Cheery's country living adventure

Baileys_Babe

Seems like a sensible compromise on the veg box

Cheery_Daff

Afternoon MSE chums

How are we all? All ok here. My peening jig has arrived, so I've spent some of this morning making a stand for it, and having a bash at, well, *bashing* the scythe. I must say it's most satisfying, I feel like an olde worlde blacksmith sitting in the garden, blade over my lap, bashing away (except, of course, any self-respecting blacksmith would have been able to do this with just a hammer and anvil and their eyes closed )

Little bit more to do, and then I'm going to test it out in the meadow. It LOOKS different though so I hope I've at least improved it, even if it's not perfect... 

What else? Oh! Bike fiasco. I took my wheel to the local bike shop today, and they're ordering me a new wheel and tyre. Also bought some slime stuff that goes into your inner tube to repair small punctures - I have it in the big bike, but clearly not in the small bike, or I wouldn't have been in yesterday's predicament... So that's another job for the weekend. 

Might do YNAB a bit later since it's the first of the month. Should get a small pay rise this month as a result of going up an increment on the pay scale (automatic, nothing to do with anything I've done) but strike pay starts to be deducted from this month (for the next 4 months) so won't see it (but it'll offset some of the reduction a little, at least). 

Right, going to head outside while it's not raining I think and do a bit more bashing!

Karmacat

Lots going on for you, Cheery, as usual Love the sound of the peening - how did it go?  I definitely remember using a scythe on a voluntary project when I was 16 or so, and I *think* I remember sharpening it, with a long thing that looked like the rotary kebab in kebab shops the peening sounds an amazing set up though, very professional looking.

themadvix

The peening sounds fun, totally self sufficient and countrified! 😁 I hope it’s been a success!

Cheery_Daff

Well unsurprisingly peening the scythe actually WORKED, and the scythe is extremely effective! Before it felt more like I was just flattening the grass and just snapping off the long dead stalks, but now I can just slice the whole lot off at ground level, it's like magic.

I can't picture your rotary kebab set up at all KC! I'm imagining smearing meat all over the blade which I don't think is what you mean at all 😂😂 I normally sharpen with a stone, which is kind of a long thin oval - was it similar to that? Normal sharpening still needs doing, every 5 minutes or so, but peening is flattening the edge of the blade after several hours of use. I couldn't believe how much of a difference it made, and it was really easy with the jig. A useful new skill! There's always something to learn, isn't there??

Anyway, I spent about three hours cutting last night and another one this morning, and I have quite a respectable amount done now! I just CANNOT go in a straight line though 😂 I was quite disgruntled about it this morning until I realised that the main reason for going in a straight line is if several of you are scything at once in rows - but there's only me, and because of where I've started in the field (far away from the drove/footpath), nobody will be able to see my wonky rows until I've nearly finished anyway. So I am carrying on my merrily wonky way and not worrying about it too much 😂 and if anyone asks I'll pretend I'm doing it on purpose because of the slope of the field or something 😂

Gosh it's tiring though 😮 Mr Cheery just brought me a cuppa and I could barely lift it 😮😂 My poor arms!! Fortunately we have visitors this afternoon so I can't keep going for the whole day even if I wanted to...

Baileys_Babe

Sounds like a very useful new skill.

I like that your rows are going with the contours of the land 

rtandon27

Cheery_Daff said:

...Gosh it's tiring though 😮 Mr Cheery just brought me a cuppa and I could barely lift it 😮😂 My poor arms!! ...

Forget the gym Cheery - physical labour is the way to go! - You must have burned off a million calories - hope you had a good carb filled meal after all that!😁

Karmacat

Cheery_Daff said:

I can't picture your rotary kebab set up at all KC! I'm imagining smearing meat all over the blade which I don't think is what you mean at all 😂😂 I normally sharpen with a stone, which is kind of a long thin oval - was it similar to that?

It was *exactly* that   No smearing of meat was involved

Normal sharpening still needs doing, every 5 minutes or so, but peening is flattening the edge of the blade after several hours of use. I couldn't believe how much of a difference it made, and it was really easy with the jig. A useful new skill! There's always something to learn, isn't there??
It sounds fantastic, well done you!
Anyway, I spent about three hours cutting last night and another one this morning, and I have quite a respectable amount done now! I just CANNOT go in a straight line though 😂 I was quite disgruntled about it this morning until I realised that the main reason for going in a straight line is if several of you are scything at once in rows - but there's only me, and because of where I've started in the field (far away from the drove/footpath), nobody will be able to see my wonky rows until I've nearly finished anyway. So I am carrying on my merrily wonky way and not worrying about it too much 😂 and if anyone asks I'll pretend I'm doing it on purpose because of the slope of the field or something 😂

Too right, who cares about a straight line - and anyway, you do it in a circular motion, kind of ... merrily wonky sounds just right.

missymoo81

Loving the sound of the scything! I hope you had a lovely afternoon.

Cheery_Daff

Thanks all! 

We've had a lovely afternoon - had a couple of visitors, and at the last minute a couple of other pals rang so we invited them too (they all know each other). Everyone brought food so we were all stuffed, and I have eaten SO MUCH CAKE today 😮 

Nice time though just sitting around, and I've literally just come back in the house now, at midnight. The two impromptu visitors have pitched a tent in the garden and they're still out there with Mr Cheery. 

Feeling SO very fortunate right now to have enough space to safely host people, enough outdoor loo opportunities and a spare indoor loo so we don't have to share facilities, and enough space to be able to offer an overnight tent pitch to pals on occasion. 

Tired now though, and rather annoyingly I've got a video call at 9am and then a 3 hour webinar from 10-1. Typical - normally my days are completely unstructured and I'd happily skive off for a leisurely breakfast with visitors! If they're recording the webinar I might watch it later...