Below is our 1863 Albion Press Our newest machines (2009) are a full colour, high speed digital press and a 5 colour (including white) Direct to Garment press. Craft and technology in harmony.

Vertical Miehle C1935 - 1940 I just bought one from America and had it shipped over

Mark & Graham Pressman The Bungalow Cart Gap Road Happisburgh Norfolk NR12 0QL Telephone 01692 582 292 Mobile:- 07990 731 058 email graham.pressman at catseyepress.co.uk We want to help you. Please phone!

Friday, 22nd January 2010

Weather observations

Time - 09:14hrs
Wind speed - 5.1m/s S.E.
Temperature - 1C
precipitation - only slightly misty
Conditions underfoot - A little bit muddy
Sky - Bright but completely overcast
Sun - in hiding

It's an Alex day today! I enjoy sharing what I have learned of life and graphics with him; although I fear the weekly sessions are not long for this life. I really should learn from my own advise to Irene when she had students studying under her. My plan for today is to try to print the headers for The Happisburgh Heckler. Newsprint and rollers are due to arrive today at some time. I shall try to have the type set ready for that/those time/s.

I know I want to have a line drawing of an Albion as a backround device; pehaps in purple, suggesting a lack of political allegance to either red or blue, but being inclusive of both. As to them lib-dems! I dunno if they deserve any recognition, because my Liberal Democrate MP voted in favour of the smoking ban, despite admiting that I had made good points and had won the discussion on the subject. Bad Man! Maybe mix a little orange into the purple. Maybe I am too cross with the idiot MP, to do so. I accuse him of voting with party policy, in order to further his own carrer! I have no proof, but I have my suspicions! His name is Norman Lamb and he's been given responsibility for Health. With that portfolio, in the offing, it's no wonder he describes himself as an ex-smoker and votes like a fool against his long established claim that he is a defender of personal liberty!!

I finished the Potter book yestrday; thank goodness! Now I can have my time back. It is a very good book, indeed. Mark keeps telling me that we have the 1st 4 years in book format in the house, but I really don't want to loose that much time. Books have turned out to be worse than television in that respect! I suppose I might concede that I lack self-control when it comes to a good story; but I might remain in Cleopatra - in de Nile.

2:06pm
Alex just emailed to say he's not coming today. I suppose I can now begin to plan to do something for myself now!

I think I'll get on with the Happisburgh Heckler, as I was going to do it with Alex. There's a good play on the radio. I can stand and set more type, listening to that.

My old OKI just turned up following a good servicing. Thanks DTP!

Paper for the Heckler and inking rollers for the Miehle have arrived. I am not strong enough to hang the rollers. I shall have to wait for Mark to do it.

19:30hrs
The first copy of the header of the Happisburgh Heckler is printed. What fun! Maybe I'll set type for the 1st front page tomorrow.

Limbs ache
Lungs pant
Dry air
Quaff a pint!

Thursday, 21st January 2010

Weather observationa

Time - 09:17hrs
Wind speed - 2.4m/s
Temperature - 4C
precipitation - misty
Conditions underfoot - Muddy without puddles
Sky - Bright but completely overcast
Sun - in hiding

The trouble with a good book is that it takes all one's time. In that respect they are worse than TV.

Tuesday, 19th January 2010

Weather

Time - 08:12hrs
Wind speed - 0m/s
Temperature - 2C
precipitation - mistier than yesterday
Conditions underfoot - Muddy without puddles
Sky - Bright but completely overcast
Sun - in hiding

The webcam seems a failure to date. I can see myself in all 4 of our PC's. Steve cant see us and and niether can Rene. I have no idea why, so it seems to have been a waste of £18.00. If anyody can tell me that they can see a picture, I may persevere.

Later
Webcam a waste of time and money! deleted!

We've been off-line for most othe day again, today. We're on now, but 135Kbps! Redicoulas!

Monday, 18th January 2010

Weather

Time - 08:42hrs
Wind speed - 2.1m/s
Temperature - 2C
precipitation - a little misty
Conditions underfoot - Muddy without puddles
Sky - Bright but completely overcast
Sun - in hiding

Our phone line is down this morning, but BT is forwarding incoming calls to our mobile free of charge.

The phone line is up and down, for now, as far as I can tell.

You will notice that we now have a webam up. For a little while, I will leave it on for all surfers, but in due course (a day or so), I will return the rotating pictures, so that you get the webcan on 1 in 11 occassions (controlled randomly). There is, of course, a small bandwidth issue if I leave on on every page and lots of people use it.

I'm sorting type again today. You can watch the paint dry on me if you like.

Sunday, 17th January 2010

Weather

Time - 16:22hrs
Wind speed - 2.8m/s
Temperature - 4C
precipitation - none
Conditions underfoot - Muddy without puddles
Sky - Bright
Sun - Round and yellow

What I have been doing today is re-laying more type cases, ready for use. It takes hours, but wll save days of wasted effort.

Mark has been bringing stuff from Home to Roost nearly all day. Each day he does that is a day nearer to it being ready to offer to let. The only other thing he has done is to print and laminate some posters for The Hill House Inn. They have some events coming up.

Saturday, 16th January 2010

Weather

Time - 18:00hrs
Wind speed - 4.5m/s
Temperature - 4C
precipitation - Heavy rain
Conditions underfoot - Muddy with puddles
Sky - Rain cloud
Sun - No

I am thinking about the possibility of entering weather conditions on this page. Let's see how it goes. This is a good start.

The last of my letterpress printing equipment arrived today. Woopie! Thanks Mark! My next step is to sort the type, because it is quite out of sorts, and to clean it of all old ink, as well as discard any battered items. My new inking rollers for the Miehle are due next week, all being well. I have my eyes open for a number of type cases for the several new fonts I have.

I also find that I have a very good supply of Times typeface, in roman, italic, bold etc. in a full range of sizes, but no sans serif set in the same abundance of variety of sizes. It has never occurred to me before, but is something that I may perhaps need to rectify. I do have a vast selection of display sizes and faces.

Mark has printed, and is laminating, some posters for The Hill House Inn

I am still thinking about The Happisburgh Heckler. I have invited a couple of people to submit articles. nothing yet!

I have some plate material, of quite a hard type, and am considering some of a softer type and make, which I used as an apprentice. Because this material comes in huge minimum quanities, I am waiting till I find out how much I am actually going to use the Miehle. I also have to get half-tone negs down pat. So far I am not doing well in that department. My line-negs are great, but I simply seem unable to make half-tone plates yet. The professionals tell me I need an "imagesetter". That sounds like a lot on money for something I may not be using very often. The cheapest I can see, second hand is on ebay at £200 for now and the next one up is more like £1500. I'm not paying that much, for sure, as I will not be using it very often!

Thursday, 14th January 2010

I've been trying to buy some newsprint. There is a huge paper mill in Kings Lynn called, something like, Palm Paper. They wanted to know how muny tonnes I wanted. Hmmm! Then it truned out they only make it up to 45gsm. That's the weight of toilet paper and no use, really, for anything other than packaging stuffing or fire-lighting. I gave that up as a bad job. I had already tried my own paper merchant. They had it at B1 size in 45gsm and another company I use now and again had the same problem. B1 won't go under my guillotine. I finally tracted down some 80gsm Crown size at a company who make giftware. I have no idea what kind of a gift uses newsprint, but so be it! They usually sell it at Crown (20" X 30", which only our hand powered guillotine will handle, but who cares, it still works after a fashion, after 100 odd years!) in packs of 25. I said I would like a ream and they said they will get back to me with a price. It seems they may have forgotten, as they did not call back.

What would I want newsprint? I fancy printing a village broadsheet. Just now and again. Villagers can write their own aticles, so there can be no mistakes. I just fancy printing a village broadsheet. Something very old-fashioned looking! I'm a printer! I just like printing things.

I have put some little golf-ball boxes up on ebay. I think lake-balls would look better in a nice professional box. So I made some.
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You can also buy them from my web based shop or call in if you really want them that badly and don't mind waiting whilst I make them 4 you. You can watch if you like!

I've printed a Ring Bound Manuakk or Ferguson tractors, and that is ready to go to Holland, when the customer pays. Not that the money matters.

I made a book about TVO for a visitor who wanted to know all about it. \\\\\\\\\\he turned out to be a retired printer, like me and was much impressed (pardon the pun) by the Miehle. He told me of all the type the company for which he used to work, had scrapped. I don't like those stories. Non-the-less it was good to yarn with another letterpress printer.

Our local brewer came into the pub last night, on the offchance of selling a barrel of his beer, I think. He hasn't made any bitter, but he has made some that tastes like chocolate, or some-such. I do wish these brewers would just make beer that tastes like beer! I'd had enough to tell him so more than once.

Alex is coming tomorrow. I am not exactly sure what we will do. I want to wind up last week's work. Then we may talk about writing HTML without a WYSIWYG programme.

Saturday, 9th January 2010

How's your weather? Mines normal winter weather thanks. That's that dealt with then! Mark drilled and fitted my sucker bar on the Miehle today. Mark's driling and Darren's alluminium welding are both spot on! Brilliant work men!

Parcel Force didn't collect my roller stocks on Friday and no-body has contacted me, despite them having email address, phone number, and real address. That will, of course mean that I will have to wait 3 days for them before I can ask them. I'm cross about that, to tell the truth.

I'm increasingly perplexed. I have just learned that DVLA are declining to SORN our camper and declining to accept payment of road tax for it. Does that mean, bearing in mind that it is fully insured, but not on the road, that we are law-breaking? I honestly don't know. That's the trouble with SORN as a law. It presumes guilt of something and that something could be any number of things! Grrr!

NNDC keep writing to ask when we are going to knock our bungalow down or move into it. That's odd really! They have sent VOA round to see if it is habitable; and they seemed ambivolent. They said they planned to declare it OK. I have no idea why NNDC would want to ask such a wierd question. If we planned to, how could we say with any certainty when we planned to do it. That would be prophecy. I have never been a prophet or a sooth-sayer. To predict such a thing would, in my view be nothing more than a wild guess. Anyway! We have NO plans to knock it down. We have only just bought it! Odd woman! Oh! I swhould mention that FULL Coucil Tax is paid-up for both The Bungalow and Home to Roost for the whole year; so it's not that we are fiddling anyhing like that. Oh! We checked it has full residential status, with NNDC, before we bought it.

All that aside, I am not best pleased with my new £18,000 Toshiba digital printing press. It's doing it's normal work OK, but you know I am not that normal in my printing interests. I want to print a particularr job and it won't do a very good job of it. It WAS doing a good job of this particular product, now it's not. The engineer has been twice and admited that he is unable to fix it. He agrees that it is not working right, but can't do anything about it. That's odd too! Sorry! That's not any good to me. It's within a spit and a fart of being returned as "not fit for purpose"!

In fact, I am more tempted by the day to return to proper letterpress printing as the best option. I am rather tempted to try making a 4 colour see if I can still do 4 colour work. That would be a turn-up for the books; if letterpress was still better than digital, after all these years! A can' see it!

Wind turbines in the North Sea
I read in the paper today taht Crown Estates has agreed to allow the construction of some 6000 wind turbines off the east coast of the UK. Brilliant! Now let's see it happen! All we have to hope then is that the designers have done their jobs right. Already I have heard 3 people asking me how ships are supposed to navigate. My answer is that they caqn drive between them, as far as I care, if they can or they can drive round them. I really don't mind to much. I sincerely hope no-one is going to try to hold things up over such things. That's a matter for the planners. Not the public! e.g., whay would a shopkeeper in Stalham even ask the question as his first volley on the subject. Has he vaid opinion about the principle, without thinking up possible problems to shipping.

Compare a few sqaure miles of sea, given over to wind turbines to 5 nukes or having insufficient electricity for our needs and desires! No contest! It's the same as always! Choices! Make-em and pay the price with a smile on your face.
5 nukes
6000 wind turbines 5 miles off-shore
Not enough trickery to go round

I hope they don't forget tidal and wave enegy, here on the east coast. Those methods would be stunning too - and they would provide for a little diversity of supply!

Thursday, 7th January 2010

We had an interesting evening in the pub, last night, with friends. I related the fact that I had heard on the radion, a comment which said "and then we have these unregulated cowboys selling firewood". Do what? Whoever would want to regulate the sale of firewood, for heavens sake? That's something they gave up in medeval (how the heck do you spell that? and don't say T H A T ) times. But it's true!

A throw-away remark on BBC radio on Thursday, becomes the subject of a Government QUANGO on Monday, a Volutary Scheme the following month and entwined in legislation within the year. Their plan is to nibble away at small minority groups and occupations, one at a time, in such a way that one by one we all fall under their control. What's worse is that the electorate actually SUPPORT this process!

Our local pub had a phone call recently (or was it a vist? I cannot remember) from a police person who invited them to join a "volutary scheme" in which anybody who is banned from 1 pub, has their identity sent to all other pubs and, when they go and ask to be served, their identity is checked against a list and if they have been banned at one pub, they cannot get served anywhere! Hang on and think about that for just one moment please! On the surface, it sounds like a perfectly reasonable scheme to make life safer and more pleasant. After all, who wants to be drinking quietly in their local, when, in comes a stranger, who disrupts the entire place and messes the whole evening up for everybody?

