Ashtead's Journal: 07.08.09 - Summer is here

Ah, finally, when there's two days left of the vacation, there is something looking like consistent summer outside.

I've used some of the previous days, in between rains, to cut down some trees in the yard, removing them with a borrowed trailer and scrape up the side of the car whilst backing with said trailer. Today I was supposed to back it into another driveway and then I hit and smashed the garbage box there (where the rubbish sacks are set up). Me backing up with that trailer seems to be an expensive activity... I had the repairs priced, it will be some 12000 kroner (US$ 2000 or so). Ugh. But it's gotta be done.

And tomorrow another friend is clearing out her place, as she and her daughter are moving to Bergen, so she's been busy packing her stuff. I've been helping her some, amongst other things, begging for banana crates from all the stores around here, fortunately bananas are in high season, but so are the crates -- a lot of other students are moving these days. Anyways, I'll be borrowing this big trailer for a final cleanup there tomorrow, so beware all mail-boxes, gate-posts, and dumpster sheds! Ashtead is at large with the big trailer again!

I've also got a set of new tires for the old Mercedes. We have its kind of weather here now, so I have been using it quite a lot. I still have another 2000 km to drive it this year -- it is insured for 5000 km per year, and it really ought to be driven most of these in order to stay in good repair, so that for example the brakes don't start rusting or seizing. After all the car gets to sit in the garage all winter. These tires probably will last another 8 or 10 years as things are.

As for electronic stuff, I've got another ten Picotux devices, and now I'm thinking of using them for putting various things on the network here. These are interesting units, I keep thinking up more and more kinds of hook-ups; the only drawback becomes that the little Picotux ends up in the corner of a big board full of chips, which kinda negates the size advantage... though it still beats having to keep some old PC hardware (Pentium 100 vintage) alive.

I also got me a new air compressor, so I have all the pressurized air I ever need. This is a big heavy unit, with 150 liters tank and a 5.5HP 3-phase motor. I found out, that on delivery, the compressor motor was connected for 400V, Wye configuration, so I had to change that to the Delta, to match the 230V that I have here. It is common to have 3-phase power in residential areas here, most older areas have 230V, but the newer ones are 400V. We use a lot of power to keep warm during the cold winters....

Which are months away. Right now it is 28 degrees C outside, that is nice and warm -- I think I'll go for a swim in one of the nearby lakes.