Evil Home Breakfast

Frozen bake is a great invention, allowing us to have fresh baked bread when local bakeries are closing down. This has since extended to evil baked goods, such as Danish pastry.  We had Danish over weekend in the name of feeding the guest.  It is very evil indeed.

Chinese History

It is always interested to talk to learned individuals from large countries.  When the country is big, there is more variation between regional thoughts.  I have learnt a few things about Northern Chinese history.

Server Lost

HSBC server was hit by attack.  I did not have access to online banking, which is fine, I can survive without internet banking for a while.

Then Catan's service is down, I am devastated!

Fine Print

I was researching for a new credit card, and found one I am interested.  Instead of filling out an online form, I went into the branch.  I then saw the fine print, and it was no longer a good deal, it wasted my little trip to the bank.  Why can't the fine prints be bigger?

Second Helpings

I am on a training course, and it had lunch buffet.  I could not help myself.  I convinced myself that I skip most of the carbohydrates and ate mostly fish and vegetable.  The worst thing about this buffet was the unlimited shortbread.  I hope it hasn't knocked me off my track too much.

Communism

Communism is a great idea, and a lot of people likes the sound of it.  But most people forgot the nature of human laziness brought down nearly all the communist regime.  The greed of human, namely power and influences, corrupted the noble idea that all citizen contribute to the countries.  We forgot how without incentive, human will power alone cannot carry a nation of lazy people.  Then countries GDP were non-existence, and basic supplies were scarce.  So when people with little historic understanding of the communist ideas and communist nations said, "communist is a good idea."  One can only shake their head than think, "how naive."

Bike Delay

Since I no longer rely little Rome for commuting, I can let her hibernate longer.  I am planning to let her sleep till late spring.  It is much easier if her cycle is in late Spring than in Winter. 

Spending Spree

January is when everyone tries to recoup the cash depletion over Christmas.  The shops know this and put up sale to encourage sale.  This is when we plan our holiday and spend if we had any money left.  We have booked out core items for the next grand tour.  I am so skint!

Portable Compressor

Type pressure fluctuates as the temperature fluctuates, I thought I would check the tyre pressure in this cold snap.  The portable compressor came with the car even had an indicator what the type pressure should it.  It pumped the tyres quick.  A good little pump.

Diesel Particulate Filter

My PDF warning light came on, I was quite displeased.  I was warned for my purpose, I should not be getting a diesel, due to the short distance.  My relatively short distance drive is relatively steady and can sufficiently warm up the engine.  In additional to my weekend long haul driving, I was confident to keep the exhaust clean.


I now suspect the cold snap contributed to this fault.  On the cold days, I was not able to bring my engine up to temperature.  And it did not help when I did not do any long haul driving for weeks. 


As soon as the light came on, I did what Andy suggested, a high rev flush, and the light later disappeared.  Lets hope this weekend's drives will clear it all out.

Cultural Integration

Cultural change is not easy, and it is easier to immerse oneself into the new environment.  It would be naïve to think we can segregate these community and expect them to integrate.  On the other hand, it is difficult to enforce integration.


Logistically, we assign each of these units to a rural remote village, and the immersion will expedite the integration, but with the large influx, would it be possible to dissipate the units this way?


This has been a historic problem, ever cities we go, there are segregated areas, and it has never been a good idea for the society.  And now we are seeing the result of the segregation.

Original Parts

Not all parts are good to be original.  When I replace my wiper blades, they were stamped 2008, the year of the car.  They have never been changed.  Although the condition is not as bad as I thought, I probably keep them as spares.

AA App

I joined AA and downloaded the AA App.  The feature is good.  It is handy to have car-related issue reminders.  The fuel prices are quite accurate.

Mushroom Soup

I got two bags of mushroom, and hoping each bag can make a batch of soup.  The mushrooms boil down and shrink into nothing, it takes a lot of mushroom to make a good soup!  They are much easier eaten simply fried.

Belgrave Music Hall

We were herding a big crowd, and no way they would sit us at the Roast and Conch.  I instinctively suggested Belgrave Music Hall.  In hindsight, I could have suggested Tetley.


Belgrave was busy, but we manage to find some seats.  I sat on the sofa arm the whole time, and it was not pleasant.


Doughboy is doing January sale, with extended half-price pizza time.  I wish I was not on diet!

House Heating

It is so easily to forget about venting the house in winter.  We all want to keep the heat in.  Bringing the cold air in the house also mean the boiler have to run longer when it does schedule to heat up.  There is no easy way in balancing the needs of fresh air and needs of heating.

Fasting

More and more researches are supporting fasting is good for the body's biochemistry.  Fasting is just another word to say "Stop Eating".  So instead of telling dieting, just stop eating altogether.  No shit Sherlock!

The Late Winter

This year's winter did not come till Mid January.  Snowing, fleeting, icing.  I hope it is a short one.

Decorative Chopsticks

I got a set of Japanese style crockery, they came with chopsticks.  They are definitely eating chopsticks, aka decorative.  I kept breaking the decorative bits whilst cooking.  I must remember never to cook with them.

