Luvly Lego

Grandaughter Grace just loves to play with her Lego. She has three buckets full now and while she stays with us often asks grandad to make her something. The theme this week has been flying so here's the helicopter that she insisted had to be pulled by her Lego train whilst grandad is putting the finishing touches to the plane that had to be flown by the cowboy! Ah! Little minds.

A BIT OF TRUE GRIT

OUT SHOPPING THIS WEEKEND WE WERE AMAZED TO COME ACROSS THIS OLD PRODUCT WHICH I THOUGHT HAD GONE OUT OF PRODUCTION YEARS AGO! They haven't even changed the name as so often happens. This scouring powder is the best (and only) thing for cleaning old discoloured grout. Just a damp cloth (or old toothbrush) and a quick scrub brings it back fresh and white!

Thank you SUN !

Take one empty roof facing south. SolarXchange arrived right after the scaffolders had built the platform.

The internal installations were fitted next to the electricity meter and up in the loft there's two large invertors which convert the dc current produced by the PV (photo-volataic) panels into ac.

It took just a day to fit the supporting frame and the eighteen panels. For the first three days after we had almost unbroken sunshine and we kept rushing to the meter to see what was happening. Mrs. Webb is working out how best to use all the free energy whilst I'm prepared to wait until the bills start coming in showing what the savings are!

Waterbed Incident.

A shock start to Saturday morning when we discovered that the waterbed was leaking. They go after about ten years so it wasn't unexpected! They're still better value than ordinary mattresses and quick and easy to replace. No massive mattress to get in and out of the house and transport from the shop. 9am the hosepipe goes in to start syphoning the water out.
By 11am it's almost empty and ready to be removed.

After picking up the new one in the city, we pump the warm water from the bath into the new mattress.

By 9pm it was ready for a good nights sleep!

What a power saver !!!

Thought I'd share this with you. With lamp technology improving efficiency, I recently bought a set of these. It's an LED bulb but not as you've seen them before. We're used to the little glass ball-type LED lights - I guess that was to magnify the intensity of the tiny light. These new ones mad for boats are actually small yellow squares. (click on image to see larger pic - then back arrow to return). Whenever we've been cruising in poor light the navigation lights (four of them) tend to draw a lot of juice (85 watts actually). I've just replaced them with these new LED's and now they only draw 16 1/2 watts. Incredible saving of power and they're guaranteed to last for - wait for it - 25,000 hours. Previously, the cost has been prohibitive. The predecessor to these (with the little round glass balls) cost £40 EACH so I hesitated. These only cost £13.95 each so for just over fifty quid it's a good investment.

All Aboard - all hands on deck!

Job done! A week ago we started preparing the ground for the decking at our daughters and her partner. We had to come down below the damp proof course and anchored the structure by bolting cross supports to the house wall. The deck supports hung of these and being careful to make sure the measurements matched up to the decking board dimensions we went to B&Q who seem to offer the best deal at the moment. Having searched the net this came in at around £5 for a 2.4m length but B&Q had them at £2.98. When we arrived at 7am Saturday, they'd put a couple of pallets full near the door at a special offer price of £2.28 - so a surprise saving especially when you need 57 lengths. One the frame's built, securing the decking is quick and easy. We staggered the joins so that we didn't have straight lines of joins running across it and by tea-time Saturday we were able to sit on it and enjoy the evening sun whilst little Grace made full use of her new play area!

It's NOT Dandruff - it's old paint !

Remarkable what these one coat paints will do these days but you first have to get the old flaky paint off! Easier said than done when all of it is hanging on the underside of the car port. As you can see though, after a good scrubbing and a shower of paint flakes later, the new coat of paint produced a great finish. Talking of finishing though, one small section took a good couple of hours so it'll be a daily task to do a little more each day which probably means that I won't be done with the job until some time next week. Ho Hum - at least Mrs.Webb is pleased!

