Happy Winter Solstice

[The Medway Handyman]

Have a cool Yule chaps, may Santa bring you sack loads of angle grinders, car body filler, WD40 etc.

[mike]

Same to you, Dave.

(I don't think Santa's been to B&Q though - local warehouse was like a mortuary earlier this week.)

[T i m]

I popped to Sainsbury's yesterday for some milk and bread. Went to the basket only checkout but it was queued back halfway down the isle so put my stuff back and left empty handed. I had walked there as there was no chance of getting anywhere near with a car.

Very much looking forward to the return of normality.

Cheers, T i m

[geoff]

In message , T i m writes

Yeah - a stressed couple of days here chasing up couriers etc

Shut the door, switched off ...

but it will be good to be back to business as usual

[ARWadsworth]

Merry Christmas.

Adam

[geoff]

In message , ARWadsworth writes

To one and all

... even dennis

[ARWadsworth]

Is that a 24 hour ceasefire?

Adam

[geoff]

In message , ARWadsworth writes

Dunno - what do you think?

He still seems obsessed with being a complete tosser

[T i m]

I know many people like the food, the time off work and seeing friends and family but it's also (as you say) a time of great stress and anguish for many.

I was talking to a lady a while back and happened to ask if she's got any form of backup plan for the laptop that has now become a very important part of her (new) business. She said no (of course) and when I suggested a very simple plug_n_play solution (for about 60 quid) she said she couldn't afford that much, 'what with Xmas and all'. So this person would rather risk their new business and spend the money buying crap for people who probably don't want it and have probably got too much already?

We opted out of the whole bizarre (to me of course) process about 10 years ago. No cards [1], tree, decorations 'special food' (or nearly no milk or bread either had it been left to me ) and no presents. Or at least, that's how it's supposed to be (we sorta agreed amongst the family etc) however it seems people still can't resist getting me stuff (if only 4 cans of Special Brew) and that puts me in an awkward position as I've got them nothing, like we agreed.

I'm supposed to be going to the in-laws for dinner and whilst they are ok (open house, just come for dinner then f-off if you want to sorta thing) I really CBA. It's not just that I'm not 'into' food but (apparently) it looks bad if you quietly get drunk whilst hogging their TV remote and ignoring any other interaction. ;-)

Anyway, isn't it supposed to be for the children and those who believe etc? If I want a new toy (or give something to someone) or to eat or drink more than I should I can do that when I want. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[1] We do get a couple of cards but they are from local Take-away places. ;-)

Oh, and a couple to the people who lived here 30 years ago. We used to take them along (they moved a few doors away), suggesting they contact the sender informing them of their change of address but either they didn't or the other person didn't get the request so now they just go straight in the bin. Maybe that might get the point across.

p.s. The funniest card we used to get was to 'Tim, Julie and family'. I think it was from some cousin or summat. The current Mrs (then by about 15 years and not called Julie) also thought it was funny.

[ARWadsworth]

The funnist card I ever got was the Christmas after I had split up from the wife. We parted late December and someone just used Tipex to remove her name from the red envelope

Adam

[T i m]

Priceless! ;-)

Daughter and I had an idea for those who actually like receiving cards. It would have several windows with those wheels inside with happy - 'Birthday, Christmas, Wedding Anniversary' etc and a range of pictures that are stored in a pouch on the back that can be chosen and inserted in the front as appropriate.

You set it up for the first run, sign it, send it then they keep / use it for ever.

The card that keeps on giving (except to Clinton Cards and the Post Office of course).

And if you actually cared about them you would write / phone / email / see them during the year anyway wouldn't you?

Cheers, T i m

[Dave]

Aren't you 3 days late for that event Dave?

Just asking.

Dave

[Tim W]

The Medway Handyman wibbled on Thursday 24 December 2009 17:47

Yeah - Happy Christmas or whatever excuse for a drink gets your Yuletide Log on :)

Just spent 3 days with friends. They very kindly invited us over as the only Xmas dinner I'm cooking in this house right now would be a roasted sparrow.

Finally started with the electrics and have one ring circuit up and running properly (as well as the temp ring). It's nice to actually plug stuff into the wall and have it work - simple pleasures forgotten by many!

All the 16mm oval conduit buried in the wall was fine when passing cable down.

On an aside, for any naysayers who say "bah, electrics, hardly rocket science, who needs a Megger..." (though to be fair a 9.99 Maplin multimeter would have found this):

Dead testing discovered a broken neutral in the ring. This despite 35mm backboxes and careful coiling of the tails so they folded back nicely. Further testing quickly located the fault to be one particular very ordinary socket (not the one with a cable passthough to another socket behind it which is rather tighter on space inside). I suspect the screw had bitten the wire too hard and the final push back had snapped it. Oh for captive terminals...

Anyway, that fixed, final testing passed perfectly. Just 2 more rings and then onto the lighting.

Happy New Year!