An Old Forgotten Poem

About nine or ten years ago I wrote this poem and forgot all about it, I recently found buried in an old file I hope it amuses all who read it.

My Mistress

I quietly lay down beside her,
I hope she will not wake.

Her body warm and tender,
Hair of golden flowing highlights
Like moonbeams on the lake.

Her gentle words are loving,
And music to my ears.
I’ve done all my roving,
It’s hear I will spend my years.

She knows when she has hurt me,
The pain oh she can see.
Just one word of kindness,
I am sure I will forgive.

I love her soft caresses,
When she thinks I am asleep.
Her fingers touch me gently,
I slumber oh so deep.

Oh yes I love my mistress,
Like most would love a God
For I am a Newfie
A big black giant dog.

Junes Birthday Pics

Sunday saw June’s 60th birthday arrive, here’s some pics of what she received

Balloons and a lovely mirror compact from Maureen

Flowers from me

Flowers from all the family

A little special present from me it’s a new white gold wedding ring

Bought a new Laptop Computer :)

After nine years of using a laptop for navigation on my boat I thought I should upgrade from using Windows 98 to vista, some might see vista as a down step but my old Compaq computer was stretched to run windows 98 So what have I upgraded too? Another Compaq or to be precise a Compaq Presario CQ60-214EM

With 3gig of memory it’s a tad larger than the old machine which has 128MB of ram and the new machine has slightly more storage space up from 11 GB to 250GB So what about the price, well back in 2000 the Compaq Presario 1800 cost over £2000 this slightly better machine cost £350

But the cost of the new machine is a little more because I’ve had to upgrade my Euronav SeaPro software from SeaPro 2000 which run on Windows 98 to SeaPro 3000 which runs on Vista. I’ve also had to change the dongle that Euronav use for security to their software from a printer port dongle to a USB dongle plus I’ve had to buy a serial port to USB converter to plug the GPS navigation data from the boats navigation into the computer. So that little upgrade has cost another £250 Oh! I forgot to mention all my world charts are updated too to 2009 so that’s a little bonus

You may not understand what the SeaPro 3000 is or does, well to simplify, your present position using GPS is shown overlaid on the charts, you click on the chart where you want to go, it then takes you there offsetting any tidal currents or wind, or in other words it drives the boat using the auto pilot steering, when it gets to the point on the chart it beeps and waits for new instructions. So in the meantime you can act as lookout or even sunbathe or even make up cup of tea

Another useful tool is AIS which overlays ships positions on the chart, it shows the ships name, it’s heading and it’s speed, useful to know as to avoid any bumping into each other. If you would like to see AIS in action you can get a live view here http://www.shipais.com/index.php just click on any area and you will see what ships are on the move at this very minute in time.

So with the kitchen nearly finished I’ve been busy finishing the hallway

Just to remind you what it originally looked like here’s a pic

First job was the wooden paneling is removed and the wall plastered including the sides of the shelf the model boat is standing on.

Then the glass wall was taken out and a new shelf made from American black walnut was installed and a new frame. Then lights were installed above the shelf and a frosted acrylic sheet was put into place.

Quite a change from the original pic

So how does it look at night?

With the room behind in light but no other lights on.

With the over lights turn on and all the room lights turned off.

Limestone tiles are up and finished :)

A step nearer to finishing, all the limestone and glass tiles are done. Just waiting for four frosted glass doors and the hob top hood plus two new roller blinds.

Kitchen Refurb drawing to a close :)

After nearly two months of upheaval were now on the home leg of finishing the kitchen remodel. We’ve still got a list of tuit’s to do like , Some plastering then the Limestone wall tiles go on the walls, some glass shelves missing from several of the wall units as is the frosted glass doors for the same units, the fridge freezer has to be got back into place (four man job) the hob top hood is still missing, the blinds have to be replaced, paint the rest of the walls and doorways, and the tap in the picture has to be changed to a bridged lever type.

Hopefully one more week should see it finished

Can you see me mum?

Newfie’s aren’t very good at playing “Hide & Seek”

Chess Table Design and Build

Well I’ve started to design a chess table that I’m entering in a competition on UKWorkshop. I’m happy with the actual table top which incorporates a drawer but I’m undecided with the first draft for the legs. I might remove the cross brace and add stretchers or rails just a little lower than the top rails.

Here’s a pic showing the drawer open.

The materials planned are American Black Walnut because it’s got to match existing furniture and I’ve got several planks that have been stored in the house for months, so no problems with it acclimatising. The lighter squares will be sycamore, and sycamore & ebony inlaid stringing.

Here in the Mk 10 version I’ve added Ebony stringing and Sycamore around the actual chess squares to see what it looks like.

No doubt the will be a Mk 11 coming to this screen soon

So here it is the Mk 11, with new rails instead of the cross braces.

Yes I think I like it better than the Mk 10.

To give some idea of the size here’s a pic with some measurements.

Yes it’s only small, but big enough to be used as a coffee table should the need arise.

I’m Twelve Years Old Today

I’m twelve years old today the 24th April, my mummy’s name was “Velvet
Gun’s ‘n Roses of Culnor” my proper name is “Lace,n Gold of Culnor” I
and my mummy were bred by Lucie Stevenson from Barnstable in Devon. I
now live in retirement in Cornwall.
Today as it’s my birthday I’m allowed to get wood shaving all over me
as I love to keep an eye on my dad as he makes a mess in his
workshop

Tonight I’ve been promised a chocolate cup cake…… Hmmmm!

This was me when I was seven weeks old

Kitchen Remodel

Well the old kitchen cabinets were removed today (Friday) but work started on Wednesday with removing all the floor tiles, it took two of us all day and in the end it resulted in using a kango hammer to remove them We also removed the tiles in our cloak room which is adjoining the kitchen these became almost impossible to remove and in the end we had to take the whole floor up and relay a new floor.

Here are pics as it looks at this moment

Tomorrow I have to cover the whole floor with some 6mm ply and on Monday the fitters are back to fit all the cabinets.

A new sub base is down including the cloak room, it won’t get tiled until the kitchen is fitted.