#2046 Friday 14th January

 Rejoice with me!  .... for the lost is found!

For some time I've been searching for the battery charger (for car batteries).  I had used it about 6 weeks ago and in my usual way I had stored it in a place which must have been very sensible to me at the time .......  and I have been searching for the charger ever since.  This evening I was in the shed and my gaze fell upon a tool box I had recently acquired and which was still empty (I thought).  Says I "I'd better look in that box just in case" ..... and there it was!

I needed it to charge up the battery that I use for working on the Series 2A Land Rover......  and while searching for the charger I also found several very useful parts that I'd forgotten I had.  These are the hose sections which join the fuel filler neck to the fuel tank. The join is a very usual shape and size that can no longer be bought .... so I've been nutting over how to make a replacement..... and Hey Presto!  Problem solved.

My recounting of this saga is in part due to events of today....   Today was Friendship Club for Kaylia. (This is an activity group in Fremantle)  I drive her down to Fremantle and then fill in time in case I'm called on for a premature end to the day.  Today was such a day.  By 2pm Kaylia was asking for "Daddy" .... I thought at first that she must be having a bad day .... and then I realised that on Wednesday she had wanted to visit Op Shops on the way home from Fremantle .... and the shops were already shut at 4pm.  So now I realised that Kaylia has figured that if she calls me to get her early, then the op shops will still be open!  S-N-E-A-K-Y!!   Of course such clarity of reasoning deserves a reward .... so we stopped at the op shop on the way home.

While waiting during the day I had visited my older brother Peter.  It was a good time of nattering .... and I was rewarded with a copy of the updated version of his book on the history of the Croft family ..... this updated version no has all the old photos in excellent colour (these photos are 40's and 50's vintage and were black & white in the first edition of the book)  The difference is stunning.  

#2045 Tuesday 11th

It's a bad day.... she's asking for a "new calendar"..... for 2023!

#2044 Monday 10th January 2022

 Another day of Holiday Routine #10 . .... get up, have medicine, drive to op shop, home for DVD watching time.  I'm grateful for the life we lead but I'll be glad in a way when we no longer have to manage school holidays!  We have another year while she's in Year 13 at school .... and then?? Who knows.  We hope that she will have a place in employment somewhere.

Kaylia has had another good day.  Life is certainly better now that she's on the pill and the hormones are under control.

Today has been a bit down for me .... largely due to the pain in my wrist.  I ran out of Voltaren tablets a couple of days ago so I thought I'd see how I coped without it.  Silly Idea!!  I've now picked up a new supply of the tablets.  I'd like to find a better way to control the pain but it seems that stronger pain control means that I can't drive .... so that's not an option.

#2043 Friday 7th January 2022

 I've seen a few comments in the Christmas communications saying that this blog is valued ..... I had been feeling  that my efforts were not being seen so perhaps I'm wrong - I shall put more effort in to the task.

It's school holidays of course and Kaylia gets a lot of op shop trips .... and lots of DVDs.  Her "wall" of DVDs in her room is huge.  Yesterday I heard a great crash as part of the collection fell over.

For  the blokes ..... an update on the Land Rover project.  It has become a mystery as I've found some intriguing aspects as I work on it....  it's clear that at some point in the vehicle's past, it has had a huge amount of work done on it.  The chassis is actually galvanised!  This is not normally done ... so it means that the vehicle was completely stripped so that the work could be done.  It was then reassembled with many extras and a high level of care.  Then it must have changed owners - and the new owner just left it out in the weather to deteriorate.  I'm finding that most parts are in very good condition ..... just 'frozen' from not being used.  

So far I've stripped the rear chassis and brakes.  The chassis is being repainted where it is visible and the brakes are being completely renewed - new lines and cylinders.  (Waiting for parts to arrive so this can be completed.)

The engine (a Holden conversion) is close to being able to start.  When parts arrive it will have new water pump, reconditioned carby (it's  a double barrel Stromberg), new exhaust, new radiator.

My aim is to get it to a driveable state .... and then see if I can sell it.  (WHAT! I hear you say.  Why?)

This project is taking second place to my newer vehicle.... I found a 1988 Range Rover that has been rebuilt with a 1970 Series 2A Land Rover body.  It is largely complete and it should be road registered in a few weeks.  "Bob the Beast"  is in the workshop being tuned up atm.... then it will be inspected for rego.

This vehicle is amazing .... the guy that had the project had done a beautiful job.  I will be very proud to own it.  I find it hard to understand why he put so much work into the project .... and then just sold it.  I won't complain though.

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#2042 Wednesday 5th January 2022

It's a long time since the last posting..... there's no particular reason for that.... 

We've been away for the Christmas break in Busselton and life is getting back to normal...  Kaylia's days are... Sleep in, drive, op shop, back home to stim off her latest dvds, drive, tea and bed

#2041 Sunday 19th December

Yay!  She's had the jab!  What a huge relief to have achieved this. We had been very worried about how the next year would turn out if she couldn't accept the needle.  The local pharmacist did it..... he had an interesting technique and succeeded first try.

It's now two days till we head down to Busselton..... and today Naomi slipped over and took the impact on her right knee.  It's very painful.  There's no serious damage but she's going to be hobbling around for a while. 

#2040 Sunday 12th December 2021

We're still struggling with the problem of how to give Kaylia the COVID-19 vaccination...... We've found a new possibility..... a centre that knows the problem. Next Friday is V-Day.  Without the vaccination her options for 2022 are bleak.

We're also struggling with medication levels.... her looping is very hard to cope with.... and the possibility of her harming other people with her strength is very worrying.