New Year's Resolutions

[Jerry_Atrick]

Well, with Christmas out of the way, it is time to think of the new year. I normally don't make New Years resolutions, but I hadn't realised until only very recently that, having the wind taken out of the sails of my business coupled with some challenges moving forward, I have had a more defensive and negative disposition - at least more so than normal. So, this New Year, I will be making some resolutions (or goals) for the year. Amongst them will be:

• More time with the family; This is only the second time in about 20 years I have been legally accruing holiday pay, and like the last time, it was a mad rush to take the necessary holiday or lose it (we get 30 days/year hols and can only accrue 10 to the next year). Normally, I would take the holiday, but still dial in (as I have done this year).. However, last week, I took the holiday and only dialled in once... The lead up to Christmas was so much more enjoyable than normal. 
• If not moving, have the family out to Aus for at least 4 weeks. It will be the summer for us, so winter in Aus. There will be the obligatory time in Melb to see the family, then off North, or West (or both). 
• At 57, re-invent myself. I have done this within my industry, but it as been more incremental transformation that re-invention. But, this.year, it is a concerted effort to branch out into something new.. Quite what, I am not sure... But I will be working on it.
• Get this darned project house done. This is a 16th century old rectory that has not had much maintenance done on it in over 30 years, and what was done was done on the cheap. We have kept things ticking over while planning permission was progressing.We now have it, so the plan is to have the lions share what what we need and want done, done. Of course, with the wind out of the business sails, it is a lot harder as just outgoings like insurance, energy, etc., as well as the mortgage, which thankfully isn't huge and has another 3.5 years to run in a fixed rate well below current fixing rates, consumes a lot. But, I will just have to become more resourceful.. something of which this forum (e.g. OME's reno blog) has provided good encouragement, to this four-thumbs per-hand DIY-er.

 

There's a couple more, but these are the main ones.

 

Well, all the best to you all in the new year, and hope it is a good one.

Edited December 26, 2022 by Jerry_Atrick

[Old Koreelah]

Well done Jerry!
You’re still a young bloke with heaps of time to reinvent yourself. Old farts like me are desperately trying to be a slightly better version of the sad bugger I already am.

 

Next year I hope to actually complete a project or two.

[red750]

My goal is to have completed the 1450th aircraft profile by the second anniversary of the first one, on 28 Feb. (Actually it was 29 Feb 2021, but there is no 29th Feb this year). The figure currently stands at 1422, so I've got to find another 28 aircraft. It's not getting any easier. I've got a few lined up, photos collected and edited etc., just got to enter them with history and specs. Mostly forgotten or unknown warbirds. Then I might set a new target of 1500 by the end of the year.

[Old Koreelah]

Red that’s an amazing feat! 
How easy would it be to slip all those profiles into an easily-searched database?

[red750]

Old K, when you enter "Recreational Flying Aircraft" in the browser search bar, I think you will find it comes up with an option which will link you to the summary in 'latest first order'  page, the same as when you click on Aircraft in the RF menu. However, I think you may need to register as a member to view a full profile. My laptop is set up with 'remember me' so I am automatically logged in when I power up. Can't find a log out button to test it.

 

As you know, selecting the category on the right menu bar takes you to a listing in alphabetic order.'

[old man emu]

9 hours ago, red750 said:

It's not getting any easier.

Red,

A good lot of forgotten aircraft were created by Miles Aircraft Ltd. A lot didn't go past prototype stage, but  the number of prototypes was impressive.

 

 

 

10 hours ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

Get this darned project house done. something of which this forum (e.g. OME's reno blog) has provided good encouragement, to this four-thumbs per-hand DIY-er.

A whole reno is a daunting task, but Confucius say, "Finished reno start with first little job". Don't get beaten by the the size of a whole project. Find the smallest job that you can get finished in a short time. Success on a small scale soon grows exponentially. Your best friend is Youtube when you are renovating. Also don't be afraid to front a tradie whenever you see one. They are happy to give you advice on how to deal with a little task. 

 

And think before you do anything or buy anything. It might take you a couple of days to nut out the best way to attack a job that will save you effort and expense, but come the day to do the job and the grinding of the cogs in your skull will show its worth.

 

Now, with you set on the path to restoring your 16th Century rectory, I had best get stuck into restorying my 20th Century wrecktory. But not today. I'm about to head out to go flying. Not necessarily for fun - I have to photograph in-bound reporting points to include in the homemade VTC for pilots coming to the May event at Tooraweenah.

