What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

[puntofan01]

The coronavirus lockdown has made me realise just how lucky I am to live where I do: I have a lovely home, and I'm able to walk next to a local river on my legally permitted exercise.

 

[StevenRB45]

My thoughts exactly especially looking at the corrosion on the cylinder bolts, tube nuts and even the metal pipes. Better left until this lock down is eased a bit.

I'll be honest and say it's why I stopped spannering my own cars.

if it was like all the car you tube channels where they go under a 15 year old car, it still has factory under seal, everything comes off in one piece, nothing has been patch welded multiple times, they don't round off every bolt they look at...then I'd do it happily but going underneath 10-15 year old fiats that'd been exposed to northern weather for their lives was not hours of fun.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

The coronavirus lockdown has made me realise just how lucky I am to live where I do: I have a lovely home, and I'm able to walk next to a local river on my legally permitted exercise.

Because we live in the best part of England, but shhhh don’t tell anyone !

 

[jimboy]

The coronavirus lockdown has made me realise just how lucky I am to live where I do: I have a lovely home, and I'm able to walk next to a local river on my legally permitted exercise.

I'm in same boat, lovely wee village North of Inverness, pretty much quiet country life before. Very quiet now. Our family look after us food & refreshment wise. Easy relaxed life at the moment, far removed from the trials & tribulations of the larger Towns & Cities.

 

[puntofan01]

Because we live in the best part of England, but shhhh don’t tell anyone !

I don't know if I'd class it as THE best part of England, but it's certainly among the better parts of the country, lol! [emoji846]

 

[StevenRB45]

At the minute if you live anywhere remotely nice it's lovely, been walking in the woodland park every day. The car park of which is shut so only the odd local who likes a walk.

Working from home as well so filled up last month..used all of quarter of a tank so far.

The only things I'm finding stressful would be shopping and the possibility of a horrible lung destroying virus!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I'll be honest and say it's why I stopped spannering my own cars.

if it was like all the car you tube channels where they go under a 15 year old car, it still has factory under seal, everything comes off in one piece, nothing has been patch welded multiple times, they don't round off every bolt they look at...then I'd do it happily but going underneath 10-15 year old fiats that'd been exposed to northern weather for their lives was not hours of fun.

Have to say it's the challenge that's a big part of it for me and knowing it's done "right". Also often when you are doing one thing you notice another which needs attention. The weather is more of an issue now due to my age - the body just can't put up with what it used to any more! I have to say though that over the years I've built up a pretty comprehensive selection of tools so it's seldom I find myself wanting. Only thing I really miss is my Oxy - Acetylene gear. I still have the torch, hoses and regulators but got too worried about the insurance implications of keeping the gas cylinders at home.

Of course Becky is our second car so very much a "toy" for me to play with and Twinkle is only 4 years old so the future problems are still accruing! She (Twinkle - 2016 Ibiza 1.0) still managed to give me a surprise though when I did her service back in February. This was the first time I'd worked much on her as she'd been in warranty for previous services so went to the dealer - and it was a bigger service, not just an oil change and a quick look. Of course the dealer had only done exactly what was specified on the sheet so no brakes dismantled and cleaned up etc, I doubt if a wheel had even been off as I struggled to break the corrosion between alloy and hub! I spent a couple of days leisurely going over everything I could think off to forestall future problems, but you can imagine my horror when, as I unscrewed the N/S/F caliper bottom slider pin, it was accompanied by a slender filament of metal! Yes folks, it was most of the thread in the upright which decided it wanted to stay with the pin rather than where it should be in the upright! Luckily a local garage had a tread insert kit and repaired it for me at a very reasonable price but the feeling of panic, as I realized what was happening, actually brought a bead of sweat out on my forehead!

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

The coronavirus lockdown has made me realise just how lucky I am to live where I do: I have a lovely home, and I'm able to walk next to a local river on my legally permitted exercise.

