This is me at the moment, as in hit by depression unexpectedly. CBT and meds not really worked, I have good and bad days but even on good days don’t really want to socialise, can’t be bothered with my bike and other sports I used to love as I find that when I do try and do these things ( people say oh just come for a ride, you’ll love it etc) but I don’t as all I end up thinking is how crap and unfit I now am compared to before, and also that I’m holding them up etc, so if I do go out then I’d rather do it on my own.

I’ve found a new hobby I’m interested in getting involved in, and I’ll be a complete newb at that, I’d be fairly happy meetting another new starter at it, so maybe try suggest something that would be completely new to both of you but you’ll both enjoy? I’m going to try metal detecting as I can wander round with my own thoughts on the beach, but I know I’ve got someone else there to talk to, share my finds with etc when I want to, it won’t be a full on day of physical exertion / conversation. Anyway everyone’s different but that’s one thing im looking forward to over the next few weeks, plodding around a field or beach digging up buttons, nails and bottle caps!

Sorry, rambling post, should have used more full stops!

Sharkey’s cisa lock looks like the winner at the moment.

Can’t use a thumbturn as not allowed for insurance purposes, and as onzadog says, key can be removed from a normal lock whereas thumbturn can’t.

The cisa ones are available keyed alike as well so one key and will work if key inside or not.

Thanks guys I’ll look at the cisa as well.

Lock is 100mm (45/55 split) so plenty of length.

Onzadog – which ABS one do you have, is it a serrated or dimple style key? Just trying to work out which one on their website.

Let it dry out, add some dry sand and block the filling and exit hole then shake around a bit to remove any rust spots then thoroughly wash out and dry again?

I’m not a mechanic or anything so it might not work!

Yeah but I’m using Warburton’s toastie which I always use, just at home I get a brown crunchy slab when it pops up

Tjagain – I never realised they had to pay for hostels which is why they maybe pack up once I give them the cash. I feel a bit naive about the whole situation, which is probably also why I started the thread. I also think my depression and not really being bothered about my own life anymore has changed how I think recently

Thanks for the replies, I’ll continue doing it then, I guess even if they have an addiction and blow it on drugs or booze then it’s still making their life more tolerable as that’s what they want. Just often see people looking at me when I give them a note as in a fiver or tenner and I’m sure they’re thinking what a mug but who cares.

I usually ask how they are doing and if they want any food as well if outside a shop, some don’t really say much but a few I have a bit of a chat with. I know I can’t help them all. One guy asked for some change recently as I was paying for a car park but I’d just given my last bit to someone else I’d seen earlier that night. I told him and he said ‘of course you did mate!’ I felt bad I had no more change but I guess they hear that excuse all the time. I have a lot of spare time at the moment as on long term sick from work so I might look at helping out in a shelter or something as well.

Trouble with all things like this is there’s too many homeless and people in need of other charities and help and I can’t help them all. It’s recently made me start thinking of trying to reduce all the crap i used to buy as much of it is unnecessary. I feel bad now for buying a 50 quid Nespresso machine last night (also due to me being a bit drunk!) My life has turned pretty crap as well since I’ve been off work sick, severe depression and anxiety which I think has also made me a lot more respectful of people in dire situations.

I just go for cheap ones, I’ve had 3 machines since 1991 a Candy lasted 12 years, hotpoint lasted 11 years and the latest is a beko which is currently 8 years old now all been heavily used.

Can’t see the point of expensive ones, all mine have been 250-300 max, I just pick whatever is on offer with good reviews on AO or similar these days. Same for fridges and dishwashers. Never had a problem with any cheap white goods from Indesit, Hotpoint, LG, Beko or Candy

Thanks, I’ll get some longer monobloc tails, couldn’t find them on Screwfix but then remembered Amazon!

Any ideas then, I need to secure a covering over a hole in the wall like this

https://lirp.cdn-website.com/cff40d41/dms3rep/multi/opt/IMG_20200315_092035_805-1920w.jpg

Although that’s even less secure than mine, at least my plate is held on with security screws!

Basically you put key in, turn the lock and remove the barrel than there’s a long hex key goes through the wall to a socket on the inside of the garage which you can wind to open the door. Just need to secure over the hole. There’s no other way in to the garage so if the powers off or the RCD board in the garage trips I can’t get in.

This is what I need or similar

32.2mm Override Lock C235

I’ve managed to remove the old one by releasing it from the inside, but apart from the company above I can’t find any other suppliers. I emailed to see if I could buy a new lock but they only sell a minimum of 100! All the garage door companies I’ve contacted want me to buy the whole access pack for about £130 they won’t just sell me a lock barrel. No numbers or name on the lock so I cant get new keys cut.

