Snow!

[Guest]

9 hours ago, R2e said:

A week on Monday I fly to Russia where the temperatures are -3 to -18 forecast for the week plus a couple of days of snow showers.

Grrrrr.... more years ago than I can to think about I was in Rome one Wednesday afternoon in April, sunny circa 18C, when I got a call from my boss. By way of an opening gambit he asked what my schedule was for the rest of the week. That evening I was due to fly to Athens (anticipated circa 19C) for a series of meetings with the Greek Post Office and on the Friday I would be catching a plane home to the UK. After giving him this information he asked if I could meet up with him in St Petersburg on Saturday morning ahead of a client meeting on the Monday (local forecast at the time 0C but with high winds contributing several negative points of Wind Chill).

Not much choice obviously and protestations concerning my lack of appropriate apparel fell to the reply "Get the guys in Athens to sort something out for you". Yeah, winter weather gear in Athens at that time of year, according to the poor soul allotted the task, was restricted to Ski Wear for which the fashion at the time was rather on the gaudy side. Anyone need a Canary Yellow ski jacket (42 Chest) and trews (32W 30IL)?

[Guest]

8 hours ago, Old Peter said:

Brummagem

Me too. I owned a house there for around 20 years but when I checked last I had only slept there for about 3 of those and not contiguously at that. Besides approaching retirement, or was it senility, one of the principal drivers for moving away was the conversion of Birmingham International Airport into a hub with few direct scheduled flights outside the UK.

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Suppedraken said:

The picture was taken at the end of January, and we've had a lot more since then.

 

 

What I find most impressive about this picture is that you can see the laminations in the snow but most impressive of all is the obvious skill of the snow-shovel handler.

[Guest]

Ah Ron, I did say that was some years ago but given the nature of my normal fitness regime of running to catch planes, hanging around in the lounges, etc. the only thing that kept me trim was the Mediterranean cuisine.

As a consequence, and given the nature of my current lifestyle, I only need to keep two suits respectively known as black thin and black fat. You'll note I hair an affinity for black.

 

[Suppedraken]

18 hours ago, cubist said:

What I find most impressive about this picture is that you can see the laminations in the snow but most impressive of all is the obvious skill of the snow-shovel handler.

This one: https://powerequipment.honda.com/snowblowers/models/hss724aw-hss724awd

But we (read: I) need (read: want) this one: https://powerequipment.honda.com/snowblowers/models/hss928at-hss928atd

This: http://www2.fiskars.com/Products/Gardening-and-Yard-Care/Shovels-and-Digging-Tools/Snow-Sled-Shovel-59

and this: http://www2.fiskars.com/Products/Gardening-and-Yard-Care/Shovels-and-Digging-Tools/Snow-Pusher-Shovel-60

are also used. We've had about 50-60cm snowfall since the picture was taken, so you can add 20-30cm depth.

 

[Guest]

Coo Knut Are! My snow shovel, plastic with wooden handle, cost me about a fiver ten or more years back, admitted its seen little use but still does a stirling job even when co-opted for use as a dust pan in my workshop.

Over the last few years I've been considering, but resisting, the purchase of a lawn tractor - knees and hips on their way out and a suitable grass cutter could be less expensive that the surgery - many of which include snow plows and blowers as very expensive options. However, unless heavy snow becomes more frequent here or I could win a contract from the local councils to clear the stuff, such acquisitions would be a bit pointless; sadly.

Considering such toys though reminds me of Scandi movie I watched a few weeks back with Stellan Skarsgard in the lead and set in Norway. Over here it was labelled 'In Order of Disappearance'. I can summarise the plot as a kind of gloomy Death Wish. That said though, when I could keep up with the sub-titles, I found it oddly gripping and funny.

 

[Suppedraken]

5 hours ago, cubist said:

Considering such toys though reminds me of Scandi movie I watched a few weeks back with Stellan Skarsgard in the lead and set in Norway. Over here it was labelled 'In Order of Disappearance'. I can summarise the plot as a kind of gloomy Death Wish. That said though, when I could keep up with the sub-titles, I found it oddly gripping and funny.

Agreed on the film. And apropos:

And speaking of lawn tractors, my favourite wife wants one of these: http://www.avanttecno.com/www/global/machines/500-series/ as it can take care of both grass and snow, and so much more. 

 

[Suppedraken]

3 hours ago, R2e said:

Sadly Steve, my garden is on such a slope I couldn't use a lawn tractor, I therefore decided, when we moved in 19 years ago that I had two options, the first to ditch the Flymo and buy a grown up petrol mower, or the second, to get someone else to do it. Fortunately the previous owners had had the same thoughts and had a tame gardener who cut the grass for them regularly and tidied up the rest of the garden. We therefore took him over. It has probably cost us a lot more in money terms than buying that petrol mower, but has been a godsend, particularly as, by now, I doubt I could manhandle a big mower up and down the stairs to the back garden!

