquer all over to seal everything, and then off to the lake to see the fiesta racing as it was the first Sunday in the month again.

to see the happenings at the lake click here


Spotted these cute baby ducks on the big lake.

This morning (Monday) whipped out before the showers and placed and planter in the spot in the garden reserved for it and planted it up with the plants I'd earmarked for it.

 A couple of heathers called Red Fred, reminds me of my father-in -law who was also in the National Fire service during the last war.

Here is the planter in situ 

A closer shot of the front and side elevation 

The rear, quite a lot of detail considering its a concrete planter don't you think

Then a more pulled back picture of the garden. So that's the end of this project which I've enjoyed very much and will continue to enjoy in the years to come, he say's touching wood franticly

So on to the next project, you see the rainbow in the last picture, well I've got the materials for another one for a friend and made a start this afternoon, it's being so busy and active that keeps you young I think!. And don't forget in a previous post I mentioned that I bought two planter, so that will be another project to do for the garden.

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You know you're getting old when you bend down to tie up your shoes and look round to see if there's anything else needs to be done while you're down there.

I'm so old that when I ask for a three minute egg, they ask for the money up front!.

He was so old that when he asked the doctor how long he might live the doctor replied 

"Put it this way don't go buying any green bananas"

It's the way I tell em.

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Thats all for now folks

Latest project May 2014.

Just when you thought I had stopped hobbying, I'm back with my latest project!.

You may remember in an earlier post than I'd bought a Green Goddess fire engine planter and a Tug boat planter.

Well I've started the Green Goddess, 

First it was a good going over with the jet washer to remove all the muck and grime that had been accumulating sat at the garden centre.

Then I had to fill the blow holes from the original molding and any bits not quite right with Milliput filler and then rub that down.

Then it was a coat of filler primer, then a coat of grey primer. 

The next stage was a coat of Lawn Green spray paint all over, doesn't look too near the colour here under the neon lights in the garage, but it is near as I am going to get it!. 

Here you can see I've coloured in the underneath with acrylic paint and also the tyres, looking a bit better now and more detail showing up.

Thats as far as I've got for now, so watch this space.

Most people think that these vehicles are Army vehicles, but they were first introduced in the Civil Defence and used by the Auxiliary Fire Service in which I was a volunteer member as a leading fireman  until I was thrown out when I joined the Ambulance Service, as it was said at the time, I would be claimed by the Ambulance Service in the event of hostilities so it was no longer viable to spend money training me in the AFS.

As it happened the AFS was abandoned about 6 Months later and a couple of my crew followed me into the ambulance Service!.

So you can see my interest in buying the Green Goddess. 

The Army then used the mothballed Green's when the Regular Fire Service  went on strike later on, hence people only remember the Army using them later on.

I will publish the on going project progress as and when!.

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There was a fire at the nurses home

It took the firemen 15 minutes to put the fire out.

It took the nurses three hours to put the firemen out!

The Mexican fireman was the proud father of twin boys.

He called one Jose and the other Hose B.

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Thats all for now folks

4 days of sunshine

Well at last!, we seem to be having a bit of good weather for a change, watch it change now I've put my big foot it my mouth!.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday been down to the Lake where our model boat club is situated in the beautiful Etherow Country Park.

In between going out  enjoying the good weather I have been doing a bit in the garden with advice from my lady friend Marjorie, it's a bit of a steep learning curve for me in the garden as Velda used to do all the gardening with me only allowed to do the heavy lifting and carrying.

The thing at the moment is to make it the garden with plants I like and have to live with.

Here is my attempts up to date.

                         

Whilst at the lake Thursday managed to spot these baby mandarins, 9 in all with mother.

                                  

And the Coots have been busy on the nests as well

On the home front my youngest granddaughter did this painting for her final art class project at school, inspired no doubt by her visit to Venice earlier in the year.

The grandson here is now 18 and in July will be off to service as a Latter Day Saints missionary in the Greece Athens mission which also includes Cyprus!, so he will serving there for the next two years. So not all teenagers are tearaways you see!.

And last but not least the eldest Granddaughter is at Manchester University studying Maths! certainly didn't get that off me!.

So I'm a very proud  Grandad indeed, I think they all have the Teal good looks as well!.

Check out son John's Blog with his latest project, A Metrolink tram!, on his garden track layout.

Click here.

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There was this tribal family eating round the cooking pot and the little boy said "I don't like the missionary"

so the mother said "Well leave him and eat your Vegetables"

Its the way I tell em!.

Thats all for now folks.

Bad penny turned up again.

Hi there folks, yes the bad penny has turned up again!.

Over the past few weeks since I last blogged quite a bit been happening, firstly my grandson put in his papers to be a missionary for The Church of Latter Day Saints, LDS or some of you might know it as The Mormons.

After a tense wait of 3-4 weeks he got his calling as it is known and will be off to serve in the Athens Greece area. He will first go to The Mission accommodation at the Temple in Chorley on the 31st July for 9 weeks to learn Greece, not long that is it, I think my mission would be over before I could pick up the language, the alphabet is a mystery to start with!, still I'm sure Jacob will cope with it with flying colours.
To follow his mission
 Click here

Been doing a bit in the garden again, that's another rainbow I made for the other side of the garden

Photo's don't do them justice really, its when the sun catches them that they are at their best.

A new section of the garden, trellised up and three new clematis planted bought from Aldi..

    These are the three I got,  One I bought myself and the two bottom ones off Marjorie as an easter pressie!.

Can't beat those price's can you, saw the same thing in the same packaging at Asda a few days later, only difference was the price tag was £3.00!!. Got to shop around hey!.

Had a day at the lake last Thursday, nice sunny weather, good crowd sailing and stayed too late really as fell into the rush hour traffic on the way home!.

Still it was worth it , after a walk round the lake with Pepe, seeing all the wildfowl nesting

Cop for this Darling, it's for the nest, not to eat you stupid bird!.

When is he going to bring me something to eat, bet he's eyeing up the birds again

And some have even got babies already, this one had eight 

Talk about the last man standing, this is the last two sailing after all the others had gone home!, Charlie and Eric enjoying the late sunshine, watch the sun on those heads you guys, that's one of the reasons I wear my hats, keeps the rain off the hearing aids as well, its like it's thunder in your ears if a raindrop hits the aid!!.

Been to the beauty parlour today, with Pepe I hasten to add !!.

No I just leave him there and go for a spot of lunch and a check of the local charity shops in the area, today's bargains were, 3 Books, 3 Ties and a nice pot for a plant all for the princely sum of £4.

So there you have it, too posh to go in a charity shop, not on your life, might find some Moorcroft pots yet, not likely though after all the programs on TV ie Bargain Hunt and Flog It.

Want a bit of modelling , check out Son John's model Metrolink Tram

Click here

That's it for now folks, hope to get back into the swing of it again a bit sooner next time.

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Dumb

She thought an Aperitif was a set of dentures.

He thought alter ego was a conceited priest.

She thought awestruck  was being hit with a paddle.

He thought polyunsaturated was a parrot in a raincoat.

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