Saturday morning had been reserved for Degsy. I had all the parts delivered in the post during the week. It took a full two hours to put on all the bits and make them fit well. I even was able to mount the choke cable in it's proper place on the steering column. Degsy started up without a problem and is running beautifully. It is even using less fuel which is a major result.
The afternoon was brightening up so I went to the lottie since H was out training and Miss L was at work. I decided to one of those jobs that has been hanging round for ages. The soil was too wet to dig and it was perfect time to burn all the rubbish bits of wood I have been collecting. There is no way I am going to use these odds and ends. I made a special effort a few weeks ago to cover them up and them dry. I got the oil drum out, well half an oil drum. It has been used so many times as a brazier it has burned through several times. Wedged up on a couple of bricks it made a useful fireplace. Once the fire got going it was just a job of keeping it fed. In between feeding the fire I cleaned out the big ex-compost bin that holds all the bits and pieces of things that might come in. Today they got their come-uppence, fire or bin. It did not find any home of critters which is just as well. Part of the fire's job was to burn the frames from the hive that died out in the autumn.I dropped the frames one at a time when the fire was at it's hottest. The wax made the flames roar. If only I had remembered my brew gear then sitting watching the fire with a brew and biscuit would have been perfect. I had to be content with doing a job that wanted doing and watching the birds flitting about the feeders I had just refilled.
When I was cleaning out the big bin I found a roll of rubber matting that I have had for years. I think I had it when we lived in Manchester. It way always too good to throw out. Today it came to me what it was. A floor mat for the rear tub of a Land Rover just like the one I bought for Degsy. I emptied the back of Degsy, positioned the mat and trimmed it to size. I was a bit dog-earred round the edges. However I have a nice mat to stop things sliding about in the back. Who says things don't come in if you keep them long enough? Well H mostly.
The fire was dying down and I had burned everything I could so I packed up Degsy. Just as I was leaving a shower hit. The brazier hissed and frizzled as the rain hit it as if complaining about the cold rain on its hot sides. Much the same as me really. I jumped Degsy, out of the rain and trundled home pleased with my day of unashamed blokeiness.
I dropped into see Steve on my way home. Partly to show him that Degsy was capable of going places without a companion to recover him should he breakdown and partly to see the great wall of Norris Hill. It had been said that Steve had used string and a level to make the fence both straight and plumb vertically. I had to see that. After taking flak for the towing of Degsy [I knew there would be a high price to pay for making that call] I was entertained by Steve and his brother putting the finishing touches to Steve's latest adventure into self sufficiency, Quail. They were just finishing up the Quail pen or run when I arrived. They had already lost one Quail over the fence so I was delighted to stand in the way, offer spurious advise and generally take the micky. There was no damping Steve's enthusiasm, even if by this stage, we were wet through from being blokeish in the rain.
I was even home before H and got spruced up for H birthday outing. Miss L, H and I had a lovely meal and it was nice to be altogether. Unfortunately something was a rye. I was awoken in the early hours with a very urgent need to spend some time in the smallest room and that is how I spent the early hours of Sunday morning. Still, on Sunday AM I had an appointment with a double dose of trailer run since I had missed it the week before. That was the longest two hours I have spent for a longtime. Even the air was like treacle. Job done I gratefully turned Degsy homeward and once there fell into bed for the rest of the day and the night.
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