Boomer54

Wink wink, nudge nudge, we won't tell where your wife rides ! It's the boot lid (cough).

Anyone familiar with this landmark will instantly know Lexigirl was tripping out in Ilkley today. Moreover at 23 C she was doing it with her head uncovered. Now question for my passenger wife was "tell me what do you think with the hood down and sunshine on your head?". Her reply (bearing in mine she's an old school Yorkshire lass), "it was ok". Da da ,this is wife speak that she loved it ! For myself admittedly not in the greatest of shape at the moment it was unadulteratedly wonderful. A real pick me up and a super reminder that the body may be thinking one thing ,but the mind ,our mental outlook can still be lifted by experiences that bring joy.

Joke https://www.facebook.com/share/p/f47kRFyHdoAnu8Na/

She will, but will you be around to see it? Another question entirely.

Don't be so formal. You can call me Marc ! Although my hands today are calling me Mr Incredibly Stupid.

Knowing how enthralled (sic) you all were by the Scumble topic I thought I would feed your appetite to know more. Here are a couple of pics showing it in process. The base is done in eggshell Calico. The scumble is made using artists Violet oil paint. It is crosshatched application followed by a ragging using stockinette. As ever it is a process of trial and error. The initial application result was just too dense/strong. Hence, the section shown has been rubbed down using a variety of grades of paper. This removes some of the colour giving a more faded/aged look. Also removes some of the sheen from the oil based scumble. If you are really expert at this you could get there using a water based mix, but that requires a different skill level as the water based mix by implication dries very quickly giving you little time to work with the scumble. Certainly you couldn't then rub it down as I have done here. You would need to be very sure that the colour was right straight out of the pot. On top of the finish shown here there will be a stencil running horizontally around the room midway between picture rail and cornice. No, it won't feature various prehistoric creatures although it probably should. I had forgotten just how much work is involved in doing this stuff. When I was doing it years ago it was meant to endure for 10 to 20 years or so. Easy really given the oil content is incredibly durable. Today I ask myself what the hell am I doing this for ,because 10 to 20 years just isn't credible unless the afterlife holds secrets I am not yet privvy to. Nonetheless I have started so i shall finish, echoes of Bamber Gascoigne. You can just glimpse a piece of glass work I did in 1995. I say I did. What I meant is I drew it and a local glass worker created it for me from the artwork supplied.

Good news is you figured all that out before it became a bad news scenario. Pays to know the small print.

There's "a bright side"?. Directions to it on a post card please. Is it really bright and not be confused with the 'flash' after Putin nuked us? Ok, I am going to have to stop watching Fallout.

Our German Shepherd considers cats Brunch ! Although he's got absolutely zero chance of ever catching one.

On the bright side my daughter is at a conference at Lancaster University today and I agreed to ferry her there and back in the XK. She has a foot like a clog so I think she's going to like it.

I think you are right . My eldest brother suffered with gout all his life right from being a teenager to the end and I know from his experience it was absolutely awful, agony. You wouldn't wish it on anyone (other than the guy with the dog that craps at the gate).

I started with Sciatica this year and it is now combining forces with my Rheumatoid and Ostioarthritis. Resisting a steroid shot for the moment ,but with my CRP level sitting at 14.9 it won't be for long.

Would love to make the meeting, but I have not really been making plans past a few days as my health has been so up and down since virtually the start of the year. Means being a bit more spontaneous than I usually am. So, may be closer to the time all being well I could make it. On a complete aside this might bring a smile to faces. An early birthday present from my brother.

Thanks Glyn. Yes, I have seen the video and I even linked to it for two of the techs. I think the problem is they are just not seeing much upside to fitting someone's kit if it were to go wrong for any reason. I even told the last guy " if it's working when you install it your responsibility ends there", but they still didn't follow through. I really understand the issue thinking back to my time in business. You essentially work using someone elses's product with all that that entails when alternatively you could be off doing a job over which you had complete control understanding the likely problems and knowing that if they occur you have at least been compensated for them. It is a shame ,because for someone with the correct tools and a basic knowledge of wiring I suspect this would not be that difficult for them. I'll keep at it, but it's not a pressing issue.

Missed your post Stew "til just now. Hope you are both keeping well. Not really done much to the car if only because you had already done so much! It has just been through a major service combined with the MOT. Straight through as you might expect. Has been undersealed. Got a reversing camera, but not yet fitted. So far 3 techs have looked and left it for various reasons. Seems to be an unwillingness to fit anything they have not supplied. So, still trying with that although it's less needed as I have got really used to the car Front leather seats is a job that got cancelled twice by a local outfit so I am going to treat them myself now the weather has turned for the better. Will be heading your way later this Spring for a stay over break. I will let you know when and if you like and you are there may be call in and give you the opportunity to drive the car again.

With the huge number of British tourists it's more likely to be El Sid.

Great pic, but I see you have a problem with random Spanish guys wandering into shot to pose your car.

First time I have driven the SC and XK on back to back days. If I had to sum up the comparison with just one word to describe each car they would be; SC Silky XK Brutish I like both for the clear difference in driving experience.

There is a huge amount of Spain I have not yet seen. However, a part I find very attractive stretches from Calpia to Denia with Javea being smashing. I have driven that area quite a bit and the colours of the flowers etc are not to be missed. Contrast that with what is just off the edge of that area - Benidorm (Brits by the Sea) !

The term isn't what people mainly associate it with. I quote; Badly or hastily built with materials of poor quality. The term is mid 19th century, and is sometimes said to be from the name of a firm of builders in Liverpool, or to allude to the walls of Jericho, which fell down at the sound of Joshua's trumpets. From: jerry-built in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable »

"Had the new screen fitted yesterday, a date chosen to coincide with my latest hospital visit." Sound planning ! Be where they can resuscitate you in case the bill is bigger than expected.

Hokey Dokey!

Lexigirl day out at Wyredale Park and Lake. With brunch at The Barn at Scorton. Extremely beautiful place.

Pills only once a day. Lucky you.

"First thing to check was the suspected timing belt. This had been replaced 12,000 miles ago. sure enough it was 3 teeth astray. ". Please forgive my technical ignorance but does that mean the belt was not fitted correctly to begin with, or is it something that can happen over time?