21st November 2014 - On Keeping a Float in the rain!

Thought for the day: " There is a plan to abolish roman numerals - well I can tell you…. Not on my watch !!! "

Well that was a change for a day. The plan was to drop Susie off at the Festival Fields with a ladder and to come back and get my head into a book to learn some lines for a meeting tomorrow in Bridgend. Plans rarely go well. They say in battle that all plans last until the first contact with the enemy. It wasn't the enemy this morning!!

We got there as arranged at 10am and found that we were (probably) with an Owens Lorry Trailer. So we found the newest and cleanest and dutifully put the old generator under the tail. Our petrol gennie has not actually been used for 7 years and then only once or twice. Not even sure that it held any oil, I took the oil and the petrol. In fact it still had oil and after filling with fuel, and using a crowbar upon the stiff petrol "on" swich - a bit of overkill I know but it was the easiest thing to hand and I had no pliers after the lever sheered off, it started first time !!!

In fact a few hours later a Generator also donated by Owens - enough to light Sandy Road, was fork-lifted onto the back so it is currently stinking the Bothy out!!

Twenty minutes waiting and the first members of the choir arrive...  It becomes clear quite early that a bit of help on the top ladder would prove very welcome .. there are lights to fix to the top rails, and the house frontage to secure to the front wall of the trailer

and safety cables are needed for the generator and conversion cables to 13amp and Gaffa Tape  and...    so I found myself working all day !!!

I got away at last at 4pm  and settled down to dog-sit 'Thena against the fireworks - she is not a happy bunnie in the bangs!!!

Meanwhile, the generator was running well and the lights were all in place - and the Victorian Night before Christmas advertised the Cor Curiad Choir very well ... A few pictures ..

After the carnival, it was all hand to the pump as there was an agreement that we would clear within an hour so the volunteer lorry drivers could get away. We were running a little late, apparently due to a serious (perhaps fatal) collision on Pembrey Road which led to the road being closed for a while stopping the lorries from starting their trip to town...    But the drivers were great and helped with taking down much of the high stuff - he was younger and fitter than me - and probably did not have my fear of heights!!

So - we cleared well within the hour and headed home - I must say I ache in every bone in my body ...   but Susie managed to do the event with the help of a few pain killers  - so a happy evening..

And a final shot of the float ..

 Well done to all the lades of the choir for a very long day - a cold, wet, event but still smiling..

And that was my day !!...


Oh! and for the Black and White Challenge - this was at a very wet Tapestry Music Festival many years ago..

-o0o-

Useless item of the day