patches

Did my first test of the Little Black Book this past weekend with a "quuck trup to Seednee" to assist the wife on the little one's first flight. The good No major advantage when leaving (as I couldn't use the E-Gate with a baby in a carrier), but coming back solo (wife and little one staying with in-laws, while I work)... so bloody quick! A combination of E-Gate, carry-on luggage only, a pre-filled online travel declaration, and the ability to use the "Aus/NZ Passport - Nothing to Declare" biosecurity queue... I must have got from plane to valet in about 5min. A record!

It's an HBO show, so it may be available wherever one gets their HBO from? ...or other places 😬

EDIT: Seems I missed a valuable SA law update (dated 13 June 2023), so I have removed the superseded information and appended the revised standing, that being SA citizens to obtain a letter of permission to retain SA citizenship when obtaining another citizenship. Change to Dual Nationality Law June 2023 Excepts from the article: As for the SA citizens having to use their SA passports when, that likely still stands. Apologies to anyone who suddenly thought their SA citizenship had been automatically cancelled.

The English is a masterpiece from cinematographically (probably not a real word and can't get my brain around how to say it, but you get what I mean... it looked good!) As for recommendations... I'm currently watching Deadwood (after @greys mention of it). That could give you your cowboy-drama fix. Just note, seems more than half words in the script seem to make reference to a rooster-syphoner.

That was from sweaty palms, clutching it tightly as I wondered whether I would be let into various 1st world countries... ...or let out of some 3rd world ones 😅

Time to retire the Green Mamba. It's served me pretty well over the years, but I won't say it'll be missed (especially all the visas I've had to apply for). Now onto the era of the Little Black Book.

Manitou Swinger (like "Fox Float") is just the general range of rear shocks, which included everything from a air shock with a piggy-back to a coil. It will have to be the Swinger model specifically made for the Jekyll 800, likely an OEM shock used on different model variants of the Jekyll 800. They probably used the Fox on the upper models and the Manitou on the more budget friendly ones. Here's a link to the literature on the Swinger specifically used on the Jekyll 800 https://www.cannondale.com/-/media/files/manual-uploads/manuals/2004_jekyll_manitou_rear_shock_set_up_owners_manual_supplement_en.pdf

What Droo said. Cannondale (particularly Jekyll's) like to use proprietary rear shocks (like the Fox DYAD pull shock on the 2015 Jekyll I once had). Little/no other bikes use them. The Jekyll 800 is no exception. To find something with that same eye-to-eye and stroke that isn't from a Jekyll 800 will be tricky as that bike had the one shock mount midway up the air-can, with a pre-load collar. Jekyll 800 Rear Shock Conventional Rear Shock As you can see the eye-to-eye to stroke ration on the Jekyll shock is quite close, compared to a conventional rear shock. So finding something else with an eye-to-eye that small (not to mention the correct stroke), will be nigh impossible..

Some "looks harder than it is" woodwork... if one can even call it woodwork. So after building this cabinetry we had 2 issues with it Form wise, it didn't look like a study corner, just a PC plopped onto a sideboard Function wise, the shallow desk (430mm deep )and monitor stand mean the screen was about 150mm away form the wall (all up-in-ur-grill) and not very comfortable So I decided to reclaim some real estate, and demarcate the business side of the cabinets, with 2 simple solutions. Height adjustable, low profile VESA mount (from Amazon) Some decorative oak slat panelling (from my local Big Box store)... much less faff than making the slat panels oneself. VESA mount in place with panel cutout around it Was going to route the cables behind/within the slats, but they're kinda camouflaged so not that fussed. Monitor moved back about 80mm. Less in your face,

I'm also heavily into the Yellowstone universe. Up to date on all of them and just waiting for the last episode of Yellowstone and the next season of 1923. Will be interesting to see if Kevin Costner's passion project (Horizon: An American Saga) will be great or not. Good cast. As for gritty westerns, I've probably posted this here before, but if you like em, then The English is definitely worth a watch.

The general rule is: "If the work piece is small, take it to the tool. If the work piece is large, take the tool to it". Something like a bench-top belt sander should do the trick. Or at a pinch one could even turn a random orbital sander upside down, maybe with a simple jig to support. The downside will be that the RO sander won't be as effective in keeping the sides flat. I wouldn't recommend the same with a handheld belt sander, unless you're trying to remove your fingerprints for whatever reason 😅. They're a bit to viscous for fine work.

