What is happening

[Hans]

Rotfl

[Priscilla]

[mawra]

Originally Posted by Kugai

Just what Mom needs

[granath]

Originally Posted by mara

I don't like remakes. Never have.

As a rule I don't like remakes either, but I much prefer the remake of Battlestar Galactica over the rather campy original.

[Kugai]

[Zelandeth]

Today I mostly...

Went to Inverness and drove the Skoda home.

Only one minor drama about halfway back when it decided to loose interest in retaining its coolant inside the cooling system. We're not entirely sure at this point if a faulty expansion bottle cap or possible head gasket issues are to blame yet - will be investigated in due course. Even the latter isn't a massive headache as it's such a simple engine.

Been using the pool cars at work a few times lately, and my parents modern motor. After that, this actually feels like a really nice place to be right now.



Seats are comfy too.

[Allen]

To check for head gasket/cracked head causing coolant loss: Wait until engine is cool. Remove radiator cap ( not overflow "expansion" tank cap). Start engine. If there is a problem with the head gasket being blown into the cooling system, there will usually be significant bubbles visible in the radiator. Also check exhaust pipe for water/coolant. If the car has antifreeze in it (not straight water), then any moisture discharge from the tailpipe should smell of antifreeze. After the car is warmed up to operating temp., the moisture from the tailpipe should be minimal.

Here endeth the lesson.

[mawra]

I hope it is not a major repair.

I don't think we have those cars over here. Looks like a nice one.

[TwoSheds]

Took my daughter to university yesterday (Sunday). She's just starting a three year BA in Film and Television production at Buckinghamshire New University.

[Priscilla]

Good for her! I hope she really enjoys it! Does she have a preference between film and television? Perhaps that will come later.

[Zelandeth]

Radiator in this case is sealed, there's no cap on it - it's also at the opposite end of the car to the engine!

Suffice to say, the general configuration of this vehicle is rather odd...Think this says a lot about it.



Have had the header tank cap off today though and there weren't any signs of bubbles in there, nor any signs of water from the exhaust - though to be honest I didn't expect to see anything from the exhaust given that it's all of about two feet long and gets roasting hot in seconds! Given that the cooling system is meant to run at about 15psi, but doesn't seem to be building any pressure whatsoever, my money at this point is on a duff cap.

Don't think there's any crud in the system, though I plan to drain and flush it next weekend anyway, as I have no idea how much antifreeze there is (or isn't) in it or when it was last changed. Temperature is perfectly stable and has remained so, only time it went up at all was when it had actually lost a significant amount of coolant.

[mawra]

Kibby got her college aid money last week. She got a check for the difference of what she spent on books and tuition and the amount she was allowed. Up until now she has not had any real money or regular income so has not need a saving or checking account. I took her yesterday to open one. Which was not as easy as it sounds.

We went to the same bank Mom uses, a credit union, they said Kibby need something with physical address on it, in her name. We have post office box. Nothing is mailed to the physical address. Bank tell us to go to DMV and ask that Kibby's physical address is put on her drivers (learner's) permit. So we go all the way over there. Only to be told that the address on the permit must be where we get mail. The permits are mailed to the address on it. DMV person suggest registering to vote, voter ID card will have physical address on it. Kibby fills out the paper work, (she's been wanting to register anyway) only to find out that it will be mailed to her in 30 days. No way to get anything with physical address on it sooner than the 30 days.

I called my niece just to vent. She suggested we go to her bank. Other bank said it was a law that said she had to have something with physical address on it, so I did not think another bank would let her open one without it. That bank asked, but did not require proof, what the physical address was. They set her up with a check and savings acct. It was set up so that if Kibby does not have money in check acct. the debit card would be refused. So unless she writes checks she can not screw it up. It took much longer than I thought it would, but she has banking acct.

I am sitting is student centre at the college while Kibby shots things, archery. I managed to find a seat near an outlet, (they are few and far apart). For once there is only table of gamers tonight. During the day half the centre is filled with gamers. Some time they are even doing school work.

The puppy has decided that everything in the house should be taken outside. Some things she takes out only to bring it back in a few minutes latter. Some times she takes it right back out again, other times she takes it back out the next day. I have lost one pair of shoes. I had put them under the couch, not far enough. Now all shoes are put on top of file cabinet. She is quite silly when she is throwing things in the air or rolling around upside down with a toy in her mouth.

[TwoSheds]

Originally Posted by Priscilla

Good for her! I hope she really enjoys it! Does she have a preference between film and television? Perhaps that will come later.

No discernable preference yet. She seems to like both at the moment.

[Priscilla]

Book fair at the local library today. I did not find as much that interested me as last year. I bought a copy of Green Eggs and Ham to give Mike (as a joke) for Christmas because although he's seen The Grinch he has never read a Dr. Seuss book. I also bought him a 1965 copy of the sheet music to the Beatles song, Yesterday.

