Urban Power Outage II

The extra hot weather brough on lightning, and I got a text from the Northern Powergrid to say my power was affected.  Surprisingly I didn't get such message last time.  I checked my meter reading again, it was less than an hour, and more clocks to reset.

Frappuccino

Aldi was selling Frappuccino for 99p, so I could not resist.  I wish I have a blender at home to make it into a frozen Frappuccino.  James did not understand why we would touch something like that, but I have no shame to admit I consume junk food, and coffee, ie caffine is pure medicinal for me.

Air Conditioning Seeking - Phoenix

I have honed my air conditioning seeking skills since young age.  To continue our cool shelter seeking adventure, we want to Phoenix, they are well air conditioned, we are very please.  We have given them a lot of our customs in exchange.  We just need to brave ourselves to find our way home.

City Break - Leicester

We took the heat wave opportunity to have a city break in town, at a hotel with air conditioning.  We checked in before the official check in time.  They were so kind to give us free ice, and we made very good use of their air conditioning and their water.  We also have some curry for dinner.  It was well worth it, for the cost of a new portable air conditioning, we could have stayed at an air conditioned hotel for 10 days.

Portable Heat Pumps

In additional to "it's time to move to Scotland", we debate the merit of a portable heat pump every year.

The central theme is, discounting the running cost, as it would be run on solar, the initial outlay for this comfort seems excessive.  And more importantly, we must be able to use it for heating in winter also, otherwise it would be less useful.

I kind of regret not buying the ones from WY Cameras when they closed down.

Confucianism is Feudalism

In the late Bronze age, all the cultures started to write down their tales, aka religions, the East Asians are writing down their Rites, which if you read much about it, it is just plain feudalism and classism.  And Confucius was resurrecting the Rites of Zhou.

If you are from a class that read and write, you are supposed to follow the social order as layout in the ancient text, because only by obeying your lord, and stay in your station, the society will have order.  And if you cannot read and write, you are a savage anyway.

And after thousand of years of promoting being subservient, and casting out those who don't, you wonder why East Asians are so... subdued.  

Fish Pizzas

I was surveying what pizzas people wanted to eat, two of them specifically mentioned fish.  Is it a thing? 

Do they mean anchovy?  Which I remember having when I was in Italy and it was awful.

MAG Farmyard Party - Day 3

I planned to wake up early to take down the tent before clocking in for my shift.  I woke up at 4 am and saw the sunrise, but I wasn't ready to get up, so I went back to bed.

I overestimated how fast I could take down my tiny tent, so I clocked in a little late.  And my last shift is also traffic management, so watching bikes goes and be a lollipop lady for the morning.

We had some lunch buffet before I rode home.  I am glad I have ticked Farmyard Party off.

MAG Farmyard Party - Day 2

The music did not stop till 2 am, and earplugs are useless against heavy bases...  We were so close to solstice, so the light were up early.  It rained a little, and I was a little cold at night.  Welcome to camping in England.

I wandered around the stalls again, chatted more about bikes, and then clock in.  Stamping people's hands and ask them to get off the road, whilst watching clouds past in a gazabo's shade.  

After work, I caught the back end of the comedy show, then I had my dinners, and went to walk down to the river, it was a long way down, and I did it twice...

I turned in early again, this time I was wearing earphones with podcast, much better.  I did wake up slightly around midnight, but I wasn't about to get dressed and go to watch the adult entertainment...

MAG Farmyard Party - Day 1

I went up again after I finished with work.  I went on the road I knew, again, I didn't know how they look exactly, so I am glad I can see it now.

I pitched up and clock in for work, which is traffic management, watching bikes coming through, and chatted about bikes all afternoon,

MAG Farmyard Party - Day 0

I have been meaning to check out the Farmyard Party, this year worked out perfectly, just.  I had to pop up for an induction on the Thursday.  I also take the opportunity to take in some scenic roads.  I really like being able to see where I actually went on like this, thanks Cardo Ride.

