Good News....Bad news....

by The Squirrell 24. November 2009 00:09

29.9.2010

 

For those of you following my ongoing "project" to

build an Enduro Bike, (See last Novembers entry!)

will empathise with todays unexpected events!

 

First the GOOD news! Having sourced my engine (You

can't go wrong with single cylinder Honda!)  John Crookes

(JC Motorcycles at yate! - Pardon the plug!) spent ages drilling

out a siezed engine mount bolt, (after finding that a combination of heat,

thin oil, numerous drill bits and VERY foul language was the key!) I

collected it, and let my friend Lewis begin the clean up operation!

(Watch this space!)

 

The chosen frame has been shot blasted and cleansed of all the old

paint and rust!  I (rather excitedly) collected it and came back to begin

spraying!.....

 

Now thew BAD news!   I primed it, and all looked good....I gave it 3 coats

of white.... TO FIND BOTH PAINTS INCOMPATABLE AND IT PEELED OFF!

 

:-(    Back to the shot blaster again tomorow!!

 

Tags:

A legend !.......

by The Squirrell 24. November 2009 00:05

4.7.2010

 

As part of my ongoing Enduro Bike build, I have got a

running engine now! (Albeit not connected to anything!)


I needed to get the frame and engine to a shot blaster

to clean them up, now I know all is compatable, so I can

begin the build in ernest.


I needed to move said frame and engine though....

I struggle to lift REALLY heavy things (Like a motorbike

frame with an engine installed!) due to operation injuries

which still catch me out!....


Step up the LEGEND that is Emily Mitchell !.....I bet her

she could not get the whole lot in the back seat of my

(Trusted old workhorse!) Volvo.....


She and her friend Kirsty struggled, wrestled, got covered

in oil, bumped knuckles, (Broke nails?!!)


But............................................

 

 

Tags:

Genius or Madness?!........

by The Squirrell 23. November 2009 23:59

Firstly my thanks, and ever growing appreciation to my

darling Jane ! x


She NEVER utters the words....

"Christ! What hair brain idea now.....?!"

Or

"I hate to say I told you so !..."

Or even

"Nope! You can take that back, to where you found it!...."


My latest flash of "genius" came from a (Valid and very sane!)

suggestion from Jane, along the lines of, "As winters drawing in, why don't

you get a "little project" to do?.....Inside?......Perhaps a model?...." So I

(In true Matt fashion!) lept on this, and (In true Matt fashion) began to

do my research and look at Airfix kits etc....Then realised, this was NOT

"True Matt fashion"!!.....

 

So scaled things up a bit, set the bar a bit higher, donned my thinking cap,

considered my (limited spacial options!) and financial status, and had

another flash of genius!....(Or madness??!)


I decided, I am going to build an Enduro Style Motorbike, and road register it!!


What could possibly go wrong??!.....     

 

:-)


 

Tags:

Yawnsville!.....

by The Squirrell 19. November 2009 18:06

Thought I'd give my Jane a litle treat!....


Drove her up to Birmingham (Bullring) for dinner, and

to see Eddie Izzard "Stripped" show....


Was very dull, and not his normal standard!....Would

advise saving your money!

 

We left halfway through!

:-(

 

Tags:

Sad day....

by The Squirrell 18. November 2009 23:03

Sad day yesterday...


I lost my old friend Martin Gould. We shared laughter

(And a few tears over the years!) I will miss him greatly,

espectially our lunch time "sneaky glass of wine" & a home

made sausage roll !


R.I.P my old mate....

 

 

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I hate needles!!....

by The Squirrell 17. November 2009 17:28

My blood tests weren't great at QEH, so had to have

more taken at my GP and I'll have to send results to

QEH for them to review.....(CK levels a bit high?)


So muppett here decided to blood tests, H1N1 Flu jab,

and flu jab ALL AT THE SAME TIME!....

 

Dam I hate needles!!


 

 

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Mundane made fun!.....

by The Squirrell 11. November 2009 09:15

 

Funny isn't it....
 
A year ago, simple tasks would fill me with dread,
like washing cars, tidying up, hoovering etc etc.....
 
Now, I embrace them, and get quite excited by the
excuse for exercise!!....(Silly eh?!) Caught myself
getting excited about buying an incinerator, and the
thought of raking up the leaves etc, as it would be good
exercise in the garden!!
 
I wrapped up, raked up! and had a top day in garden!
My new heart kept pace well, and didn't seem to bothered
by all the exercise! Now I am pooped out, BUT HAPPY!!

(Hopefully more leaves to come, and excuse to get out there again?!)


 

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Woo Hoo!!.....

by The Squirrell 3. November 2009 13:41

Got my results from QEH....


Rejection test ok!....Out of Hospital a bit longer!


Got few "blood issues" but hopefully a giggling of the

pills and dosages will eliviate this, and prevent the agonising

muscle cramps and nausea?


Just got to focus on "No rejection" and keep chin up!   :-)

 

 

 

Tags:

QEH........Wish me luck!

by The Squirrell 1. November 2009 19:36

QEH today for biopsy, ECG, Echo, X-Ray, blood tests

and rejection tests....


Wish me luck!...

:-)

Tags:

"Bentley Boys".....

by The Squirrell 29. October 2009 15:02

TOP day out yestrday!


Dad and I were the guests of Bentley, and were SO lucky

to get a factory tour (And tasty lunch! - You know me and my stomach!)


HUGE thanks to Claire at Bentley Birmingham for organising it all and

for driving us up in such style! Thier factory is awsome and the work that goes into

hand stitching the leather, selecting the walnuts/woods, and the engines....Don't

get me started!! WOW!! (Twin turbo W12!)

 

Also BIG thanks to Simon Uglow at Bentley for sparing his time and giving us such

an informative, and interesting trip around thier state of the art facility!


Sadly, no pics were allowed, so you'll just have to imagine!   ;-)

 

 

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About Matt.

My name's Matt. I was born with a congenital heart defect which hampered me in my youth, and sadly became a terminal conditon recently, and beyond the (amazing) care of the BRI-Bristol Heart team.

In 2008, my condition deteriorated, to a point I was happy to see Xmas 2008. I had prepared to die.

Then in January 2009, a late night phone call from QEH-Hospital Birmingham changed my world, when they offered me a heart transplant, if I could get there pronto!!

6 months on, after a rocky start, I am still alive, thanks to them!

Read on to see how my new life is taking shape, and my adventures to date!....

 

Matt.

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