But! You walk into a pub, the barman sees you, checks your appearance against a pile of photos of baddies, to check you are not on the list and then, if you pass that test asks you if he or she can help you. That would never work! No barman has the time or the interest in checking through a pile of mug-shots every time a stranger walks in So what happens? Does the entire scheme fold? Not on your Nelly! Before you know it, we all have to carry ID cards, so that your card can be pushed into a card-reader to check that you are worthy of being served before you can buy a drink. 'That's OK by me', says you. 'I haven't done anything wrong wrong! I'll clear the check.' Oh will you? Are you sure? What if a ruck broke out and you got your ID taken just because you were there? Remember, your ID has been scanned as you walk in. The descision is being taken by the barman, not a judge! He might just hit the "everyone in the bar" button. You may have gone home. Did you "log out"? Come on! This is hideous!

It's no different to me, as a printer, being asked, as I was not so long ago, to join the new met police voluntary scheme in which it would be my duty to run an ID check AND a credit check on ALL my customers, to prevent fraud! That's STUPID! and I WILL NOT do it! Now I will become a "cowboy" printer in a month or a year or some time soon. Look! If Joe Blogs comes to me and asks me to print identity cards for Peter Browne, what do you think I am going to do? Yep! I'll use my common sense! I pay policemen to deal with

Let's examine this word cowboy! Erp! It don't mean hearder of cattle, now, does it mister? If means bad person who will do anything to turn a dishonest buck and probably do the job very badly and at huge expense and probably con. every customer he can. Does that sound like me? Does that sound like you? What trade or profession are you in? If you don't join their next voluntary scheme this week, you will be a cowboy in a year or so's time. You'll be next! These people are no better than the 3rd riech or whatever thay called themselves. Be warned!

Someone has to stop these schemes! Once more there were 4 of us standing in the snow last night when we wanted a fag. Won't anybody relieve me of these petulant priests? No! I don't mean who will kill them! I mean who will tell them very clearly and consisely that what they are doing is NOT what we want and that we want them to STOP IT NOW!

I actually had a sensible person say to me, last night that she diodn't think it was OK for me to erect a wind turbine in my garden if it was just for myself, but it might be OK ifit were for the whole street! It doesn't work like that! The wind doesn't blow all the time in any one spot. The power we generate has to be piped into the grid. That way if it's winding in Wales, but not in Norfolk we get power in Norfolk too and if it's winding in Norfolk, but not in Wales, they can have power in Wales. then she told me they are ugly. OK! here's the choices. Slim bladed turbines, big, Norfolk-style fans, Nuclear, coal or gas-fired stations all within your eyesight. they said on BBC R4 yesterday that we have enough gas in stock to keep us warm for a week (eight days, sorry!) How secure is that?

Wind power
Wave power
Tidal power
Sun power - it's all the same

They can keep their nukes, as far as I'm concerned. Above all I have got used to having electricity on tap. I like it! I am prepared to and would be delighted to see turbines as well as trees on the horizon. Ugly! What a load of nonsense! What makes something ugly and something else attractive to look at? What I do know is what makes me cold and what makes me die! Choices! It's all about choices! I choose warmth and light thanks! And I quite like it when my printing presses go round and round on their own. I'm not that keen on pulling levers and peddling treadles. Does that make me selfish?.

I finally got a price for printing machine ink rollers last night. They say they will take a fortnight. Actually they take about an hour, but they just make me wait a fortnight on their pleasure. It's just their little joke to wind me up! It's taken nearly a month to find a company who will do it. Nobody has been able to get to work, what with the jollydays and the snow. OK, I give in! They got me! My only other alternative hasn't got a clue what I am on about when I say I want rollers for a letterpress printing press. "Is that litho? What type of plates are you running? What font solution are you using?" Idiots!

OK
The pain in my mouth has subsided now. I took pills! Thank goodness for pills!

Evening
I just listened to a BBC R4 programme about The Royal Society. No wonder scientists have trouble being believed or being respected. Some of those on this programme are being to patronising and talking such contradictory rubbish, that any intelligent, educated non-scientitifc person would just thing they are having to micky taken. Pull yourselves together, scientists! Drop the universtity rubbish and eletism and talk to people as though there is half a chance they might believe you WANT to communicate.

Mark's been trying to persuade me to drive a little faster in the snow. I thought I'd try it under controlled conditions, on my own. He was wrong! These new radial tyres are no better than my old cross-plies were, in snow. They don't nagically grip. If you go too fast, you turn the car round in a skid. Nothing new there then. Simple! Drive slowly and carefully folks!

I made-ready for a cutting and creasing job today with new-fangled creasing matirx. Brilliant new invention! I was still using card and applying it by hand. I must learn to keep up to date! Modern can, sometinmes be good!

I found an old friend in Hemel Hempstead today, who recovers printing machine rollers. This old business has quoted 1/2 the price and can send them back in a couple of days, unlike the other lot I found. Brilliant! I expect them to be collected by a carrier tomorrow; weather permiting. What's more, they actually knew what a Miehle, vertical is and what kind of rollers it needs.

Gas has gone up in price Surprise! Perhaps them ships will pull into port now, then. Tomorrow I will be discussing costing and estimating with Alex. Let's hope that I can share more with him in one day than college could impart in some years. There is a direct connection between what I shall be showing him, the cost of gas and proper costing. All this modern "What can I get for it" b******s is what is causing the bankrupcy of so many businesses. No-one has a clue what it is costing in the 1st place. They ASSUME they will profit if they sell as much service or product as they can and charge as much for it as they can get. They're lazy, greedy and presumptuous, intellectual self-flagulating perverts! There's a lot of it about! The more that go down, the less competition there is. I have to admit that I'd rather they were paid dole, than were left ripping people off with their self-centred and self-opinionated stupidity; taking their redundant employees and unpaid suppliers with them. Woopie!

My advice is to carefully calculate cost and think what you need to profit. Then charge the right price! Remember! There are million of competitors out there who will work for a bowl of rice a day. You have to have a genuine edge to win. Get clever, get trained, and work hard, making, mending or growing something. You will not get something for nothing for much longer! If I hear you complaining about your income tax, I will know that you are ripping someone off!

You are more than welcome to complain about indirect taxation, Government waste and about paying to fight foreign wars. Then look and see what you elected your Government to do. See what they promised, or threatened, in their manifesto. Is it your fault? Probably!

Sunday, 3rd January 2010

Nothing much happened today, or yesterday, come to that. I hope not to have to report that very often this year.

I think I have found the part I need for the Miehle. I wait expectantly. Just in case, Mark has found a local tradesman who can repair the old one. It's a silly little thing. Because there is a 1/4" of movement in a simple, plain bearing, the paper tends to fall in the wrong place by 1/4" and so it doens't get picked up in the cylinder grippers and I end up feeding a double. That results in an over-impressed sheet, now and again. As this wear has increased, the operatior has improved his accuracy in other setting, step-by-step, to overcome it. Thus the problem has not been noticed. It is a bit like wear in a car, wehereby the driver just does each little thing a bit better until the MOT comes along and a complete stranger ays "that's not right" and the car fails. That's the only eally good thing about MOT's and we don't have them on American printing presses - why should we. When I got the machine, there were a couple of old elastic bands that I felt were a bit odd. Now I understand why they were there and will buy a box, in the moring, to replace them, to cover me till the new part arrives. Now I know printing machine operators are the same the world-over! It lifts my heart! I'm saying I would have done the same thing as the old printer, who had this machine before I bought it. The difference is that I hope, but doubt, that I might have replaced or repaired the part before it got this bad.

I've finishede reading Potter nad the Pheonix. That was one very good book! Now I understand things about the story, which I had not picked up in the filmand had cross-examined Mark about, thus getting right up his nose when we were watching it together. I don't know if he had read the book, but he wasn't keen on me not understanding several subtleties that i was asking about. I must remember to read books before I watch films!

A friend has given us set containing Age of Five book 1 to I haven't counted) by Trudy Canavan. I suppose I aught to read that next. However, I do think we have a copy of the last Potter somewhere, so I will nag Mrk to find me that, because I am desperate to get to the bottom of the Potter stories before I move on. btw, nagging Mark is a bad thing. I aught to avoid it. Hmmm!

Friday, 1st January 2010

Alex and I spent the day printing and cutting golf ball boxes. I found a little fault on the Miehle, which Mark will have to fix now. It's just plain wear in a little piece of alluminium. Grmph! Thank goodness for Mark!

The trouble with getting up early the day before yesterday is that I can't seem to sleep now after 5am. Here I sits at 5:36 typing news and listenting to The Archers on the BBC web site.

I can't wait till things get back to normal. These holiday periods can drag everything out so much. Can't seem to even order a bottle of gas to run the heating. Fortuntately, we had a spare kicking around -just a small one.

Oh! That punch I waited for such a long time, that arrived in the last post I have seen, is not made of very stern stuff. It has gone to slots. the steel is nowhere near as hard as the metal i an punching. Thirty quid and ruined in 1 job. Bloiw that for a game. it will have to go back, I'm a fraid! I don't like doing that, but this is worthless to me. Not made of the righ materials for the job!

I have had 2 very kind emails this morning. Thank peoples!
Hello Graham, I was very pleased with the vinyl stickers you made for me just before Xmas, they were made very well and just as I asked, thank you.

and
Graham, Just to let you know books have arrived all ok today, very pleased with quality and content. No excuse now !!.

I love it when I get mail like that. I really do appreciate people taking the trouble to drop me a note!

Thursday, 31st December 2009

My first pleasure is to wish you all a happy new year.

A quick report on the operation today.
The staff are fantastic (They work so hard and with such care and kindness)!
The NHS is fantasic (I still wonder at the fact that it is free at the point of need)!
The new aneasthetics are fantasic (techical developements since I had the last I had are beyond belief)!
It's 16:30hrs, I'm home, had the operation and feeling great
Thank you to the N&N Hospital, the staff and the NHS itself.
Our health service is something of which to be rightly proud! Don't forget it and go easy on the critisism in my hearing. I'll defend it to my last breath.

Now for some work - actually I think I'll have the rest of the day off and pop up the pub later, for a celebratory pint with the locals. If you want to phone, in the mean time, you are more than welcome.

Don't forget! I want to see these t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies flyying out of the door in the New Year please. They are Great!

Click the pics for the shop

The print colours are bright and clear
The shirts are very high quality, with a wide variet y of colour and size from which to choose.
The designs are an inspired set, edited from Ferguson's own original photo's by Norfolk artist and photographer, Alex Grainger under my (licenced) instruction. Maybe we can see now where Henry Ford got his "any colour you like as long as it's black" line. Actually, I don't think he ever said that. Ford cars were certainly available in many colours except black. But Ferguson certainly never saw a need for coloured tractors. He said "It's what the implement will do that sells the tractor" and insisted that there be "no unecessary embelishment".

If you get your orders in, for boxes, tyvek wristbands, books or shirts, over the remaining holiday period, I will try to get them in the 1st post of the new year. I'll only get bored otherewise. Even I don't like me when I'm bored.

I'm reading Harry Potter and The Order of the Phenix in my spare time. The book really is FAR better than the film. I'm going to try to get the latest one soon, so that I can read it before the films come out.

By the Way
Credit to NCC (Norfolk County Council). I reported a couple of large potholes in our road yesterday (from their web site) and they had them filled in today. Wow!

Wednesday, 30th December 2009

It has been quite a busy day today. Alex has been over for a while, setting up to take some photos for me. Whilst he was here I had a number of telephone calls about Ferguson tractors. I have taken orders for 2 Workshop manuals and 2 Parts Manuals, which I am printing now and hope to be ready to post in the morning, on the way to hospital. All other orders have been despatched first class. If your order was prior to today and has not arrived, please give me a ring.

We also had Tony, our boiler engineer, go to Home to Roost to check over the heating system for us, in preparation for letting the place to new tennants. We are still looking for suitable tennants, so if you are that person, give me a ring.

I have prepared another design for Golf Ball Boxes, I shan't be showing that for a day or so and I am in the hospital tomorrow as I don't suppose I will be feeling up to much till late Friday, by which time I may have had second thoughts.

Tuesday, 29th December 2009

We had a little trip into Norwich today and set me up for an operation on my teeth on Thursday. I guess I won't be too talkative that day.

My chisel just turned up. Woopie! I must now go to use it.

Mark is off at work at the pub.

Evrybody else I have tried to contact is still on holiday. I don't suppose they will be back now, till well into next year.

This afternoon I have performed my magic and prepared 150 Golf Ball Boxes (3 packs) for sale. I have printed 50 in colour, 50 in monochrome and 50 plain. All that remains is to guild them if the buyer wants them printed in gold, silver, bronze or any other foil.

I am going to be interested to see which sell first. Once I know that, I will think about preparing some more. I have to say that I am really chuffed with them!

The point of these boxes is that people can play using Lake balls, whilst giving the apprearance of playing with new balls, because they come in professionally made boxes, like new balls. This is a good way, not only to save money, but also to recycle. Even the boxes are reccyclable, as they can either be used again, if treated with are, or at very least, popped into the recycle bin to make new paper or card. The board is Registered under the British and international quality standard BS EN ISO 9001-2000 and the environmental standard BS EN ISO 14001.