Emergency Boiler Programming IV

The controller had arrived.  I replaced the controller.  The old controller must have been 7-8 years old.  I was trying to find a moulded plastic data stamp.  The old controller was the same model but of a different frequency. 


The new controller does not fit in the same back box, so I had to remove the back box.  When I isolate the controller, the neon on the fuse spur is still lit, so I double checked there was no voltage before I touched the wires.


I reprogrammed some of the settings on the boiler now.  It has been a good exercise to learn about my boiler.  Let's hope I don't have to worry about it again for the next 8 years.

Winter Maintenance II

The temperature is dropping, so it was time for me to put back the battery into the bike, so little Rome warmer can keep her warm.


The solar panel has charged up the battery nicely, and I managed to crank little Rome in the middle of winter.

Favourite Past Time: Chatting

In preparation of a trip, I caught up with old friends, and trying we got chatting.  Chatting is great, not meaningless chitchat tho, why don't people do more of it.

Healthy Treats

I hope to stick with a health regime this year.  How do I deal with the last bit of butter?  I decided to make my favourite oatmeal cookies, with extra oatmeal, extra nuts, minus chocolate chip, reduced butter and sugar.  It is an okay treat.

Flying Scotsman

The Flying Scotsman has been restored, it costs £4.2 millions.  I wonder how many new trains, or new maintenance projects could have been done if there were £4.2 millions, which our actual daily can be benefitted. 

Sofa Sizing

When I got my sofa, I didn't think I need more than a 2-seater.  As it turns out, you should always get a sofa by the number of people + 1, because you always need room for tea and computer.


You may say, that's what coffee table is for, but it is always easier to put things on the arm rest and the sofa, especially you are planning to sink into it and not moved.


Maybe I should sit in the armchair more.

Grow a Christmas Tree

I popped into the local garden centre to kill time.  I saw this on sale, so I couldn't resist.  To be fair, their sale was not very impressive, I could have got it cheaper online, which is a different story.





Sarah was panicking what kind of tree will come out of the seed.  And I later found online that it is Norway Spruce, which will make a fine Christmas tree.  I shall be doing some planting this weekend.

Upgrade Investment Payback

If I upgrade to a remote control system for my boiler, I have to pay an extra £80 pounds.  Assuming payback in 2 years, I will have save minimum £4 a month.  Since I have a low usage, I need to half my consumption in order to achieve the saving.


The extra control also takes up electricity, and also means I will have to leave the router on, that minimal amount of electricity about let say 1p per day.  In the grand scheme of things, I can omit the router cost.


The simplier controllers is likely to have a longer life, so logically I should use a simple controller, even though the thought of being a techie is fun.

Emergency Boiler Programming III

I tried again to check if the receiver is working correctly.  The boiler power reset only works with the main switch, which also powers the signal receiver.  So I have concluded it is the receiver that was not taking in signals correctly, rather than the signal latching in the boiler.  I have read up on the controller.  I have considered the reprogramme the RF channel.  Then I reset the controller, and it worked.

Then I started to think about what would have affected the boiler signals.  Was it the clutter surrounded the thermostat affected it?  Was it the new wifi router?  It shouldn't have been the wifi, as the thermostat and the wifi work on very different frequency.  I have de-cluttered the area and nominated a designated channel with the wifi.

When I tried again it failed again, I changed the channel, turned of wifi, still not turning off.  I can hear the relay clicking in, but not clicking out.  I have concluded it is the receiver relay sticking, and I cannot get to the relay.  It is meant to be 0V contact, but I could find no other explanation.  The it works again.  Intermittent fault is the worst!

I am now shopping for replacement.  I have considered upgrading the control system, but I really don't think it justify that kind of money.  Lets hope I get this ironed out soon.

Emergency Boiler Programming II

The boiler was still on constantly.  I checked again and again the settings.  I have concluded the on signal latched on.  I checked the remote thermostat, but to no avail.  So I rebooted the boiler itself, the signal is now off.  I have learnt a bit more about the boiler.

Heidi Dark Intense 75%

I saw this Heidi bar from ASDA.  Since I have never seen Heidi before, I bought to try it.  It just said it is from the EU, only if you inspect carefully you work out it is from Romania.

What a waste of calories!  It is blend, tasteless.  It is going to the cooking chocolate pile to be blended with other better chocolate.  Even the DOVE Dark chocolate bar from the USA is better than this.

Vibrant Leeds NYE

This year we chose to watch Black Mass on New Year's Eve.  But the showing started much later in the evening, and the town was already full of party goers.  The street was full of reckless taxis.  My favourite car park was full, and to avoid further disappointment and necessary driving around, we parked up at Quarry Hill and started walking.

By the time we got the the cinema, they were closing down.  If we had arrived 5 minutes later, we would have been shut out and go home empty handed.

The movie was quite good, there were 6 people in the showing including us.  We crossed into the new year in the cinema.  When we came out, it was 1am, but town was still busy with party goers. Next year when we go this again, we need to go to an earlier showing to ensure parking spaces.