onetrack

Well, I'm back - with some positives. Just over 3 months to the day, after being unceremoniously booted out of my factory/workshop by a greedy landlady, I have finally finished moving all my precious restoration items, tools, parts, components, vehicles, engines, forklifts, containers, steel and hardware, out of my factory unit/workshop, and transported 130kms away to my industrial/commercial block in the country. The total tally is 140 tonnes in all-up weight moved - 17 trips with the traytop Hilux and tandem car trailer - 9 trips with my 5 tonne Isuzu truck (6 pulling the tandem trailer as well), 4 trips by tilt-tray operators (they moved 4 dead forklifts and a 10 tonne 4WD front-end loader) - 6 vehicles moved - and 5 forklifts shifted as well. In that 3 months, I spent the first 2 months working around 12 to 14 hrs a day, 7 days a week, sorting, packing, loading, transporting and unloading - with the last month down to about 10 hours a day working on the moving. I only had assistance for 10 days in early April from a mate who came up from down South - the rest of the time, I worked at the massive shifting job alone. I'd been in this factory unit for nearly 25 years, buying and selling parts and equipment, and repairing and restoring equipment on a modest scale - and I have certainly accumulated way too many "projects". The eviction came about because my landlord died from a plethora of cancers in December 2023 - and as soon as his widow took over, she turned out to be the ultimate ruthless corporate animal, with only one aim in mind - to capitalise on every asset the family trust owned, and to turn it into cash. The landlord and landlady owned this piece of industrial land comprising 3.2Ha of prime industrial estate, which contained a large truck parking area, where around about 70 or 80 truck owners parked their trucks and semis each night, and where they could also park a sea container for their storage. Alongside the truck parking yard there were 12 factory units they owned as well. They sold bulk fuel and had a repair workshop and washdown facilities for the truckies, that they hired out to lessees, as well. She gave notice of lease termination to all the truckies and factory lessees unceremoniously on March 20th, with a deadline of April 30th. Of course, very few of us had the ability to find new premises (at a reasonable rent, as industrial rents have gone ballistic here in recent years - tied to ballistic land prices, of course), sort and pack and move all our collected items, within the specified time frame - and it all got quite stressful as May approached, and a lot of equipment was still yet to be packed up and moved. Fortunately, she relented and extended the termination date to June 5th, whereupon we were all given official notice of eviction. This was just a legal move, of course - those of us still moving, still kept at it, and the worst part was the sorting and packing of the small items, as the moving finalised. We all took sizeable amounts of usable materials, old vehicles (I didn't have any scrap vehicles), metals, and other items of value to the scrappers. I think I cleaned up about $2000 in scrap steel, copper, aluminium and lead - some of the other blokes pulled in a lot more for their scrap! I took 2 x 5 tonne truckloads of good used truck and industrial tyres and rims, surplus new ground engaging tools (cutting edges and teeth) and surplus industrial items to auction, and grossed $7000 for those two loads - tempered somewhat by the greedy auctioneers ripping me off for 30% commission! I shouldn't complain, they got good prices for everything that was sold, and the entire 2 truckloads probably cost me less than $1500 in total, to purchase at auctions previously. I tool 5 pallets of surplus new industrial and truck and machinery filters to another auction house, and was disappointed that they only grossed $250 - which ended up $200 in my hands after they took their 25% commission. I shouldn't complain there, either - the filters owed me virtually nothing, I previously brought hundreds of them, and sold substantial quantities at serious profit levels, and this was just the "leftovers". So, now I can report my final positives for this year - I have virtually every item I own, on my own property, and I no longer have to find rent every month! The only downsides are that I have more driving to do now, when I want to do something repair or sales-oriented - and I no longer have the protection of a large shed/workshop, as my block doesn't have any kind of building on it - so everything I own is stored under tarps, in crates, in boxes, in sea containers, or left out in the weather, if the weather doesn't substantially affect it! The next stage is the planning, purchase and construction of a shed of considerable size (the former factory unit was a 9M x 15M shed) - hopefully around 10M x 20M or even 12M x 24M in dimensions - which is going to occupy most of the rest of this year, I'm guessing! There's planning approval to be sought from the local Shire Council, levelling of the shed site, engineering plans to be submitted, approvals sought from probably half a dozen Govt and semi-Govt Authorities, addressing various laws applying to land development - not the least of which is Aboriginal Heritage laws. It's going to be an interesting year! I have found a shed builder in a nearby country town, whose products meet my requirements for a robust and very good design shed, and his pricing appears to be reasonable - all I have to do is find the $40K or $50K needed, to set myself up with a new shed! https://theshedfactorywa.com.au/gallery/

They'll change the date of the referendum, for sure.

That bloke with the fresh caught fish sure looks like he needs a good feed.

I've never even heard of Frank Gorshin, let alone recognise him from an ancient photo!!

I stopped watching TV many years ago - it is an utter waste of time, designed to keep moronic minds filled with crap. I have better things to do with what little time I have left on this Earth.

The Russian public needs to be fed a regular distraction, to divert their concerns away from the Ukraine 3 day special military operation.

One of Pootins henchman, obviously in a tearing hurry, must have dropped a flask of polonium tea.

And where did the American Indians immigrate from? And who did they displace?

