New bike

 I have inherited a bike that Pirate got in 1961 for winning a race when he was based in Germany at an RAF base....an Eroba, a frame from Echt in Holland. 

It has been out on loan , being ridden in the Eroica classic cycle events, where the steeds have to be steel of a certain vintage and equipped to match...and now it has returned...with many thanks as I think it will fit me better than my lovely 1948 Hobbs Superbe. 

Bikes don't change, but our bodies do. Especially when they have been battered by cars and hard work over the years.

Our Fife friend came over to give me a hand with fettling it. .. if I wish to enter an Eroica event I can replace the pedals and saddle to suit. For now I am using what suits me!

And later in the afternoon, my brother arrived from the Isle of Man where he has had a week's holiday..on his electric motorbike..

Cue sorting electrical gubbins...we found that I have not one, but two CD/DVD players..which work....with the TV!  Tomorrow we hope to get the right lead to use the TV as a monitor..

And meanwhile he has started sorting my website......

Brothers can be very useful..as well as good company!!

Not a lot

 To say...busy listing bike bits. I have almost got all of these chainrings on fleabay.  

All assorted, all needed cleaning! Next up some brakes and bits and bobs, then some things I need help with gathering all the relevant bits together so that I can sell them as one unit.

A book sold yesterday..AJCronin, The Stars Look Down.  Time to look out a few more that I don't need to keep, and that will be economic to post!!

We had a little foray a few days ago picking brambles and rewarded ourselves with an ice cream...sat up on a hill to eat it and enjoy the view.

And on Wednesday we went to the Velodrome, for Pirate to try out his new saddle...only for 25 laps total of rolling around with only a couple of others there, and two of the in house coaches.

Getting back on the track helped him physically and mentally. It means he can deal with what he has with a tad more equanimity!!

We came back with a gift if a bag of windfall eating apples....time to get juicing!!

Busy..but not as intended

It rained again, so we got busy, Pirate on his new bike build..going steadily...and after collecting a new (to me)chest of drawers I got most of my knitting and sewing into them.

I say most...there are still three boxes of cloth stash and mending on top..and a jumper waiting to be finished on top of a dresser!

Then it was the turn of the study, as my friend who runs the secondhand emporium had managed to find a book press for me...and £30 less than I had feared I would have to pay.

Still not cheap...but I am looking forward to printing with less strain on my hands.

Still everything stacked up but more organised and two useable tables.

Then as the bats flew outside, a plane flew into Prestwick Airport, and the sun set, and I could catch a glimpse of Goat Fell on Aran between the houses.

I had intended to bake today...as it was , it was home style fast food all day! Lunch came from garden, freezer and larder and supper from garden,salad,  eggs from a neighbour and cooked potatoes. No point in making extra work.

Wet

All day, just about, after a night of wind and rain.
Pirate rode the turbotrainer and has been starting to build up his new bike..so a bike day for him!
I have had a bit of this and that day, the only time I ventured out was to put some paper in the recycling box, in a brief respite from the sideways rain. The idea of sitting in the polytunnel dealing with some cuttings sounded a good idea, until I realised that getting there would mean getting drenched!!
So a bit of sorting, a bit of cooking, and a bit of photography.
These will be going on Etsy hopefully tomorrow.

car saga...and life goes on...

Today the actual work is being done on the car...and as it hasn't had much tlc in the past, it has been a long haul.   The garage has actually stayed with the job instead of just leaving it until tomorrow...

Fingers crossed....and the Pirate is on the way home...it will need a brake pipe and possibly a brake caliper as well, soon, but all the present work has been done.

Meanwhile we've had a third Summer day in a row (!) and I've had a ride around the local lanes on my bike as well as doing yet more washing.

The Carpenter's wife in in hospital, waiting for an emergency op....cyst, ovary and possibly appendix as well. Not good with a babe due in October.
Wishing they were nearer,but such is life nowadays.

cycle jumble...at a very interesting place.

In Glamis....

We were up early...at 5am ....aiming to leave at 6....well, 6.30!...
a good clear run with a stop at 100 miles by the roundabout at Broxden just South of Perth.
Onward through Dundee to Glamis and past the village to the clubhouse...

The Pirate is there in the middle (blue and white jacket) and after the table was all set I took the camera for a wander....

 Now what is this, Soub?

 and what do you think this was used for?

 and how old is this? and where from?

There is so much more...bikes, motorbikes, information about locally built cars and bikes, tools......I hope next year's jumble will be here again!!

The society ,amongst other things, do shows at some Highland Games...and at some Highland Games there is grass track cycle racing...so we might see them again...hopefully....

We didn't sell a lot,but we did more than cover our expenses. For the first jumble organized here it was good.  At least we had a good day out in nice weather.
We came home via Coupar Angus to appreciate the countryside better.

Big estates, big fields, big country.  Farms busy ploughing and sowing, fruit plants growing in shelter tunnels, strawberry , rasberry and currant as far as I could guess.
 Snow still on the Glen Shee range towards Ben Lomond, off to our right as we travelled towards Perth.

Then home again to unload and sort, do housework before we ran out of steam, followed by supper in front of the woodburner all warm and cozy, with a bottle of red wine from New Zealand..a special treat as it was on special offer!

Aberystwyth Alleys