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gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Thu Jul 27, 17 1:58 pm Post subject:

I am not sure when one weans a foal from mother but any normal person, Cassandra, I would have thought would have weaned the foal before the new one is born if only to give mother a bit of respite of a month or 2. And mother needs to get her body condition back up to speed, mind a thin animal often brings a small foal and so easier foaling if on poor nutrition, but I know so little about horses that I may be wrong.

I am wondering MR. the same as you, regarding how far down the trunk you have to do the bashing, guess I will get spurred on if I think of my landlord as I do it-nasty piece of work I am, my Mother would not approve!. I saw one photo of a man splitting down the length of the trunk using a wedge and hammer, and having bashed it separated in strips as fixed-(ish)-widths-work in progress. Such a way would entail a lot of edging work to get even widths, although I thought that if I tidied up one side I could saw down the other side on my rip saw.

A better day at work today till I got back and had to go back to collect my coat with wallet inside-couldn't find it, panic!, then moved something in the back of the van, and there smiling sheepishly was the coat and wallet, complete with a few bob inside!

The recent photos have expired on all the previous posts on this topic, is there something I don't know thread wise with photos?

See you tomorrow, as the landlord will be worried I am not back yet.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15600

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 17 6:26 am Post subject:

I assume your History Room computer won't be connected to the internet Cassandra. If it is, anti-virus software is needed. For future reference you can often get it to do several computers at little more than the price for doing one. We tend to get a multi pack to do all our computers.

I don't know anything about horses either, but it seems next door don't, or exercise any intelligence either. Poor mare.

Gregotyn, I think the best way to prepare the ash is to cut a section from near the middle; that is the middle plank. If you then cut that in half across the middle so you have two sections from the centre to the outside, the outer layers should separate and be straight edged.

We didn't open the kiln yesterday. Apart from occasional rain, husband and son were fiddling with something else, so I made a spoon, a butter knife and started a couple of scoops. I am trying to make one approx. a tablespoon and the other a teaspoon. The backs have field maple leaves, but I am still struggling a bit with scoops. The handles need to be thin, but there is quite a transition between the scoop and handle. I will get there.

cassandra

Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 17 8:20 am Post subject:

Gregotyn, I would not have considered breeding the mare again until the first foal was weaned - and would certainly have ensured she was not on a sour field with no shelter during winter for the foaling. That aside, it seems highly probably the foal is dead. When I got home from Hobart today they had the mare out of the stall (him wearing his stetson so he could pretend to be a 'real' horseman), and were applying a rug as she stuffed her face from a feed bin. The foal was nowhere in sight, and the door to the stall was open. I can not imagine her being that calm if she still had responsibility for a foal, given her mothering instincts. So sad.

The History Room is not at all technological MR - hence the offer to upgrade their computer system - the one i am donating was completely rebuilt five years ago and has barely been used. It also has bluetooth which is handy as our 'new' (donated) printer did not come with any cables, lol.

With a terrabyte of memory mine will at least be useful for storing data, if not for much else - though it is loaded with the relevant Word software.

The trip to Hobart was uneventful, but i did pick up an info sheet which confirms my suspicion they have been underpaying me for at least 18 months. So I will now have to collate all the relevant information previously provided to them, find out when I did that, and go see them one day when I can sit and queue for as long as it takes to sort it out.

It's about $40.00 a fortnight - not much, but as a lump sum will come in very handy!

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 17 1:53 pm Post subject:

Yes, Cassandra if that is the case, then it is sad for the mare though I would have thought that extra feed is not where I would be going if I didn't want the milk, indeed roughage is probably best at this time for the mare and limited water, to ensure she dries off-but I know very little about horses. I left that to those who know-I only rode them when a youngish man. I hope all goes well for the mare.
I don't know how $40 relates to UK, but if I am entitled to it I would want it; even if only 50cents short a week I still want it!

I think you use the sap wood of the trees for the basket making MR, and as I understand it you use it fairly fresh as opposed to seasoned, I need to get excited with the book and go into the nitty, before I say too much about it. My plan was to cut a thickish, straightish branch and then saw down the length as straight as possible using a hand held electric rip saw very slowly, and see what happens. Got a bit too much on at the moment to get too carried away.
I am not sure how I would attack a scoop-risk the handle first, so if it goes wrong then you haven't lost all the bulk of the wood and can make a small bowl; but to do the scoop bowl a lot of work and then do the handle and find it goes wrong, would blow the mind a bit for me! I suppose you will tell me you make them in 2 parts!

I am off to attack more packing now, a sort of final push aiming to be out by the end of next week. It will be much better for me to not be there when I have moved-the 'can you just give me a hand to do this or that' will be a thing of the past. I guess he should have paid me for the hours I did years ago. Most weekends we were fencing his place, to be fair the rent was low, so I didn't mind helping, but it was a lot of hours of bashing posts for the fences and digging post holes for gates and corner posts.