Every once in a while I suggest that we lay asphalt over the whole thing. Or make everything flat and get one of those robot mowers. None of which seem to be happening in the foreseeable future

[Guest]

On 3/4/2018 at 2:55 PM, R2e said:

Sadly Steve, my garden is on such a slope I couldn't use a lawn tractor, I therefore decided, when we moved in 19 years ago that I had two options, the first to ditch the Flymo and buy a grown up petrol mower, or the second, to get someone else to do it. Fortunately the previous owners had had the same thoughts and had a tame gardener who cut the grass for them regularly and tidied up the rest of the garden. We therefore took him over. It has probably cost us a lot more in money terms than buying that petrol mower, but has been a godsend, particularly as, by now, I doubt I could manhandle a big mower up and down the stairs to the back garden!

Ah Ron, I've made not a few mistakes over the years and some would say our present domicile is further evidence of such. After the First Lady suggested we should begin looking for a home in the country I began looking around for something suitable. Five years later I happened to come across a property that ticked almost all the boxes; the notable exceptions being a pub within walking distance - nearest is three miles away - and a 'garden' much larger than wanted - about two and half acres more! Nevertheless I put in a derisory offer which was accepted with little in the way of haggling - which set alarm bells ringing but the concerns were quickly assuaged with the help of a rather expensive surveyor.

A few months later we moved in and it was only then that I began to realise what I had let myself in for. In the dim and distant I started my working life as an engineer and as you may expect of such I am therefore something of a precisionist. The house was first built around the time of the Armada in the reign of QE I, and conforms to every bucolic cliche imaginable; black and white oak frame, thatched roof, rose covered porch, and even a primrose path. However, and harking back to my earlier occupation and mindset, the complete lack of true right angles, horizontals and verticals when added to the efforts of the two classes of artisan, the division being based on knowing which tool to use to deal with screws and nails respectively, involved in the maintenance and modernisation the property over the centuries has inevitably led to any amount of head-scratching, cursing and, on occasion, utter bafflement. The house however is the least of it, and frankly is pretty much within my original expectations.

The real challenge was, and continues to be, the more extensive than required garden and grounds. A week or so after moving in I started to venture outside to get a better understanding of just what I had let myself in for. The immediate garden was well maintained and conformed in every respect to everything one might reasonably - I'm no gardner but I could handle a fly with the best of them and in any event this would be the First Lady's domain. Pressing on beyond the formal garden boundary however brought home to me that the conclusions I had drawn from my decidedly cursory per-sale examination concerning the work requirements were, to put it bluntly, woefully, nay catastrophically inadequate. My revised conclusions being: -

1. I need a machete.
2. I need a bigger machete.
3. I need a steel bladed brush-cutter not my namby-pamby plastic line strimmer.
4. I need a compass cos I'm lost.

This is sheep country so it should be no surprise that the land is predominantly hill-side(read:cliff) varying between 30-60 degrees, not that you could tell, as for the most part it was eight feet deep in bramble, bracken and every other form of creeping and entangling flora that would not be out of place in some jungle movie. When I finally met some of 'old' locals they informed me that the land had last been used in anger to support a small flock of sheep maybe 40-50 years ago and that the chap we bought the place from professed a love of wild-life to excuse his determination to do b%^%^^r all. Perhaps if I had been wiser I would have adopted the same strategy, more likely the number of my surviving brain cells had diminished to an insufficient level to realise I may be biting off more than I could chew.

Now a flattering adjective for my typical response to any challenge would be 'quixotic' - I have indeed tilted at more than a few windmills - a more appropriate label would be 'bonkers' and I know that a few of my neighbours have used this epithet in their discussions of some of my antics. As an aside, my most favoured possession is a straw hat, of the style promoted by the inimical Great White Shark (Greg Norman) which was awarded to me at the end of a corporate golfing event for the most dogged round of the day. Says it all really.

Being of such unsound mind therefore I set out to right the wrongs of others negligence and indolence and to push back on the in-roads Mother Nature will make when left to her own devices. Within a couple of months I had: -

1. Acquired the largest, but still lightweight, machete equivalent I could find.
2. Acquired a heavy duty brush-cutter equipped with steel blade.
3. Chucked out the flymo and bought a self propelled petrol lawn mower.
4. Added a chain-saw, felling axe and maul to my growing collection of tools.
5. Added a collection of safety clothing, foot and headwear to my wardrobe.
6. Lost two and half stone in body weight and built new muscle in unexpected places.
7. Gained innumerable scrapes, bruises and lifelong scars.
8. Added an array of new casual and business wear to my collection to accommodate the newly thin version of me.