The Fragrant Dog

Following a number of requests, here's the story of the dog that doesn't smell any more! More than usual that is!!! Our grand-daughter Grace stayed with us a few days last week because she had an upset tummy. In true one-year-old fashion, whilst being held in Sheri's arms in the kitchen, Grace decided to chuck up her breakfast. As she leant over Sheri's arm, the projectile vomit scored a direct hit on Fudge who just happened to be standing within range. I'm told the dog was rooted to the spot not knowing what had happened whilst Grace decided that there was more breakfast to expel. The second wave hit the dog again who by now was dripping but not able to reach her own back with her snout to lick at the offending goo! So, to come to the point, the dog obviously needed a hose down but the good Mrs. Webb decided that it would be easier to deal with when dry. This was the easiest way to deal with the issue as she still had Grace to take care of. After I revealed that the freshly laundered dog now smelt really sweet (and the perfume lasts to this day a week on) here is the answer to your question. It's called Johnsons Conditioning Shampoo. The bottle is enough for four washes and Sheri would rather buy a bigger bottle just in case. Anyway, the dog really does smell sweet after a week so if you've got an issue with the smell of your dog, we would say that this might do the trick for you.

No Slouching NOW !

YES - every now and then comes along a MUST HAVE Item that you can't resist. How about this one. The Slouch Alarm - As it sits in the middle of your back it will vibrate or make a sound to warn you that you're either slouching, hunching or slumping. Just imagine - on the bus - with everyone wondering where the noise is coming from? Wonder if it has a setting to vibrate when you're humping?

Sheri completes the job !

It was a week since I brought home a slab of MDF (for our American followewrs that Medium Density Fibre board) or reconstituted wood flakes. After cutting it into a four foot circle she set to work with a cloth and mahogany stain varnish. Ten coats later and a couple of coats of gloss clear varnish and this is the result. Cost about £20 and a LOT of time and patience between rubbing down! Worth it though.

So What Have We Learnt?

Thanks for your interest in our renovations at home. As promised I shall now impart our combined wisdom in what we learnt along the way. Left - not a party streamer but something I made to clen down the fluted fins behind your radiator! I used a steel punch to tape to four strips of cloth. The weight of the punch takes the cloth down the flutes and a good wiggle before you pull it through should remove all the cobwebs and dust that accumulates there over the years!

Centre pic - after deciding that we wanted the tv on the other side of a doorway, it was necessary to get the aerial cable over there without looking unsightly. No good going under the carpet (too lumpy) so I went up the frame of the door, across and down the other side. If you look carefully it is there. I didn't want to use those plastic cable clips that you nail in. Firstly it's not that acessible in the corner and secondly you'll notice them too much. I wanted something neater so - moving six inches at a time - i dribbled superglue along the edge and then held the cable in place until it stuck. Hey presto! Job done!!

On the right - our new dining table. It's not that I'm tight but I didn't want to pay out for a new table when the one we've got does the job. It was just too big. Here, I've used one of the two pedestal supports for the new table (the other's become a lamp stand elsewhere). Although I could only buy 18mm MDF as an 8x4 sheet, I had it cut in half at the store (they do up to two cuts for free). Marking out a four foot diameter with a pencil I carefully jigsawed the round top and then used a router to bevel the edge. For my part that was it. Sheri didn't want to paint it and wondered if staining varnish would work or would it just sink in to the MDF surface. Here's your answer. This is what she's got it to after about six coats using a cloth. By swirling the motion as she applies it, the effect is building up to a high gloss patterned finish that you'd buy in an Italian style shop. It's quite remarkable and the photo can't do it proper justice but trust us - it works!!

Forget mobility scooters - check out this beast!

It's nearly time to get the old Lambretta MOT'd so I popped in to see Chris who's always done the job for me. Whilst there I spotted this 'vehicle' parked in the workshop. I've certainly never seen anything likeit and it's a fair bet that you haven't either!! The ramp drops down at the back so the electric wheelchair can drive straight into this 125cc trike. What was Chrsi doing to it? Trying to work out how to fix a seat belt !!