Monday, 28th December 2009

The so and so's are still on holliday! Urgh!

I have printed a Workshop Manual and two instruction Books this morning. All I really want is for the postman to come so that I can get on with work on the Miehle. Tomorrow i have a trip to Norwich to the hospital for a check-up before going to surgery for tooth extractions. That won't be nice! never mind. It should stop the toothache.

Alex is due this afternnon, some time early, to set up to take some photos for my web site. I look forward to the improvements.

I have the foiling press hot and ready to roll. I am trying the Golf Ball Boxes in bronze foil and then maybe I shall have a look at them in Green foil.

Sunday, 27th December 2009

Today Mark has brought me my imposing stone from home to Roost. Thanks Mark!

I have completed the make ready for the Gold Ball Boxes and run a few on the Miehle.

I have made a foiling plate for the Golf Ball Boxes and am just about to heat up the foiling press and foil a few with a logo Mark has designed.

Mark is doing soome domestic cleaning in the motorhome. He enjoys that! I have interrupted that process, and asked him to mend a fuse in the foiling press. It turns out to be a little more fiddly than that. Sorry Mark! It is my hope that I will get a couple of proofs out to make up and take a photo, all being well.

Anybody who did not get T-shirts with Ferguson tractor images for Christmas had better order a set for themselves. I warned you! There were very few bought in the run-up to Christmas, so there will be a lot of dissapointed tractor owners. You'll want to be dessed properly at the first shows in a few weeks time and no doubt there will be some social events before that, for which you will need to present well.

Here they are then!
Golf Ball Boxes

Saturday, 26th December 2009 (Boxing Day)

Mark only worked this morning, now he is home and we are working towards getting straight enough to find the things I couldn't find yesterday, whilst Mark was slaving in a hot bar. No luck so far, but we live in hope. It's creasing and perfing wheels, for the Rollem that we are looking for - in a nice little cardboard box.

The heating system in my garage is working better today. It seems that it only needs to be a few degrees above freezing (just warm enough so that there's no need for heating) for them to work.

I am still waiting for the postman to bring me the tool for which I am held-up. That is designed to cut small nicks into the cutting rule, to prevent the little boxes falling out into the press, on their way to the delivery pile. The system will not work without the little nicks and I don't want to spoil a good forme by using a chisel not designed for the task.

I have found an old sample book from 1989-1993 belonging to Catseye Press. It's good to look back on some of the old pure letterpress jobs, done mainly for local charities. I have all the samples I have taken since I took over completely in (about) 2005, at Home to Roost. I must get them up here to The Bungalow some time.

Talking of which, we are intending to let Home to Roost out some time soon. If anybody is interested, do give us a ring at the number on the header of this page.

Oil fired central heating........
1ST FLOOR
1 x large cottage style bedroom
Ample walk-in cupboard space.
En-suite with twin his'n his/hers wash basins, airing cupboard, shower and loo.

GROUND FLOOR
Large living room
L-shaped kitchen
Downstairs loo
Downstairs bathroon
Utility room for washing machines, photographic dark-room or whatever
Dining room/2nd living room/sunroom/playroom
Large study/bedroom

Very large garage.
with a little room in which we keep our clothes-driers and a freezer.

Manageable front garden, largely gravel.

Rear garden has a patio, overlooking a pond and waterfall feature with gold (and other cloroured) fish.

Within 100 feet of a delightful sandy beach
in a remote and friendly little community.

£130 per week rent - more if you would like to negotiate.

Monday, 6th July 2009

Our dear friend Irene Barker died peacefully at 11:00 a.m. this morning after a short illness.

I first met Irene in September 1965.

Ever sice then, she has been a tower of strength and sensible advice.

Sunday, 5th July 2009

Here we are, back in Norfolk to catch up with some printing again. Thanks again to Steve for chicken-sitting.

Irene is comfortable, in hospital, but very poorly indeed.

I am expecting Belinda Opie to telephone at 6pm and hope to get into Norwich to buy paper at 9 and be ho0me by 10 to talk with Margaret from WEVA, with a view to running 100 "Turning Tides" books for them. I need to get inot Stalham on the way back from Norwich to collect inks from Broadland Ink.

At some stage I shall have to buy food. I have just woken up from a post-drive nap and am famished! The cupboards seem to be bare.

Then, first thing, I have some Ferguson tractor books to print, bind and post and a compressor to package and send off by courier to Northern Ireland.

Tuesday, 30th June 2009

Good morning!
Yesterday I produced proofs for WEVA (Walcott Sea defence people) for their fund raising books and had a meeting with the local RNLI people about their calendars. The proofs for them are ready this morning, for their meeting this evening.

I have had a telephone call this morning, at 6:30am, to say that Irene had another bad night. There is nothing I can do and her cousin is there, with her until tomorrow. My thoguhts and best wishes are with her.

The t-shirsts for the Closed Shop in Sheffield are ready for collection by the courier.

19:13hrs
We have completed the tickets for the club, with printing, perfing and holographic foiling.

We have handed over samples of the calendars to the Happisburgh RNLI crew, for their meeting this evening.

We have copmpleted samples of the books for WEVA of Walcott ready for collection at 10:00am tomorrow. We have a quarter of a ton of paper here ready to print the calendars for RNLUI and more for the Walcott Emergency Voluteer Association books. We are all ready to go with both jobs when we have approval.

We have despatched the t-shirts to the closed shop in Sheffield.

We are up to date.

Sunday, 28th June 2009

OK! It's 09:00
I have completed the job that was on the press when I left.
I have coated the screen for The Closed Shop t-shirts and am just about to make the film with which to expose it.

13:54hrs
Mark has printed the Closed Shop t-shirts and they now just need 90 minutes or so to cook.

I am getting on with the Walcott books proofing.

Saturday, 27th June 2009

I am hame at last!

Mark has been brilliant and covered for me for the most part. He is working at The Hill House Inn at Happisburgh now and I am looking forwqard to him coming home later.

Steve has been a real friend and looked after our chickens for us (letting them out in the mornings and locking them in at night), which is sure to have kept them safe from foxes and cats. Many thanks Steve! He has also done another very big favour for me, which I shall not go into detail about; but thanks again. I hope you enjoyed it!

Irene is very poorly and her cousin is now there visiting daily fora few days. I have just cleared up all the tractor boook jobs and intend now to knuckle down to the Walcott books job and the rest of the tickets for This is BD as well as the Happisburgh RNLI calendars.

Wednesday, 24th June 2009

Mark and I are now spending a couple of days together, following our separation of the past couple of weeks, brought upon us by a combination of The Hill House Inn Beer Festival and Irene's illness. Mark has been in Norfolk and I have been in Hertfordshire.

As has been the case, recently, call the landline and if we don't answer, leave a message. You may then phone the mobile. If I do not answer, it'll be because I am driving. I will call back when I get back to the landline. Whatever you do, please don't phone the mobile if you find the land line engaged, because I can only talk to one person at a time and will be pretty cross if someone tries to get me to leave my landline call to talk on the mobile. I will just either not answer or siply say "call later or leave a message".

Mark has despatched books to French and UK destinations. They should arrive tommorow, for UK customers and a couple of days later for the French one. There is one book for France outstanding. I need to print a cover for that. The content is printed already.

I also need to print some t-shirts for The Closed Shop and a couple of other customers. I hope to be able to do this at the weekend.

The next big task is the books for Walcott. That aught to be done next week. I am also looking forward to a meeting with the Happisburgh RNLI crew, about their calendar.

A possible point of interest to those who are middle-aged and a little older, is that in view of Irenes heart attack, I decided to give statins another go. Within days my muscles stiffened up and began to give constant pain. I did not take last nights dose, and feel a little better already. I am concluding that it is all very well to extend life, but not if life is going to be painful from the day you start taking the life-extending drugs. As far as I know, statins are meant to reduce cholesterol levels. Well! In my case there is no elevation in those levels and the prescription of statins is intended to be preventative. Thanks, but no thanks! For now, at least!

Monday, 22nd June 2009

The winter months are setting in. (steve Wakefield 198?)

I had a nice telephone message from our friend M. T. yesterday. Thank you M. Would you mind calling again please, and leaving your telephone number this time, please?

Saturday, 20th June 2009

I am writing this from our London office (the grand name for Irene's house). This is the 1st time there has been a PC and an internet connection here.

Mark is at the Eccles-on-Sea address.
The internet is a real miracle! I sit here, 150 miles away, log-on to our home PC by remote, open a file, send it to the printer and all Mark has to do is knock it up, drill,staple or bind it, pack it and post it. Brilliant!
Thank goodness I have covers ready-guilded!

For the next few days, please try phoning the landline (which is forwarding here) and, if you cannot get a reply, ring the mobile. My next job will be to try to put the mobile number in the header of this page. I plan to do that over the next few minutes.

Our very good friend, Irene is very ill in hospital. That's why I am in the south - at her house, visiting her daily, in hospital, and keeping other friends informed and stuff. That does NOT mean you can't get me on the phone. Rig the lamdline first (it's forwarding for free). If I'm not here, leave a message and then ring the mobile.

You all know me well enough to know I'm not keen on mobiles. However, I am less keen on being out of touch. So the landline forwards to me at Irene's. If I'm not in, leave a message on call-minder AND do call the mobile. Don't bother to text, they wind me up. You can email me at my usual address.

Sunday, 14th June 2009

First the best bit of news for us is that our friend Irene is much better and well on the road to recovery.

I have just completed the final prof for the tasting Notes for the Hill House In Solstice Beer Festival, which begins on Thursday. I got the final copy yesterday and it was a long day, yesterday.

I also saw another customer about calendars for her project, yesterday. We have offered to print a few ata time, in order to help her with funding and cash flow. We can start by printing as few as 20 at a time at the same cost as printing 5000 - pro-rata.

I am half way through foiling the drinks vouchers with security holograms. They can now be completed very soon. All we need to do then is to staple them into pads, and that is being done as I do the holorgams. This is all hand-fed work; one at a time.

Orders continue to fly in for t-shirts.

The chickens continue to supply breakfast, daily. I am of a mind to leave their photo on the header for a few days, just because I like it!

Wednesday, 10th June 2009

It has been nearly a week since I updated this news page. Sorry folk! I've been very busy.

We have printed books for Ferguson tractors, drinks vouchers, wristbands, hundreds of t shirts, some documents for The British Museum and much more. We have been preparing art work for RNLI celendars, books and booklets etc.

Today we are expecting to have our big hot digital press upgraded to this year's model. We have not been told what time it will arrive and i have to admit to being rather miffed about that. it has been impossible to plan the day, and it's nearly 11:00am now and nothing has been achieved. I=f we were not so busy, I would not mind so much. As it is, nothing has been printed, whilst we wait on the whim of a sales rep who says he is now an account manager. He has made the point that in his new role it is not for him to sell and run, but to assist the customer, that's me, through the entire process. He needs a little practice at that! Grrrrmph! He said he would contact me 1st thing to let me know what time they are coming. He has not proven true to his word.

A good friend of ours in in hospital with a heart problem, which also restricts the time I can spend on the telephone, so that we are available, should we be needed.

An hour later
Still no sensible answer from the machine suppliers, so I have cancelled the order. I'll buy what I want somewgere else; of a different make.

In the mean time, I have spent a fortune on consumables for my big, 12 month old, digital press, so that I can get on with the work for RNLI, British Museum, Hill House Inn, Walcott Emergency Volunteers Assn., etc.

Thursday, 4th June 2009

Today we have taken delivery of some 150 shirts of varying types, for printing on the screen equipment.

I intend to vote Liberal Democrat in both the local and European electionsn as I see no better alternative for freedom and justice for all. I do this despite hating to be financially horse-whipped into remaining in the EU, but preferring it to the fear of war. I guess I am saying that life is full of choices. Failing to choose is a poor option; so we have to make the best of what we've got. I'll just keep paying the EU for now. Human kind seems not to be of a sufficiently trustwrthy nature to avoid fighting it out at the drop of a hat! I am glad not to believe that we are being watched by aliens. I would be very embarraced to be seen to be a member of such a violent sprecies.

19:09hrs
Just back from voting. Wheren't there a lot of candidates? Only one cross though! I really feel sad that I had no idea who most of the candidates were. If only there were some method, by which the electorate could be informed in advance; other than by flyers sent by those candidates who can afford them!

Wednesday, 3rd June 2009

Today I went for treatement at the dentists. She asked me if I'd taken pain killers, I said "yes", she replied, "then the anaesthetic won't work properly then". She was prepared to carry on, but I wouldn't let her. I booked anpother appointment.

We have finished trimming the poetry books I printed yesterday and the day before. Mark is packing them now, ready to weigh off, for posting.

Mark ahs completed exactly half of the t-shirts for The Hill House Inn Solstice Beer festival. We will try to find the time to complete the job tomorrow or Friday. This is one of those jobs we like to get under our belt in good time for the do, which begins on Thursday 18th June this year.

