Early Risers.

[DDolfelin]

Funny you should say that. A few years back a house down the road and their next door neighbours had their front walls demolished by some cockwomble in a VW. The idiot did a runner leaving half his front end with license plate in their garden. Anyhoo the replacement wall must have been built by Italians from Pisa or by a woman named Eileen. It fell over within 3 years. Which brings us to the present. The bricky I've just hired is the chap that rebuilt the wall again this past spring, and a bloody good job he did of it. 

 

The useless brickie here got into the job by starting as a hod carrier when he saw the vacancy at £50 an hour.

He asked when he could start and was told straight away.

"I'll just put my jacket in the hut"

"That's not a hut, that's your hod".

[Tony_S]

My nephew Josh has a Jewish Dad and Indian Mum. He is working as a doctor (paediatrics) in a South Coast town. The parent of a patient said we don't see many of "you people " round here making assumptions from his surname. Josh said the hospital was full of people who identify as British Indian on the ethnicity questionnaire.

[BSW01]

Good afternoon everyone

 

I hadn't even got to the motorway when I encountered the first cockwomble, who reversed down the slip road, an then did a u-turn! Fecking Ejit.

 

Today was a much better day than yesterday, despite the fact that when I set off it started to rain. As I expected, I many to complete all my work early. Once that was done I phoned the butchers and ordered a couple of pasties, then it was off to Hatton's where I collected my order and rather splendid they look too

 

After a walk around the shop for a few minutes, I set off to pick up the pizzas which have been requested by the grandkids for tonight's tea, as well as a few other bits and pieces that were on a little shopping list. Whilst there the first lot of brownie points were earned as I was able to get the flowers that Sheila had slipped onto the shopping list I'd been given. Once the shopping was completed it was then onto the butchers to collect the pre-ordered pasties and the weekly meat rations. It was there that I was also able to earn my second lot brownie points of the day, as they had some lambs liver in, so a couple of slices were purchased for Sheila.

 

The summer of '76, that was the year that myself and 10 others in 3 cars drove down to Cornwall, St Ives to be precise. We spent 2 weeks in a holiday flat overlooking the railway station. By some miracle none of us got badly sunburnt, most mornings being spent on the beach, one of our friends took his guitar down, so that went to the beach too. The afternoons and evenings were spent in the various pubs, of which there were plenty, THAT may be why we didn't get sunburnt! I seem to recall a dolphin used to come into the harbour and swim about with the bathers too!

 

I think I too have a high threshold of pain, I very, very, rarely take any form of pain killer, I don't even have pain killing injections for dental work, unless it's for root canal or an extraction.

 

Baz and Mrs O. Congratulations on your 38th anniversary.

 

Rick. I do hope your gout clears up soon.

Edited June 23, 2017 by BSW01

[AndyB]

Afternoon all,

Been wading through the text book and exam practice papers for a number of hours; I now need beer as I have a low tolerance of pain a la derriere.  

[bluebottle]

I was waiting to use a hole-in-the-wall machine a few years ago and the 2 people in front were chatting.

One was saying he had just got a new job with the bank, it was a good promotion but it was in Perth.

The other guy asked how it was going etc. And the 1st guy said it was ok and he got home for the weekends.

The 2nd guy said that's a pretty long journey isn't it just for a few hours at home. He then realised it wasn't Perth, Western Australia.

 

Near where I used to live in the Hunters Bar area of Sheffield was a small hotel which for some reason had a clientele largely composed of overseas visitors. I gathered that it was not noted for large portions at mealtimes, and their guests used to slip out to the local chippie for extra sustenance. One evening, after ordering his fish and chips, the chap ahead of me in the queue said, cheerily, "Just come from Australia!"

Came a voice full of grim satisfaction from behind us: " Well, tha chips'll be cold by the time tha's got 'em home."

[Ian Abel]

Rick and NHN, hope you get some relief soon...

 

Congratulations to Baz and the Mrs.

 

 

Morning on a fine POETS day.

Yesterday saw a result - we are now a one BBQ family, the BIN service dutifully taking the old one away without a word.

 

Mrs had her second "check" at the doctor after her eye surgery, another result. Completely healed, faster than normal too, and she has the green light to resume normal operations of any and all kinds! Yay, I think.  Of course that meant that on picking her up we went "looking" at some options for new "media center" furniture for the living room. None purchased yet but a couple of contenders...

