Hello stranger...

What's occurring? Well, the boat is at the boat yard being looked at. Daile and I took it down to the river a couple of weeks ago to see how it ran and it didn't run all that well. The smell normally associated with turning over an non starting engine was not there, and had been replaced with an entirely new smell (to me) of 'old fuel'. What happens is the fuel degrades in some way when it's left. There's no water in it or anything, its just OLD. Consequently nothing works with it, and now that I DID actually run it, albeit only for a few minutes, we have to have the carbs cleaned out, and the idle jets cleaned out. Same with the tank, which needs cleaning and flushing as well as the fuel lines rerouting as they were in the wrong place. (Fire risk). This motor is about a 1.8, four cylinder (V) and each cylinder has its own carb. It's also a two stroke. The mechanics all seem to speak of it fondly as a 'Looper' (unless I'm misinterpreting their wistfulness and it's sympathy!)

Once it's back here, (next weekend) and we know it's all working OK, then I can spend a bit of time on the bodywork knowing that I'm not waisting my time, or what little money we have for this now... since I still haven't managed to find a job.

This afternoon whilst in the garden finishing the kids tree house, I brushed against the leaf that this fella was on. It was like being bitten by several ants at the same time...and i got a reaction like a load of nettle rash. The raised lumps have very fine hairs in them that don't show on this picture. You have to get them off by putting gaffa tape over them and removing it quick like you were de-hairing your arm.



You only have to look at it to know not to touch it... I just didn't see it that's all!

Daile is working down the coast at the restaurant Carlene is the manager for, and spends her day on the till. We're waiting for the paperwork from the British Psychological Society to confirm her registration with them (£500 fee) which should arrive at the end of March. She then has to register with the Australian equivalent ($1000 fee) and when that comes after several months like this one, she then has to register with the Queensland equivalent... guess what... ($1000 fee)
And then, she might if she's really really lucky, be able to use the qualification to actually work as a psychologist.

In the meantime, I'm not getting many interviews, so I'm still plugging away at developing the website. I hope to have it online in a couple of weeks or so. I hope that it works out...
or that something does! It's mainly due to this, that I've not been writing here.