 

Urban Power Outage

I came home to a big hole in front of my house.  The oven's clock was blinking.  There was a power cut, but since the meter history wasn't immediately available, I would have to guess what happened.

It turned out to be some 12 hours power cut.  I wonder when they will come to fill the hole.

Ireland Motorcycling Day 4 + 2

I rang up AA Ireland first thing to confirm she is being moved.  And I was told the job has been accepted and in progress, so I gathered my stuff up and went to the bike shop.  The bike shop has free coffee, which was very nice.

And Unthank turned up, finally!  She was straight on the bed, it took a little while to find the broken wire, and once that was jointed and everything put back together, we were on our way!

I went to the Howth headland for a little ride.  I was tempted by their seaside fish and chips.  At the end, I opted for a supermarket lunch box. I fueled her up so I can ride straight home without stopping.

I fueled up and went straight to the port.  Whilst waiting at the port, I start putting together my travel insurance claim...  I also emailed everyone else that I should be back at work the next day.  It was a resounding sound of relief for all.

Home at last!

Ireland Motorcycling Day 4 + 1

I decided to go to the first motorcycle shop early to get an early answer if they can look at Unthank.  I took a bus there with all my luggage.  They said they don't really have time to have a look.  So I called the other bike shop, the other bike shop said it is possible, so I called to get the bike recovered to that bike shop, all assuming Unthank will get there.

I made my way onto another bus, for a long bus ride to the other side of the city.  I got to the bike shop.  Sofia was so nice, and let me leave all the luggage and helmet behind the counter.  So I went to get a breakfast before I chase them again.

As it turns out, AA Ireland cannot find a tow to move a motorcycle by 9:30 in the morning, so the bike won't make it till the next day.  And they only let us know after I chased and it was by then a little late to get her moved privately.

I found somewhere else to stay, nearly.  I grabbed a few essentials and went to the lodging.  I was lucky that I was allowed in before official check-in, and I even used her washing machine.  I emailed everyone to update and amend my Tuesday plans.  I went to Aldi to get some food and settled in.

Ireland Motorcycling Day 4

Most of us are on the same boat, some of us find a different route.

I went to a few castle ruins using Cardo.  After lunch at a Mount Usher Gardens, I was going to go to Sally Gap and see Lough Tay, but Unthank had other ideas.

We stopped right near a junction, and there was a shaded farm entrance.  I called AA recovery, and by the time we tracked down the recovery time, it was not possible for me to make the ferry.

He had a go at wriggling the wires but no joy.  The tow kit at their back can also tow motorcycle, at least I don't have to wait for another recovery.  He drove through some small roads with Unthank at the back, which is quite impressive.

I was dropped off at a service station where I reorganized and planned the next steps.  From that point on, I had to carry all my luggage.. I found some last minute lodging, went and settled in for the extra night in Ireland.

Ireland Motorcycling Day 3

I did not bother with breakfast this time.  I saw a windmill earlier, but it was marked as closed.  I went to have a look anyway, Cardo did well navigating,

I went to join the group at they first stopping point.  When we broke into two groups, the group riders in front of me lost us.  And Mark's maps were playing up, so we got there very late.

The lighthouse restaurant has seafood chowder, so I ordered one, and Mark saw it and wanted one too.  Whilst everyone earlier all had sandwich or scones.

We took a little ferry across the bay, and I part way with the group, I went to do some shopping.  I got some steaks and some chocolate.  We went home on the Cardo curvy, which were pretty good.

To complete the food shopping, I stopped at a local strawberry van and picked up some Wexford strawberries.

I had steak and chips for dinner, and the others learnt their lesson, found their own food earlier, only a few ordered the pizzas. Irish Sirlion is not like the one we call Sirloin, they are called strip steak, like the American.  They were pretty good. Strawberries were in varying ripeness, but in generally pretty good too.

We said goodbyes to people on a different boats, and went to pack and rest.

Ireland Motorcycling Day 2

I had some sausage and hashbrown, ie smashed up chips, for breakfast.  I had a look at the local beach, there were horse riding at the beach.