We have ordered a couple of hundred more t-shirts for several other smaller jobs over the next few days. I have ordered ink for some of those. All these orders should arrive tomorrow.

I have another few jobs on order to fill in any spare time which may materialise.

Monday, 1st June 2009

Politics
This has been a hard-thinking time for me. All my readers know my predudices and I have to admit that they are well dug-in. However, I do like to exercise my mind and think carefully. As I am getting older, I am beginning to realise that some of my principles are based on a failure to understand that not everybody thinks as I do

For instance! The European Economic Community (which has now become the European Union) we joined all those years ago has cost us trillions of pounds and caused us endless trouble. I have fought it tooth and nail for decades. All the people who tell me they are in favour of it leave me with the certain feeling that they want the UK to stay in the Union out of fear that, without it, Europe would decend into war. I have never believed that people are that stupid. I fear that I may have been wrong. Therefore, I accept the Lib. Dem line that we must stay in the EU and cough up our billions a year in protection money. In this respect I am a reluctant victim of extortion, rather than an enthusiastic member.

Then there is the matter of the law-makers in Europe! I have to admit, with the most extreme levels of embarracement, that it has not been our Government which has passed the human rights laws, that I hold so dear, but the Europeans. The Conservatives have fought against decent treatment of fellow-humans to the wire and New Labour have been dragged screaming. Only the Lib. Dem's. have supported my line of thinking. Because we have not had a Liberal Government in my lifetime, we have had to rely on Europe to do the right things, in this respect. For that I am grateful to the EU.

You have heard what I have had to say about our own M.P.'s expenses, in general. When we get to hear that there are certain, and in some cases high ranking, ministers committing fraud (if the reports are true and I hope they are not), then we have to say "enough". We cannot have that! Surely the best political minds in the country are not all corrupt? Well! If they are, then maybe we are OK being run by the career civil servants. Maybe they are the only one who really have a clue what's going on and maybe we have done alright with them at the helm over a lifetime. Yes we have been poverty-sricken in comparison to the way we may have been without the expense of Europe, but at least we have avoided another World War under their guidance.

I am saying - "Maybe I got it wrong, but that won't stop me from commenting." That cetrtainly does not mean that I concede the smoking ban was right! It was WRONG! Even the Germans treat it with the contempt it deserves. The Irish seem to just ignore it and the French do what the French have always done - as they please.

There's one other issue to address. That is the question of decimalisation of units of measurements. A sudden flash of understanding hit me whilst Mark was talking, recently. It's not just the matter of which units I should use, it's more that case of objecting to the compulsion and the threats of persectution by fines and imprisonment, should I fail in the demands of those in charge of the project to convert me. I am admitting that there is an element of protectionism in the use of units of measurement, which are not shared universally. I do stand against protectionism and now realise that the old units are not good for the global sharing of knowledge. If only they had explained and asked me to change instead of demanding that I change!

Conclusion
I have never been apethetic through this. I don't think most other people have either. I think the majority of people are confused and think these politicans are all as bad as one-another. We must all vote in the forthcoming EU elections if we are to influence the EU. I have thought about this very carefully, I have challenged my own demons and admitted where I have been wrong. I recommend voting Lib. Dem.

As for the local's, most of us have been doing the right thing for some time and electing Lib. Dem wherever we can, with good effet. All we have to do is to keep that up. The local dudes really do make a difference to the ordinary person.

Printing

I have printed a workshop manual for the Ferguson tractor this morning, in time to catch the post and I intend to print 100 poetry books when I have completed this news page.

Sorry! Spell-check will have to wait till alter, if at all.

Saturday, 30th May 2009

We have printed a run of tee shirts for The Hill House Inn Solstice Beer Festival. There are only a few still to do, in XXL, which we hope will arrive any day.

We have anlso printed security entry wristbands for the same event. These have all been numbered for use in a competition being run at the event.

Thursday, 29th May 2009

Following another day of toothache, yesterday, I went to the dentist this morning, who put the problem on hold for a few days.

Materials and inks arrived to produce more t-shirts later today.

Tooth still very sensitive! Antibiotcs prescribed.

Rep from McNaughton, my main paper merchants booked to visit Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday, 25th May 2009

Carriers have been coming and going all morning. There is only the Ferguson tractor workshop manual and parts for Belgium, still to go. the carrier for that (DHL) usually comes about 3-3:30pm. The wristbands ordered on Friday will be with the customer tomorrow, all being well.

I am have had a customer here, who brought some books to bind. It was a real pleasure to me him and his wife. They were lovely people.

I have ordered black ink and a couple more screens, as well as some other supplies for the screen printing machine. Things seem to be fair leaping into action on the t-shirts front.

I am expecting to see a rep about an additonal digital press some time later in the day. I am not sure yet what to do about that. The savings in consumables appear, on the face of it to be worthwhile, but I have yet to be absolutely completely convinced.

I wrote, the other day, that a cull of politicians seems a good idea. I don't like to kill people, so I have been thinking about the Golga Flinchen's solution (reference to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxey by Douglas Adams, one of my modern literary heros), which was to re-locate the useless third of society to a new planet, which they could run the way they wanted it and leave the rest of the population alone. Sadly, the Golga Flinchens' ship landed on Earth by mistake and we became overrun by them. We would have to avoid an accident like that if we were to move them on, again.

Monday, 24th May 2009

It rather appears that mark and I are the only people in the world working today. Why? Are they all so rich they can afford a day off? Hm! Just my usual bank holiday blues!

We are printing a combined Ferguson Workshop and parts manual to go to Belgium this morning.

All books and other packages, for despatch in the morning, are now ready.

Mark has produced a 33ft long banner, 2'10" High for The Hill House Inn Solstice Beer Festival (just don't tell them Europeans, 'cos they thinks it's 10 meters by 72 centimeters - PS why the blazes can't they either use mm, cm, or m? It is my opinion that the system is idiotic and horendously prone to error!)

Vast swathes of BT's broadband service are "out" since yesterday. We wonder why? Could it be a major change, a serious fault, the sort of maintenance they do on the railways during holidays, or some kind of attack? Whatever it is, it's having a huge effect on hits to our web site and thousands of others. Our servers seem un-affected, but connections to them from other places, throughout Albion seem badly damaged or interrupted. I hope they get it sorted very quickly. try 0800 169 0199 to find out about it, or surf to http://business.bt.com/business/help/ss/0,8829,Broadband_0_5_BTCTB_Home,00.html

Sunday, 24th May 2009

We went for breakfast to The Hill House Inn Stables Cafe this morning. That was a very fine way to start the day. We intend to do that every week from now on. Hence the change of hours at the heading, to accomodate breakfast on a Sunday. Hardly anybody phones on a Sunday morning anyway!

We now have some packing to do, a little paper drilling and some artwork to prepare.

Saturday, 23rd May 2009

This morning I have printed a couple of books about Ferguson tractors, of our authorship. They are ready for the post. I am going to hang on to this morning's post, because this is a public holiday weekend and i know what happens when post kicks around at the post office over an extended period. I think people could reasonably expect delivery of their books in Wednesday's post. I hope that feels best for those 3 customers who will wait and extra day. I believe it to be for the best.

I was just thinking about them M.P.s' pay and expenses again. I realised that the TV licence fee costs the average person amongst us nearly 40 times as much as all our M.P.'s put together. Which is it to be? Several hundred M.P.'s or TV content? That's no excuse, but it sort of puts it in context. Both suits me!

Friday, 22nd May 2009

Here is a photo of the wrist bands we have been printing:-

We have also printed a Ferguson TE 20 Workshop Manual and Parts List combined.

Screens and inks have arrived to print some t-shirts we have on order for various customers.

Later
We began printing of t shirts for The Hill house Inn Solstice Beer Festival. The screen is made and the 1st 10 have been printed.

It was a good feeling, earlier today, to have bothe the Hot Digital Press and the Cold Digital Press running at the same time. We had a real sense, for the first time, that there might be a real living to be earned printing. Not, as you all know, that money is why we do this really. We just enjoy printing, plain and simple, but money does seem to raise a certain level of excitement, when it does come.

Thursday, 21st May 2009

Politics again
We are being led astray! Beware the googly!
We really have had our eyes dragged off the ball!
Our problem is not the politicians, it's them bankers!

The parliamentarians have cost us all under a couple of quid each.

Bailing out the bankers seems to me to have cost us itro £200,000.00 each - PLUS INTEREST!

The above figures are just estimates, but are my honest and most truthful estimate. Please believe me. We are being diverted from the real issue here!

What worries me is who by and for what reason? Do I think it's benign? No I don't! But I do think it's careless (the purpetrators don't care, they just grab, grab, grab, like animals, regardless of the sufferring they are inflicting). I would love to take away their toy. I think their toy is money. Do away with it and see how they get on then!

Printing
Wristbands are being produced as we speak.

T-shirts for The Hill House Inn Solstice Beer Festival are here and awaiting only the ink and a new screen.

Tee shirts for Van Manor Band are done, ready for delivery or collection.

Delivery notes are done and ready for Wayside Supplies.

Back to politics
I just heard on TV, just now, that the interest alone on our current National Debt is £22,000,000,000.00. Thats about £350 for every soul in Albion, from newborne to elderly pensioner. That is just on what our Government owe. If we were to then add in what businesses owed, and then charge us on the cost of the goods we buy, it would be no stretch of the imagination to double that. How wasy would it be to re-assess that by adding in personal debt? Go on, multiply that up! We're talking £66,000,000,000.00 (£66bn) just in interest! It all goes the the bankers and money lenders and amounts to some £2,640.00 p.a. or £220.00 p.c.m., per household, if a household averages 2.4 people.

That puts M.P.'s salaries is completely in the shade, except on principle, and shows why they feel the need for a bit extra!

Albion is in trouble, people! I warned you!

Expanding on a previous topic
I love printing! I really do get joy from it and have personal pride in it. If you took away all the money and supplied me with paper for any job that anybody asked for and fed me, I would still do it. Just because I like it. I wonder how many other people are like that? You see? That we we actuall could take that toy away from the bankers. Have whatever you need and do whatever you can and see what happens then? Work for the pride and joy of it! Some folk wouldn't work eh? Then don't let them have any more than basic needs! If they want to share in the good times, then let them work for it. If they cannot, then, we will have to find another way, but most can and, I think, most would!

Maybe I just lost the plot (which means I haven't because I am questioning it
Everybody gets water, shelter, food and fuel.
Everybody who works gets anything else thet want.
Anybody who fills their home with stuff, runs out of space.
Anybody who eats too much gets fat and dies.
Anybody who cannot work due to a trip or fall anywhere is assessed to discover if they can work, and if so, how many hours and what type of work. If they are totalled, they get everything, if not ... well, pro-rata That'll do away with them legal sleezes and insurance rippoffs!
If the disabled can work some, then let them do so to achieve anything they want; otherwise give it all to them
Anybody who wants to work, but cannot find anything useful to do, asks the HMCustards and Excorsises for something useful to do and then HMCE gives them a task (of the worker's choice) and sells the resulting product or service abroad, thus earning foreign currency with which to buy what we can't make, grow or mend for ourselves.
If a foreign nation wants to engage in our new game, let them and give and take from each other freely.
Nobody can be made to do anyhting they don't want to do
Nobody can have luxury goods unless they work for the right (doing whatever they want to do).
What about incentive?
Who would want to steal if they can have whatever they want for the asking? That's the prisons better off then!
I can see that some people would worry that other have more than they do. Tell them to ask for what they want, till they are stuffed! Alternatively, have a teer system whereby the more hours you work, up to a maximum, the more goodies you can have. Work it out! I wouldn't need any more incentive than to be the best in my area, and in demand as a result. then I wouldn't have to do Government work, would I?
Encourage social concience!
Wouldn't it be nice to have to say "Sorry, mr. customer, I cannot do your job for 6 weeks because I am so good at what I do that I am booked till next year. I will put you on the waiting list if you like" There's the incentive! To be in demand and highly respected in your chosen field! When you get good enough, maybe you could become a leader in your own industry, representing others like you? That would be a perfectly honerable way to earn your living. High position would then not depend upon one's abiltiy to afford it. That sounds like a good thing, don't you think? Anybody who can get elected could even becomoe an M.P and there would be no expenses to worry about; becasue there's no jolly money! That would be novel!

I could be a political comentator, if I could spell. Since I can't I could employ a spelling checking person.

I know, all this sounds like I have become an ageing hippie. I never was a hippie when I was younger, so why not now? You don't have to read this.
I do hope, you have enjoyed it though, even if you have had a little laugh at my expense! You're welcome!

Tuesday, 19th May 2009

I may have to pop out for a bit this afternoon (I don't know what time), so if you want me, please ring before noon.

Politics
If we want a hope of electing better politicians, we must wait patiently for them to organise themselves into position, ready for the next election. It will not benefit us to hold an election right now, in the panic of the current situation. The entire system needs to re-align for a while. maybe some individual politicians need to change sides. maybe new politicians need to go before local party committees and get themselves to the top of the list, where the old crooks used to be. For goodness sake, let's try to make this an orderly transition. On the other hand, a transition, we must have.

