Big Ben
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Everything posted by Big Ben
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Life out here is great, know of quite a lot of expats who have moved back but they seem to be the ones who keep to their little groups of Brits. Its what you make it I guess. Most French towns seem to have that deserted feeling, especially at lunch time when they are like ghost towns. We live on the edge of town, but there seems to always be something going on, plus we have Angouleme 30mins north or Bordeaux 50mins south. Two big towns with plenty going on.
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The Lot is next to Correze, just south of Brive I believe. It is nice round there. Yes your not far from us, practically neighbours if the size of France is anything to go by.
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It is a big country, but thats what I love. Plenty of space for everyone. And it does mean you have to travel further for work.
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There is a canal that was built for the monks to bring fresh water to the abbey and this is where it comes out. The main abbey which is mainly in ruins is just across the road from the water feature.
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Thought I would share some pictures I took over the last week, had a few days over at the old dears. The Correze has quite dramatic scenery compared to where we are in the Charente, and we came across some interesting stuff hiding in the woods. Turns out they were all part of the Abbey at Aubazine and as the other half loves her history think we will be going back to find out some more.
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Not exactly metal in wood, but it is in the woods. And would imagine it won't be long before a tree grows through it. Spotted last week when we were out walking.
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Great thread. I had alway been interested in what my Grandad did during the war. I have his medals and a few old photos also have his discharge report from the army (not sure what it's called without looking) basically a write up from his Co. If you can make that out it says he was in 106/78th which I have been told is 106 lancashire regiment 78th artillery division, which made up a part of the 8th army. He did Africa Italy and France. My other grandad was too young and just got into the home guard towards the end. A close friend of the family had some pretty amazing stories, he was shot down in a Lancaster over France and was luckily picked up by the resistance who nursed him for a few months in a crypt in a grave yard(he suffered severe burns) and was the last airman to be smuggled out of France over the Pyrenees
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I got an iPad mini and love it, trying not to spend too much time on it as it is pretty addictive. Just got the arbtalk app on and some other stuff for work and can't see me firing the PC up much now.
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Got an X torq and so far so good, I did have the not dropping to idle when coming off the power. But waited until I had put quite a few tank fulls through it and then tuned it up and its as good as now. Still lovin it.
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Did my apprenticeship in the early nineties, worked for a small family garage in rural Lincolnshire where we would get anything from the locals pushbikes to workshop filling combine harvestors and all inbetween. Also the boss had a bit of a thing in restoring classic cars. None of the above mentioned had any diagnostics on so it was proper old school mechanicing. Quite a few years later worked for a toyota dealer in Collyweston and it was all plug in to find the fault and to be honest I think it was still quicker to find the fault with some basic tools and some common sense.
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Think I have the dreaded screw come loose curse! Just out sorting the van for tomorrows work and noticed the brake lever looked a bit skew wiff. Bolt has come out of the left hand side and another bolt missing from the top cover. Looks like it will be a strip down and rebuild with loctite. Anyone know of a good place online to buy the parts, my local dealer is next to useless, been waiting two months for a new visor for my helmet(got one off ebay in two days)
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Its working a treat Andrew! Not quite as clean as it was in that photo, but coming up to 10hrs now and I'm still chuffed with it. Well worth the trip back.
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Music fills my spare time, playing in just one band now so that should give me more tinkering time in the barn/garage. Current projects are 1957 Lambretta 150d, an old massey 35 and a very old Alto Culto rotavator thing with a villiers engine on it.
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Looks wrong in green.
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I knew a chap who used to do it, dug the hole by hand. He got the sack when they went to put the coffin in it wouldn't fit. And that was a true story.
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Its the same voltage(or near enough) just a different plug, my amp has a voltage switch on the back so guess there is some kind of transformer inside. I do notice when the power isn't what it should be as it seems to lose its ooomph.
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Yeah, I don't mind helping them out, and the plus was a van load of sainsburys shopping. Pork pies here we come. Funny what you miss.
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Had planned a nice few relaxing days over in the Correze at my parents place, sister was coming over in a van so plenty of online shopping done beforehand for her to bring out...lovely! Then get the call, can you bring your saws? Not so much relaxing done after all. But the views were nice. All the Douglas fir has gone, roots pulled out and in French style dumped on the boundry, just this little job left now. 3 hectares of stone picking. The house and gite, so we have been told by the elderly locals it was mostly open fields here and not that long ago. The Arb dog and the better half. Had a few trees go in the bottom pond, ye olde tractor comes in handy for tugging them out. Back home now and off to work for a rest.
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Got to love a good super moto. I have had two. The XT was a bit heavy for full on super moto but the weight made it nice and stable. This thing however was totally bonkers. Never tried a CCM, but always liked the look.
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Here are my three, sort of tree and time of year related.
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Just fired ours up tonight, getting a bit nippy out there. We have mother in law living downstairs, she has MS and feels the cold so I'm surprised we have got this far without the heating on. Some nice seasoned oak is poking out some heat.
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What famous landmark do you live closest too
Big Ben replied to chrisgilltreesurgery's topic in The Lounge
Is that Holmfirth? Been through it in the lorry, nothing like you see on the telly but did have the cafe pointed out to me. Wasn't it called Sids cafe? -
Tonight was peppers stuffed with Lardons,chorizo sausage and home grown chillis. There'll be trouble in the morning.
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What famous landmark do you live closest too
Big Ben replied to chrisgilltreesurgery's topic in The Lounge
I would think about the most famous landmark to me would be St Emilion, you would have heard of it if you like a drop of wine. And then maybe Talmont. Theres probably loads more, just can't think of any.
