The site of a court

A thousand years ago in the park i walked through to get to the boathouse i came across this Oak tree. The tree has a fence round it to protect it but sadly i couldn't take a picture and get the text on the sign to be readable. The sign is also very sun damaged and the text was not really very clear.

A thousand years ago under the tree locals held criminal courts below it's branches . You can't see but the branches have the start of a new years leaves starting to grow. I do hope that Liverpool City council take good care of the heritage of the city.

Another great day at the Boathouse

A long time ago i wanted to get myself a Lathe and i got one. You can see Youtube videos about how to use a lathe. But it's not what you see in the Youtube videos that help today i had a lesson with a very experienced  tutor called Tommy. Tommy went through everything and showed me how to use the tools correctly not how i thought they should be used.

We started by marking a piece of wood that was something i was doing wrong you need to use a tool to centre your work piece. It didn't take long and i had used the tools in the correct way.

On the Lathe next to me was Liz who i met before Christmas last year. Then Liz was using a big piece of wood with lots of Knots in it and when i saw what she had on the Lathe today i smiled. It is refreshing to see that Liz doesn't do whats easy far from it

From this picture you can't see how misshapen the piece that Liz is working on but it is stunning.
I saw pictures of some of the work Liz has done and every piece is amazing and unique.
I would have liked to have seen the piece of wood before Liz started but maybe next week i will see the piece when it's finished.

This is not a jug but a Light that goes in the bottom. But it's now about what it is this to me is a thing of beauty. A knotty piece of wood.

Turned into a thing of beauty I tried to take photos that really give credit to what \liz hsd msfr.

Back to the boathouse

Today i got to visit the boathouse that i went looking for in the wrong park last year. I should have gone to Calderstones park and went to Sefton park maybe a senior moment maybe. I was pleased to see Sue sat near the door at work on a small flower vase that won't have flowers in so Sue announced.

Here is Sue as she finishes her vase and Tommy holding the vase as it's cut free  from the Chuck.












I would love to say what Sue has recently made but her description of it was something i couldn't put here. The name for here previous project shows just the kind of humour Sue has.

Enough of Sue this should be about me. After speaking to Tommy he tells me that he holds classes on a Thursday at 1 pm and i signed up for it. Tommy said what we will be doing and explained that what we will do is to make the most of all the skills needed to use a Lathe.

It's not as easy as picking up a tool and making cuts it's a lot of how you hold the tool you will be using and that's what i hope to learn from Tommy.

50% more than i needed to do

I had a chance to go out on Saturday  and take a little exercise. I went out with a family member who was delivering leaflets to an estate on the outskirts of Liverpool to new housing estates. It's been a long time since i did a leaflet drop so it seemed the right thing to do so of i went.
On my Iphone i have an App called Pacer that records every step i take. I know it was a long walk i did but waited till i got home before i looked to see how far i had walk.

Wow 9.9 km and at my age i  do need to exercise because it's supposed to be good for me, also i used up 520 calories. Even though i eat as healthy as i can with almost everything being fresh in my Diet i can't get rid of some of the excess weight that i have.
I am pleased that i achieved almost 50% over my daily target but normally i do much less that the 10,000 steps per day.

And the train broke down

Due to problems getting to where my daughter lives I decided to give the trains a try, great idea I think not. It all started with me going to the wrong station first but it wasn't to far to walk to get the train I needed. After a wait of only 10 minutes the train left so the hope was a better journey than on a bus. We got to the first station where people got on and off but the doors didn't close, ok there must be something wrong.

After about 10 minutes or more it comes over the tannoy " Due to a technical problem please leave the train ". OK everybody got off the train and that's where I am coming to I saw something very strange up on a wall was a door, a door to nowhere.

Below the door is the station platform, no stairs or steps just a door to nowhere or is that a door for Harry Potter and the Hogworts train?

Aquaponics and my fish tank

My fish tank is now built but i want to put another coat of Epoxy Resin over all surfaces on the inside of the tank. After the sand, pebbles, stones, rocks and tree trunks have been installed and all plants have been planted then the glass window will be fitted and the water added.