Have you tried charging the battery in a microwave? *Just in case the joke isn't apparent... Don't actually try this at home! 😅

Anyone who has bought a new iPhone in the last 3 years has already given up expectations of included chargers 😂 As for your predicament, whilst I'm not familiar with dealing in bicycles with electronicals of any sort (eBike or groupsets), I have bought and sold dozens of battery-operated power tools over the last few years and the whole "battery and charger" included thing can be very ambiguous. If there is no mention, some will assume included, others will assume not (unless pictured in ad), so the safest way is always for the seller to state "No battery or charger" or "Skin only". I guess one big difference is with used power tools (and used cell phones) is that buyers have already owned one or more so will likely already have a charger, so assuming it is not included stands within reason. However with something more proprietary and bespoke (like electronic groupsets, or the latest Garmin watch), where buyers are don't exactly have a long line of them historically and the charger just fist that one model, I feel the charger should be included, unless otherwise stated.

About 7 years back when I lived in Christchurch (and still used Strava), I went for a ride at a local trail 5min from home. It was an awesome, fast, rocky downhill style trail called "The flying Nun" After uploading my ride, I noticed none other than Sam Blenkinsop (Downhill World Cup Racer and all-round rad dude) as one of the locals. He was KOM at the back then, but looks like his time still holds pretty well, all these years later

Only in New Zealand 😅 Department of Conservation running a hunting competition with prizes. Almost as kiwi as the School Possum Hunt fundraisers https://www.stuff.co.nz/oddstuff/95252695/possums-and-pig-hunting-fundraiser-for-country-school

Recently watched these 2 comedy series on Apple TV. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15677150/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13366604/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Both are pretty funny, light hearted and easy watching. I probably preferred Shrinking.

There's no daylight savings where you are is there? Aus must be confusing... not only are like 5 time zones (if one includes the islands), but some are a 30min shift and not all states/territories have daylight savings. As for bins the night before... I used to, but between the odd stray dog getting into our food-scraps bin, or the frequent windy evenings (bloody Auckland), I figured for the sake of keeping the kerb clean, I'll just hop-to-it on a Monday morning.

Yup! Even with an infant that wakes us up around 5am old time (6am new time), it was still hard. Also Monday is our bin collection day, so there I was running out in the drizzle wearing PJ's, with recycling bin in tow, as I heard the truck coming up the street 😅

Always remember the 2 golden rules of chamois cream... No double dipping Apply sunblock to face before applying chamois cream

Mucoff... as in the cleaning products? So it also removes dingle-berries?! ...Asking for a friend

Watched a few episodes on a flight some years back. Completely forgot about, thanks for the reminder!

They're slower than usual these days. Visa grant used to come through a day-or-two after biometrics. But with my recently it took about a week. Visa Application: 28/08 Biometrics submitted: 31/08 Visa Granted: 07/09 Also the status on the Immi website didn't change once I submitted biometrics, well not until the visa was granted, and I didn't receive any emails confirming Biometrics were submitted (not from Immi or from VFS), I just trustd them. It just went straight form Application Submitted, to Finalised So yeah, hopefully your Mom's visa will be approved in the next few days.

I've run a few varieties over the years. My favourites have been: Easton Lock-On Used them on my previous enduro bike. They come in 2 external diameters (30mm and 33mm). I preferred the 33mm as it's more padded and opens up ones grip slightly, allowing more blood flow, and less hand fatigue when white-knuckle riding. ODI Rogue Lock-On Used them on my downhill bike. also slightly larger diameter (33mm) so similar benefits to the above. Grip pattern fares well when it's muddy (foam grips can become like bars of soap in the mud). I liked them so much, I even had the MX version on my enduro dirt-bike! ODI SDG Lock-On Use them on my slopestyle bike. Smaller diameter (31mm) for that little bit more wrap around. ODI Elite Pro Have these on my current enduro bike. 32mm diameter, so a nice in-between. The grid on the underside offers great grip for one's fingertips.

A colleague recommended Money Heist on Netflix and mentioned that although it was dubbed (Spanish to English), they said you get so pulled in to the show you forget, haha

I've been using AliExpress since 2014, and placed over 70 orders. From MTB and motocross kit, Macbook batteries, smart home lighting, Garmin watch straps, tools, 3D printer upgrades and even a CNC Laser Cutter (biggest single purchase @approx R16,000) I'd say 95% of the purchases have been as described and I was pleasantly surprised. And of those 70-odd orders, only ONE has never turned up (a R70 reflective vest), which was probably a postage issue. The only downside is the delivery time (which in SA I used to bank on about 2-3 months), here in New Zealand it's about 2-3 weeks, although my most recent purchase arrived in 10 days. When you don't need the performance or back-up that comes with costly branded stuff, AliExpress is the place to go!