Some eight years later, having worn out and replaced the original brush-cutter and chain-saw - and not a little of me - I've decided that being dragged over the now greenish-fields by my self-propelled petrol mower is doing me more harm than good and is showing signs that it will soon be heading for the spares or repair ads on eBay. Hence the consideration of suitable lawn tractors - albeit that this is something of a misnomer. A better description would be a ride-on brush cutter, of which there are a few on the market, as it will need to cope with hilly uneven land which is frequently invaded by burrowing animals that create leg-busting tank trap holes for the unwary. Here's an example of what I have in mind.

 

However, much as this might do the job for the fields, it does not have the versatility to meet my wider needs such as moving heavy loads, predominantly logs and building materials. Over the last six years our heating needs have been met with timber felled from long uncared for hedges grown to 40-60 feet in height surrounding the property and quite a few that had sprung up within the boundary. All of which, given the terrain, I have moved by hand (typically by throwing suitably sized logs step by step to the woodshed) - some of our neighbours had come to the conclusion that I was some kind of manic Scotsman who was missing the games, and threatened to start calling our place the House of Flying Logs. On the upside though, its this activity that helped to shave off the unneeded two and half stone and perhaps explains why I have not succumbed to the coronary I was headed for when we bought the place. The down side is that its seasonal activity so in the summer months some weight goes back on only to be lost in the following winter; hence the Fat and Thin Me wardrobe contents.

Given this lack of versatility and the eye-watering costs of acquisition - new and used - I've been considering something more bespoke. The key requirements being: -

1. Long wheel base and track.
2. Low centre of gravity.
3. Four Wheel Drive.
4. Diff Lock.
5. Tow Hitch and Cable Winch.
6. Variable Height Inter-changeable Cutting Decks - Fine and Rough.
7. Snow plow/blower.
8. Cup Holder, Premium Sound System and IPod Adaptor.

To meet these needs, and others, without distressing the moths in my wallet I did consider, in a moment of madness but true, acquiring a donor S Type I could pillage for spares for Black Bess and the running gear from a donor 4WD X Type which I think I could cobble together into something suitable - some people make racers out of lawn mowers so why not the other way around. I know, I know, it would be sacrilegious but hey, can you imagine the YouTube viewing numbers?

After all that - apologies to all for yet another wordy post - I need to mention that shortly after moving in to our present abode the First Lady pointed out that, as always, I'd got hold of the wrong end of the stick and that what she meant by "Finding a home in the country" was a retirement/nursing home for me!

P.S. B%£^£%ation! She's behind me again and has just scotched my plans for a new toy by saying she would be happy to hire a couple of strapping lads to do the hard work for me.

Hark, whats that? Single malt and comfy chair calling - sorry fellas got to go.

Coffin Dodger 2 out.

[Guest]

21 hours ago, Suppedraken said:

Every once in a while I suggest that we lay asphalt over the whole thing. Or make everything flat and get one of those robot mowers. None of which seem to be happening in the foreseeable future

The First Lady peeked over my shoulder again and responded as follows: -

"Tell that Knut Are theres no need to bother purchasing a Robot Mower. The Favourite Wife, like the First Lady, already has one."

What could she mean by that?

[Suppedraken]

2 hours ago, cubist said:

What could she mean by that?

I give up. What could she mean?

From your previous and eloquent post, it seems clear to me that you too need one of the aforementioned Avant 500-series. They come with 4wd and telscopic boom as standard, you know.

[Guest]

In another post I placed some weeks ago was discussing my admiration and envy of Carole's ludicrously low mileage XK with both her and Ron. Amidst the banter I had the idea that I may be able to acquire something similar but with an Active Stealth feature. Jaguar, sadly, have never offered this as a factory fitted option and I disregarded the possibility after concluding that I would never know when I had finished polishing it.

However, there may be another possibility  - could I get one that, to the world at large and specifically to the First Lady, looks like an Avant 500? After all, most of the locals in my neck of the woods drive to the supermarket in John Deere tractors.

Hmmm.. the plot now thickens.... but I am quite possibly trying to knit the single malt induced fog between my ears.

[Suppedraken]

Takras (litt. roof avalanche). A little bit of digging so I could open the door, then 4x4 low gear and vrrrroooommmm!!!

Had I liked SUVs and been rich, I'd buy a F-Pace, but I don't and I'm not, so I won't.

The S-Type is still in the shop by the way. Waiting for parts, I guess.

[Carole Simpson-Hadley]

Good morning Knut Are

Now that's what should be called snow...proper job!     We had a fraction of that last weekend and many places came to a halt (or didn't get going in the first place).

With regard to the F-Pace (or E-Pace, or I-Pace) , we don't either, so we won't either.  A Jaguar is a Jaguar, not a shopping/school run tool.  Oops, bound to have upset somebody there.  Look out for the !Removed! script.

Hope all ends up well with the S; we are just about to put our '07 in for the sill covers to be removed for inspection, treatment etc. Prevention being better than cure.

Better let you get back to the digging/vrooming, as always happy growling