The book sale was fairly crowded with a new (to me, anyway) addition. There were a number of book dealers there with hand held devices scanning bar codes on books and filling up boxes as fast as they could. I asked one of the check out people what this is about and she kind of shrugged and said they are checking if books are worth more than the sale is charging. I suppose then a lot of the books show up on-line for much higher prices. Yes, people do need to make a living. There were plenty of books, I guess it did not matter since there was (currently) no rule against it.

[mawra]

Taking kibby to buy some pants tomorrow, movies and the mall. First we get to take 3 year old Seth to my sister who is staying with my niece. Melissa had a hysterectomy week before last and is have a lot of problems. She is on best rest, if she is not better by Monday she will be going to hospital. We have the youngest one most of next week.

On the 12 we are going to the Commonwealth Virginia University for their open house.
They have a good photo program. Then on Sunday we are going to an amusement park, Kings Dominion. They will be having a lot of Halloween stuff going on.

[mawra]

Without moving I see one sleeping 3 year old, three sleeping dogs, two sleeping cats, and I can hear Mom snoring. I think they are trying to tell me that it is time to go to sleep.

[Hans]

Cilla, checking bar codes for a possible profit sound like taking all the fun out of book hunting! Rules, or no rules, the wouldn't have checked my stall. As long as those books are not sold, they are mine!
I understand about maing a living. But I also understand about giving all customers equal rights and chances ;-)

[Priscilla]

Hans, I agree with you. Unfortunately there were no individually owned stalls as this was a book sale to benefit the local library, organized and run by volunteers. I'm not sure I want to go again after this experience. I may stick with our gloriously confusing used book store about an hour away. About time for another visit there!

[Priscilla]

Just had a phone conversation with my best friend who is here "permanently" to care for her parents who are 96 and 99, still living in their own home. This sounds fine, except they need someone with them all the time and finding someone reliable and trustworthy is not easy. They have tried it, and had things stolen, etc. So, Sue has had to come here from Colorado where her husband, home and small business are located to care for them. They are both still in sound mind, though obviously not as mobile as when they were younger. Her mom is in a wheelchair and her dad uses a walker. Anyway, she now needs to find someone to care for them for about 3 weeks so she can get back out there to Colorado and help her husband completely empty out the condo they rent. Yes, it got badly flooded and the owner is going to have to do a lot of work on it, so they have to get out. Also, their shop (native American art and jewelry) had water damage and needs work. As much as I love Sue, I am not up for living 24 hours a day with her parents for three weeks, so I will not be offering. What a mess this has caused!

[mawra]

I don't blame you, I wouldn't want to stay with the parents either.

Not much going on. Kibby is sick, she did not want to go to 4H today. She skipped classes yesterday, she had no classes today. I'm taking her to Dr. tomorrow. I hate her missing so much school. I miss the days when I did not have to worry about her missing school.

[GinnyStar]

Priscilla give 'zen hugs' to your best friend, I feel for your friend my grandmother is 88 and has lost most of her hearing.

I've had a few things going on, that partly why I haven't been on.

[P'ter]

Hope to 'see' you all on Monday. I'm on the op table tomorrow morning. It's only for repairing a minor hernia but I really hate anaestetics. I find it very hard to trust a stranger to keep me alive.

[Hans]

Good luck, Peter. We'll think of you.

[Priscilla]

Will be thinking of you as well and planning on hearing how you're doing very soon!

[Kugai]

Best wishes P'ter.

[mara]

hang in there, P'ter!!

[Lily]

Know how you feel, P'ter. Good luck. If they don't succeed you can sue them!!!!

( I'm sure you'll be just fine )

[Allen]

I hope everything "comes out" all right, P'ter.

[P'ter]

Luckily nothing had to come out: more a case of tucking back in.

Had three different hospital beds in twelve hours: is this record?

Back home, slightly sore.

[Priscilla]

SO glad to hear from you! Rest and relax! 3 hospital beds? That seems like a bit much!

[P'ter]

As a day-case I was admitted to the Appleby Suite. Then, because I live alone, they transferred me to the Benyon Short-stay Suite straight from theatre; where I was sharing a six-bed bay with a guy who'd been there since Thursday, 'cos they weren't happy with his recovery. A few hours later they found out why he wasn't doing very well: he had viral meningitis! So I was transferred to another six-bed bay on my own, while they moved him to isolation and then deep-cleaned that bay.

[kevia]

Well, glad you're back home, P'ter, and hope you're soon over the soreness.

[Kugai]

Glad to hear you're home. Hope you are taking it easy for the next few days.

[Hans]

Very glad you are home safe, Peter. Hope they tucked it all in, in a nice way. Handsome urse? With your luck you probably had a male nurse

[granath]

Ouch P'ter... Glad you didn't catch the meningitis!

[P'ter]

Hans: no she was middle-aged and rotund.

Granath: a little early to say.

I'm taking today off college to get my wound checked. I think it's leaking a bit internally.

[Priscilla]

Halloween!

[mawra]

Looks spooky

[DragonBuddy]

Your decorations are so much fun!

[Priscilla]

We add a little bit every year. This year it is the giant inflatable pumpkin on the porch. Jenn's boyfriend got it last year after the holiday for $5. The eyes twirl round and round. We have a lot of fun!