[nomadpete]

7 minutes ago, old man emu said:

A whole reno is a daunting task, but Confucius say, "Finished reno start with first little job".

 

[facthunter]

Confucius said "Man who go  to bed with problem on mind, wake up with solution in hand"  Nev

Edited December 26, 2022 by facthunter

[facthunter]

Man who go on camping holiday may have naughty Intent.  Nev

[Jerry_Atrick]

2 hours ago, old man emu said:

Confucius say, "Finished reno start with first little job".

True - but ol' Confucius hasn't been to this place. Every little job we undertake uncovers a whole raft of additional work that we had no idea we needed to do (and wasn't in the pre-purchase survey). So "finished reno" is not really viable.. and on a property this old which is listed (Heritage, in Aus), the work never actually ends, as we are heavily restricted in what we can do.

 

I won't disclose the best of 3 quotes so far we have had for the plumbing that is needed, all from a "known" pressure flush being required for the central heating (I think in Aus, they call it hydronic heating).  Thankfully the system has old style copper pipes, so they are still going strong  - apparently thicker walls the contemporary specifications. Apart from those, the only other thing salvagable is the oil-fired boiler.. Which will be illegal in about 5 years. Apparently, all but two of the 25 rads have small leaks in the seams, which were uncovered after the pressure flush. We are currently without heating and hot water, as the immersion heater of the old-style water tank just gave up the ghost. Next job, a new immersion heater.. modern ones are much more electricity efficient, and also have over-heat cut offs, which the older ones didn't.. But that is tomorrow's day sorted.

 

But, some jobs have been done. When we moved in, the first decent downpour yielded an indoor waterfall - literally. We got a builder in, and althought the council wanted to approve the materials, replacement plan, etc, the builder wrote to them and said if he doesn't get a move on, there is a real possibility that more structural damage will result.. so they said, "just do it, but make it look sympathetic to the building".

 

Using a hand belt sander, I have taken most of the bitumen paint of the elm floorboards, which are probably a hundred or so years old. Have completely refurbed a detached converted barn.. for Air BnB. We then actually let it for a year to a couple who are now friends, and then for 3 months to another couple - both couples waiting to move into their newly purchased houses.

 

 

Next jobs are big.. and important.. so I won't be doing them.. The roof has a series of leaks.. At first I thought it was because of the leaves, but I got myself a skyvac Atom  (https://skyvac.com/skyvac-united-kingdom/) which was definitely not cheap, and got about 10.5m of poles, and cleaned them.. yet the rain still sees problems of leaks at the roof at the gutters... The camera that comes with the skyvac is way too expensive, so I bought a second hand gopro and created a bracked on the end of the skyvac rods/head, and took some shots (can't use a drone without a permit here within 150m of a building). It yielded some really dodgy repairs.. I also found some rotted cross-frames as well, and some cracked tiles hard to see from the ground.. So, it will be scaffolders and the local builder (who is not expensive). Then there is the plumbing, which I could probably do a lot myself, and then the place needs re-wiring (also, need to split hte supply to the cottage as we may want to either rent it out again, or subdeivide it from the main house and sell it).

 

In the mean time, I will be knocking out partitioned walls and setting up a new kitchen using the existing wiring until the sparky can rewire (which we will have done at the same time as the re-plumb and after the roofing),

 

The garden has been also neglected for over 30 years.. We live in what is called a conservation area, which means we need planning permission to cut down trees. And we have already had to cut down three trees, and need a coouple more. To get the planning permission, we have agreed to plant new trees. Now, in honour of the now converted barn being used for a while in the 1800's as a school or accommodation for Aussie scholars, we want to plant Eucalypts.. If anyone can advise the best species of Eucalypt for a residential block of land, I would appreciate it. Roots can't dig up the drive, and the libs should be resistant to falling off.

 

Lots to do.. Looking forward to it though.

[red750]

That's why my daughter can't wait to get her hands on this place and knock it down and start over. She says there are too many problems to try and fix.

[facthunter]

I wouldn't recommend ANY Eucalypt near a house. I've studied trees all my life and also taught woodwork. Most trees end up being a problem for pipes and foundations and drop branches. One dropped this morning  at about 4 am from an Omeo gum  and the thump of it hitting the ground could be felt through the house floor. I mowed under THAT branch late yesterday afternoon. . Nev.

