Stubborn Tomatoes

Just about everyone we talked to have problem ripening their tomatoes.   I tried to ripen them on the window ledge and put keep them at a slightly cooler places,  still no joy!   

What the Hack

I thought I would have a little horseback riding, aka Hack.

It absolutely reminded me why motorcycle is a million times better. Horse has 1 horsepower and does not listen to you. Also they smell. Horse is ticked off for the next 20 years.

Rural Air Pollution

I was at a farm yesterday, the air was filled with bits from harvesting!

Resilient Pepper

Just when the pepper was fruiting, I might have killed it giving it too much fertiliser.  I refuse to kill it off even it was only left with the stalk, and it is regrowing!

Zip-Merging

Use Zip Merging, use the road!

RAC reckons, "The crux of the issue comes down to education, or a lack of, about what is the correct driving practice.  If all drivers were taught the same, to use all of the space available on the road..."

According to Greenflag, it is even in the Highway Code. 

Be educated, use the road!

Irreversible Reversing

Reversing is one of the most dangerous operation, damages cannot be undone.  Avoid at all cost, literally!

Lock Shopping

I already have 3 good quality locks, but I am considering getting yet more locks.  Like Lockpicking Lawyer say, if the lock is too hard to break, the thief will just bring the thing instead of the lock.  But it still needs to be sufficient deterrant, what variety of lock should I add to my collection?

Data Speed

My house's ASDL is a bit shit, on a recent speed check it is slower than someone with 3G mobile data connection.  Maybe copper is no longer king.

Local Breading Hole

We haven't been back to any watering hole for months.  We have bumped into a few people we know in Leeds at the Bread Coop.

Knackered Winker

The blinker on Kendrew is playing up and driving me insane.  Time to go buddy!

Radiator Coil Cleaner

I applied some coil cleaner to the little radiator, it was dripping brown!  I must treat all my radiators!

Common Houseleeks

We have acquired two "chicks".  They are "common houseleeks".  I hope they will grow into big healthy hens.

Bergeranthus

We picked up bergeranthus from the market.  Let's hope we have better luck with this succulent.

Monthly Wash

According to the manual, you are supposed to wash the bike minimum once a month.  Seriously?!  No wonder some people wash after each run...

Zero Motorcycles

I read on the Yorkshire Reporter that Zero was coming to Squires, so we made an effort to go.  I could not find any information about the show booth, I didn't expected them to have test rides.  When we arrived, there were just some Zeros pulling out, silently!  I spoke to them for a little bit, and decided to go back with gear after lunch.

I had a ride on a Zero.  During Eco mode, the "engine breaking" was strangely strong.  During Sport mode, it rolls more like a motorbike.  Anyone rides or drives an electric vehicle would probably relearn their driving to accommodate the control changes.  The acceleration was good, but I have been on powerful bikes for so many years, I kind of expected it.  It was just weird the acceleration kept coming without having to gear shift!  I found the most disconcerting was the motor noise, it was like the motor noise on a fairground ride.

Black Trousers

I needed a new pair of trousers, I thought every shop would have it, then when I looked everywhere, everyone is making elasticated trousers!  Has it to do with the lock down?

Speedstyle Sale

We were wandering at Squires and found Speedstyle is having a sale on!  I picked up a thing or two.  Free hangers!

Sing Kee Leeds II

We have recently visited Sing Kee again, they are getting bigger and bigger, now there is a massive warehouse and a "mall".  Good for them.

Real Charcoal

Much to my dislike, I have been using the charcoal briquettes, aka sawdust charcoal, it is so energy dense, I almost always left with excess heat to use.  As I am using those down, I am back to real charcoal, and they do not last as long, may be it is a good thing?

Precordial Thump

Vicky told me about the punch in the chest.  Then the bloke from YAS said that was outdated, whilst showing us a Chris Solomons video clearly showing the YAA crew clearly punching him on the chest at 2:33.

On a more recent first aid training, we were shown this video again, and I could not help myself to tell the trainer this story.  Then he blurted out, "precordial thump".  Wow, punch in the chest has a name!  Vindicated!

Harley Harressment

We were talking about bikes, and someone insisted that a Harley would suit me and keep showing me images of Harley.  That is a total harressment!

Blocked U-bend

When I lived in the city centre flat, I found a big lumps of previous tenants' hair in the shower trap.  I have regularly used soda to clear the drain, but this time it backed up so much that I had to strip it.  There was a water colour paint brush!  So all the years of soda, casutic, wasn't quite enough to melt away a paint brush!

I think we should always assume the drains are blocked unless we have stripped them ourselves.

Betty's Sourdough

We usually go to Bettys in the afternoon, so we never saw any bread.  Since we went early this time, we want to get some bread, sourdough.  Bettys Sourdough is 5p cheaper than Balterzen!  It looks refined and tastes nice.  We are more used to rustic sourdough, so we found the eveness weird!  Good bread, we will try other loaves next times.

Cruffins

We had our first and last cruffin from Balthazar.  Too sugary and I'd opt for a croissant anytime.

Plum is Prune

We had a little discussion about prune being dried plum.  I remember watching a show about some French farmer saying their prune are prune fruit.  So both of us are right.  There is a special prune plum for making prune.  As it turns out, all the plum is in subgenus of Prunus.  

Anyway, I don't eat either of them, whatever you call them.

Oceanus Germanicus

If you think it was weird the North Sea was once called German Ocean, then South China Sea is equally adsurd.  It should just be called South Sea.

Elusive Slug Eviction

A rogue slug as breached our defense and live amongst our indoor plants.  We saw a few bite marks and some slug trails, but it has evaded our eviction for months.  It was so embolden, it was making loads of trails, much to my dismay.  We finally caught it in action, and we have evicted it.  Let's hope it was just the one!

Stay on Path

I stood on some cat shit on my way to the car, the car stank the whole way, I had to wash my shoes and my mat.  The cat shit was on the grass.  So another reason why I should stay on the path.

Paddleboarder Everywhere

Everywhere you can get to a body of water, you see paddlerboarders.  I saw a few of them on the Wharfe in Wetherby!

Fix it with a Knife

So 4th engineers' best friend,  a file/knife.   Just trim it! 

Fix it with a Hammer

My shackle lock was playing up.   After consulting with the lock picking lawyer,  I concluded the bolt was snagging on the retainer,  and I have tried various paper and plastic slider method to move the bolt past the retainer to no avail.   So concluding there is no lock mechanism on that side of the lock and I have nothing to lose,  I bashed the bolt with a hammer,  the retainer fell out,  bolt slides,  sorted!   

We sometimes forget the 3rd engineers' best friend after adhesive and lubricant,  persuader!