It’s pretty much the same shape as key switch locks, but I need the inside core to be removable so I can get the long hex key in to wind the door up.

Just watched ‘into the deep’, documentary about the Peter Madsen submarine journalist murder, it’s a film that was meant to be about his rocket stuff, but while they were making that documentary he murdered the journalist. Some of the stuff he comes out with on the film is crazy once you know what’s happened on the sub

WorldClassAccident™ power tools?

“No other power tool has fewer safety features. WorldClassAccident™ tools will maim, injure and kill faster than any other tool on the market. Injuries guaranteed or your money back” ?

You could sponsor Reg Prescott’s DIY show

For instant ink – does the printer have to be ‘online’ all of the time? Not sure that would suit in this case

Doesn’t need to be on all the time, sometimes mine isn’t turned on for a few months, when you do use it, it just connects to WiFi and sends its usage data. I imaging if you tried to print for a while without letting it connect to the internet it might stop, but as long as it has WiFi when it’s actually on it’ll be fine

Another +1 for instant ink

Just remember to check the pages you need to print and deselect any unnecessary ones if you think might go near your plan limit. Sometimes I don’t bother and find the final sheet has half a line on, or in a few cases even blank, but it still counts as a full page of your plan. The flip side is you could print every page as a full colour photo and it wouldn’t cost any extra as long as it’s within the plan limit. You can also rollover unused pages to the next month

Had ours for 4 years now and never had a blocked inkhead even with occasional use, as mentioned above they are in the cartridge so whenever you change it you get a new clean print head

Yeah I’m back up North now so not easy to look at other areas! Our house is sold and need to find somewhere fast. We both like Somerset and the houses in shepton and midsomer we saw were nice, seem better value than the other areas mentioned but that’s probably for the reasons mentioned above!

As long as there’s something like a swimming pool near, and some easy riding for the kids it’ll be fine. Middsomer looked good as there’s some old railway line sustrans thing on the map which would be good for them, and it’s only 20 mins or so to bath and not too far to Bristol of we want proper shops. Pubs etc don’t really bother us and schools seemed ok. Just wondered if there were some real no no reasons for avoiding these towns.

Went to shepton mallet today and I liked it there, it’s even got a Screwfix! Possibly found a house, anyone want to piss on my bonfire and tell me it’s terrible town before I put an offer in 😂

I was going to send one of my kids in to Screwfix to ask for a shepton mallett but then I thought they’ve probably heard that a million times before

So what’s wrong with Yeovil then? Work from home so don’t need any specific area.

Right it’s off the list now then.

Where in Somerset is nice, I don’t know the area that well!

Looking in shepton mallet and midsomer norton tomorrow.

I’m guessing there’s no quick and easy way of knowing if it is just draining from this house of if it’s a shared drain? Need to decide tomorrow and put an offer in if it all looks ok!

i think the kitchen was where it is but they’ve added the dining bit on as an extension. Is it a special sort of cover if its used internally, and anything i should ask / be aware of?

It’s a very wide beacon if it is!

Watching with interest, I’ve been thinking about a chips away franchise but not sure how they work really.

Decided just to screw it rather than try to get the self adhesive stuff off. Van is 19 years old so a few screw holes will probably be the least of my worries!

Yeah you can get a mix of propane and butane in the small cylinders.

Options are
Butane (like my Aldi ones)
Isobutane mix ( blue camping Gaz ones)
Butane-isobbutane-propane mix (gosystem gas ones)

I’ll try the go gas ones next time see if they are any better.

Yeah what I do is put the new cylinder in, then stand the cold cylinder on the corner of the stove on the flap that lifts up for a little bit to warm it up. Keep turning it and shaking it, but I’m not responsible if you blow yourself up with my dodgy gas cooking advice 😀

a high roof LWB sprinter. Although i have discovered one disadvantage of having it high, at night as its further away it doesnt pick up the light from the reversing lights as well. I’ll have to have a proper test drive and see how it is. WIll mostly be used in the day anyway though.

Thanks everyone, fitted it above the doors as suggested, works great!

Probably looking upto 250-275 tops.

There’s the alesis recital pro which has weighted hammer action at that price but is a more dedicated piano style thing

Or cheaper keyboard style stuff with just normal keys but more non piano and composing features.

I’m wondering if I should just get something like a rockjam rj761 bundle as she can then decide what type of thing she’s interested in. Something like this which is only 140.

Will look at 2nd hand as well

If you learn on cheap keyboard and decide you want to go on to a proper piano style, is it a problem adapting to the feel of proper piano style keys?

^^^ I understeered to start with then oversteered trying to correct it i think. Front wheel drive car, I lifted off the throttle, don’t think I braked just tried to correct the skid (badly I think!)