In the mean time, do not allow the MP's expenses row to distract us from the dodgy bankers issue. I have been whittering on about bankers for several years and I don't think may people have taken much notice. I don't believe it's about how much they draw in salaries and pensions. I think it's about the way they doggedly manipulate our thinking with regard to debt. they encourage debt, then blame us when it goes wrong and rip us off when we are most financially vulnerable, having fallen into their diabolical traps. ban the bankers!

Back to printing
I have had to re-stock with another 13,000 wristbands today. They will arrive tomorrow.

We need to order a few hundred t shirts as well. We still have a few dozen, but these things must be done. In particular, we have to obtain a hundred for the Hill House Inn, for their Solstice Beer Festival in June. They will need printing soon.

We also need to order some special yellow vinyl, for a tee shirt order.

We have plenty of paper in for all the jobs on order and much more besides.

Monday, 18th May 2009

Just as a matter of interest, does anybody know the make of our old outboard? It has the company name SBM on it and the town name Uppsala - Sweden. I always thought it to be a Bolinder Munktell (now Volvo), but doubt has been cast on that idea.

It is 8.8HP two-stroke petrol and built in the late 70's or early 80's, I think.

I am a bit worried about the current political situation. I would not like to see Parliament dissolved in a panic move. Despite that I would like to see the expenses problem solved, just that I would like to see it done with due consideration and proper thought. I am clear that there is a problem, in my view, but I am not yet clear exactly what the problem is. It could be simple dishonesty on the part of our elected members of parliament, or it could be a trick by civil servants. It could even be a lendid mixture of those two things and some others.

I do wonder how effective a part the Civil Servants have played in all this. I am mindful of the old TV series "Yes Minister" I can imagine a scenario whereby some civil servant might encourage a parliamentarian to make claims, assure them of their right so to do and then, behind the M.P.'s back, rub their hands in glea, muttering, 'that's that one in our pay forever! We can expose them at any time we want to get rid of them and there's nothing they can do about it'. Do you see what I mean? It really has been sounding that way. Any MP who is too busy to fuss about expenses and just hands it over to 'the office', could easily find themselves right up a gum tree! There seems to me have been a good amount of manipulation of natural human nature. I bet the communists would be laughing at us now! Some nationalities would wonder what we are whittering about; it's so accepted and common in their public lives. Even a couple of days ago our MP's were saying 'it is all within the rules', and I am sure most of them believed it!

I think we are all agreed that the massive chasm between rich and poor, even within the UK, let alone the worldwide gap, is a bit too big; and always has been. Those thinkers amongst us must be aware that the poorest in our nation are probably a very great deal richer than some people in other countries. It may even be the case that, as a nation, we feel that if we allowed, permitted, didn't prevent or even encouraged some slight levelling of playing fields, our wealth would soon disappear and our local, poverty would, for sure, become deeper. As a result, who in the Albion nation would support such a move towards the elimination of poverty? Be honest? We would all find it near impossible to cope with and extremely undesirable. I hope that is the last infinitive I split today. Furthermore, we would soon see things begin to return to the status quo. Sorry! More foreign words. I should have said '.... the way things are'.

So what can we do that will improve the lot of the most poverty stricken on the planet, without endangering the very lives of some of the poorer people in Albion and possibly even, some of those who have, what appears to be, a reasonable degree of wealth?

Maybe we could take a leaf out of Star Trek's book? I don’t know! There don't seem to be many paupers in 'The Federation'. They certainly don't run their worlds using Communism, neither are they Capitalists. What would we call the way they work? They seem to elect their Governments. They don't seem to have money. They all seem well-watered, fed, clothed and housed. They all seem to be employed in some activity that benefits the masses, but satisfies their mental and physical need to be doing useful work. Come on!!!! Someone? Help me out here! The help for which I am asking is the solution to the most important problem on the planet. Someone must see what I am getting at!

Must what I am searching for here, be called unachievable idealism? WHY can't it ever work? Go on! Tell me that; and don't you dare say "human nature". That's just a stupid cop-out! My readers are more intelligent than that!

Just a thought
If all the recourses in the world were distributed between all the peoples of the world, according to need, could every person on the planet have:-
Plentiful and clean Water
Shelter according to need
Food according to need
Clothing according to need
Transportation according to need
Power according to need

What would be the cost and to whom?

What benefit would the world experience from the additional output then available from those who are, for now, dying of thirst and starvation, or just too poor to get to work?

Disclaimer
I am not suggesting that I think the above is a solution, but I do think it's a small series of questions that need to be answered before we go further in our thinking. I am not unaware that a lowest common denominator would form before we can say boo to a goose. I am also aware that a good deal of stock-piling would go on and that the quality of whatever is suopplied would suffer very early on. In short, I know this thought is not the solution. it is just a thought.

Saturday, 16th May 2009

I've had tooth pain for a few days and got to a dentist this morning. Reports were, as usual, good, but old fillings from chilhood have given up the ghost, as is usually the case. Appointments have been made.

Apart from that, today has been fairly quiet. However, I have been sleepy, between the odd phone calls. That's probably caused by the pain killers. I am looking forward to a call which might bring my brain to attention and demand a little something in the way of thought.

Friday, 15th May 2009

I'm guessing that the "MP's expenses scandal" is something about which I might be expected to comment. Well, here we go then!

Why would all these people feel the need to claim so very much money in expenses? I would suggest that their £60 odd thousand pounds a year salary is probably not really enough for them to do their jobs without money worries. Does that surprise you? If you are like us and struggling to earn your taxable allowance, then it will. If you are not surprised, then you are probably one of the ever-increasing band of people on that sort of income, who is still struggling financially. You will get little or no criticism from me for earning a living, that's for sure! In the current economic climate, it is good that at least some people are earning a decent living.

I have opened a new paragraph here, because it is obvious that what I have just said will seem out of character for me. It's not really, but not many will know that. Just because mark and I have struggled for some years with finances, does not mean that I approve of people earning a little for a lot of effort. On the other hand, there is a lot more to this than meets the eye or can be controlled by a few individuals. I think we need to think around matters of 'the average global living standard'. That really is a biggie! For instance, I have often been heard to say, but not often written, that as long as there is someone out there prepared to do what you do for a bowl of rice a week, when you feel you have the right to breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea and supper, in a centrally heated home, lined with wall-to-wall carpeting and electric equipment in every room, including delightfully appointed and elegant lighting (as compared with a naked fish-oil or animal-fat flame used in some places in the world), then that imbalance will lead to the system breaking with one almighty crash one day. That day might well be very soon indeed, or we might be lucky enough to die before it happens! I cannot tell! Either way, the imbalance is clear and obvious and the potential for disaster is as plain as the noses on our faces. Sooner or later, something has to give!

What I shall ask, at this point, however, is this. If one person earns £5,000 a year and another earns £50,000 in the same year, How can the person on the lower income possibly afford anything that the person on the higher income produces or sells? For instance, Mark and I are printers. We print things and we can only command a certain amount of money for our printed goods. If an insurer earns 10 times as much, how can we be expected to afford insurance? It has to cost ten time what it would cost, if we did it, if the person earns ten times as much as we do as we do. If a politician earns ten times as much as us, how can we be expected to pay the levels of tax that the politician sees as reasonable? Of course we can't! Not to worry! We can buy from a developing country instead of buying British and only pay a tenth of the price that we would charge or 100th of what the higher paid person would chagrge (plus the transport costs). Now! I ask you! Does that thought not open your eyes to a few questions and give food for thought? Here's another little nibble. If Mark and I are worth an amount equal to an insurance broker (and I would hope we are), then isn't a printer in India worth as much as Mark and I are worth? Then why are salaries in India so much lower? Not because everything is cheaper in India! they just have less than Mark and I. And YES, it does matter!

I have been in a position whereby I have been assured that I have a "right" to claim expenses, when I have worked for charity. I have resisted it, but I know with an utter certainty that for some, resistance is futile. I was told that I have an obligation to look after myself, first, in order to be best positioned to look after others and to be in a place to "set an example" of a decent lifestyle aspiration to those to whom I ministered, in those days. I chose a different path, and conducted my work from a position of relative poverty. it was my choice, but the road was hard to maintain, as others amongst my team constantly pressed me to higher standards. For that reason and from that experience I am not without sympathy for the MP's who are in trouble now. I have long-said that we should pay MP's a good salary and ensure that they can afford to conduct themselves as we would need them to do so or we will get a bunch of chancers in Parliament instead of intelligent, well-educated and caring individuals, who will do a good job. After all, the best can go into trade, business or industry and earn a proper salary. We, the electorate, are in competition for "the best", with big business.

£65,000 a year (which is what I think they are saying is an MP's salary) equates inmy language to £1,250 every week. To me that sounds like an absolute fortune! But is it? I, for one, don't have the time or inclination to buy a ticket on line to go anywhere by train, and it costs 10 times as much to buy it at the station. If I were an MP, would I really want to go to London by train? Frankly, no! I would want to be driven, by car. As far as I am concerned, at the moment, London is prohibitively expensive place to visit on the costs of entry, parking and the type of vehicle you need. If I had to go, I would have to afford it. Then, there's the cost of food in London, and so on and so on. It just goes on and on. OK, if it were me, I think I would set up a camp-bed in the corner of my Westminster office and sleep there if I had to stay overnight; but that would not get me back and forth between London and my constituency. Look! I don't know, but I wonder! I live an introverted, low-cost lifestyle. But what if I were and MP. travelling to and fro, between Norfolk and London and visiting half a dozen sites a day in the course of my responsibilities? I wonder

Either way! We have been very lucky to have been sold a huge TV set for £1.00. By huge, I mean really, really big. There is no way on this earth we could ever afford such a thing, if we had to pay the right price. We would just have to go without or have a normal set. The thing is, though, that this is the 1st TV I have ever been able to see properly. I didn't even begin to guess how little of what happens on TV I actually noticed I could never read the sub-titles, now I can. I could never see what people were reading, when the shot is of a significant note or letter. I never even knew some of the facial expressions the actors wore. It was not much better than radio. you all know that, for years, we never had a TV. We were, in lost of ways all the better for that. However, I have to admit that having had one for a year now, I would miss it very much if it were not here. Do I need a TV? No! Of course not. Is it reasonable to expect to own a TV, like this? No way on earth! Is it reasonable to expect a TV of any kind? Well! Not by worldwide standards. Surely more people on earth live without one than live with one. Go on! Try not switching yours on, for one evening! See what your family say? See what you do with your evening. I bet you do something useful, if you can bear to be without it. We find it a real struggle to find the money for the licence, and yet we have done so, twice now, because it is good entertainment. That represents important things we have not bought (or have waited longer for) for the business. Buying it has made a big difference to our wealth, and yet we have done it because it is good entertainment at a time in our lives when a little relaxation in front of 'the box' feels good for us. I wonder if it is really? If I'm honest, I don't think so, but I do it anyway. That TV must be worth more like £1000 than £1. To be sure, however tempting, we would (indeed, could) never have paid that for it! With that sort of money I would invest in more printing equipment.

What am I trying to say? I am not really sure, but writing this has, I hope, moved me one more little step towards an understanding.

I aught to run through this now, for typos. But I'm not in the mood. Brain too fast for the fingers, so I've done a quick, Word, spell-check and that will have to do for now! Sorry!

13 days and the chicken eggs in the incubator are looking good. 20 seem viable, from candling!

Blackbird/s doing well. We cannot tell if there is one or if there are two, babies.

Baby

Mummy

Thursday, 14th May 2009

's funny how the weeks roll by out here on the coast! What have we been doing all week? Well! It's seemed very busy. Ideed, we have printed a number of Ferguosn manuals and books. I have answered a lot of questuions about Ferguson tractors by telephone and I have been doing some box-making for Belinda Opie. the Albion has been going ten to the dozen! I have to admit that my back wishes I had a Vertical Miehle to cut them on, but the price of one of those is still beyond our reach. If I had earned enough, I would probably have had to pay some of it out in tax, so it's hard to know how we will every afford one. We can write off computor stuff, but money for machinery purchases has to be tax-paid first, them written down over some years. that seems silly to me, but I am sure H.M. Gvt. think they know best! Someone's go to pay the bankers and for all the wars! Whiolst that goes on, I'll just keep pulling the handle as I always have done! I sometimes wonder who's pulling what in this country!

Today we met Lindsay and peter (from http://www.seedngrow.com/) who breed sunflower and other seeds. We are planning to make some seed packets for them and some little plastic sticks with pictures of flowers and vegetables on them to mark the rows, when they are sown. That has been an interesting project. Another job for the iron Albion hand press in combination with the latest digital printing.

We are just waiting for copy to arrive for a few thousand tyvek wristbands for a Pokemeon ^TM event for http://thisisbd.com/ (both the link I have posted today seem to take an age to load. perhaps it's my connection? I don't know.). We hope to have those printed and delivered in a few days time. The preparation for that has taken a little time. They are, as usual, to be printed on white, pre-perforated Tyvek ^TM wristbands, in full colour.

The only other thing that has taken up our time is more tax things for H.M.C.E. and other Gvt. stuff like that.

The baby blackbirds have flown the nest and the motherbird is chasing round the garage, looking for them and calling in a tone of voice akin to panic. It really does seem to be a painful business this babies flying the nest lark!