Mrs J and I enjoy a good walk. We don't take cars into the centre of town but often walk so are familiar with all the walkways around us. We started doing our "permitted" walks on these walkways but very soon found the number of other walkers and especially runners and bicyclists who go huffing and puffing past very close to you induced too much anxiety. Then we tried walking on the pavements down through the residential streets and a couple of parks to the sea front - there's no beach just the wee harbour (which is quite nice) - almost no one about, saw 6 people yesterday all very friendly with a smile and a wave but keeping a very good separation. It is a lovely quiet walk and some fresh sea air at the harbour.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I'm in same boat, lovely wee village North of Inverness, pretty much quiet country life before. Very quiet now. Our family look after us food & refreshment wise. Easy relaxed life at the moment, far removed from the trials & tribulations of the larger Towns & Cities.

Sounds Idyllic sign me up !

I don't know if I'd class it as THE best part of England, but it's certainly among the better parts of the country, lol! [emoji846]

Good back pedal, we don't want everyone flocking here!

You're near Bury aren't you, I suppose it depends if you're right in town or on the edge, what ever the case you don't need to go far to disappear into the countryside.

 

[varesecrazy]

The coronavirus lockdown has made me realise just how lucky I am to live where I do: I have a lovely home, and I'm able to walk next to a local river on my legally permitted exercise.

Yes me too.. and decent amount of our own outside space

Sorry to say though

The houses down by the river:

Flooded out over the winter

Residents put up in a 'travelodge' for months

Travelodge now closed.. so back to the flood damage.. and no DIY Places open for 'making do' : LOFT living is supposedly cool

Makes you very thankful for what you do have.

 

[StevenRB45]

Have to say it's the challenge that's a big part of it for me and knowing it's done "right". Also often when you are doing one thing you notice another which needs attention. The weather is more of an issue now due to my age - the body just can't put up with what it used to any more!

I used to work on cars with and was taught by an older gentleman he had very much the same outlook.

Few things that should tell you most things you need to know about him. 1st he was given 6 months to live before I was born, 2nd he was given very strong medication to manage his pain but refused to take it because it would also mean he was unaware of his surroundings. 3rd he was master carpenter and built his own sprawling wooden chalet style house with his own hands, which included a garage nearly as big the house itself that had a pit, a lathe and basically every tool he'd collected across the course of his life. It also included a stables, sun room, guest wing with it's own self contained kitchen, toilet e.t.c....just didn't know when to stop apparently!

Legend of bloke, always ready with a decent story also had seen it all so no disaster was game over.

He lost his fight eventually having exceeded the doctor's expectations by nearly 20 years and it was not the same working on my back on the drive.

 

[puntofan01]

Sounds Idyllic sign me up !



Good back pedal, we don't want everyone flocking here!

You're near Bury aren't you, I suppose it depends if you're right in town or on the edge, what ever the case you don't need to go far to disappear into the countryside.

I'm a few miles from bury. (Not saying where though, lol!)

My ex girlfriend lived in bury though, (funnily enough, literally 2 mins away from the dealer where I bought my Grande!) and I did used to like walking in bury, but I had to literally drag her ass out of bed to go for a walk. She wasn't far from Abbey Gardens, yet never went there unless I begged and pleaded with her for us to go!

 

[s130]

I now have a Royal Mail tracking number for an item that been "on its way to the RDC" for 2 weeks. What's the chance of it ever turning up?

The car is still on axle stands

Ouch!

 

[DaveMcT]

Ouch!

Pretty P'd off TBH.

When buying from eBay DO NOT TRUST the location shown at the top of the listing. Scroll down (... and down, and down) to the actual address details where full details are shown. I find it annoying that eBay make it so awkward and don't show the proper details up front.

I will probably raise a complaint but that still leaves my car sat on stands.

Edit: Here we go. The delivery date has now been upgraded from 03 April (which was always optimistic) to 20th April. Good luck with cancelling that.

