What are you all up to
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Kj
Well remembered. It had a 5 year warranty which ends next April. I will be interested to know what the issue is. When I put the hot water tap on I can see on the boiler display that the light comes on to indicate the boiler has received the instruction. Then I look at the display and can see the flame come on but it goes out after a few seconds. That suggests the PCB is OK (?) but also suggests the valve is not opening to allow the water to heat. All guess work at the minute but will be interested to know the answer, don't like mysteries!
David
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Glasgow is a nice place to visit it’s out local city being only 40 min drive from home number 2 son lived ther for many years so we were there regular. Strathclyde Park club site is one of our regular weekend haunts and is a short drive from the city well worth a visit and lots to do many museums etc to visit
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Never good when something goes wrong with an expensive appliance like a boiler!
We had a new boiler installed in the main part of our house in May 2022, it apparently has a 12 year warranty, and we have been very pleased with it, so now we have a mini version of the same one sitting in our hallway waiting to be fitted in the "granny flat", hopefully we can get a 12 year warranty for it too. Installation is first Monday in September.
Neither are combis as we are sticking with the HW cylinders as there are 3 bathrooms. Having fitted a "solar diverter" we have been enjoying minimal gas bills all summer as any unused power from the roof goes to heat the water before any is exported.
This last week I have been keeping busy with small jobs around the house, and OH says she will need to make a list for me to work through. 😧Downstairs windows are now "painted" but still a few upstairs ones to go.
Granny flat kitchen has been cleared enough to allow working space around the boiler position, and DD has finally taken away some of the china etc she wanted, still more to go though. I still have to run a new cable from the power switch to the boiler position as the new boiler needs a direct continuous supply, and I have to clear space in the loft to allow access to fit the condensate pipe. This has to be pumped up into the loft to the soil stack as there is no easy access to a waste pipe in the kitchen itself.
Then I need to put some cleaner into the system and circulate that for a couple of weeks before it is drained down and flushed, and on the day I plan to fit new TRVs to 3 of the radiators, instead of the present 35 year old ones.
Callum, who is now 5+ has got so tall that his feet nearly reach the end of his little bed (a cot bed) so he has been persuaded that he should move to a full size single. We are donating the pine bed his mum had when she still lived here, not that much used as she moved out 20 years ago. He tested a couple of mattresses and decided that Mummy's one was too firm, so we are swapping it for the less firm one in the upstairs spare room.
I dismantled the bed today but have not swapped the mattresses yet as "delivery day" is apparently not till Thursday. Getting the bed out of the way gave me access to the window, so I got that cleaned and its new blind fitted, after having it for about 4 years. We will now use that (smallest) bedroom for storing our caravan stuff, and tidy out the much bigger other downstairs bedroom so the double sofa bed in there can also be used for visitors.
As well as OH's list, DD has her list of (indoor) jobs for me to work through over winter, so looks like I will be kept busy.
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Kj
We went for the Combi for several reasons. Firstly we had to move the boiler as where it was previous fitted now contravenes regulations where it vents into a neighbours garden. There was no other suitable place on the ground floor so we decided to have it fitted upstairs in the old airing cupboard. This meant we had to get rid of the tanks. Although we have two showers one is really only used if the other is out of action, like when we had the shower room refitted so there is never any competition for hot water. It also means that only using hot water on demand we don't waste energy by heating water we might not use and that has lead to much lower bills. So the Combi works for us although I can appreciate that it won't be suitable in all circumstances.
David
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Francis
Glasgow is somewhere we have been meaning to visit for a long time but finding suitable sites with good public transport connections has always been the issue. We did wonder about going from Ayr when we were there last year but we didn't have enough time. I quite fancy taking the train from MK to Glasgow and perhaps spending a few days in a hotel, this might be the better solution as we could right in the centre?