Sunday, 10th May 2009

Pterodactyls:-

What a difference a day makes!

We've spent hours doing tax again today. At least last year is now all done and dusted. Rather laate by my standards.

We have been to examine some signs in Stalham in preparation for making similar signs, for the local Bowls Club.

I have approached Folk on the Pier, in Cromer with a view to doing some t-shirts for them next time they have an event.

I had sample material arrive this morning for some special plant labelling sticks.

Saturday, 9th May 2009

Friday, 8th May 2009

There seem to be 2 little blackbird chicks left.

If I see another F****** millimeter it will be too soon. The F****** things just cost me another £30.00. Why the blinking heck could we not have kept good old inches? D*** the B**** Europeans for imposing their systems on me! They've stuffed an already weak memory. They've made it impossible to communmicate with people younger than myself. They've caused endless rows about the reletive benefits of one system over another. They've cost me a B***** fortune! I an perfectly happy fopr them to use thier system Just D**** their eyes for trying to force it on ME! If this is what it trakes to be allowed to trade with them - I don't want their silly little Euros and I don't want their grotty produce! We can just jolly-well re-learn to make it for ourselves! Up the UK Independance Party! I want OUT! And next time their break out in fighting, they can sort themselves out! And wobetide any of them that come to my shore with ships, guns, rockets and aeroplanes! I'll shoot the so-and-so's with my air gun!

OK, So I know I am allowed to use Imperial units now, but I have been trying to conform to metric units for so long, I thought I could cope with them. WELLL I F****** well can't! So NOTHING gets done, here, in metric from now on! So THERE! I know it looks as though I just threw all my toys out of the pram, but in fact it has been building for decades and I have just had enough. The last £30 straw just broke this aging camel's back!

Wednesday, 6th May 2009

Politics
I guess you all expected me to have a word this morning about Identity cards. So, not to disappoint, here is the word. "B******s!". Now for the reasoned argument:- Well! maybe not. You have all heard it and any of you with half an eye to personal freedom will agree. The rest of you are my, personal, enemies. I am bound to ask whether the good people of Manchester are considered particularly gullible, by Government. If they are not stupid, they will simply save their cash. That might be the end of the problem. Anybody who thinks that a voluntary scheme now will remain voluntary is naive! No chance! At £60 each, that's around the 3.6 billion mark in carges for the damnable things and at that they will make a loss and charge the balance from our taxes. How often will I put up with being approached in the street by a policeman with the demand "ID Card!"? Nunce! DO not even begin to think they will not ask. If they didn't, there'd be no point in having them. No they will not be useful for anything else. There are far too many ways to try to discover whether I may have something to hide. We are, non of us, without fault and as a result we will all be prosecuted sooner or later.

Rogue Traders
There was a wonderful article in our local paper yesterday. I saw it at the Hill House Inn, our local boozer, in Happisburgh. The headline went something like "Crackdown on Rogue Street Traders!" Er? What rogue street traders? Will that be the guyz who sell fruit and veg. or eggs or flowers and suchlike in lay-bys (how the heck do you spell lay-by? Don't answer that, I'll look it up in a bit.) up and down the county? Er yes! Apparently they cause an obstruction and are a danger. NO! It's drivers that manoeuvre at the last moment to swerve into the lay-bys that are the danger. Why do they do that Aha! Because the nice people selling things in lay-bys are not allowed to put up a sign 100 yards before the lay-by to advise drivers they are there. Did you know that? it's true. It's a flaming crime, for goodness sakes! These law makers are raving idiots! Anyway, there's to be a crackdown on it in North Norfolk. That will, of course, put a load of people selling in lay-bys out of business and on the dole. Then there are the people who grow the produce etc etc. ... As I see it, these are simple, honest folk, who just want to earn a living. Their biggest enemies are the shopkeepers who say that they are unfair competition, because they don't pay rates. For that bit, I will start a new paragraph.

Business Rates! Business Rates are imposed by Government as a means of raising revenue to pay for things like war and stuff. Rates are NOT imposed by local authorities, they are collected by them on behalf of Central Government. They are simply a tax by Central Government on the people of Britain. They are supposed to appear to be a tax on profit-making businesses; but they, of course, (because they have to) pass it on to their customers - that's you and me. See where I'm going here? Now! working from premises brings with it, certain value. For one thing, they are usually a little drier and have better climate control than a stall in a lay-by. For another, there are normally mains electricity, water sewerage services and other supplies, for the convenience of the trader (or should I say business?). Government deam it appropriate to tax these conveniences by way of Business Rates. If a trader cannot afford business rates, he or she has the absolute right to trade on the public highway; provided only that no danger is caused and a few (rather clumsily applied) other lawlettes are covered. New para. again!

Why the F*** should a trader doing business out of doors be called a rougue, when a person choosing to conduct business from a building is not? Which one is doing the lesser harm to the planet? Could it be the one who is not heating or cooling the place of work or lighting it or using the telephone all day or running a PC and all kinds of other carbon savings? I respect street hardy street traders and despise the idea that Government calls them rogues is either correct or legitimate!

Change of subject
An idea for rural communities hit me the other day. You know the way that a few people still like to sit with their arms raised and spread to left and right, holding a newspaper - whilst the rest of us read what we want on s computer screen or listen to radio or TV? Well! If a newspaper were to actually encourage Print on Demand printers to print papers from their web sites (complete with the adverts - to pay for the process from the newspaper's end), then little remote villages like ours could have a printed newspaper in the mornings. Wouldn't that be nice? What's the chances? No a Scooby! Why? In case someone get's something for nothing or in case a van driver doesn't get to deliver to the nearest town, or in case a newsagent goes bust ... the possibilities are endless! Never mind if it's a good idea! The powers that be will never run with it! Never mind!

Little DIY Project here at Home to Roost
We applied a panel of "frosting effect" to our front window yesteray. It looked great!

This is done on our signwriting equipment and can be applied in the form of logos and general frostings in any pattern, more or less, to any glass.

How's the blackbird?

Very blackbirdie thank you!

Definition of a poster
... of such a size and design "that he who runs may read"
Told to me by Irene Barker

Business electricity rates
I just had a cold-call from s very nice foreign man (I judge that he was foriegn by virtue of the fact that his accent was broad and unintelligable, whereas I can understand most English accents) who wanted to sell me something or another. I have no idea what he wanted to sell me, but he insisted that if I am running a business from home I must pay business rates for my electricity. The "B" word came to mind again. As a result I said "byebye" and hung up. Why do these things irritate me so? I think that part of it is that they put me off my guard by knowing more about me than I have told them and then that they lie to me. I simply don't want liars to have any information about me. In fact, I want them to f**** off and leave me alone. Actually, I would rather that they would eitehr stop lying to me or vanish off the face of the planet. If truth realy be known, I don't actually wish them harm, but I do not wish to tollerate their intrusion into my sphere of existance. There's so very much bad change going on these days that when someone tells me something that makes no sence, in order to check that the information is b*******, I have to actually look it up. that's time consuming and upsetting. Hang on! I just realised the sub-concious thinking in this. There is an implied threat in the word "must". What if one doesn't? What will someone else do to you? See? No wonder I'm cross!

It's a bit like the TV advert which sows some poor chaps car being crushed for not having a tax disc. Then they say "if you don't pay your tax, we have the right to ...." or something like that. Firstly that right (may be better described as an open threat (or, attempted insightment of fear) to deprive me of my property (or ... theft and vandalism)) they claim is arguable (by virtue of laws which demand that any penalty should be - oh! What's the words? comensurate, with the crime, was it?) and secondly, it is not true in every circumstance. For instance, my car is SORNED. Ah yes! and this SORN nonsense! WHY? If I don't drive it on the road, I do not have to pay tax. Why would they want me to tell them whether or not I am going to drive it on the road? It's obvious I am not intending to drive it on the road if I don't renew the tax disc. If I do drive it un-taxed. then I expect to be fined. But if not, why should I b***er about SORNING it? I've got mor importantnt things to do than nurse-maid their computor records!

Tuesday, 5th May 2009

Belinda Opie's cutting forme and Lustralux card have turned up today, so I am on the Albion making ready for that job. I do like working the hand presses! It's really very satisfying!

Saturday, 2nd May 2009

Good morning!
Not that there has been nothing going on this week. Indeed, I have been quite busy. To start with, here is a photo of the baby blackbirds, in the garage, taken yesterday.

I have an order for boxes bor Belinda Opie of www.belindaopie.com. The cutting forme has been made and is on it's way here by carrier. The card is ready for collection when this blasted bank holiday is over, on Tuesday.

We have the printing to do for The Hill House Inn Solstice Beer Festival. There is a lot to do for the and we are well under way with it. New work, which we have not done for this festival before includes secure full colour entry wristbands, a 42 foot long banner, sign boards and much more.

On Tuesday I am expecting an author to come to me, eho has printed some proofs of his latest books and who has asked me to bind them.

I have had an enquiry form a school for about 400 t-shirst, designed by the students in a competition. I don't know if that will turn into a job, we wait and see.

Plans are afoot for a calendar for the local RNLI crew. That one may even go national, the way things are going. Again, we wait and see.

This morning, Mark found 14 eggs in a hedge, in the garden. We have known for a few days that we have a broody chicken. That explains it then! The problem is that this breed is nowhere near reliable over brooding, so we have popped them, along with some others (total 21), in an incubator.

Tuesay, 28th April 2009

She's out getting worms:-

Sunday, 26th April 2009

We have put a few of our Ferguson tractor items, from our personal collections, on ebay:-
Complete Ferguson TE Pick up Hitch Assembly with t bar - SOLD
Genuine original Ferguson Top Link with ladder rack - SOLD
Genuine original Ferguson Top Link - SOLD
Ferguson Flat bar top link ladder rackSOLD
Dump skip to fit Ferguson TE tractor - SOLD

I have made my 1st screen today, for the new screen press and printed my first t-shirts for decades. That went very well!

We have the washout tank in place and plumbed in; after a fashion.

Friday, 24th April 2009

The new (brand new) guillotine blade for our recently purchased electric guillotine arrived this morning. Mark fitted it and "BANG", it all barr wrecked the new blade. A pair of roller bearings, buried deep inside the machine, are completely missing. Hmmm! Mark has now gone off to measure and find replacements for the bearings and the shaft that sits between them. Whoever sold this machine to the fok, from whom we bought it, must have known they had removed this part. Fortunately the people we bought it from had never used it, so they had no idea it was so badly abused. If they had used it, they may well have had a serious accident. Fortunately, Mark and I are nobodies fools, so spotted the problem before an accident happened.

Wednesday, 22nd April 2009

Mark has completed the new wiring on the electric guillotine. We will soon be able to manage without the hand rotary machine we have had this past few years. We only wait now for the delivery of a sharp blade for it.

We have received the new screen printing press, which we bought on ebay. It had a few bits bolted on the wrong way up, so I doubt if the last owner ever got to use it himself. Indeed, there is no perceptable wear, so mabe it has never been used. You can see from the photo that we have set the screen press up in our living room, in the true spirit of Cottage Industry.

All we need now is the set of screens, which we bought separately. We already have the necessary chemicals, inks etc. to get on with the job. Added to that, I have bought a large creen-tank, for treating the creens in a suitablely safe and mess-proof environment. We already have the exposure units and other photographic equipment we need to make the screens. We expect to run our first screen printing job in a very few days. The first is likely to be t-shirts for The Hill House Inn Solstice Beer Festival.

This afternoon, I must get on with an article for our trade magazine.

I have let a blackbird out of our garage several times in the past couple of weeks. It turns out now that, maybe, she didn't want to go out.

We await the arrival of Tweet, Cheep, Pip and Gerald

Tuesday, 21st April 2009

Today I am expecting delivery of Screen Printing equipment. I hope the have the first pulls printed in a few days.

Yesterday we got the new guillotine going. Excellent stuff!

I have, this morning, posted our new Charitable Giving Policy. I have great hopes for it. From this day forth, for an experimental period, we shall not do any paid advertising, but will hope that charities will enter into the loosest of verbal agreements with us in a mutually beneficial way. We will give instead of paying for advertising and, in exchnge, we hope that those charities will spread the word about us, whenever they get the opportunity.

Sunday, 19th April 2009

Here is a list of the answers to search queries people had put into Google in the past week and looked for on my web site. I could have answered some if they had phoned. No-one phoned with any of these quwestions. Here they are:-

tyvek wristbands - yes
clear reflective vinyl sheets - Yes
design your own embossed wedding stationery - Yes
gloss vinyl 24 inch - Yes
tyvek wristbands blue fireworks - yes
wide format vinyl cutting in etched glass - Yes
tyvek printers - Yes
child relief tax 2009 hopw much - No
sign vinyl pastel - Yes
34 inch vinyl cutter - No
event wrist bands - Yes
wristbands tyvek full color - Yes
wedding stationery to fit standard envelope sizes - Yes
t-shirt printing in norfolk - Yes
vinyl from your designs - Yes
t shirt printing north norfolk - Yes
a4 light blue transparent vinyl uk - Yes
ferguson cordwood saw bracket - Yes
what is the value of my ferguson tractor? - Sort of.