 

[s130]

Well I'm not a fan of PayPal.

I made a 100 euro purchase as PayPla convert to £s thus avoiding normal credit card conversion charges. Was supposed to get a software key but did not. The electronic delivery company said contact the software company. So I immediately did. No reply. Then phoned the offical phone number in France, invalid/unobtainable. Immediately ask PayPal to cancel the transactions (supplied extensive details) but their system means you have to wait for 7 days before you can escalate. Meanwhile I found the comapny owner/author on twitter, created a twitter account (YUK) on both tweeted? him and sent a message to him for my license key. No response.

So when the 7 days past with no response I raised the required complaint. Paypal then give the seller another 8 days to response to them before they will investigate further. Despite PayPal having all the details, copies of stuff etc. I'm stuck in a wait loop till they get their finger out.

I've learnt a lesson. Don't pay with PayPal with your cash balance or your credit card as you are bound by PayPal T&Cs (which means you can't escalate/charge back directly through your credit card company). Had I paid directly with my Credit Card (not involving PayPal) then I would have my money back by now. As it stands I'll have to pay my Credit Card Bill before I get anything from PayPal.

So for me PayPal sucks when things go wrong. Can't even phone them like I can with my credit card company.

I think never again.

And yes you were talking about working with eBay to resolve and issue. eBay=PayPal, PayPal=eBay.

 

[DaveMcT]

The switch and PWM module I ordered April 5th and 6th have arrived this morning. Both via UK sellers. Pliers are now stuck on a ship / Post Office Van / someone's shed for the forseeable.

TBH I have found eBay problem resolution works. I had some stuff arrive damaged. Asked the seller to replace. Which they did with another item damaged in the same way. eBay resolved it.

Selling on eBay is a night-mare because the buyer is always correct and many will scam to get free products.

 

[Paddynabs]

Interesting conversation with a relative today. He thinks everyone should be back to work on 1st May no matter the cost. He said the economy is more important than anyone's life. "There's no point in being locked down for 6 months if there's nothing to go back to."

I should point out he's American and pretty much repeats anything Donald J says...

It was an interesting argument until he said that we should go back even if it means a million people dying. I was trying to say that the whole point of this is so that those million people aren't all dying at the same time. But as I say he's a staunch republican.

 

[dave]

But as I say he's a staunch republican.

will all be trying to grow food in Gatorade soon

 

[StevenRB45]

Decided to factory reset my phone, something I used to do every few months on my old Samsung S8. Not done it yet on my S10+ for a fairly simple reason. It has as much ram as a reasonable desktop p.c. and is running mobile apps, even with a less than ideal install it remains capable.

Reset it though as it was noticeably a bit weird in some areas (Android auto mainly which still is playing up despite my updating my cars firmware).

Having a fresh install of everything the difference is bizarre...it was fully updated to the latest patches and updates yet it's gained features...and buttons and the finger print scanner actually sodding works.

So all good? Kinda due to being on what I can only guess was some sort of weird chimaera of android 9/10 and about 5 different versions of Samsung one UI with a fresh install it is very zippy indeed.

It's also fixed all of my Android Auto issues why am I not immensely happy?

Mainly because it was a fully up to date phone, yet it was in such a state despite being allowed to look after itself via the software installed by Samsung that the backup I made pre-reset wouldn't load in fully.

Worst part about Android...fragmentation of the OS..I know remember why I used to do fresh installs after every major update as otherwise it just quietly goes to crap over time.

 

[dave]

Wildfires Rage in Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone, Threatening the Nuclear Site’s Four Reactors

https://themindunleashed.com/2020/04/wildfires-rage-chernobyl-exclusion-zone-threatening-nuclear-sites-four-reactors.html?fbclid=IwAR1jqZqI5yl6wShZyv2zRKTYMaL6U2kVBCSnAVOwdi6JGQcqcE3tcOSJ8QQ