David
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Pleased to report that boiler man has been and gone and all seems well. The heating and hot water now working. Technical details are that the boiler itself was full of air, not helped probably because it is situated upstairs. There is an automatic valve on the boiler (inside the casing) which should be left open (it closes as pressure builds in the system) but he discovered it had be closed down so it wasn't venting air automatically. He did say that it could have come from the factory like that but I wonder if the bathroom fitted closed it after he installed the towel rail as that involved a lot of new pipework. Guess we will never know. Hopefully if we need to remove a radiator in the future we shouldn't experience the same issue?
David
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Hi David
Glasgow Central station is right in the city centre and there are lots of hotels nearby there is actually a hotel in the station where you can book a room overlooking the main station area. There would be plenty to do for a few days and you could get the train down the coast to Largs which is a nice town not far from where we live. The city is also easily accessible from Ayr by train it would take 45-50 mins so not too bad2 -
There's an alternative to trains, a cheap flight and a hire car might be another way. The last time we travelled to Glasgow (unfortunately for a family funeral) we flew up and hired a car to drive out to Ayr. Worth a thought and gives you more time to visit further out but maybe, as Francis has suggested, trains are better if you just want to see what Glasgow and nearby has to offer.
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Thanks Francis, very useful information, I rather like the idea of being in a hotel in the station
Brue, I don't like flying so that wouldn't be an option for me as sensible as it probably is. We do have the advantage that we live on the main line to Glasgow so we could go direct from MK rather than travelling via, say, London. Mind you they do say flying is cheaper, and London Luton is just down the road!
David
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Ah, that makes sense, did not realise the boiler was now upstairs! I do remember you said it had to be moved when you had the new one fitted.
Yes, any air in the system will end up at the highest point eventually, which in your case will be the boiler.
Good to hear it was nothing serious.
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Wettest day of our current trip so didn't do a lot. Visited Gwrych Castle in the morning, the setting for one series of I'm a Celebrity etc. Very run down place, but interesting all the same. We would have spent a lot longer there had it not been pouring down!! Too wet even for a walk along the prom at Abergele. Managed a dry couple of short walks around the town when we got back to the van in the afternoon. 3 photos of the castle and one from our walk by the Dee Estuary yesterday.
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Well we should have had a storm last night but only had thunder and lightening but very little rain, but in the north of our department LOT they have had an horrendous storm 150mm of rain in two hours and and lot of flooding even Le Clerc Supermarket was flooded outside not sure if it went inside but some grim photos on local news web page just glad we missed it but could do with the rain, and we are in for a very hot week upto 40C will not be doing anything much outside except for watering.
Had a dip in the little pool today and when I got in I noticed that I had company of a tree frog on the side of the pool and she was not keen about me being in there she jumped into the pool and was not to keen as pool has some treatment to the water so OH bought a container over from his shed so in there she went then decided to jump a huge leap once outside the pool but all ok and went behind some fencing, think I will be going in the pool in the morning as it will be too hot pm.
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A much better day with mainly sunshine and the odd short light shower. We met up with the WNs again and travelled across the Rhuddlan where we had a short walk around a nature reserve where a cormorant was diving for fish coming to the surface among a flock of Mallards which beat a noisy retreat, scaring the bejusus out of the ladies who were standing close to the lake edge. We then had a wander around Rhuddlan's impressive Castle. After lunch we went Bodrhudden House where we had an excellent tour after a walk around their fine gardens. Definitely a place worth visiting again. Our last night in Wales before we start our journey homeward.
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Thanks for the photos Nellie! Nice to see so many different places. Glad you had another nice get together with the WNs!
A good sunny day here, no doubt the coast is busy although more cliff falls down in Dorset so hope people are keeping off those bits.
We have a glut of damsons so that's a job to do, will bag some up for passers by.
Don't think I could cope with 40C RK! We have friends going to France this week, I think they'll melt...
It's taken a few days to lick the garden into shape after being away, it hasn't been cold so the humid wet weather when we were away has pushed everything on.
Glad you got your radiator sorted DK. I can feel autumn in the air early in the morning and some trees are turning colour early.
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Gosh brue wish I lived closer to you I love Damsons we had all around the field and garden where I lived in Shropshire as a child and mum used to make a lot of Damson jam and fruit pies.
