Christmas is a weird old time of year in our house, I always look forward to it but once it's here I can't wait for it to be over. I love the over indulgence, the assorted packages of sweet treats that promise so much more than they deliver, the roast turkey and the excessive alcohol consumption. I just miss my workshop time. I find that I can cope with Christmas eve, Christmas day is ok until I fall asleep in front of the fire but by the evening my thoughts have always turned back to all the jobs I have to do. By the end of Boxing day I have had enough and feel an irresistible desire to go and make or repair something.
To be fair I have more jobs than usual that are half way through this year, stuff I didn't get done because I have taken to much on and because I have been a bit lazy. Self employment is tough and when you get extended difficult periods it's easy to lose your spark - this is where I find myself right now, loads to do but no real drive to do any of it. That doesn't mean I am totally idle, it just means I am doing the things I want to do rather than doing the things that pay the bills.
I am still waiting for parts thanks to Yodel being the most hopeless delivery service ever, I can put up with the occasional late delivery, what I won't put up with is lying drivers that say that I refused a parcel and then say they handed a parcel to me, which I then put in the boot of my car. Because one shows as refused and the other shows as delivered ebay won't entertain a refund. I intend to go to the small claims court in the New Year, all the drivers have tracking, which will show absolutely that they made no attempt to deliver either parcel.
Anyway I didn't get anything that I can use down the workshop except for one of them universal sockets with the numerous hardened pins that will grip on any bolt head up to about 17mm, I will give it a try and see how it performs.
I don't think I will venture outside today, it's wet, cold and windy, I think I will sit indoors in the warm planning what I am going to do and try to actually get some things finished for a change. The Bianchi still needs a chain guard making, it also needs wiring. Neither job is massively complicated although both are fairly time consuming. Once that is done it will go in to storage to give me a bit more room. The Motobecane is finished but I want to add the fairing that I have for it, I sprayed that back in November but it was too damp and the paint bloomed so that needs to be redone. There is a wee bit of wiring needed on it. That will then go in to storage with the Bianchi, I still haven't test ridden it as we have not had one single day when it hasn't been wet or the road hasn't been covered in mud. I have been waiting a good 2 months now.
The Maserati racing moped is nearly finished, the engine is back together and in the frame, it has not been run yet. The seat needs to be re-covered, there are numerous small jobs to do before that is finished, the tank needs painting as well.
The Triumph drag bike has taken up an awful lot of time and needs an awful lot more before that will be finished. I need to order some methanol for when it's ready for testing, I also need to build a paddock starter for it, I need one for the Maserati as well as being full race bikes neither have kick starters.
I need to finish off the paintwork that I did on the chopper back at the end of last Summer - just needs some 1000 grit and some cutting compound before it gets some nice wax on it. That's another one that will go to storage to free up some more space.
I have acquired another bike, this time it's a joint venture with my mate Malcolm, who normally only does cars. He expressed an interest in adding to his extensive car collection, which is nearly all rare or ex race stuff. My mate Steve and his son Jack had this beautiful and ultra rare Bergen 175 Faria for sale, I didn't have enough spare cash for it but Malcolm did. A deal was done, I should be going to pick it up soon. It doesn't really need anything apart from a few touch ups here and there and the paperwork needs applying for. I will deal with that side of things.
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