We set off for a ride.  It was a mountain ride.  The Cardo tracked my ride well. It was fun until we got a bit tired. The final stop, I got some local soft serve ice-cream.

I had a bath and more sausage and chips, whilst everyone was down at the restaurant waiting for their food.

Some of them were up for some board games, way past my bed time, so I passed.

Ireland Motorcycling Day 1

It was forecasted rain, and it came.  It sounded bad at the caravan, but it was actually very bad.

We woke up early.  We put on all our waterproof and rode down. In hindsight, we should have waited till the last minute.  We were drenched in that short 25 minute ride.  And there was no waiting room, so we stood in the rain for another hour.

We took off as much as we can when we got on the boat.  We slightly dried up when we disembark.

I was volunteered to lead the ride down.  We decided not to take the toll, so the city centre traffic jam had not been kind to us.

We stopped for a coffee and some cake, and by then, we decided we want to take the motorway to go straight down. 

When we got to the petrol station, we bumped into others, they said the on-site restaurant was not open, so I better get something.  I got sausages, chips and milk!

We settled in for the night and I had some sausage and chips. 

Ireland Motorcycling Day 0

I made my way to Anglesey the night before the sailing.  It was a long ride, and it was quite rainy, so it took a while.  I was tempted for a diversion of Welsh Food Centre, it was just about closing time when I arrive, so I just had a quick bite and a cup of tea.

We had some wood fire pizza by the coast, followed by some ice-cream.  They were okay.  The ice-cream was so hard that she cracked the cone, and I nearly dropped the whole thing, I caught it with my bare hand.

The caravan was fine, we were surrounded by cows.

Cardo Ride Walk On Water

I recorded a longer ride, except when it loses Internet, it also lost its position, so I appeared to be riding over body of water.

Repurposed Coat Hangaway

The hangaway portable coat stand has been consigned to the bin many years ago.  This year, we found a new purpose for it, umbrella stand. Not only the bottom half can be used as an umbrella stand, the top half too.  Another thing saved from the landfill.

Oversized Sunflower Sprouts

We have been eating the sunflower sprouts from last year's sunflower.  But some sprouts look different, or grown wrong, so I am letting them to have a second chance as a sunflower, since they didn't want to be eaten this round, by us.  They may still get eaten by creatures in the garden.

Riverside Festival 2026

I looked up my diary, we were at the Riverside Festival last in 2019, but I barely had any memory of it, maybe it was not very memorable.

This year we have seen more back bits of Leicester.  And the dragon boats are always a good laugh.

Lidl Frozen Prawn

I went shopping hungry, so I gave into some frozen prawn.  They are actually pretty good, a little in the small side, but good overall.

Solar as Saving Bond

One of Youtube electricians made a suggestion that solar installation is more like a saving bond.  Instead of thinking it of an investment, searching for a return on investment.  It is like a saving bond, that gives 10% return year on year, and it can be improved it you could run the battery/self-consumption better.  There is no product that gives this kind of return.

Discounted Coffee Stockpiling

I went to a couple supermarkets, and they are clearing out their coffees ready for more summery drinks.  I am now fully stashed with coffee at a good price, what is not to love.

Outdoor Oregano

The oregano shrank a lot over the winter.  We moved the oregano to outside this year.  It has its first growth spurt. The leaves are much bigger, it does look happier.

Char Siu Wrap

I made some char siu cubes for barbeque, how they are supposed to be.  Then people put them in a wrap, how very strange...

Horizontal Integration

Eufy started out with some security cameras, which I don't have.  They got into the robot vacuum business, which I got.  I got all sort marketing emails from them.  They latest venture, breast pumps, how very strange...

York Pride

York Pride has moved up to May this year, which was even better for the asparagus season.  We got some asparagus and went to pride.  We stopped at a few stalls.  I was short of notepad, and I managed to get one.  It was so warm and sunny that we needed a quench at Tesco after.