Unbelievable value LAMP

Always on the lookout for a bargain I happened into one of the better City stores the other day looking for a small desk lamp for the office. I was greeted with a display of chrome and stainless steel works of art in lighting ranging from £45 to £200 and almost convinced myself that I'd have to splash out the cash on something fancy to fill my needs. However, a very helpful assistant showed me this little beauty called a Zip Task Lamp. Telescopic legs from the base make it adjustable not just up and down but they twist the light from side to side too! The lamp is a 10w halogen and just right for illuminating a small work area. The amazing thing is the cost. How much do you think? Just £4.85p AMAZING. By the way the store was John Lewis.

Go on - have a fag - ANYWHERE!

For my birthday this week, the good Mrs. Webb treated me to a packet of cigarettes. No ordinary ones, this is the 21st century electronic cigarette. As you can see, you get the packet, which holds spare tips, two battery sections and the atomiser that the tip fits onto. You screw the battery to the atomiser section to activate it. Drawing on the 'cigarette' produces a safe smoke which contains a small amount of nicotine to give you your 'fix'. Each tip equals about four fagsworth! It costs 40p for five which is the equivalent of 20 cigarettes.
The kit comes complete with a charger for the lithium batteries and as I prefer menthol, Sheri chose that flavour. She ordered online and they came the next day. I'm still getting used to it but already I've smoked less ordinary cigarettes and the great thing is you can 'smoke' these ANYWHERE because they're not breaking the law. You do have to watch out for some funny stares though! A number of you have been asking me about this and for the website. There's a number of suppliers if you search but this is where Sheri got the kit from and you'll see that they warn you of cheaper imitations. Personally, I'm well impressed although some of my colleagues think it's more of a toy. After just a few days I've halved my usual consumption!
www.electroniccigarette.uk.com

A Gadget fit for another purpose !

I bet the creators of this little gadget never supposed that it would be useful on a boat for navigation! It's simply what we used to use a spirit level for although this one projects a laser beam onto a surface for you to follow. I have a different use for it though.

You can select the beam to shine in a verical or horizontal line which (they say) will reach up to 10 metres (Yeah I prefer yards too!) In which case make it eleven.

On our recent trip up the Northern Broads we encounter some low bridges, the lowest being that at Wayford which we can usually just creep under. When you're dealing in inches it means that you approach the bridge veeeeeeeerrrrrrryyyyy slowly and usually it's Sheri who sits out front and watches the roof.

With this little beauty though, I can stand it on the roof with a horizontal beam which is just a tad higher that our solar panels on the roof, and its' beam should strike the bridge if we can't get through. It's yet to be put to the test but I'm sure it'll work. I'll keep you posted !

First Rate CAR BOOT Sale

EVERY CAR BOOT SALE SHOULD BE RUN LIKE THIS!

Saturday 2nd August and we decided to go 'booting' to get rid of some of the stuff piled up collecting dust in the garage. I'd spotted the notice on the roadside during the week when returning from Cromer in the Radio Car. It was by the Aylsham by-pass and said "The late one - car boot starts strictly at 11am."
That means you don't have to be up at the crack of dawn to grab a pitch but there was much more that impressed us about this one. We got there at 1045. The entrance was divided into two. One for sellers and one for buyers. Amazingly, the buyers were all sitting in their cars waiting for the off at 11. As a seller were directed to the next pitch in line by a man with a megaphone !! We weren't pounced upon by anyone and had just enough time to set up the tables and get out our wares. At precisely 11am it was like a large pair of invisible gates had opened. The buyers vacated their cars and streamed in. It was all so well organised. Every Car Boot should be run like this.
We did a roaring trade despite the fact that we had a steady shower for about half an hour. My sea fishing rod found a new owner, a woman got an extra long curtain pole for a knock down price and at last that old card index box was taken away. We'll use this car boot again. Look what I spotted too. Only this week on the Early Show I'd been asking where all the old soda sysphons had gone. Well here's the proof that they're still about.

