Lopwell prize?
Patch knows the border of temperance and destruction
The rings worked out very well.
I got rid of three. The eternity is quite small and only fitted niece #1, it really suited her, it was her birthday etc.
Her Dad texted today about it because heâd only just noticed.
I think heâd had a bit of a sit down because when I was talking to her the ditzy moo was wearing it on entirely the wrong finger given that her boyfriend was in the room 
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Having an MOT, innit. Hope I pass! 
I passed; slightly higher blood pressure- but within tolerances.
Eyes; granite and weight all OK.
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Visiting the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry.
Great couple of hours looking at the statues, all made from scrap iron.
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There is a school reunion in about 10 days time.
The organiser (damn I want into his office, 1 Poultry) checked in today to confirm that I wouldnât be there - it clashes with DF Antwerp.
It was good to thank him (he hadnât realised) that it has spawned so many back channel groups - heâs done a genuinely good thing that will have lasting effects.
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Today I have mainly been⊠buying a concrete/cement mixer. (Need to check the difference!)
A âproperâ old one with metal wheels.
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Pretty sure the difference is just whether you put gravel in itâŠ
I was taught that cement is the dry powder, mortar is sand and cement and water (but no-one ever says âmortar mixerâ) and concrete is sand and cement and aggregate and water.
I think the question is not what the stuffâs called though. Itâs what the machine is called. Heâs bought it now, so he can call it what he likes.
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You have me bang to rights on the mortar front, I made a complete Horlics of that one.
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Arguably mortar is sand, cement and lime+ water.
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And Fairy liquid if no-oneâs looking âŠ
You donât need it, lime is the plasticiser.
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It certainly should be but, well, who has a bag of lime handy ? Then again if youâve got a (half) bag of cement âhandyâ itâll likely be out of date and all but useless.
Newbury College used to offer a âbricklaying for beginnersâ course which C once bought me as a present (!). An evening of âtheoryâ and then three Saturdays laying bricks in a very large shed under the beady eye of the instructor. We did that using mortar made just from sand and lime and water so it could all be knocked off at the end of the day and the bricks used again.
The instructor really didnât like the use of Fairy liquid. He said if you really needed plasticiser or frost-proofer or any other additive you could buy the real thing. Someone muttered âYeah, and itâll cost ten times as much. And itâll still be Fairy liquidâ.
I learned two things on the course - a) that I could actually lay bricks and b) that I was much slower at it even than the other beginners. After that if I needed masonry I paid Colin, a proper brickie.
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Very little mortar is actually mixed on site these days, itâs either mixed in those big white silos that you see on large projects or is delivered in ready-mix trucks, deposited into large bins on site. All of these mortars contain lime, plus in the case of site delivered mortar a retardant which can keep it useable for up to 72 hours, if I remember correctly.
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My only experience was as a DIY-er. I donât think Iâve ever needed enough mortar for it to be worth hiring a mixer. Iâve just mixed it on a board. Iâve hired small mixers for concrete though. Iâve also had ready-mix deliveries (footings, floor slabs) but they take some prep. A lorry load of concrete is really heavy and goes off quickly enough that youâd better have a plan for it before it turns up.
Cleaning them out when you get it Rong is quite funâŠ
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Need to upgrade this to a cock punch, waited in all afternoon only to get call to say appointment cancelled due to unseen circumstances.
Called them back and supposedly part did not arrive from Germany and wonât be here until 16th, if true then they would have know the part was not on his van this morning.
Funny thing is the repair man was only one stop away when repair cancelled and it is Friday afternoon.
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A slow Friday - Walked into town had a flu jab came home - Replaced a headlight bulb - That took over an hour - Tight connection and no purchase room. Attempted to replace the other side to match the colour temp - Got 1/2 way but decided to abandon efforts because bonnet arm and earth cable were making access even more of a RPITA
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