Local Weather

According to some of the Perth locals the recent winter weather has been freezing with frost on the ground in the morning.  Even my sister (born in NZ) has said its so cold she is heading to Bali for a week in an effort to avoid the winter cold.   It’s interesting how one becomes acclimatized.  The temperature has never dropped below 16°C (60.8°F) and it was dew on the ground… not frost!  I shouldn’t be too critical of the complaints as I remember our return to NZ from two years living in Singapore.  We arrived back in the middle of winter.  I had to go to work, however Jan and the children spent their initial fortnight huddled together in the double bed with the electric blanket. 

There has been more progress with the outback camper trailer modifications.  I’m fitting a ‘Stone Stomper’ and some angle iron underneath as the support for a long mudflap.  One of the hazards towing a trailer off sealed roads is the stones can flick out from underneath the 4x4 striking the trailer (or caravan).  This can both damage the trailer/caravan and result in the stones ricocheting back against the 4x4 chipping the paintwork or even smashing the rear window.  The Stone Stomper is a length of heavy mesh cloth that is the width of the rear of the 4x4 and which extends back horizontally under the trailer.  The idea is it prevents any stones coming out from under the 4x4 hitting the body of the trailer/caravan.  however that isn’t enough for me.  I’m concerned all these stones will ‘shot-blast’ the suspension and underside of the trailer.  In an effort to reduce this I’m fitting a length of angle-iron across the width of the trailer at the rear of the ‘A’ frame.  The angle-iron will have a triangular shape with the apex pointing towards the 4x4.  My plan is to fit a vertical rubber skirt (old conveyor belt rubber) to the angle-iron.  My theory is all the stones coming out from under the 4x4 won’t be able to rise because of the Stone Stomper.  The will then strike the arrow shaped rubber skirt and be defected to either side of the trailer.  Well that’s the theory!

Meanwhile Jan has been busy baking in the kitchen.  Some lovely smells have been emanating from that part of the house.  The peanut butter and oatmeal biscuits look and smell delicious.

Unfortunately I’ve been forbidden from tasting them.   Jan has sternly informed me they are not for me.  Moreover Molly would probably snarl if I put my hand anywhere near them.  Yes readers, Jan has baked dog biscuits for Molly. 

Oh…. I appear to have found yet another small project.  The large plastic bag on the ‘man cave’ sawdust extractor has a hole in it which was probably caused by a splinter.  Now the bag spews out sawdust through the hole when the extractor is running.  Replacement bags are $25 which seems rather excessive.  I have an idea on how it might be possible to replace the plastic bag with something more substantial.