How many timwes have I got to tell people, "that is what I am here for"? Please phone me if you can't find the answer on my web site!

Saturday, 18th April 2009

Will no-one pick up the phone on a Saturday?

I've only had 3 calls and printed 2 little books, all day, and I'm bored!

9pm
I forgot to metion the 2 taxis we did the signwriting for this morning.

11:1pm
The day is finally hotting up. We have moved the new guillotine into place and are jsut about to test it.....

Friday, 17th April 2009

The bankers have sponned me again! I sent money over on Tuesday to pay for a mchine I am collecting today, and it has not arrived. I have had to cancel, or at least, postpone, the courier. It's busy earning interest for the bankers, no doubt, along with billions of other people's.

Eggs are this morning's real story.
We have 3 year-old hens and one older one. Byrony had the others.
At this time of year we get 1 or 2 eggs on one day and 2 or three on the next. They are always a nice light brown in colour. That's great for us!
Look at this morning's surprise clutch.:-

One is very small and one is very white and there are 4!
it's a funny old world!

Thursday, 16th April 2009

The day began with me missing a 07:00 auction. I have made an offer and wawit the reply.

The next thing was an overnight order for 5 books, which are now printed, and are ready for the postman.

Tadpoles
This morning we find that we are the proud fathers of millions of quirmy little tadploes. Their names will be as fillows:-
Only joking! We don't name our pets. This is the 1st birthing. There appear to be millions more about to hatch - all wriggling away in their little, clear, eggs. I would take photo's but they are so small!

Mark is in Norwich, buying more paper for tractor manuals and instruction books.

Wednesday, 15th April 2009

Here we are 1/2 way through the month and barely have we got over the Easter holiday. This morning I had a call from someone who has sold us a small machine, down in Kent. The courier had arrived to collect it and was unable to move it over a step, about which I had not been told, despite having asked. Mark has now gone South to dismantle the machine and bring it home. Such is life!

I despatched 3 books about Ferguson equipment this morning.

Where are all the orders for wristbands? No-where to been seen! That's odd, quite frankly! I wonder what it is that I am doing wrong. It's clearly a big market, I know that I am "in" the right price range, I have the means to do a better job than nearly any other printer in the country, and still things are very slow! It's a funny old life!

Tuesday, 14th April 2009

Today I patiently await the arrival of money to pay for a couple of new machines we have bought. It is burried in the banking system.

I also wait for a call from the seller of one of the machines, to arrange payment and collection of it. I have been waiting for this call, now, for a few days.

I have been on to the carriers, for the other machine and expect collection any time now.

I have been trying to find and NHS dentist, having broken a molar, but that is also proving to be a waiting game. I have left messages, but not yet had a reply.

Monday, 13th April 2009

The day started with a run of 120 beer vouchers for the Hill House Inn and 100 ABV cards for their beer festival, which is due to take place at the summern solstice.

As most bank holiday wekends, it has, in other respects been quiet. The few calls that I have had about tractors have been very welcome.

Sunday, 12th April 2009

This morning I printed a number of books to go to Australia, I expect they will leave with the postman on Tuesday morning, after the bank holiday is over.

I have also printed "TE 20 Series tractors, A Buyers Guide" The title says it all. I am just waiting to know to what address it should be sent as the order and thepayment addresses are different. has someone moved house? I don't know!

Free telephone advise
Anybody who has bought a manul from me is welcome to telephone to ask my advise. If I can help, I will
For those who have not yet bought a manual, you are welcome to one trial phone call to dip your toe in the water, so to speak. If you like what you get, then I will be pleased to print you a manual.

Saturday, 11th April 2009

We are expecting a visit from a bride this morning, looking into some Order of Service sheets in preparation for her wedding.

We need to talk with auction sellers to organise collections.

From this morning's headlines
I would urge the airports to be more plain about what it costs to fy with them. I'm not terribly in favour of flying (or long-distance travel come to that) in general, but they should, at least, be clear about what it really costs and not creep the cost up for travellers on the day. If it's going to be £50 or £100.00 to use the airport, then just say so! Airport charges £XX.xx. £3.00 to drop a passenger at the door indeed! £3.00 to Fast-track you through passport control! It's a nonsense! You are all getting on the same plane! It's £3.00 to be nice you and do their job properly! I know who will end up paying the drop-off tax! It will be the volunteer friend or family or the taxi driver, if I know anything about it. Will the passenger accept that they have to walk from the toll-booth to the entrance? That's not a very likely choice, is it?

Don't mis-understand me! I am not against charges being levied to cover costs and to make an honest profit on a job well-done. Far from it! But be honest about it! This is like sneaking up behind people and holding them to ransom. "Either cough up or you can't go on. And hurry up, there's a queue behind you! Come on, get your money out! Quickly now! Put it in that slot there! Right! You're free to go! NEXT! Even reading about it feels threatening, doesn't it?

Police camera-cars!
I just heard the following argument, in their favour, "People are monitored 350 times a day. in London, on average, what's once more?" WHAT! Put simply, this is a world in which I would prefer not to live! I did know that when they introduced the "going to London tax", that effectively banned me from our capital city; but THIS! I'M OUT OF MY PRAM WITH INCANDESCANT FURY!

Thank the good Lord, Mark and I live out here in the real world, away for those nutters! Here, if they started that lark, we just will not tolerate it! Why do you city-dwellers cow tow to these monsters? You don't think they are benign do you. If you do, you are very, and disastrously mistaken! If the majority were law-abiding, I might see your point to an extent. Most (almost all) people don't even know the law (how could they, the way parliament is rattling them out?), let alone comply with it. Everyone out there breaks the law every day. It WILL NOT BE LONG BEFORE THE CAMERAS GET YOU TOO! You will, like all the other victims, be too embarrassed (or too fearful of increased penalties) to complain that you aught to have the right to scratch your head, eat a mint or (now I’m being contentious!) SMOKE whilst driving (and yes, I do pull over to roll them, I only set fire to them and suck on them, whilst driving). You'll just cough up! it's tax by the backdoor! And, it's employment for the terminally "useless third of society". This is a way of getting the taxpayer to foot the bill to pay idiots to monitor that people and send them tax bills thousands of times a day, on the grounds that they are guilty of some criminal act or another, which the old fashioned booby-on-the-beat would have had the common sense not to mention unless it had caused a real and tangible problem. For heavens sake, someone throw that 415vot mains switch! I'm LIVID - again

Why do we pay people to do this stuff?
Answer:-
Because there are so many folk out there who are too fearful that someone on the dole might get a freebie, "so let's give them something useful to do"! But your jealousy has brought you down! You now swim in the mire of it! Like any country, we need a pool of people who are "available for work" for any number of reasons. Why not acknowledge that and treat the with civility and humanity, and pay them to live unemployed. Effectively it's your Government and mine which is denying them work, on our behalf; and for very good reasons. Just don't - and I mean it - DON'T be so fearful that they may be as well off as you, that you make them do silly things. Remember the "ministry of silly walks" by Monty Python? This one is departments within most of the ministries, "for deceitful and highly manipulative tax collections". If you think "it'll never happen to me, I don't break the laws", you're MAD! They'll get you, and when they do, remember it's your jealousy that drove them to do it. Mark my words!

Thursday, 9th April 2009

Yesterday we bought a 6 colour screen printing machine. It will be a few days before it actualy arrives. Having that will allow us to print long runs of things like T-shirts at very competative rates. The vinyl sysetem is great for 2 or 3 off, but silk screen is the answer to runs of hundreds, especially if we want to lay down a particularly dense layer of ink.

You will see from the photo above that there are spaces for 4 Time Lords, one at each Station, prining in up to 6 colours, which can includes metallic, dayglow etc.

In the mean time, it's the wristband and tickets time of year. Events are being organised. A lot of new customers are working out that wristbands are this year's tickets, when it comes to entry control! Do remind everybody you know that we are here and excellent printers for all other jobs, as well. Word of mouth is the most important means of spreading the word for us.

This afternoon I have printed 100 post cards for our local post Office and shop and 100 business cards for www.roast-master.co.uk, who's web site isn't running yet.

Wednesday, 8th April 2009

The best laid plans of mice and men....
I was intending to go the Museum of Printing ths morning. I am very glad I didn't, as I have had a number of useful and interesting equiries. So I am not going out this morning.

Tuesday, 7th April 2009

1st, I apologise for that slight coding error on this page yesterday. All fixed now!

I have bought another batch of blank Tyvek^TM wristbands today, for stock. They are expected tomorrow.

I have also paid for some Google advertising, which might appear in the next day or so. It is supposed to bring us to 1st page on Google. We'll see! As things stand now (12:54 Tuesday) I await a telephone call from the company concerned to confirm details. I have never paid for Google advertising before, so it will be an interesting experiment. The www.fergusontractor.co.uk works very well without paying to get to the top of the list on Google, but there are not many people in the world selling Manuals for Ferguson TE 20 series tractors. In fact, to the very best of my knowledge, I am the only printer licensed to do so outside of M-F. However, there are loads of printers about and I have to recognise that I am in competition with hundreds of others. Therefore, I have decided to try paying for a spot of advertising if I want to increase my output a bit. I only hope I will not be flooded. Not that I think there is much chance of that, to be honest. I do have plenty of capacity, that's for sure!

Did I mention my desire for e Vertical Miehle printing machine? Well! I asked a company called www.pressfinders.com if there was one about anywhere. TO my amazement they found one within 24hrs in France. That's a bit of a long way away and the cost is an absolutely massive £1950.00. Much of that is the cost of delivery. However, it is a smashing looking machine!

Click here to see one working
Click here to see a Heidelberg Cylinder working See the diffence?
While I am at it, it would be a shame not to show you a platen pritnting machine running on you tubeClick here for a Heidelberg Platen The thing about these presses, compared with their more modern counterpart, the Heidelberg Cylinder, of about the same size, is that on the Miehle the bed AND the cylinder go up and down, against each other, as compared to the Heidelberg, on which the bed flies back and forth, under the stationary cylinder. The effect of this is that the Miehle uses far less electricity to drive it, makes far less noise and has a far smaller footprint. The speed is not bad either, being nominally the same as the Heidelberg, but as a result of a simpler paper-path, it can go faster, whilst retaining good registration. The last time I used one, I printed a 4 colour set for a greetings card as an examination-piece at college and passed the exam 'with credit' in the practical.

The only question now is, whether I can find a suitable amount of work for such a press. I certainly cannot buy it on the off-chance and indeed, it will not be me that buys it. Irene would have to do that and cream off a return. So it is important to me that any request for an investment, is soundly based.

The Hill house Inn
Last night, at about 8:30pm, I went for a pint at The Hill House Inn, where Mark works at his day-job, so to speak. He took me into the garden where he showed my a deep excavation, revealing brickwork tunnels and all sorts of strange things. More excavation is to go on today, in preparation for the opening of the gardens for the summer, in a few days time (Easter weekend, I thnk). As yet, no-one knows what these tunnels are all about, so it is the bigiings of an investigation, which will, in all likelihood, turn into a job for some local archeologists. It looks to me like soemthing freom WWII. Then again, I am no expert. At any event, I know Clive, the landlord, hopres to feature it, rather than to bury it again. All this turned up whilst they were working on the formation of a stage, behind the old signal box, and in front of the garden, for acts to perform at The Solstice Beer Festival in June.

Monday, 6th April 2009

I am of a mind to go to the Jarrod museum of printing, in Norwich on Wednesday. It's Mark's day off, so he can mind the shop as it were.

I have had an email offering a paper drill, which is far better than the one we have. Thank you Bob!

I have heard from a man who has found a TE-T 20. He was put on to me by my friends at www.FoFH.co.uk.

I also had a call from an Englishman France, who has a TE A 20 and a Hochkiss Ferguson and have sent a manual.

Sunday, 5th April 2009

I have a job for a hog-roast business, locally. I will have to get on that in a minute.

I have decided that I'd quite like to think about getting a Vertical Miehle printing press from the 1950's. If anybody knows where I can get one, do let me know please.

Saturday, 4th April 2009

Food prices had to rise over the past few years. If they had not, then food producers would have gone down the pan and everybody would have lacked food. Now state benefits and minimum wages have to rise to catch up. Otherwise those in poverty will go without food or have to eat poor quality food. It makes precious little difference to the rich if food were even to double in price. All that would happen to them is that they may have to go without some small luxury item or items. I'm saying, if a family income is a couple of hundred a week, doubling food costs from £75 to £150 is very significant (is it to be found from the rent, the water or fuel bills, or where?); whereas, if another family is earning £800 a week, then that extra £75 quid is not such a big deal. Maybe one evening out in a week could be sacrificed; or swap their Jag for a Toyota or something, perhaps. I don't know where the better-off spend it all.

That's the headline fact of the matter. Beneath that, we must think more carefully about other things. The UK is buying huge values of, what I call, tat. Gadgets and gizmos, trinkets and fashion accessories. Useless shite, which benefits nobody, for the sake of appearances. Beneath all that, there are goods and services which are supplied with the best of intentions, intended to ease the burden of time constraints. The longer hours people work, the more they are under pressure to buy less labour-intensive food processing equipment for the kitchen, the car, the general running of the household. If a person is out of work, they can sweep the carpet with a home-made broom of sticks and twisted straw, gathered from the hedgerows. If they are working 80 hours a week, like some people, they could do with a vacuum cleaner. See my point?

