Weekend redux.
Yesterday was spent getting a haircut, watching a friend play Rugby [we lost, spectacularly] and wandering the local forests in search of mushrooms. Nothing was acquired - except for a range of interesting scars and night-time-itchy inflammations on my legs from wading through waist-deep undergrowth. Just because it's warm doesn't always mean that shorts are a good idea.
Today: did what I hope will be the last grass-cuttage of the season. Annoyingly, my Honda Lawnraper Type-R ran out of fuel with only a couple of 100-yard strips to cut, and my fuel-jerrican was empty, so I had to bite the bullet and buy another 25 litres only to use a mere half-a-litre. Thankfully, UK petrol doesn't 'go off' if stored overwinter.
Anyway, Lawnraper Type-R is now thoroughly greased and drained of oil/fuel, has been spun-over with an eggcupfull of oil poured into the spark-plug-hole to protect the cylinder against corrosion, and is now consigned to hibernation until spring.
Other stuff: I've been working on a writeup of my EFAT [End-Fed Antenna Tuner] for 60-metres, because a certain UK radio-mag has expressed an interest in publishing it. Time will tell. Alas they don't pay much...
Also, I've been cleaning up the barbecue-hardware prior to putting it away for the winter. Concentrated Sodium-Hydroxide solution [250 grams in a litre of water] is spectacularly effective in dissolving fat, grease, carbon and bits of skin and flesh from griddles.
It also makes quick work of live Slugs: there was one adhering to the barbecue-tongs - dropping it into the NaOH was impressive inn that after 15 minutes the Slug had completely been dissolved.
Now - time to go and stick some meat into the oven.
Today: did what I hope will be the last grass-cuttage of the season. Annoyingly, my Honda Lawnraper Type-R ran out of fuel with only a couple of 100-yard strips to cut, and my fuel-jerrican was empty, so I had to bite the bullet and buy another 25 litres only to use a mere half-a-litre. Thankfully, UK petrol doesn't 'go off' if stored overwinter.
Anyway, Lawnraper Type-R is now thoroughly greased and drained of oil/fuel, has been spun-over with an eggcupfull of oil poured into the spark-plug-hole to protect the cylinder against corrosion, and is now consigned to hibernation until spring.
Other stuff: I've been working on a writeup of my EFAT [End-Fed Antenna Tuner] for 60-metres, because a certain UK radio-mag has expressed an interest in publishing it. Time will tell. Alas they don't pay much...
Also, I've been cleaning up the barbecue-hardware prior to putting it away for the winter. Concentrated Sodium-Hydroxide solution [250 grams in a litre of water] is spectacularly effective in dissolving fat, grease, carbon and bits of skin and flesh from griddles.
It also makes quick work of live Slugs: there was one adhering to the barbecue-tongs - dropping it into the NaOH was impressive inn that after 15 minutes the Slug had completely been dissolved.
Now - time to go and stick some meat into the oven.