HappyBunny
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Posts posted by HappyBunny
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Tony ... yes,skin tank bled .... and the head and block were checked and true ..... but I don't think the head was checked for cracks, which might have been advisable while it was off ...
Quick update ... I was using the bizzard method until an unsuspecting neighboring boater came to see "if I was having problems" and was then pressganged into action and the Brooks/troyboy method was employed......good job winding a baby isn't this complicated .... she has heaved once and released air, and let out a couple of small bubbles since, but otherwise seems to be running as she used to, with just minor fluctuations in the water level in the header tank ..... so paws crossed that it was just trapped wind ...... but I shall keep a watchful eye on her .... and maybe invest in some of the fluid to check for exhaust gasses
Many thanks for clear instructions and help
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Good to hear this John, and thanks for the time you are putting in to this. I attended a meeting between CRT and The Roving Traders group a couple of weeks ago in Milton Keynes, and like yourself, felt that CRT genuinely want to work with boaters. I came away feeling more positive than when I went in, and found John Dodwell's input and responses particularly encouraging.
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Although I booked a mooring whilst at the Gnosall banter my plans as usual have come to naught. The booking I made is being passed on to Herbsacious (Happy Bunny) but her boat will be occupied by Benjt (Caprifool). I may get there in the camper. Is there anywhere handy to moor a camper van?
Yes, hopefully the good ship Herbidacious will be at Pelsall, with piratical Swedes on board, while I blat around the Shetland Isles on my motorsickle
.I don't know the area, is there somewhere to moor there post-banter until i get back on 19th or 20th?
Sad that i shall miss this banter, but if anyone is lurking in the area for a few days after the banter, let me know
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"Heaving" is the word .... I am going to get up to the water tap at Calveley (assuming my cunning plan to single hand Beeston Iron lock works, or I meet some helpful boaters/walkers) and have a good furtle, armed with all this advice.
I am also wondering how, if, and where, air might be getting in to the calorifier system? ..... I have always needed to top up my header tank, not much, each week but lately every few days .... maybe a leak somewhere .... or just the air leaving the system ....
The words "cracked" and "head" had been bandied about a liitle too much for comfort when discussing my "heaving" problems ..... maybe it wasn't my engine they were referring too .......
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currently scouring the deserted towpath for a likely looking lovely assistant to press gang into action
.... physically impossible to do alone with my set up..... thanks both of you -
I'm a somewhat confused and concerned bunny ....
After my recent "mishap" (see another thread) the head came off, valves reground etc etc etc and went back on fine, and decoked too. She ran sweet for a couple of short slow days, with locks and swing bridges, then noticed she seemed hotter than usual and occasional bubble of air coming up into header tank. No hot water from calorifier.
Tested thermostat and removed as knackered, still seemed to be running hotter than before (temp sensor knackered too) (I know).
Thermostat replaced, system bled ..... hot water by the gallon ....hurrah .... but still the water header tank rising much more than before head work, and still getting the odd bubble of air coming up especially when cruising at normal speed (1500 rpm) for a long distance .... she is not boiling though ..... and today, no hot water again after 4 hours......
The head gasket was checked and seems ok .... and the water was forced through the calorifier system with a hose pipe
Any speculation welcome .... is it possible there is still some air in the system, and if so, how do I get rid of it?
.... or am I looking at other more scary / expensive causes?
cheers in anticipation -
probably not in this wind today
.... and the Heartbreak Hill locks on the T&M win my "slimiest ladder rungs so far" award but there was some pretty minimalistic yarnbombing in evidence, someone sharing the love -
Just about recovered
good to meet some old forum friends and some new ones ...... few pics below and others of the festival here for anyone interested ...https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10201186444293204.1073741826.1533376098&type=1&l=ebba1a0967tis a good little festival
Postcode and Dr Bradley
Albion, DaveP Postcode and Ian and Polly from Yorkshire Boat Services (plug
) in The NarrowboatAlice B Cheshire Rose and Postcode
mmmm food .... Steve Wilkinson and Dr Bradley
and if you have never been to a banter ... try and get to one
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Eh? Luck??