 

Today expecting the client to remain quiet since they'll be able to accost me in person come Monday, so will plan/expect to POE.

 

Another luvverly day here starting out at 17 and sunny with a high of only 21 expected, may have some afternoon showers.

 

Hope you can all POE where available (noting some already have), and get a good start on the weekend.

[AndyID]

We could use a good brickie here. Some of the brick fascia on the house needs work. The real problem is that some concrete was put down without enough compaction of the fill beneath it.

 

I saw an ad for a system that levels concrete slabs. Looks like they inject polyurethane under the slab to jack it up. Does anyone have experience with this method?

[Danemouth]

Tax Return done on line and a small refund is due to me :yes:

 

I'm retired so very day is POETS day!

 

Dave

[AndyB]

Sign at the youngest's school fete stall:

 

"20p for 4 goes, or £1 for 7 goes." 

 

Wondering if the County Council will give me a refund. 

[Ozexpatriate]

I saw an ad for a system that levels concrete slabs. Looks like they inject polyurethane under the slab to jack it up. Does anyone have experience with this method?

It seems to be the latest thing in the 'cheap fix' building trade. There are non-stop TV commercials (at cheap times of day) from multiple suppliers.

 

To me it seems quite plausible for things like concrete paths and driveways. Let's put hydrostatic pressure to work doing something better than pushing over retaining walls. Some of the advertising is recommending it even for making foundations level. The commercials feel a bit dodgy, but the physics feels sound.

Edited June 23, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

Reminds me of a terrible front garden wall built locally.

"There's a much worse one down the road", the brickie defended himself.

Sure enough, there was.

"Who on earth built that?"

"I did".

I'm reminded of the plot device from the Fawlty Towers "The Builders" episode. For some reason 'garden wall' triggered this:

 

"Do you understand? Next week's definite, is it? That would be nice, won't it? We've waited for that wall about as long as Hadrian."

 

"Orrelly men".

Edited June 23, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[Tony_S]

We could use a good brickie here. Some of the brick fascia on the house needs work. The real problem is that some concrete was put down without enough compaction of the fill beneath it.

I saw an ad for a system that levels concrete slabs. Looks like they inject polyurethane under the slab to jack it up. Does anyone have experience with this method?

All of the houses in our road are on 10metre piles. Except for two that were added later on one metre footings.

[Gwiwer]

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Baz.

 

The Battle of Acton has been fought and won. Slow steady progress was the order of the day and taking advantage of some available seating at times as our guide rambled on about described the many exhibits. Those of a certain age might remember how comfortable Standard and 1938 tube stock seats were. I also reacquainted myself with Q-stock car 08063 which I last saw when I travelled aboard the final Q-stock train on the underground. September 1971. Or was it 1970?

 

Anyway. A 2 ½ hour tour was good value at £12 and worth it for the genuine nerds and historians.

 

Feet held up until the final half hour which became tiring but I'll chalk that up as a step on the road to recovery. Many thanks for all your supportive comments, thoughts and shared experience. All very much a part of the support network which is ER.

[Ozexpatriate]

All of the houses in our road are on 10metre piles. Except for two that were added later on one metre footings.

10m piles? Do you live on sand? That seems exceptionally robust, though I'm sure there are some alluvial fill areas where that sort of foundation is necessary.

[JohnDMJ]

Rick, hope the swelling eases soon. There is a colleague at work that has been suffering with gout in his foot on and off for some years. His partner also has a foot issue where the bone appears to be disintegrating so both of them are suffering. My boss isn't too complimentary over his condition though.

 

Tomorrow Swanage.

 

Sounds a bit defeetist! Enjoy Swanage!

 

All of the houses in our road are on 10metre piles. Except for two that were added later on one metre footings.

 

10 metre piles - can't you get some cream for that?

[tetsudofan]

Earlier this week was invited to join a Fish and Chip Special on the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway - train from New Romney to Dungeness, fish and chips at the "End-of-Line" restaurant and train back to New Romney.

 

Loco for the trip was Samson seen here upon arrival at Dungeness:

 

 

and, after dinner, waiting for the off for the return to New Romney:

 

 

and finally a run-past on the way back - actually managed to catch the lighthouse lamp as well as the train!!

