Christmas Disasters!

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Howard –

A cautionary tale of woe, though not Christmas related, I recall from your Cock-up Number 3)

And yes that smiley is a deliberate one for a change.

Many moons and Christmases back I was on a caving weekend in Derbyshire, stopping in a local club's rather remote cottage. It had character – electricity from a vintage diesel generating set in an outhouse; and reputedly but not proven the stainless-steel tray acting as sink was an ex-mortuary item. So perhaps in keeping, the pots and pans, especially frying-pans, appeared to be of graphite.

My group returned from our own caving trip to find a rather frosty atmosphere among our hosts. It transpired one member had arrived mid-afternoon, found himself alone so decided to decarbonise the frying-pans. With a wire-brush in an electric drill. Only, he didn't quite finish the task. As one member ruefully remarked about the steak he'd been anticipating,

"It was so covered in aluminium, I couldn't even give it to my dog! "

'

As for wrong change-wheels, my Harrison lathe has a special Thread Cock-up Feature. Its power-feeds and lead-screw are both driven from the change-wheels through a 3-speed gear-box. Took me a long time to discover it wasn't my arithmetic….

[Roger BestParticipant @rogerbest89007]

Round about 2009 I was putting in a heating system. All fashionable mod cons, it centred on a multi-coil water cylinder that would take excess heat from the wood burning stove, whilst being able to take heat from a gas boiler and solar panels. Top and bottom electric heaters provide back up.

Unfortunately i didn't read the building regulations until after I had ordered the stove, so I had to half demolish and rebuild the chimney breast.

This took a considerable time. Obviously the stove had a wet back so the radiators and expansion tank had to be installed, as did the huge new cold water tank in the loft.

So its now Christmas eve and I am installing the wondrous water tank when I feel very unwell.

So I take to my bed with flu.

No hot water. No heating. For several days. I wasn't popular.

[Simon CollierParticipant @simoncollier74340]

Christmas Day I was in bed with severe shingles. Visitors for Christmas were cancelled, but we managed roast pork dinner for just wife and me. Still in bed.

2019 Christmas, my beloved dog was in vet hospital with acute autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Despite blood transfusion and surgery things went from bad to worst and I called it on Christmas Day and put her down, brought her home and buried her. $12,500 for dead dog. The most I have ever spent on a car was $8000. Setting up the workshop cost $6500 initially for lathe, mill and grinder.

I am not looking forward to next Christmas!

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

On Christmas Eve I stopped by the local road block (NSW-Vic border) and told the policeman a joke about why the Indian cricketers could not be infected by the corona virus (they cannot catch anything that comes from a bat).

Poiceman pulled down his facemask, yep, he was of Indian descent. OMG, how embarassing!

Roll on just a few days later and instead of Indian, insert Australian cricketers and the joke still works.

Next time I am stopped at the road block I shall just answer "My mum told me never to talk to strangers"

If you never hear from me for a while it's maybe because I am in gaol. Do prisoners get internet access?

* danny *

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Hi Noel

I stand corrected, was under the impression the battery was Li ion, checked the vacuum cleaner and it is Nimh, doesn’t change the price they are asking though, will pm you.

Dave W

[Author]

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