More Boating DIY

This last few days I've been occupied with making a couple of bits for the boat. You know what it's like - you have a problem - you consider the possible solutions - and then come up with something completely different!
We've always had a car interior mirror attached above the helm but it's never quite been up to the job. I remember years ago they used to sell one for cars that was really wide and claimed it gave you 180 degree vision. I did trawl round the spares shops and even thought I might come across one at a car boot sale but all proved fruitless. So, when you can't get what you want you just have to make it. Pictured below the before and after. To make the new widescreen viewer I went to a mirror and glass merchant and asked him to cut me a piece of mirror three inches deep and twenty-four inches wide. Then with a router I planed down some old wood, cut the channel and made the three sided frame. This swivels (using dowel pegs cut down) in an outer frame which I've fixed to the roof. Not only does it give me vision out both sides and the back but it can be tilted to make sure the angle's right when Mrs.Webb is at the helm! Total cost £2.
The other problem we had refers back to earlier article about our last trip when we picked wild flowers for an an instant on-board floral arrangement. Trouble was, if we hit turbulent water (such as a skier passing by) the weight of the flowers tipped the vase over spilling the liquid contents where liquid contents shouldn' be. Solution below. An odd piece of 18mm MDF cut to an octagonal pattern then a hole cutter the size of the vase , well just ever so slightly less for a snug fit. A quick smear of Evo Stik and some veneer left over from when the boat was refurbished. Hey presto a matching base that will keep the blooms upright. Total cost - NIL.

WD40 The Expose.

Thanks to an e-mail from Susie M I can now summarise what we've been discussing all week. The merits of WD40 !
It began as a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD stands for Water Displacement and the formula was discovered at the 40th attempt. Hence the name.
Apart from its obvious uses, here's what you might not have discovered for yourself about the properties of WD40.
It cleans shower doors (glass or plastic)
It's great for cleaning barbeque grills, stainless steel sinks and cooker tops.
It'll give a great sheen to floors without making them slippery. Test to check this one out before blaming me but apparently it's true.
It'll clean blackboards and removes lipstick stains from clothing.
Sprayed on cows it keeps flies away.
It gets those dead flies off the bonnet of your car.
For anglers (see my previous article on using rubber maggots) WD40 is made from a basic ingredient of fish oil and it's said that it attracts fish. Therefore, spraying some on your rubber maggots will work wonders.
On the same subject, last Sunday I caught four goodly roach using one of my rubber maggots. In the past I've tried the white and the yellow ones with only scant success. Last weekend for the first time I used the RED one and - voila!
Next off I need to spray with WD40 to see what happens. Stand by for further reports.

Scooter Memorabilia

Thanks to Billy at Flegg for the Vespa tie pin. It belonged to Bridget's father and they thought I could make use of it. Bridget worked at the National Tyre company depot that I used when we lived in Great Yarmouth years ago. Thanks Bridget. I'll wear it with pride.

Tuesdays Show 29th April 2008

Some revelations this week.
CHOCOLATE IS GOOD FOR YOU it has been said a number of times over recent years and they keep telling us more. Interestingly, this morning I was able to tell you that Mars is looking to buy out Wrigleys giving rise to speculation that we could soon have the chewiest choco bar in the world.
TOO POSH FOR PAMPERS They've been plugging away at reducing landfill and wheelie bins by not using disposable nappies and promoting a return to Terry's. Those that can be bothered have made the effort whilst others continue to pour money into the waste bin. However, it's now revealed that many celeb mums now rate themselves as "too posh for Pampers"


and the big ones this morning from the States - BUMPERBALLS !!!!
Some States are already imposing fines for hanging these things off your tow ball but how long before we see them in Britain ?