What's made you smile today?

[portland_bill]

Bin day yesterday. As the truck moved slowly down the street, it was quite noticable how most of the bins seemed to emit that jangle of glass bottles. Significantly more than usual.

Next-door neighbour has been given a bicycle. I got a text message asking if I had any suitable oil for the chain.
I then spent a happy hour playing bicycle mechanic.
Chain lube was the easy bit. Instantly put my hands on a tin of motorcycle chain lube. Not much left in it, but as the motorcycle left at the end of 2003, I've not much use for it, so she can keep what's left.
Once the chain was lubricated, with the bike still upside down (if only we could do that with cars) I spun a wheel and tested the brake. Oops! Front brake needed serious adjusting. Rear brake had a very tight cable.
It takes a very long time for oil to ooze along a cable, adding a drop or two at a time, working the cable, and nearly an hour later, the other end showed oil. The cable now moves freely, and the brakes work.
Searched for the engine, couldn't find it.

 

[M21MFS]

Got some bits done on the Abarth and some bits ordered for the Punto

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Maintenance checks on both cars - all Ok - so got stuck into some gardening. Mowed the grass and did the edging. Weeded the borders and dispensed a second application of Glyphosate to the wild garlic which is trying to take over under the weeping birch in my front garden, got to get it stopped before it spreads any. Tried twice to dig it up over the last 18 months but I always miss some, hence the Glyphosate. Gave it a good bashing with the flat of a spade to bruise it first in the hope it'll facilitate the uptake of the herbicide.

The open grass areas around the flats opposite are maintained as part of our general estate maintenance charge and the gardeners seem to have stopped coming. The elderly lady who lives in the bottom flat - and knew me when I was a youngster living some 35 miles away down in the borders (what's the chances of that!!) - asked me if I would mow a path round the back to her whirlygig clothes dryer as she isn't too steady on her feet in the, now, longer grass. Decided while I was over there to mow another neighbour's front lawn - postage stamp size - as he's isolating with relatives on the other side of the city.

By the time I'd done all that the machines - mower and strimmer - needed a good clean up and as I was doing that the sun, which has been in and out all day- more out that in - came out in one last blaze of glory. I turned round and saw this:





it's my Pieris (forest flame). Isn't it glorious and the sun is just falling on it perfectly. With all the corona virus gloom it cheered me up no end. In fact I've spent the whole day, from about 9.45 this morning, working in the garden and it has improved my outlook on life enormously. I'm feeling more upbeat and at peace with the world than I have in quite a while.

Stay safe everyone
Kindest regards
Jock

PS, Mrs Jock has got me watching the Inspector Montalbano series on iPlayer. We're watching one episode a night and have become quite addicted! Give it a go, it'll grow on you.

 

[rmjbn1]

It's looking good Jock

Funnily enough, I've spent what feels like all day battling convolvulus, which is just starting to show its head again this year. It's seemingly indestructable. I've been trying to murder it for years.

I don't watch much TV but I do enjoy Montalbano as well. Well-written stories and characters (especially poor long-suffering Livia!) make it very enjoyable. Convincing Italian crime capers and even his scruffy FIAT Uno looks quite cool

 

[portland_bill]

PS, Mrs Jock has got me watching the Inspector Montalbano series on iPlayer. We're watching one episode a night and have become quite addicted! Give it a go, it'll grow on you.

I watched the first series a few years ago, but during the second series got bored. They seem to use so many words, and after several sentences, we get 6 words in the subtitles. I'd read the subtitles three times before the next set appeared. It just drove me nuts.

I was teaching an Italian guy at the time, and asked him about their use of so many words. Apparently, the further south you go in Italy, the more words they use in any sentence.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

It's looking good Jock

Funnily enough, I've spent what feels like all day battling convolvulus, which is just starting to show its head again this year. It's seemingly indestructable. I've been trying to murder it for years.

I don't watch much TV but I do enjoy Montalbano as well. Well-written stories and characters (especially poor long-suffering Livia!) make it very enjoyable. Convincing Italian crime capers and even his scruffy FIAT Uno looks quite cool

Convolvulus! (bindweed) don't dare mention it in my presence!

I battled it for years in the first house we had after moving back to Scotland many years ago. The garden backed onto a railway cutting and the whole embankment was riddled with it. At first, being young, inexperienced and ignorant I encouraged it to grow up the back fence. We both rather liked the lovely and prolific white flowers. From there on it was all downhill! I even dug a trench along my boundary fence one year and dosed it liberally with sodium chlorate - only held it back for about 18 months.

Mind you, I also had a disaster with mint. Made the mistake of planting it in the ground! It went clear under a concrete slabbed path and started growing up through the lawn. It was still there when we sold the house to move back up north.

I'm slightly worried now that I may be about to have a similar battle with this wild garlic. It'll be interesting to see what the Glyphosate does to it. I'm guessing it's not going to knock it out in one growing season. Mind you I wouldn't swap any it for Mare's Tail which my friend has had in his allotment for as long as I've known him - Boy does it have deep roots!

 

[varesecrazy]

Maintenance checks on both cars - all Ok - so got stuck into some gardening.
With all the corona virus gloom it cheered me up no end. In fact I've spent the whole day, from about 9.45 this morning, working in the garden and it has improved my outlook on life enormously. I'm feeling more upbeat and at peace with the world than I have in quite a while.