Shame about the cliffs falls in Dorset we will be in Dorset next month on a cl for 5 nights, time is flying by at the moment not to much to do in the garden as all very dry although we did some watering this morning from our water butts.
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It was sunny when we woke this morning, OH was planning to get a load into the WM, but it quickly clouded over, now waiting to see is the sun breaks through in the afternoon.
Decided to get the car loaded up with the bed and mattress while it was dry, but had not remembered that the mattress Callum decided on has no handles on it. Seems strange to make a mattress with no handles, even a singe size one is difficult to move when there is nothing to get hold of!
However, as today is Callum's first day at school, 9am start and only in until 12 noon, DD had taken a day off work and was in fact just down the road in Clydebank picking up his new bedding, so was able to come in past for 5 minutes to assist with getting the mattress downstairs and into the car, and the other one upstairs as well. Bed frame I easily managed myself, so all now ready to take to her house tomorrow.
He looked very smart in his school uniform and did not make too much fuss when Mummy had to leave him at school. No doubt we will hear all about it tomorrow. Today and tomorrow he finishes at 12, then on Friday he is there till 14.30, with lunch provided at school. I will need to learn the rules for picking him up next week onwards. Only 2 more years until Nathan will also be at school.
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Had a good day with the Nellies and Flyte yesterday. I wasn't feeling great but the day wasn't too energetic, by Nellie's standards
, and the castle and Bodrhyddan House were really interesting. Had an early night and slept for 10 hours solid so feel a lot better today. We went into town to pick up prescriptions and library books. Have to go back as Mrs WNs lone item not in stock.
Been packing the car and doing bits and pieces in the caravan.
Brue, we noticed trees turning and we have had our first Beech Mast fall. It gets everywhere. Very early this year.
RK - Pity we can't split the difference in heat between us. Good luck.
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Been doing the same WN. Off tomorrow for a couple of weeks at our favourite CS near Malton (again!). It's just about the right travelling distance away for Ros at the moment and we do enjoy just relaxing there. It's her birthday on Sunday - so BBQ 'party' planned for lunchtime when we will be joined by Ros's daughter and family. And even the weather forecast look promising
I had to smile this morning (or something like that), she was busy discarding the cardboard cereal boxes so that the cereal would just be stored in the plastic/paper bags. "It will save weight", she said. And then I thought about the six week's worth of clothes of hers I had just struggled to carry into the van
I will refrain from any further comment
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Just treated ourselves to a quick trip out down to Waitrose for a little shopping, something for dinner, and other stuff for the freezer. We do like Waitrose, but the budget demands we stick to the special offers items, plus our My Waitrose offers. One was 50p off 4 large baking potatoes, which were only 75p anyway, so that was very good!
Also spotted some nice looking corn on the cob, reduced, so got 3 packs which I have just blanched to put in the freezer.
Sun never really put in another appearance, so only the dishwasher used today, clothes washing can wait.
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Kj
We make use of those vouchers every week. For some reason we both get them as we both have My Waitrose cards. Some weeks are better than others and I noticed this week there are a couple of £2 off vouchers. My one disappointment with the vouchers is that I no longer have a free newspaper which did stop some time ago but some customer still got allocated then every week as a separate offer. Now they are included in the general vouchers and usually only worth 50p.
Talking of expensive food. We went to a Garden today with a Farm Shop and I got two lamb leg steaks for £10
I also purchased some lovely cherries but I worked out they cost 20p each!David
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I am not sure if I have a Waitrose card, I will need to apply for one if not. I think I do not as I never get any offers.
OH says she has never had a £2 one, but occasionally some £1 ones. However mainly they are 50p, which is good when the item does not cost much!.
Her other voucher was for 50p off my favourite Berry Granola, unfortunately it has just gone up from £2.50 to £2.75, but it is excellent.
Missed out on using several vouchers while away on our 5 week tour as no Waitroses nearby. Very few in Scotland too. We do have 3 in the Glasgow area, 2 small and one, our one, much bigger. Not sure if the one in Edinburgh is still there.