[Old Koreelah]

5 hours ago, facthunter said:

I wouldn't recommend ANY Eucalypt near a house. I've studied trees all my life and also taught woodwork. Most trees end up being a problem for pipes and foundations and drop branches. One dropped this morning  at about 4 am from an Omeo gum  and the thump of it hitting the ground could be felt through the house floor. I mowed under THAT branch late yesterday afternoon. . Nev.

Sad but true, Nev. I built our house right next to a group of White Box trees, so that they shaded the house on blistering summer arvos- like the one we’re having now.  I was prepared to regularly clean their leaves from my gutter, but falling branches are an existential threat, so have removed the closest ones.

 

Why do big branches break off? A few come down during big windstorms, but others fall without warning on clear, still days. I’ve found white ant damage on a couple. Never park or camp under a big eucalypt.

[Old Koreelah]

16 hours ago, red750 said:

Old K, when you enter "Recreational Flying Aircraft" in the browser search bar, I think you will find it comes up with an option which will link you to the summary in 'latest first order'  page, the same as when you click on Aircraft in the RF menu…'

Thanks Red, but could you elaborate? Could you talk me thru the menu items?

[Jerry_Atrick]

9 hours ago, facthunter said:

I wouldn't recommend ANY Eucalypt near a house. I've studied trees all my life and also taught woodwork. Most trees end up being a problem for pipes and foundations and drop branches. One dropped this morning  at about 4 am from an Omeo gum  and the thump of it hitting the ground could be felt through the house floor. I mowed under THAT branch late yesterday afternoon. . Nev.

Thanks, Kev.. I figured they were probably not too great to have near the house.. I may pass and find a wattle species instead

[onetrack]

You should never plant trees any closer than about 15M-20M from a building, as storms will almost certainly see limbs do damage to said buildings. Of course, the distance is relevant to the final height of the tree you plant.

[facthunter]

Wattles are a short life tree and get very straggly. Look up Pin Oak. Grows well in Armidale NSW and also  Southern Victoria. No disease and deciduous and good to make furniture from.  Shade in summer, sunny in winter. Prune lower branches and it leaves no scar on the trunk, done properly.    Nev

[facthunter]

The leaves go claret and then Parchment colour and don't rot down  very quickly. That's the only down side.   Some cedars are nice. and the proper oak if you're patient. Gums cause problems in every country  they've been exported to. Nothing burns hotter. But ALL  trees will burn some even when they are quite green.  Nev

[nomadpete]

Resolutions......

 

Haven't made one since 1975. An I kept that one all this time.

 

That new year resolution was 'Never make new years resolutions - they are a waste of time designed to make me feel guilty 364 days from now'

[Yenn]

Trees near a house. I would go for a Se Oak. They sound nice. Eucalypts are dangerous and they drop on still days with a terrific crash. They also fall into black soil and will later burn, creating pipes underground where the clay has been burnt. Doesn't help erosion problems.

My New Year resolution is the same as last year and again it will not be broken. Don't make a resolution although I suppose I have.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Yeah - I know - it has been ages since I have done them, too.. But, I figure I need a bit of a change in diretion, and new years resolutions are just one way of setting goals.. I am only setting them for what I want to happen within 12 months.. so as next Chrissie comes, I can measure how far along them I have come.

 

The trick is to make them intentionally a challenge, but not impossible. This year, although I intend to shed a few kgs, it is not in my reoslutions though.. But, it may be a pleasant side effect.,

 

 

 

[Marty_d]

On 27/12/2022 at 9:26 PM, Jerry_Atrick said:

Thanks, Kev.. I figured they were probably not too great to have near the house.. I may pass and find a wattle species instead

Nooo - Wattles are terrible at falling over.  We have heaps around our place and they fall over regularly, as opposed to the big gums which (touch wood) don't.

Just shelled out $750 to get one dropped which had fallen onto another tree and was stuck at 45 degrees.

[Jerry_Atrick]

OK.. cross that one off the list.. maybe a fake tree... 😉

 

 

 

[onetrack]

What's wrong with a London Plane tree? You enjoy raking up leaves, don't you? 

[Jerry_Atrick]

 

Leaves are the bain of my life! The gutters are so high, gutter cleaners will only use cherry pickers, which cost  a fortune. I have selled out a small fortune on a skyvac atom with 10.5m reach and I still can't get to all of the darned gutters... I was a little late this year for the first clear in Autumn, and the darned things spilled over and into the inside walls.. It has been warmer, but wetter than usual, and I have to do a gutter clean every week lest the nasties settle and wreak more havoc.

 

I did say to the partner when we bought this place, be careful what we ask for...