Matty has had some tough times and wasn't 'lucky', it appears to me that he put one helluvalot of effort into making the move from office based job to working on the cut for a living. Luck wasn't involved!
You make your own luck in my view.
Just sayin... rant over!
MtB
agreed .... andthanks for sharing those great pics
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One of the new CC guidelines is to move to at least the next Aldi every 14 days.
Chuckle
I don't have a freezer. I keep some tins, jars, DDT milk and dried foods because I like to moor in the middle of nowhere and stay awhile in some places. But generally tis not a problem, just stock up on fresh when you can, cut down on meat .... and tinned pilchard and nettle curry is actually very good
. i have an air rifle for occasional meat protein, and miss my lurchers .... though in truth they had joined the Anti-Blood sports league in their later years
Arm yourself with good mushroom and foraging books / websites.
And I wouldn't give Tesco the drippings off my nose, let alone my hard earned cash
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As Happy Bunnies engine forced her to cancel her trip to Skipton, I have arranged to rescue her and deliver her to the banter by van. Since I'll be in Skipton anyway I might as well pop in too. Get your 50 pences ready.
How good is that
Dr Bradley for Prime Ministerlooking forward to seeing some now familiar faces and friends
and hopefully making a few new onesand playing "Guess the Avatar" and "Blimey, you wouldn't have thought s/he had such a shiny / pikey boat"
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Well after a protracted wait for a rocker arm to come from India
coupled with an alarming number of funerals to attend in the next couple of weeks and a visit from the prodigal son, i shall not be able to make it after all .... now heading back south on the MaccWas properly looking forward to it as well
but that's life Have fun
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You Norty people!
So, wanna see some pictures?
French spiral whipping:
I don't think you are ready for three strand cockscomb yet
Richard
I think I am now, having spent a joyful couple of hours practicing my whipping
bring on the cockscombYou want pics of whipping? I suspect there are 'specialist' websites for that sort of thing!
How very dare you
but yes, you are right -
Three strand cock's comb whipping top to bottom, a Turks head knot top and bottom, and a tassel, all in white.
Better than a washing up liquid bottle
Richard
Ooer .... I like the sound of all that, especially the whipping top to bottom
but what does it all mean?? any chance of a pic .... -
I've been an archaeologist since 1974, and my other half and I met in a post-medieval cess pit in London. We started there (the DUA) but then worked in East Herts (where we milked our landlady's cow and goat for our rent), and then we worked in Egypt with a season in Iraq (back in the early 80s). Barbie became an archaeological illustrator, but she stopped that years ago. I then did archaeology for conservation architects and then went back to the M.E. I also did contract landscape surveys for the National Trust here in Wales. I'm now doing modern conflict archaeology in the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara. I'm even making a PhD out of it - finally, after 30 some odd years!
And yes, Maffi's idea about fuel use is a good one, and trees are free, we use as many of our own as we can right now. And you're right about pensions, we've heard some bad tales. We're lucky that we did invest in stone and mortar, however, the housing market for sales is very, very moribund in Mid-Wales!
Oh...,and yes, archaeology was fun way back then. Nowadays many archaeologists have just become quantity surveyors..., ho hum - change and decay!
Interesting PhD ..... and interesting lives .... hope to meet you out and about at some point
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. Like you HappyBunny, we've spent too many years doing the kinds of things that haven't caused us to look after our pensions, eg jobbing archaeology (very poorly paid but fun), travel and working hard at not becoming tied to the old 9 to 5 etc.
Ta ra,
Sal
Ooh .... where did you dig? .... i worked "the circuit" for years, it was such fun back in the day ..... Maffis advice on diesel use is good, and invest in solar panels and a chain saw if you have not got one, tree heating is free heating, and looking at what has happened to many of my friends pensions, I'm glad I didn't invest in anything other than my state pension .....
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I'd love to hear how you do with corriander. It's my favourite herb and I've never been able to keep it alive! Oh, garlic's a favourite of mine and pretty easy to grow - I'm not sure it's worth it cost wise, though.
Lucy
Coriander is an annual, so it won't come back next year, it may self seed but if you want it for its lovely leaves, rather than seeds, it is worth sowing regularly (every couple of weeks) and not letting it flower, just keep cutting it like a lettuce, and replace regularly.
