Lights, Cambelt, Retest

Snatching satisfaction from the jaws of expense, I have tonight worked my way through the five items on the failure list from this morning’s MOT and fixed four of them myself. I have used WD40, a flat bladed screwdriver, more WD40, a 20p coin (retaining pegs on the fascia), a soldering iron, and lashings of WD40.

The offside fog lamp now works. The intermittent headlamp fault is no longer intermittent or faulty. The nearside brake light has a brand new soldered lead which looks horrible on the inside but at least lights the lamp effectively. And the windscreen washers finally live up to their name with enthusiasm.

Advertisement

A Draining Series of Events

The drain outside our kitchen doesn’t drain so well. In the past, a shot with the hose and some bleach have had it going again without too much trouble, but this time it was stuck full of … stuff, and draining far too slowly.

In a fit of pique, I eBayed pressure washers, and bought one ending soon that was local.

The series of events which followed have taught me number of important life lessons. Now I’m out of the shower and dried off, I feel the need to share these observations for the general good.

Knowing when to Quit

Surprisingly, this isn’t a post about jobs or even employment in the wider sense. It’s about volunteering and managing events.

Top ten off the bottom of the deck, 2012

This year has been utterly devastating for some, and thoroughly elating for others.

Rather than get a warmly self-congratulatory list of personal achievements together, it seems much more apposite to pick out ten abject failures (some mine) to celebrate the end of an interesting year.

That Cantata Thing…

OK, I failed. Technically.

I haven’t produced and published a Christmas Cantata at all today, and 7:00pm was my deadline.

Verbal contracts – they aren’t worth the paper…

I played my first ever Blues gig as a solo artist on October 14th, 2012. It was an utter disaster.

In their defence, the promotions company probably didn’t realise I wasn’t a regular pop covers artist, and I’m not blaming them for that.

My first ever proper solo Blues gig.

I have just been asked to leave after four songs at my first ever solo Blues gig.

Whoa!-bar

I just bought a towbar for my aging Peugeot 306. It’s a lovely motor, but too small to take all our gear camping this summer.

Typing Rage

Today I spoke to a man from an agency about some work related stuff, particularly to do with the musical side of my talents and experience.

Washing Machine installed. Balance has returned to the Force.

On Thirsday last week, the electricity went out. After isolating the various circuits (lights, mains, shower) I identified the culprit – the utility room and/or the kitchen.

By further elimination we narrowed it down to the washing machine, which was duly removed on Friday and placed in front of our house. Within half an hour, it had been lifted by three men on a cart who asked “D’you want that, mate?” and promptly took it off my hands.