I have installed a filter system above my tank because probably about 50 years ago after a power cut blame Ted Heath and his three day week. With no power my filter syphoned back and three tanks where found empty.  This time all system pumps and filters will be above the tank so as to safeguard my tank.

But the filter is to filter and clean the water but now i am going to add an Aquaponics system. What this is a system to use the water from the tank to feed a planted unit to grow food Lettuce, herbs etc.

The water from this fish tank is supplying the plants above with nutriments. So this is my goal but first i need to get back home even though i am not a big fan of lettuce but that was only an example.
http://www.backyardaquaponics.com

I am bored

Back home in Portugal i have so many projects on the go at any one time.

First i was about to start to make the frames for the sliding doors for my lounge and bathroom, the doors are being made by a local carpenter. It was my job to make the frames for the door to hang from.

I had gone to Chicco to get a piece of Chestnut over half a meter long to make a cutting board for someone who asked me at one of the markets i go to.

I also found i had a leak in the roof tiles just inside of my front door.

I had just received from China mounting brackets for three shelves i had already made.

I had already just done the first coat of Resin in my fish tank and all i now needed to do was do the top coat of Resin to all surfaces in my tank.

I had already drawn up plans for a Solar hot water system to heat my room where my fish tank is.

Now the weather has changed for the better i would now be getting on with at least part of the above.

What does this look like

How many times have you see an Advert that looks odd. Well last night i went for a meal with one of my sons as it was steak night at the local restaurant. I was happy because it was steak night but curry night would have been just as good. As i was looking through the menu it wasn't till we decided to have a desert that i noticed an add for free refills. When you read the add it says Free Refills £1.10 each, OK how can Free refills cost £1.10 each.

I hate windoooooze

It's no secret that I don't like or use windooooze I happily ditched using windoooooze many years ago and my computing is all the better for the choice I made.

OK that said I was asked by my granddaughter to fix her computer as she was having problems, even though she has an IPad. It was easy to fix the problem she had but it was not easy for me. I had got ready to go out and switch the machine off but Oh no windooooze had decided not to let me switch it off. First windooooze decided to download do an upgrade with 59 files to be downloaded.

Having to wait while a computer did an update is a pain no wonder I went to a better system. So if you want to stay in charge consider Ubuntu Linux you can do everything you want to you and you are in charge.

I ended up back at my old Doctors

Because I am not returning to Portugal for who knows how long I have a huge problem I take Statins for my cholesterol. I managed to get a repeat prescription ready but I won't be returning till after my present prescription runs out. So I went to a walk in centre to see about getting my medication while I am here. The walk in centre couldn't help but said to call a service by the NHS called 111 and after calling them they put me in touch with the pharmacy in a local ASDA.

I went to the local pharmacy with my repeat prescription, my latest Blood results and my box of what is left of my medication. It seems that my Doctor where I live gave me a medication that is not stocked on the NHS. The pharmacy did say to go to a local Doctors and get a temporary listing with the local Doctors. The local Doctors surgery was the surgery I was in from being a child of 10 until I married and moved away so going back to the surgery brought back many memories.

I don't know how old the receptionist is but she is so old I am now 70 years of age OK you may say Peter you don't look you age. Anyway I filled in a temporary form and the old dear took my form. My prescription, my medication and my latest Blood results to the one Doctor who was in her room. I was asked to go back at 11.30 tomorrow to see another Doctor who I was told was a pharmacist before he became a Doctor now that seems a plan. I will go back tomorrow and hopefully get the medication I need.

I went back as asked at the required time of 11.30 am. The Doctor having had my Blood results to check over he was able to find something close to what I am on so it was a good result. I have to go back each month for a repeat prescription but that's OK by me.

I have done this today because there may be a day someone who has read this finds it of great help in there time of need.

Well done no going back

well it's done now and no going back I am now 70 years of age. How do I feel many have asked I answer just the same as the day before just nothing special I say.

Here we are my family my daughter and son, my two granddaughters and my daughters partner. In case you don't know I am the one holding the baby my new granddaughter Bronx.