CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

Use a black bin liner as a final wrap to keep light out, keep it off the ground and airtight and it will last for ages

Thanks Pete

[CitroJim]

A bit wet yesterday so the day was variously spent chasing and haggling insurance renewal quotes for two of my cars and the house...

Sian needed adding to Polly and I was staggered at how much my house insurance costs have escalated and how much quality time is lost doing this annual chore. Happily, I got a good result on all fronts with LV and Adrian Fcuks

In between that, I made up a big Autodoc order of AX spares I may need over the longer term and getting them in stock whilst they still remain fairly readily available.

And then I did a load of cooking and baking Always a pleasure and a nice counterpoint to the insurance and spares ordering work.

The heavy rain seems to indicate the repairs I did to my conservatory roof are good but has highlighted a problem with the front guttering on my garage... It can't cope. It's too small and has an inadequate fall so heavy rain overflows the tops of it. Pre-carport this defect would have passed unnoticed. Now it's very obvious. My net project will be to renew it and make it better...

The carport guttering itself - which doesn't flow into the garage guttering - is twice the size and works perfectly.

[mickthemaverick]

I fear your guttering may be adequate as my house guttering turned out to be. My overflow problem was caused by a partially blocked downpipe which had collected a large amount of natural waste, leaves, twigs etc solidified by bird droppings. Also check the drain/soakaway for excess gummy stuff. Worth a check with the hose before buying new gutters etc.

[CitroJim]

The downpipe is a good call Mick... The garage roof generates a lot of mossy debris so very possible... Ditto soakaway. I must speak with my neighbours as the downpipe and soakaway is theirs - I just borrow it!

[mickthemaverick]

Give it a good rodding!!

[CitroJim]

Between two big storms this afternoon, I did a bit more investigation into my gutter issue. Downpipe clear, fall not great but adequate. At my end of the gutter there's a little standing water in the gutter into which dips the bargeboard liner.

It looks like there's a bit of capillary action going on where two bargeboard liners meet and overlap, leading to drips down the bargeboard that carry on long after the rain stops...

As soon as I have the opportunity I'm going to remove the gutter complete - all clipped - and try to see exactly what's going on and do what may be needed to prevent any future capillary action...

This morning was spent chasing a lively two-year-old around a gym before taking lunch in the café in the Milton Keynes massive Tesco Superstore...

They do a very good bacon, egg and sausage muffin and their tea comes in a proper china pot Tea always tastes better when served like that

We ordered fish fingers, chips and peas for Autumn. She loves peas... 'Sorry, we have no peas...' says the lady behind the counter..

No peas? We're in a bloody great Tesco supermarket with freezers full of them

We stood there flabbergasted... You couldn't make it up!

[mickthemaverick]

We had the same sort of thing a couple of years ago in Morrison's for Saturday brekkie. "We've run out of mushrooms I'm afraid and are not due a delivery until Monday!" "WHAT?"

[Stickyfinger]

Jim, the Chef probably lost the recipe........

[bobins]

We had the same sort of thing a couple of years ago in Morrison's for Saturday brekkie. "We've run out of mushrooms I'm afraid and are not due a delivery until Monday!" "WHAT?"

I like to start the day with a plate full of fried French mushrooms.

........It's the breakfast of champignons.


I'll get my coat

[CitroJim]

Jim, the Chef probably lost the recipe........

I like to start the day with a plate full of fried French mushrooms.

........It's the breakfast of champignons.


I'll get my coat

Very good Robin

"We've run out of mushrooms I'm afraid and are not due a delivery until Monday!"

Did you go back for another breakfast on Monday to check the story was genuine Mick?

[Rp0thejester]

Just can't get away from you!!

you'd make a great stalker....

[CitroJim]

I'm everywhere Ryan

A great day out yesterday meeting up with Mick and Mike at our favourite Hertfordshire venue

Strawberry ran magnificently there and back and is happily now oil-tight everywhere She really is a lovely drive

The journey was made a bit 'interesting' due to a closed road near the pub and diversions along little single-track roads... Strawberry was in her element, being small and narrow, especially when one very narrow section was gridlocked and nothing would move because of a heated 'deadlock' argument... After there was clearly going to be no resolution - a Tesla and some other gargantuan SUV - those of us with sense just revered back and made a long slow snaking trip back to a wider road and freedom! For all I know, Tesla and SUV are still stuck...

It just goes to demonstrate these modern behemoths are just not suited to British roads... Where two AX-width vehicles could pass relatively easily, those two got impossibly stuck...

It delayed my journey home by around 30 minutes... No way did it diminish a great day out And so good to finally see you and spend some time with you Mike

[CitroJim]

Bluebell is booked in for her MoT - her third with me - on the 22nd...

I taxed her today for a further year, as soon as I received my DVLA notification email... I did it early as I may have played a blinder and avoided a hefty budget increase if I'd waited until 1st November when her current tax expires...

I always thought you needed more than a month of MoT to re-tax but it seems this no longer applies... I suppose DVLA are just after your money more than anything else these days...

I'll be gutted if the budget extends the Historic Vehicles tax bracket to all vehicles over 35 years old... Somehow, I think I'm on reasonably safe ground there

[CitroJim]

After a superb morning at parkrun - I was timekeeping for the 119th time - I did a pre-MoT on Bluebell and she's failed

Only on a split track-rod end boot

Apart from that she's fine and all is in hand to have her good for her date with the MoT tester on the 22nd

Tomorrow I'll be timekeeping again at Junior parkrun

[MattBLancs]

Are you just swapping the boot Jim, or full track rod end?

It soon snowballs to both track rods and tracking re-set when I'm in that scenario!