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2507
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Fri Jul 28, 17 4:52 pm Post subject:
Pity about the foal. People can be so cruel. Likely they are not aware of what they don't know but ignorance is not a complete excuse. Yesterday I drove for about an hour eastward to visit the South Mountain Reservation's fairy house trail in Millburn, New Jersey. Here's a link if you want to see the entry at my web site.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15600

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 17 7:02 am Post subject:

That's rather lovely Jam Lady. I wondered why some of the houses looked better than others. Sounds like an enjoyable visit.

Hope you get your move done on time Gregotyn. You seem to have been at it for weeks. I hope you have a chance to go more into the ash basket work. I tend to make the scoop part first so I get some idea of the depth that I need to make the back and how I get from that to the thinner handle. I haven't really got the hang of it yet I must admit.

Cassandra, that is sad about the foal, if it is dead, but I suppose not surprising if the other one wasn't weaned, and the mother wasn't properly fed. Sad the RSPCA can't do anything about them as they shouldn't be keeping animals. I don't know anything about horses, but I do know enough to make sure an in foal mare has enough of the right things to eat, and would learn more if I had to care for one.

It rained again yesterday, so the charcoal kiln is still firmly closed. Can't see us getting in there before Monday as we want a weekend.

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 17 10:23 am Post subject:

I like the fairy house very much, Jam Lady, can you give me some idea of scale; the tree looks enormous, so the door could be 5 or 6 feet tall, my guess is it is around 3 feet high-small child size perhaps? The computer won't let me in to look at other links, something to do with the cyber attack, and as the council's system was hacked they are a bit protective which I understand. They have given much more protection to the system now but not letting the general public go where they don't want you to go which regrettably includes links. I hope all is well with you.

MR, I have come across a new beehive-new to me-of, I think, Japanese design-and wondered if you have seen them. I would expect you have as this is in a magazine of some age, (years, not months). If you want I can put the article in the post in case you want a look at it.
The move is not going as fast as the Land Lord wants, but I don't care! I will take as long as I need! He hates it when I come to the Library on Saturday-I am Mr Nasty. But have a few bits up the sleeve-I'll tell the world when it is all over!! The reason for the move taking a long time is twofold. I have a lot of "stuff", I hoard, annoyingly, but it amazes me how many folks come to me for with the question-"Have you got...? I am trying to pack this stuff up into boxes and label them to avoid hours of hunting, but LL wants to be there and comment at each opportunity, so he often destroys my line of thought as I am 'doing' in the caravan, he stands in the door being nosey, and so has to move out of the way all the time as I need to go out to the boxes I am filling with stuff-much of which will be dumped. But with the way he is in the way it takes longer. I think he is trying to get me angry, I am underneath I want to get out all that matters before I 'start' on him. Daily he enters the caravan and is nosey, once telling me I have plenty of money, but didn't answer how he knew!! He often asks about other folks I know and visit, wanting to know their business too, and can't understand when I tell him I don't know. Primarily I don't like gossip and if it comes my way I don't pass it on.

Hopefully see you on Tuesday.

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2507
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 17 12:31 pm Post subject:
Fairies are quite petite, Gregotyn. Think inches, not feet. The door is maybe a foot high.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15600

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 17 8:06 am Post subject:

Somebody built one in our wood once. It was rather nice an made completely of sticks. It survived for several weeks even though it was built in the open by a path.

Your landlord sounds a real pain Gregotyn, so just keep going your own way. I would also suggest locking up any personal information as you don't want him knowing all your business and spreading it around.

If you can tell me the name of the beehive, I will look it up and see what I can find about it.

Went over to son's flat yesterday as husband wanted to look at the mount for the TV as the one provided is very flimsy and doesn't fit the wall mount they have. We went to a rather nice cafÃ© in town that does artisan bread. I have some of their flour, so will see how it is. The also do bread making courses, so I may go on one. I have been making bread for years, but getting the kneading done seems to defeat me, and as they claim they have a fairly low workout method, I may try the course. At present I make most of the bread in the breadmaker as that does the hard work and the bread rises really well. It also needs far less yeast than normal.

cassandra

Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 17 9:16 am Post subject:

You should perhaps explain to your landlord that the sooner he leaves you to work in peace, the sooner you will be gone. An hour of his presence will delay you by two. Make sure he understands this next time he tries to hurry you along.

That fairy door reminds me of when I was a child and lived on a place that had several large pine trees with high tangled exposed roots. My sister and I would scavenge coloured glass and broken crockery fragments (probably highly significant archaeological material if the truth be told) and make doors and windows and tell ourselves the earwigs were fairies who lived there. Inspired by the Magic Faraway Tree I suspect.