Stay safe everyone
Kindest regards
Jock

PS, Mrs Jock has got me watching the Inspector Montalbano series on iPlayer.
We Give it a go, it'll grow on you.

Good stuff Jock

Ive got plenty of garden to keep me occupied too..

A great place to just 'escape' to..

Bit like Sicily.. but without @5 hours
Wasted getting there

My wife watches a fair bit of Montalbano

Its got a 'Bergerac' feel to it..
Not too pacey.. but pleasant watching

Their automotive transportation seems to appeal also..

 

[varesecrazy]

I walked over the road to Aldi yesterday..

While in a 5 minute queue outside in the carpark.. I was perusing the pallets of 'gardening' stuff

Printed A4 sheet on the side of a 6ft high stack of flowers..in cardboard trays..
It read :

Indoor display only
Do not expose to cold or draughts

They were marked as : -20%

Something tells me they should be cheaper

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Their automotive transportation seems to appeal also..

Oh yes. A very wide variety of stuff isn't there. Ferraris, Alfas, and more interestingly Lancias, etc. I love the way that both his and Fazio's Unos (badged as Tipos I notice) have wheel trims missing - but not always on the same wheel - I find myself wondering if it's a wee running joke amongst the continuity people? Mrs J seems to be amused by the way they abuse them too.

 

[varesecrazy]

Oh yes. A very wide variety of stuff isn't there. Ferraris, Alfas, and more interestingly Lancias, etc. I love the way that both his and Fazio's Unos (badged as Tipos I notice) have wheel trims missing - but not always on the same wheel - I find myself wondering if it's a wee running joke amongst the continuity people? Mrs J seems to be amused by the way they abuse them too.

Pretty sure they are 'facelift' tipo
1993 on

Ive not looked to see when they were filmed..
As cars look no newer than 2005' ish

But of course.. its a 'different' market..
Where corrosion doesnt make cars of the 90's a rarity

 

[portland_bill]

...both his and Fazio's Unos (badged as Tipos I notice)

Not a popular thing here, but I think the are Tipos. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Tipo

 

[rmjbn1]

Convolvulus! (bindweed) don't dare mention it in my presence! We both rather liked the lovely and prolific white flowers.

They are nice flowers, which is a shame, if it would just keep itself to one corner I wouldn't mind it. But it swarms everywhere! I suspect I'm going to wake up one morning pinned down in bed by the stuff!

Mind you, I also had a disaster with mint. Made the mistake of planting it in the ground!

Yes, we have herb garden which used to have rosemary, thyme, parsley, basil and mint. Now we just have a mint garden.

As in a herb garden full of mint. Not a garden that is 'mint'...

even his scruffy FIAT Uno looks quite cool

Or Tipo. FIAT Tipo. Whatever. They're quite similar(?) Oops My mate had one when we'd just started driving, so I should have known better. An automatic Tipo, no less.

It amused me when we went to a classics event at Silverstone and he was cheering on the Maserati 'Birdcage' Tipo 61, because it was 'also a Tipo'

It must seem a strange car name for Italians. Imagine a Jaguar Type.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Pretty sure they are 'facelift' tipo
1993 on

Ive not looked to see when they were filmed..
As cars look no newer than 2005' ish

But of course.. its a 'different' market..
Where corrosion doesnt make cars of the 90's a rarity

Noticed a desk calendar in the episode we watched last night which was for 2008 and that silver Alfa they zoomed off in looked really quite modern like a 156?

Talking of Alfas, don't you think the Tipo 33 Stradale is possibly the "prettiest" car ever built?

 

[rmjbn1]

Not going to disagree with you there, the Tipo 33 Stradale is a stunner.

And almost certainly the prettiest 'Tipo' that I can think of

A rare bird too, I've never seen one in the metal.

I'm not a big fan of Ferrari (apart from those little hazlenut chocolate things they make- delicious) but the 330 P4 has long been a favourite of mine and I was delighted to see a couple circulating at the last Le Mans Classic. These cars look (and sound) best when they're moving

Not as pretty, but I think possibly the most 'handsome' car there's ever been, the Lancia Aurelia B20 GT. It's perfect from every angle, and perfectly understated too.

 

[portland_bill]

This story from Australia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0IOQ9oLpjA

Just how long would it take you to use 4800 rolls of toilet paper? At my current rate, about 276 years.

 

[jimboy]

What about Captain Tom & his millions raised for the NHS. Watching him on television I didn't know to laugh or cry with happiness, made me feel very humble indeed.

 

[dave]

What about Captain Tom & his millions raised for the NHS. Watching him on television I didn't know to laugh or cry with happiness, made me feel very humble indeed.

I feel proud of him for doing it, but also disgusted we live in one of the richest country in the world and have to rely on people like this to fix problems our governments cuts caused.

 

[jimboy]

I feel proud of him for doing it, but also disgusted we live in one of the richest country in the world and have to rely on people like this to fix problems our governments cuts caused.

Just take it for what it is, no need to take a political stance.

I mentioned before having an obsession with politics, turning things round into political statements can lead to political obsession disorder. It has been suggested people who are like this are depressed & are not happy with their lives.

 

[Eklipze3k]

It's impossible not to take a political stance with something like this - he should be being looked after by a well funded NHS, not risking his life trying to raise money for it.

 

[jimboy]

Did you actually hear what Tom said, he was more than happy to do this & it kept him going. A lovely story by a lovely man.