I love cherries, Lidl and Aldi sometimes have loose ones quite reasonably, they are however much less expensive in Germany. I am only allowed to buy them when they are on offer here!
We find farm shops are invariably very expensive........nice stuff but too expensive for a regular purchase.
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Thanks, brue,, it was good meeting up with with them again. Those may be the last photos from this trip, but we will see!!😁 Like RT it is a pity we don't live close by yourself as we both love damsons. We might get out, when we are home, and to in search for them up the Lyth Valley.
Glad you managed a good night's sleep, WN, sorry if I tried you out with all the walking.
Hope your trip to Malton goes well, R&R, and that the weather is kind for Ros's birthday barbecue
We had an easy drive up to our latest CL, although the traffic heading towards the Wirral and Wales was nearly at a standstill around Runcorn. Yesterday a M/H arrived on site having abandoned their drive to the M6 because of an accident on the A55 at near Fint and they had been stuck for 2.5 hrs. Just glad it was yesterday and not this morning as we would have encountered it.
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Damson picking in the Lyth valley. Quite a few years since we last did that Nellie.
Too many to carry, or use, is my lasting memory. The walk wasn't too shabby either.
Glad the trip went well. The A55 is a nightmare in Summer months. We noticed a lot of traffic on the lower Denbigh-Mold Road yesterday after leaving you. Must have been as a result of that hold up.
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I'm making some Damson Cheese today, need to buy some extra sugar and then it's easy to make. Didn't intend making jam this year but don't like wasting food. Interesting to hear about the Lyth Valley damsons.
Good luck with all the travels, we've found many roads hard going this summer, sheer volume of traffic, slow at many of the junctions. Not surprised to hear of long waits.
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Accidents and harvesting here as well. As I set off home from Mum’s Tuesday, saw blue lights in distance, I managed to dodge the traffic by using side roads. Found out today, some poor motorbike rider involved, life changing leg injury, so dreadful for someone. No idea of cause☹️
One of our local roads made national news this week. It’s on a newly built housing estate. There are no road markings at cross roads, determining which road has priority, hence fast driving folks are ploughing into each other on a regular basis.
Day at home yesterday, and we harvested around pound and a half of raspberries and blackberries. We put in the raspberry canes a few years ago, but I think the blackberries have come over from next door. Look like a cultivar, as they are very big and juicy, not small like a lot of wayside ones.
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I also wish we lived nearer to you Brue I would buy some damsons from you but I’d be making damson gin!
Our daughter has travelled to Dorset early this morning for her long awaited big operation. She has been waiting 3 years on the NHS and been told at least another year, but they also told her that it would be a year a year ago. Once she agreed to go private it was 2 weeks, it doesn’t seem fair really but at least it’s being done. So we are all rather anxious. She has to be in bed for a month when she gets home and then gentle weight baring.
Our granddaughter is with us. Her friend who is very good to her is also having an op today and can’t be on her own tomorrow, so she and her baby are spending the day with us tomorrow. It’s the least we could offer when she does so much for our granddaughter. So busy time.
While I’m writing this I’m desperate for a cup of tea but having just visited the hygienist my mouth is still just too numb, I hope it wears off soon or I’ll have to find the straws.
Our garden is neat as I’ve had time lately to do a lot of cutting back before winter.
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Good luck to your daughter DEBSC.
Read about your roads Ttda. Thought it was just you doing too many wheelies.
Fortunately the hold ups on the A55 weren't too serious. First one was a vehicle fire and shortly afterwards a flat back lorry went over with pallets and window frames everywhere.
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Thanks for the update, WN. Interesting to find out the cause of the delays.
Fingers crossed that all goes well for both your daughter and your GD's friend, Debs.
Thinking about it, it may be rather early for the damsons in the Lyth Valley, but at least we will get a good walk. Another sunny day and we had a walk down to the Roddlesworth Top Reservoir today before another food shopping trip.
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