First scary moment in a long long time, luckily was at night and nothing coming the other way. Think I was just a bit tired and not concentrating as much as usual, got a lot ony mind at the moment. Anyway it’s made me realise how lucky I was and aware of driving tired.

Actually I forgot, there was a casualty, my takeaway slid off the passenger seat onto the floor. Still edible but I’ve learnt another lesson, always use the little takeaway bag hookn in the passenger footwell!

I’ve got 2x Tenda MW3 in the house which seem to be working fine and get coverage all over.

I bought 2 twin packs so 4 units in total but just initially started with 2. Is there any advantage in connecting the other 2 if it’s already working ok? It’s a 3 storey house so thought I’d need all 4 of them. If no advantage I’ll return them to Amazon.

my first night riding in about 1992/93 at my local woods was done with a Petzl Zoom headtorch. Had to ride there from the house so used the normal bulb to get to the woods to save battery (about 40 min ride) then swapped to a halogen bulb for the woods. I couldnt afford to keep buying the big flat batteries the zoom headtorch used so i had an adaptor that took 3 AA rechargeables, i think these lasted about 60 mins with the halogen bulb, so i used to take about 12 charged AA’s and keep swapping them as they ran out!

I still remember it being brilliant fun.

Got some BLT nitesun halogen lights after that (about 1997) that used a lead acid bottle cage battery, i was amazed how bright they were at the time.

Found same item in bikeinn, more than bikediscount but still 90 cheaper than UK. Their site says price on web is finalm rice and no vat / import duty to UK will be charged so will probably order from them

^^ yeah blocks are laid flat

If its individual posts with a seperate handrail then i would core drill down through the coping stone, the first 2 blocks then into the third block (so about 300mm total)
Resin fix the posts directly into the holes.
You can buy all the components to screw / glue together and save yourself a small fortune

Yeah that’s what I’m looking at, posts, glass and handrail. If each post has 3 bolt holes at the base, is my idea of threaded rod (resin fixed down to 3rd block) then the post screwed down onto the rod not strong enough? The places I looked only did the posts in standard lengths so I’d have to try and find longer post to resin those in, and core drilling would be harder? If your method is much stronger then I’ll look into that!

reading all the above, ive decided im just going to get a company that knows what theyre doing to inspect the site, build and fit it, much less worry!

Sorry yeah wall is a few courses deep at the bottom, and also buttressed on the front edge in a few places, and tied into the wall of the house. It’s retaining soil but has been there for ages with no sign of movement.

Drop is 2.5 m max but decreasing to about 1m at the L corner, then on the other side of the L it the drop decreases to 0 in about 1.5m

L shape is 4.4m from house to corner of L, then 6m on the other side of the L but after 1.5m it’s pretty much buried. So balustrade or whatever I erect is to protect a fall from the 4.4m house to corner length, the. About 2m along the other side, until the ground meets top of wall level.

The inside of balustrade is protected from wind by the house, so wind direction blows onto the outside corner of the L.

Is my patio / house going to fall down?!

Ok, thanks. I’m guessing from its position it’ll be a spur. Think ill just get electrician in to sort it.

Just remembered bothered another weird thing with my pc…

It’s connected via display port to the hdmi on my TV. No graphics card just the onboard intel HD4000.

If I turn my TV on and boot the pc up I don’t get any display from the computer. I have to turn pc on, wait 30-60 seconds then turn the TV on and I get the image ( and the computer does that funny noise Ike when you plug a new device in) . If I ever have to restart it for an update, I have to turn TV off at the wall before it restarts or no image. If it does boot up with the TV turned on the only way to get it to display anyth6nis to unplug the display port lead from the computer and plug it in again.

All the drivers are up to date.
It’s not a major hassle just annoying, anyone know how to fix it?

Have you stuck an SSD in there yet?

No it’s just a normal drive.

Zwift runs ok as it is with the 4Gb I’ve got, but it often takes ages to load up, so was just after a cheap way to try speed things up.

All the other bike apps I use load up fine, just seems to be Zwift that’s slow. Once it’s running though it’s fine.

How old is old? What OS have you got, if its 32bit there is no point adding more memory as the system wont use it.

:-( not sure!

Its running Windows 10 but i’m not in front of it at the moment, i remember yesterday when i checked its dell service tag for its specs the warranty expired 2015 if thats any help (its an old office machine i bought 2nd hand)!

I’ll have to check when i get home, how do i find if its 64 bit, just go to the ‘about’ bit in settings?

Oh yeah forgot about haweswater and Wet Sleddale, used to drive past that one most days years ago, watching the water come down the overflow sort of like falling curtains was quite mesmerising