Week of 13th May, 2019

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Monday, 13th May

I've stored all the MayDay kit, pending a time when I can work at home without earache from Jane.

Amazon delivered the microSD cards today, although there was a bit of a snafu. If Jane's comment is to be believed, the Amazon minion got 2 deliveries crossed, but eventually I got my memory cards. So, of course, I had to put one to use.

And there's not much more to say than, "It all works". MobiScribe and SD card both. So I can retire the Nook ereader, with gratitude. It has given very good service, so I cannot complain.

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Tuesday, 14th May

Checking the tracking e-mail for the Pocketlab Air shows that it arrived in UK yesterday morning. This is good. What's not so good is that there was a card on the carpet inside the front door today, from my local mail delivery office, saying, "We have a parcel for you, but we can't deliver it, because there is a fee to pay." UKP51 and change, plus the obligatory service charge of UKP8. So just less than UKP60. This suggests that Myriad Sensors shipped the thing without paying duty.

Of course, the delivery office is only open in the mornings, so I can't collect until tomorrow. Or else pay online and wait 2 days. Collection will involve paying cash, which I can do, but I'm not pleased.

And, of course, we have the roofers in tomorrow, to fix a nasty leak. And Jane will be out most of the morning, with little Filip, while I stand ready to allow the roofers in.

Meanwhile, Amazon will deliver 2 of the 3 outstanding things on Thursday. The other one is coming from China, due on 10th June.

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Wednesday, 15th May

The parcel that required duty paid was indeed the PocketLab Air. And there was another PocketLab Weather in the box, as well. Myriad had evidently forgotten that they had offered early delivery of a PocketLab Weather if you sprang for the two-item perk. I got the original Weather in due time, and thought no more about it. Now it turns out I have two - which makes the duty and VAT impost less painful, because I actually have a physical item in my hand to show for the cost of the tax payable.

Of course, Myriad haven't updated the PocketLab app yet, to support the Air, but you can read the sensors from a Chrome App, which works - although it only accesses one sensor box at a time. That said, the Air has extensive storage (so they claim) so readings should be viewable at any time, especially when the stand-alone app is updated. The sensor boxes are at least part-charged. I should charge them before Saturday - and check the outboard power pack batteries, as well.

Amazon have updated to say that the OneTigris MOLLE pouch will be delivered today - which it was. As have the webbing clips. So just the MOLLE snap-hooks to come. They, of course, are coming from China, so there's a shipping delay - until the 10th, they claim. Not that I need them urgently.

The PocketLab Air has a camera tripod insert on the bottom, rather than any other kind of suspension device, so I put in an Amazon order for a suitable tripod screw loop and lanyard. Should be here tomorrow, in good time for the train trip on Saturday. How much I'll carry the Air is questionable, but looping a lanyard round my neck is easy enough. That'll make 3 such - or maybe just the two, if I alter things around.

And early reports suggest around 1000ppm CO2. More on this later.

Blood pressure 131/85, pulse 102, SpO2 99%, temp 34.8 at 19:00.

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Thursday, 16th May

The tripod loop adaptors and lanyards/wrist straps fell through the letterbox this morning, in a very large, all-plastic Jiffy bag - probably 20 times bigger than it needed to be. But it's here, and it fits, so all ready for Saturday.

We've had to get a roofing firm in to replace the roof of the kitchen extension - the tiles had become cracked, probably via other contractors walking on them. That's going to cost UKP2,800 for a full replacement, including the underlying felt and battens. We've used this firm before, when the loft dormer roof required replacement, and they do good work.

Most of the work was done yesterday, and the job will complete today. I will pay, electronically, as soon as I get their invoice, by e-mail, which last was somewhat of a saga. Contrary to expectations, e-mail is not instant. But all is sorted now. We'll need a little more work done later, to get rid of a pigeon infestation under the solar panels, but that shouldn't be aywhere near as much.

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Friday, 17th May

Katy's school is closed for the day, for unknown reasons, so as part of the repair saga at the flat, Jane is attending to assist with furniture moving before the decoration and flooring works.

And now my former energy supplier proposes to collect everything I owe them in one hit - all UKP340-odd. Solving this involves lots of telephone tag and 27 minutes on hold, as I type this. Just because people changing suppliers are not permitted to leave their existing payment arrangement in situ - no, you have to set up a new arrangement.

Or in this case, not. Turns out their computer says my gas bill is almost that much in credit. so set the one against the other, and pay the balance - UKP1.74 by card. and nearly an hour on the call. Mostly on hold.

Now assuming the tin mind doesn't find something to object to, ex post facto, I'm done.

latitude has had his Patch Tuesday for this month. I need to do tord, but that's not so urgent - I hardly use him.

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Saturday, 18th May

Steam excursion, London-Carlisle return,
via Shap and the Settle-Carlisle Railway

This will be a long day - depart London Euston at 07:10, which means leaving home at 05:30, return to Euston 22:30 or so, plus an hour on the Tube afterwards.

I will be closely monitoring speeds on the ascents, using either the Garmin GPSMAP76 or GPS Odometer on the Nexus 5X that used to be on the 3 network. And I'll have lots of battery, both disposable and rechargable, to keep the boxes running. The N5X on Voda. will not be involved in this - that's my active phone, and will be maintained inviolate for comms.

So depart Euston at 07:10, behind Class 86 electric loco 86259 Peter Pan/Les Ross, and head north at speed (up to 90 mile/h) stopping to pick up more passengers en route. Eventually, we reached Carnforth for the loco change - and it was 5690 (45690) Leander.  After shunting, and an hour-and-a-half wait (where I disembarked for a sandwich lunch, we set off again for Settle, via the Long Drag ascent to Ais Gill summit, the highest point on the UK rail network. As I type this at 15:30, we haven't got to Ais Gill yet (a few minutes to go) and then there's the long descent via Ribblesdale and Helliwell, where we will water again.

The ascent to Shap Summit was managed at 30 mile/h or better, and the Long Drag caused no more problems (it's longer, but not as steep (1 in 100, rather than the 1 in 75 of the Shap ascent) So well done, Leander.

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Sunday, 19th May

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