The vest now has a neck band and I will start the next opening on Tuesday when I am back in the History Room. Though I have to dig out my computer and remove any self-incriminating material before I take it in, so perhaps that will be what I do in between the loads of washing tomorrow. They say it will be sunny - I hope they are right!

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15600

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 17 6:23 am Post subject:

You will get there sooner or later with your pullover Cassandra. Have you spun the last bits to finish off, or did you just have enough?

We were intending to go to the Weald and Downland Museum yesterday, but when we got there we found that there was a childrens festival on, so detoured to Chichester. There was a (sort of ) craft fair in the main street. There was one stall that was selling bronze filled plastic bits, the sort that look and feel like metal. There was a rather lovely bit with a post box on it, which I got for DIL as she collects models of post boxes, and a trinket box with a mouse asleep inside the lid for a friend. I know it is plastic, but they were really good models made by the stall holder. We then went round the Bishops Palace gardens and back along the old walls. Rather a nice walk.

Had roast pork for dinner with French beans and mange tout peas from the garden. I have dug another couple of roots of potatoes from the garden as the tops were dying back a bit. One were earlies and the other a special sort which will be good cold in a salad I think.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8617
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 17 8:08 am Post subject:
You'll be glad of seeing the back of that landlord, gregotyn...sounds like a bit of harassment there. He has no right to come on the property you pay rent on without proper notice.... Keep your head down , pack quickly and be gone ! Then he'll be behind you and no longer on your back. Thats what we had to do with our last move,getting away from a control freak landlady. All the best

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15600

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 17 6:42 am Post subject:

We had a productive day yesterday. I managed to finish a couple of scoops with maple leaf handles; one approx. 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon. I have cut the veins with a knife, but not sure whether to use ink, or try very fine powder in a method called kohlrosing. While I was doing that, husband and son were cutting down 4 trees that needed to go along the track. Husband and I then finally managed to empty the charcoal kiln while son picked up some more timber with the forwarder. He had to take over the last bit of the sieving from me though as my back was getting really painful and I was getting completely exhausted.

Had a rest yesterday evening and feel better now though.

cassandra

Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 1733
Location: Tasmania Australia

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 17 7:55 am Post subject:

I like the sound of the Kohlrosing MR - softer than ink I imagine.

I had a bad start to the day with the hot water service once again broken - same problem - no pump. So I on to the phone to the Agent and after listening to him telling me I was not going to pay him and so it was not worth his while to come up to my place (no possible basis for that suggestion as he was paid promptly and without dispute last time, but some tradies seem to feel this is polite conversation) and that I had not bought a heat rated pump last time (I had, and sent photos of the manual to show him) and so forth, and have not yet heard back from him.

Turns out the pump is six months out of warranty but Australian Consumer Law should see me getting a full refund as it is demonstrably not 'fit for purpose' as a circulating pump in normal use should definitely last more than 2.5 years.

Then into the History Room to follow up on Facebook about the antics of our Mayor. You may recall he was up on charges for driving without a license in an unregistered car while drinking. He has been avoiding court hearings for some months now and it turns out he was doing this as he was trying to convince Council to pay for him to defend his case. As this was unsuccessful, he pleaded guilty and was fined, his license suspended for a period that has been variously reported as three or six months and has driven himself home! I kid you not!

gregotyn

Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 17 2:17 pm Post subject:

I am trying to get out as fast as I can, but I have a job, and want to keep that going as long as possible. I own a house down the road which I am doing up, but some ill health a few years back-don't smoke, I am lucky to be alive-slowed progress up considerably. I live on his premises under a barn in a large caravan, 24ft long.

What I really wanted to do in life was to help someone who wants to start in agriculture/horticulture, by investing in them to set up. All I need is a bedroom, a bathroom, a living kitchen and a workshop-I do wood work as a hobby and chop firewood as a small income. I know I can't 'do' as I used to 'do', but it comes to us all. I just wanted to be a farmer, but until now never had enough cash to get there, now I have some money, I am not fit enough to do the job! The law of the sod applies. I really would like to help a young couple start the good life in agriculture-not in the same vain as the "Goods" of TV fame-I mean farm for real. I asked Harper Adams-I was a student there for 3 years and a pigman there for 2 years, to help find such a couple but they declined to offer any help. I didn't want them to do anything except say if there were any students who were looking to start that they knew. All good fun!

I have the gen on the beehive just thought it may be of interest to you, MR. It is of Japanese origin and very modern looking from a country small holding magazine of around 10 years ago. I'll put it in the post and you can go 'ooooh' or 'oh' as the case may be!

Landlord was much less in evidence last night and I made a lot of progress, even starting to clean some areas. I need to get space sorted at the other end where I am going to, as there is a lot to do there too, but onwards and upards as we say! see you all on Thursday, where I hope to be a lot nearer the exodus!
Thankyou for your support!

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