 

 

Thought the "Marsh Mountain Express" was rather bizarre for an express out to the Romney Marsh but then it clicked.....

 

Keith

[bbishop]

Very pissed off.  Some of you will remember a few years ago, that BT jumped into bed with Yahoo for the provision of e-mails.  Not a happy experience for either BT, or users of BTInternet, many of whom jumped ship.  Anyway after all these years, my Yahoo account resurrected itself and decided to hijack my BTMail e-mail account. 

 

It took quite a battle, including having to remember my Gmail password, before I could get the BT account working again.  And I have to get to e-mails via Bing.

 

What with John ringing from Bangalore every 10 minutes..... at least he is intercepted by my 25 years old Response120 answerphone.

 

Glad that Rick is vertical.....Bill

[Horsetan]

The car now has a fridge in it. It works, though a bit slow to cool from ambient temperature.

[Coombe Barton]

I can safely report that my experience on the roads today has been entirely, and I mean entirely, cockwomble free.

 

This was aided by my working from home all day, only venturing out to walk the old dog round to the vets for a routine jab.

 

POETS happened last night when I left work.

[AndyID]

All of the houses in our road are on 10metre piles. Except for two that were added later on one metre footings.

 

Hence the expression "Piles of money".

 

Oh, wait a minute. I think that was about something else.

 

 

The foundation of our house in Prestwick was not on piles. We were slightly alarmed when they sunk whopping great piles for the foundation of the house they were building next door. Turns out there were old mine workings in the area. I brought it up with the builder but I never got a satisfactory explanation for the absence of piles under our house.

Edited June 23, 2017 by AndyID

[Tony_S]

10m piles? Do you live on sand? That seems exceptionally robust, though I'm sure there are some alluvial fill areas where that sort of foundation is necessary.

London Clay. After all the subsidence and heave problems back in the late seventies I think it became standard practice here for larger houses. A few years ago someone nearby had a two storey extension at the back of their house. There was some demolition of a chimney required to get the pile driver machine round the back.

Tony

[pH]

We could use a good brickie here. Some of the brick fascia on the house needs work. The real problem is that some concrete was put down without enough compaction of the fill beneath it.

 

I saw an ad for a system that levels concrete slabs. Looks like they inject polyurethane under the slab to jack it up. Does anyone have experience with this method?

 

We had the same problem about 30 years ago, with one corner of the house sinking. The repairs involved digging holes (average depth about 8 feet) down to hardpan under all inside and outside corners of the affected part of the foundation wall, pouring concrete columns in the holes to support the foundation, unbolting the wooden frame from the foundation, jacking the house to level, filling the resulting gap on top of the foundation and re-bolting the frame to the foundation. While we did need to extend the mortgage to pay for it, it actually cost much less than we were afraid it might, given the amount of work involved. 30 years later and no sign of any further sinking (says he with fingers firmly crossed!).   

[BoD]

Evening all.

 

Even further north now, sitting in the evening sunshine looking over the sea to Skye. Suitable amber liquid in hand.

 

I have not had time, nor, (don't be offended), the inclination to read all posts. Please take it as read that suitable comments have been made and appropriate sentiments have been expressed.

[emt_911]

Finally made it to where I'm staying for the weekend just over 4 hours from leaving home.

 

Multiple cockwombles on the road this evening and how I didn't witness a crash I fail to understand.

 

Time for some food and a couple of pints.

[AndyID]

We had the same problem about 30 years ago, with one corner of the house sinking. The repairs involved digging holes (average depth about 8 feet) down to hardpan under all inside and outside corners of the affected part of the foundation wall, pouring concrete columns in the holes to support the foundation, unbolting the wooden frame from the foundation, jacking the house to level, filling the resulting gap on top of the foundation and re-bolting the frame to the foundation. While we did need to extend the mortgage to pay for it, it actually cost much less than we were afraid it might, given the amount of work involved. 30 years later and no sign of any further sinking (says he with fingers firmly crossed!).   

 

We are fortunate that there don't seem to be any issues with the foundation of the house itself. The problem areas are concrete slabs outside the foundations that were poured over insufficiently consolidated backfill. The substrate has settled over time and some of the slabs have cracked and buckled. It's more  cosmetic than structural.