Also think some pretty companion planting is a good idea to minimise pests and diseases .... add a few calendula, borage, french marigold, nasturtiums, geraniums ..... I like to think of my roof as a mobile exotic restaurant for bees and other insects ..... you can eat the flowers and have a proper Pimms with Borage in
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No, that's where he keeps his loon pants, cheesecloth shirts and green flash tennis shoes...
MtB
Cool!
I always thought a New Age gearbox was where a hippy kept his stash.
much chuckling
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As people say, it depends on your lifestyle .... I have been living on considerably less than that for some time, and stashing a bit for license etc,
I am never cold on the boat, and am often amazed to hear what some people spend on heating costs. I am fairly low maintenance, eat well and party fairly hearty (though I don't consume alcohol often ... tis the devils brew you know) ....... you pays your money and takes your choice
The situation is improving now with an ever increasing income from my business (gratuitous self promotion linky) (and no, haven't sorted website yet)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Herb-Boat/480568218650175?ref=hl
but I do wonder if I will ever get my pension .... as my retirement age seems to go up as often as diesel
and it has to be said, all that time I spent in the 70's and early 80's burning my undies and demanding equal rights and pay has backfired a bit on the pension front
I was hoping chaps retirement age would come down ....... and I wouldn't mind so much if all of our lovely young people were in gainful employment and there were hundreds of vacancies rant over -
Does anyone have any reccomendatiosn aside from the above for any fruit/veg that can pbe grown in rectangular planters and does not grow too tall? (Ie, no higher than the chimney)! pref. not lettuce or cucumber.
If you like beans, try the dwarf runner bean, hestia, and there are lots of small french bean plants .... all sorts of different colours; purple, yellow (though sadly most go green when cooked) ... they are good raw or just lightly steamed with lashings of garlic butter mmmmmm ... there are dwarf peas too and mange tout
I also grew patti pan squash last year, like little yellow flying saucers, bumper crops .... good raw in salads or roasted .... don't go quite as mushy as courgettes when you cook them .... and there are lots of other little squashes and pumpkin things which look amazing and easy to cook .... just roast or bake in your stove
There are dwarf aubergines (....all you need is a small aubergine
) but as with peppers some bottom heat might be needed for germination and this year has been so cold so far..... might not get a long enough season nowI am quite into edible flowers .... and they look pretty ..... little heartsease violas, nasturtiums (the leaves are good too) and dwarf sunflowers (such happy flowers) .... and herbs .... chives are good and easy, as are welsh onions, which are perennial and just keep growing as you use them, and look fab when they flower .... like something off star trek ..... don't get me started
And yes, I used canal water for all my crops, even lettuce and have survived unscathed ......
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Ilike to have a little garden to keep me busy complete with fountain and willow sculptures
Although I have had more plants with its own watering system
Wow!!! beautiful .... love the fountain and water feature
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Long Johns? In April?
Snow .... in April
..... in all fairness, I am a soft southern woosie -
Probably way to much stuff
A couple of young great nieces for snacking on ....
A ridiculous amount of foliage to completely obscure my view .....
But by far the most useful addition last year 200w of solar ..... and lots of "badge of honour" wood
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Being a nerdy scientific type, I have come to the conclusion that there is a direct correlation between the need for thermal long johns and the need to turn the fridge back on ..... call me a daredevil, but I am now on DAY 2 of NO LONG JOHNS and I felt my milk was not as fresh as it might have been this morning .......
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.... physically impossible to do alone with my set up..... thanks both of you 
but there was some pretty minimalistic yarnbombing in evidence, someone sharing the love 
) in The Narrowboat
Dr Bradley for Prime Minister
coupled with an alarming number of funerals to attend in the next couple of weeks and a visit from the prodigal son, i shall not be able to make it after all .... now heading back south on the Macc
but that's life 
I was hoping chaps retirement age would come down 
BMC airlock? or something more expensive?
in BMC
Posted
Yes ... I have noticed
this forum is such a great place to get help and soothe worries ...... much Happier Bunny now .... have a weekend of weddings and parties then a few days of relatively lock free boating (after Audlem) to see how she goes 