brad@anize

in the ground

After a recent handyman story On the Wall, this morning it was time to do some work In the Ground.

I had a problem that the grass (Couch for those interested) wasn’t doing too well, probably due to a thick thatch and not enough air and water getting through to the soil. I played around with a pitchfork, eventually deciding that wouldn’t fix it so had it vertimowed. After which you need to water daily for a week or so which had a problem. My reticulation was leaking. Where there shouldn’t have been a pipe there were 2 25mm poly pipes, one having a hole in it (caused by pitchfork or vertimower I know not).

I fixed that leak in my reticulation this morning. I chopped out about 2mm of pipe with the hole in it and rejoined the two lengths with a joiner. Since it was such a tight fit, some skin got ripped of my palm (some might be interested to know this is called a degloving injury. The best one I ever had was the sole of my foot. Don’t ever push start a Triumph TR5 barefoot on the road, after your dad doesn’t get it to start on the downhill driveway)

but wait… this is a brad story. I ran the water to check everything and…

Water gushed out of the pipe about 20cm (guestimate, its covered in soil) upstream.

yay. more work to be done.

on the wall

It may have taken 10 months and numerous false starts, but the clothes dryer my grandmother never used (& I intend to almost never use) is up on the wall.

Here is roughly what happened:
1) Asked to take dryer from grandmother, so do so as I move in (Jan 3)
2) Operate said dryer in the way adjoining the kitchen and realise the belt is broken (May?)
3) Buy belt and wall bracket (June)
4) Buy some DYNAbolts (then realise they are the wrong size) (August)
5) Buy a drill set, bolts and wall plugs (September)
6) Buy masonry bits (duh!) (early October)
7) Drill 6 holes (2 weekends ago)
8) Buy socket set (This morning)
9) Tighten bracket and hang dryer (early afternoon 29.10.2006)

The missing lint filter still needs to be replaced.

Out on my own

I wake reasonably early this morning wanting to be at work early (7-ish). 45 minutes later and I still can’t find the keys that let me in my house last night. 45 minutes is how long it takes to turn my little house upside down 2.5 times (3 times in the likely spots, twice everywhere else). So I called Priya - “Can you give me a ride to work?”, “Oh, I wasn’t going to work today, I’m sick”, “Don’t worry, then stay in bed, I’ll find them or get a bus”.

A few minutes later turning upside down the spare bedroom that I added a desk to yesterday, the keys are found hiding under a pile of useless paper that must have got thrown on them while rearranging stuff. A few minutes later on the way to work the radio star signs come on. Shame I wasn’t listening in earlier, my Gemini stars for today “You have to get out on your own.”