I thought the 1980 drought year was bad - but at least we didn't have the relentless, endless heat that we've been getting this Spring, Summer and Autumn in 1980. But I do recall temperatures reaching 44° in the wheatbelt in February 1980. The main thing that is imprinted in my brain, is that 1980 was the year our family went all out on a big cropping programme, with wheat and oat plantings on our own farm, and on leased farmland. However, from the 2,500 acres of wheat we planted, we harvested just a single 8-tonne truckload of wheat! It was a shocker of a season, the worst in 80 years according to all the old-timers. In a normal year we would've harvested at least 1500 tonnes of wheat off that area. Then came the double whammy of fuel prices quadrupling in a period of 18 mths - followed by interest rates going from around 7% to at least 16% on average. We were paying 23% on leases and hire purchase in that era - and I recall being slugged 30% interest on one particular HP contract!! It was truly one of the most dreadful times to be in business, from 1980 to 1983.

It's official. It's forgotten to rain in W.A., full stop. The heat is relentless, it's going to be 33° tomorrow, and 35° on Sunday! - and not a skerrick of rain in sight for a fortnight, at least! https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/desperately-dry-in-southwest-wa/1889272

Nev - But the problem is, I don't want, or need, to go into central Melbourne. It's going the wrong way for me. I just want to head straight North from the airport.

I'm not impressed with the transport services in Victoria. It looks like I have to travel back into the city centre from Tullamarine, and then catch a bus to Pyalong. But I've booked a flight that arrives at 11:35AM on Mon 6th May, and the first bus leaves for Pyalong from Southern Cross at 18.30! So that's not much use to me. I'll have to examine other options. I wonder if an Airtasker would drive me out there for a reasonable figure?

Gee, NSW is pretty vicious on the truck size requirements, aren't they? I still wouldn't have to stop with my 8000kg GVM. I don't think Victoria and S.A. go as low as an 8000kg requirement, do they? - I was under the impression 12000kg was the start of the "heavy truck" rating, nationwide.

Q: Why was 10 afraid of 7? A: Because 7, 8, 9.

OME - It's only a little truck, a 3.5 tonner. Truck log books don't apply to anything under 12 tonnes gross as I understand. It has a GVW of 8000kgs. Nev, I'm pretty scared at the thought of seeing water falling from the sky again, it's going to be a real experience. Well, I'm all set. Just got a Virgin deal for Mon 6th May, a one-way fare for 26,700 Velocity points. The seat was $209 otherwise. I leave 6:00AM here and into Tulla at 11:35AM, God willing and trusting the creaky old Virgin B737 holds together.

I'm looking at a trip to Melbourne to pick up a truck in early May. It's at Pyalong. I'd be flying into Tullamarine on a Redeye, arriving in the morning. What are my options as regards travelling to Pyalong from Tullamarine?

There's going to be an official investigation into why there was no charge.

No, sorry Nev - I must be a bit slow this week, I didn't pick the subtle motorbike joke.

I recall a mate telling me how he watched an interesting exercise unfold at the boat ramp many years ago, it was probably the early 1980's. One boatie, who owned a Lancia Beta (which was FWD), used it to launch and retrieve his boat. The launching part went O.K. - but the retrieval part wasn't going so well, when my mate came along. The Lancia was spinning and slipping and scratching for traction on the ramp, as all the weight went rearwards with the weight on the towbar (and the ramp angle), and the weight was coming off the front wheels. So a few burly blokes strolled over, and one said to the driver, "We'll just sit on the front if you like, and that should help you out!". The Lancia driver agreed that that sounded like a good idea. So about 4 of these burly lads sat on the bonnet and bumper and the driver gunned the Lancia to haul the boat up the ramp. My mate said, all of a sudden, there was a almighty "BANG!!" from underneath the Lancia. The driver stopped in consternation, pulled on the handbrake, and got out - and he along with the blokes on the front, all peered under the Lancia, to see what had made the dreadful noise. To the drivers even greater consternation, oil was pouring out from under the car, literally in litres per second. What had happened was, when the driver gunned it, and the load really went on the drivetrain, one of the mounting brackets for the FWD suspension/axle setup, has broken right out of the transmission casting! - leaving a gaping hole in this main (alloy) casting, through which all the transmission oil was pouring out!! Needless to say, the burly lads all murmured sympathy with the distressed driver - and then they all quietly walked off! - leaving the Lancia owner to his horror development!!

I guess I was fortunate I was raised on a farm where the food was adequate, fresh and plentiful. As dairy farmers developing a bush block from scratch, money was tight, but I certainly don't recall any food problems. The major problem was not getting paid enough for dairy produce, but there's nothing new about that. As a mate once said, "My old man reckoned you've never experienced true poverty, until you've been a dairy farmer!"

Was the message from you to the seller? It's easy enough to get a screenshot of anything on the computer screen by using the snipping tool. Complain to eBay if you feel your security has been violated. As a long-time eBay seller (24 years), I can tell you, eBay always sides with the buyer, and the seller will be hammered. They should give you a 100% refund for such poor customer service. As a buyer I don't buy off any seller with less than 98% feedback. I've got 100% feedback and have never dropped below 100% all through my eBay dealings. One buyer in Mexico proved to be a right PIA scammer, complaining that both new Caterpillar solenoids I sent, were faulty and didn't work. One, I could believe, but not two. He was just a con-artist, so I refunded all his money and marked down Mexico as a place I won't sell to.

It's not the first time thieves have run out of fuel while being chased by cops.

Spacey, I'm curious as to how you could have seen "old friends", as a child who had left this life?

Spacey had the turbocharger option added to the horse when he bought it.

Trump never reads anything, he brags about having never read a book of any kind.