Then the problem arises that the vacuum cleaner, bought by the high-flyer with a job and the 2.4 proverbial, is assembled by the poor person who is earning a bowl of rice a week. A bowl of rice will not do, to sustain a vac.-maker with a family. Wages for assembly workers have to rise. Do you begin to see a pattern developing here? Yep! Inflation! The scourge of all classes, but the terror of the poor! I once heard it said that if you take all the money from everybody with lots of cash and share it evenly throughout the world, everybody would get a shilling. That would obviously have been unhelpful to anybody in the long run. Is that still the case today? I wonder how it could even be researched; or if anybody has?

I have to admit that my heckles rise when I hear of people earning hundreds of thousands of pounds for doing something which does not involve making, mending or growing something, but is that fair? I call them "the useless third". I wonder if they so represent only a third and I wonder if they are useless? I suspect they represent more than a third of the UK and I suspect they support those who are unable to find a job to earn a living or that they still perform vital tasks which are just plain low-paid, because the greater number does not particularly value their produce. A farmer, friend, of mine once told me that over a lifetime his has made a liking on a crop on a handful of occasions and that most years he makes an horrendous loss. Over a lifetime, he has just clung on to his land and his hope. He certainly lives in the most extreme poverty of gizmos. His home is old and tired. his family are worn to the bone. He simply has not acquired the sort of modern paraphernalia that so many ‘useless third’ people seem to think of as necessities, following a lifetime of farming. The worst of it is that he is desperately ill because he has not had the time to access medical treatment for simple ailments. He has to work every day just to keep his head above water, pay his taxes and perform the tasks needed to avoid prosecution under the right-to-roam laws and such-like. That man certainly has enough land to be seen as a rich man but half his farm will have to be sold when he dies to pay the death-duties as another half was sold when his father died, so his descendants will never get to own their a self-sustaining and profitable farm, should they want to. Indeed, they probably won't even have enough left to buy themselves a house in the village in which they have been raised. Generation after generation, the farms have had to sell-off 40% at each passing (or go further into debt with the banks), till there is little left. There are now plenty of second homes, owned by 'the useless third'. Then again! Are the useless third so useless? Where would we be without bankers and insurers?

What if house-values were say 1/8th the price that they are now? All home-owners would still have a home. It would just not cost as much for a mortgage, and more people could afford a home and have money left to buy food at a fair price. Oh! I forgot, if the capital sum is less, then the mortgage companies would not make as much profit. Heavens forefend! How are house values set? Ah! That'll be the house-valuers! To whom are they allied? Into Which 'third' do they fit in the grand scheme of things? What would it take to reduce the value of property? Erm! I know! decline to pay the asking price and do without till the price drops? No! That wouldn’t work! All the existing mortgages would simply fall apart and there'd be all those banks to bail out at tax-payers expense. Erm? Could we decline to bail the banks out? NO.............. They'd re-posses people's homes. Can bankrupts do re-possessions? I wonder?

It's a funny old world!

What am I going to do today?
My 1st intent is to print, foil and despatch some beautiful wedding stationery to customers who approved a proof last night. After that, I suppose I shall have to make a couple of cold-sales-calls. I truly hate that with a real passion; but it's part of the daily round of tasks necessary to the successful running of a small business. if customers do not know I am here, then they cannot buy from me and I will get bored.

I printed the Wedding Invitations, Mark is foiling the type and glazing the pictures, in and then I am creasing them. The whole operation is very much done by hand here. £120.00 sounds like a lot of money for only 55 invitations, but when one thinks of the planning and liasing that goes into the preparation, then the man-hours of hand-perfomed tasks to actually produce the cards, one at a time through several workings, to foil the type, glaze the hand-drawn pictures and crease each card, one by one, it all makes perfect sense. This sort of work really is a labour of love!

We have had a respose from Tim, who is perfoming a benefit evening for the local RNLI crew, has been on the phone and approved the posters and tickets we are priting for that event. We now only await the images to include on the work. Then we can go ahead and print the job.

Friday, 3rd April 2009

I awoke this morning at about 4:30am, thinking of an old friend, with whom I lost touch a very long time ago. I have used the Internet to seek him out and dropped him a line.

For some months I have been thinking about the law and the way that penalties are imposed on offenders. This morning the television news is running a report of "wheel clampers" and high release fees. Only a few days ago I saw a "public information advert" about the penalty for failing to pay road tax on a car. That being the almost certain destruction of the car. What!???

We used to have a law in this country preventing "cruel and unusual punishment" and "presumption of guilt". I have long defended the way the law works in England, insofar as that it evolves by case, rather than it being crudely imposed by Parliament. I like the principle of the jury being the last word. Sadly, like democracy, that depends upon the jury being made up from informed, intelligent and considerate peers. In a decade when such a high proportion of the population is university educated, one would hope that such peers might, at last, be in the majority. I am devastated that such does not seem, on the face of it, to be the case. There is a missing element. "There but by the grace of God go I" Does anybody even begin to understand that still? "There" = the making of mistakes, the committal of crime and sin, the falling for deceptions. "but by the grace of God" It is sad that so few now believe in God and sadder that even the churches seem to have lost sight of His grace. What ever happened to forgiveness? Whether it be the forgiveness of God or forgiveness one person of another, or of the law of the criminal. Forgiveness is the psychological key to 'doing the right thing' in future! "go I" That's every man jack of us! "All have fallen short of the glory of God" or put another way, we have all failed to achieve even our own standards for ourselves, let alone those of the society on which we live or the law before which we cower one minute and to which we plead for revenge, the next.

Before expecting the law to penalise your neighbour, for goodness sakes, ask yourself how much wrong you have done in your own life, which remains unremitted and ask yourself just what or how much you might be expected to pay for those mistakes, were they discovered.

There is no doubt in my mind that society benefits from the incarceration of repeat offenders, who seem unwilling or unable to understand that they would do better to stop beating people, stealing from people and committing other crimes against society. But if, as a society, we take upon ourselves the right to deny other people their freedom, if that freedom results in our losses to their bad behaviours, then, most surely, we, as right-doers, must be responsible for ensuring that we commit no harm (and that no harm is committed on our behalf) to the incarcerated? Surely we must be responsible for their safety and their humane care! If we remove their right to self-provision, we must feed them. If we remove their right to self-defence we must defend them. The cost of doing it the way it's done now is mad, surely we can keep a hman being hamanely for less than we are currently paying to violently tear every ounce of decency from them, strip by strip, at the moment!

Can it be usual or proper to destroy a person's car (even if they are not the owner, because it is on hire-purchase) if they decline to apply the road-tax on time? That's silly! That's against even 17th century English law. It's absolutely daft! Just think of the consequences of such an act of legalised vandalism. I don't need to spell that out, surely? Worse still, can it be reasonable to plaster threats that to fail to pay road tax will result in the destruction of your car all over public television? Can it be reasonable to be screaming "we know who you are" "You're on our database" to every televsion watcher in the land? Who are the public servants who are threatening their employers in this way?

Democracy
I am getting less and less sure that democracy is the way to go. It seems, to me, to be failing! Why the heck should I pay for Government to do things, which I think are stupid and wasteful, just plain wrong or immoral or financially catastrophic. I have elected our local MP. I am responsible that when I argued a case with him, and won the argument, by his own admission, he then voted in Parliament against me as a result of his own prejudices or as a result of pressure from elsewhere (I don't know which!). I do know that I cannot elect him again. But I also know that I cannot sack him for it, which I am minded to do. I am, therefore, as a direct result of democratic process, prohibited from properly affecting Parliamentary decision. How am I expected to respect Parliament and honour it's directives? There is no way I can so do! I cannot escape the conclusion that democracy is flawed! the best answer I can get to that is "well now! You name a better solution!" Sadly, being a bear of little brain, I am unable so to do. Therefore I press on with what we have, but with the greatest reluctance!

Why do I write this tripe?
Because it helps me to think!

Credit where credit is due!
I have just heard of a local authority who are arming their litter wardens with money and charging them to leap out from their hiding places and damand "Is that your litter, that you just put in that bin?" Whereapon they give money to the resposible citizen, by way of reward for a good thing done.

I also heard that the film piracy people are to stop their threats, and actually thank people watching legal copies of videos for doing the right thing, instead. Will wonders never cease?

I sincerely hope that the 2 examples of the right way to do things prove to be extrememly successful.

I spoke to the friend mentioned at the top of thee day.
We have a very good chat, for the 1st time in years and I hope we will continue to stay in touch.

I hate doing cold sales calls
I spoke to a very nice man at Snetterton race Course about printing Tyvek^TM wristbands in full colour, this morning and hope for a good result from the call. I shall wait and see. Watch this space!

Frog Orgy

Thursday, 2nd April 2009

Yesterday for us, was a high pressure day. Today I have only printed 1600 labels and handled enquiries about tractors and about printing Tyvek^TM wristbands in full colour.

All our orders are completely up to date, except for three, customers for which have not yet paid. No doubt they will get round to it when they want their printing.

Other than that, the only other matter is proofs for, what looks as though it will be, an outstanding wedding.

The postman staggered off this morning as cheerily as always. We like our postman!

I would comment on this global finance sumit, but they don't deserve comment as they are not behaving in a way, which I think, justifies taking seriously. The problem with that is that these people hold our cash in their hands and are spending it like water on our behalf. Oh well! That's my life affected and nothing I can do about it. The same applies to all of you. I am beginning to feel quite uncomfortable with this "democracy" thing. it's OK as long as common sense rules, but when we are governed by idiots it is hard to know what to do to govern the governors.

As for those protestors dripping with blood, on BBC CTV yesterday - Grrrrrrrr! I saw no police dripping with blood! I am pleased about that, but why was the need felt to beat the living daylights out of a selected few "innocent (according to law as they have not been convicted)" people who don't like being governed by idiots and feeling unheard and/or ignored by their MP's?

I want to be clear about this. I have always supported the police, but on the only occassion that I went to a rally of like-minded protestors, to expose Parliament's contempt for humanity, we, very few people, were suddenly, noisily and agressively, penned in by police in a manner, which was most certainly designed to generate a natural "fight or flee" reaction. Fortunately, the group conserned was more than sufficiently intelligent to resist nature and remain calm (if terrified) and wait for the aggressors (the police) to settle down. At that moment I lost all remaining faith in the London police, in crowd-control situations. of course, they one the day, in that I dare not go to such a protest event again!

Wednesday, 1st April 2009

I am going to compensate for a busy day by posting one picture of work and the rest of our livestock, which have nothing to do with, that which has been, a very busy day.

Poor postman!

I wonder what they are up to? NO emails please!

Proud? You'd understand if you'd seen what he's been up to all day. NO emails please!

Mark has squeezed a few minutes (Pah!) to clean the bar-b-que NO emails please!

At least they keep themselves to themselves. NO emails please!

As usual everybody is alway welcome to telephone.
We love to talk!
just be NICE to me. it's been a long day!

Tuesday, 31st March 2009

Many thanks to customers for overnight Ferguson tractor manuals orders.

We are expecting a visitor today around 1:30-2 for a few hours. Mark was going for more paper this morning, but I have just increased the order, so he will collect Wednesday now. No harm there and it saves a journey.

We produced some proofs yesterday for the RNLI's lopcal boat crew. They are having a fund-raising event next month with "Nashville Numbers", a Country Music Band. It should be a wonderful evening, at the Happisburgh Village Hall (The Wenn Evans Centre), with a bar, food and all sorts.

In between print jobs this afternoon, we have cleared the patio and tidied up after the winter, ready to entertain alfresco. Added to that, we have celared some wood into a pile for the chucks to sift through for bugs and weeded between the paving slabs. We now have guests!

17:00 gone
Guests gone!

We think we shall spend an hour or so sitting outside in the evening air, enjoying the peace and watching the fish and the chickens over a light beer ow two.

I believe that later, there is to be a TV programme about who killed the electric car". That will be of interest to me, if not Mark. I recal rumours, several decades ago, and disbelieved them at the time. now we may find the truth of the matter.

Monday, 30th March 2009

Here we are then! Monday morning at 8:15am and orders for 3 Tractor books and 1600 self-adhesive labels. That's a good start! Keep them coming!

Mark has been signed back to work from Thursday. That sounds like a good thing to me. Any longer and he would, almost certainly, go quite mad, with boredom.

Sunday, 29th March 2009

Never waste a good recession!

Yesterday I spent some hours cleaning and fettling the Tillock. It doesn't look much different, but my hands don't go black when I pull the lever or turn a screw now. Even white paper stays white.

I hope that nobody minds if I say that weekends are really boring! Will someone please phone with a taxing problem to solve? I really do not understand why everybody seems to wait till the get to work to use the office phone. I'm here all weekend!

Nuf of that moaning! I have at least, had the time to do more work on the Tillock. It is now ready for a little expenditure on the gas plumbing. And! We have really enjoyed an episode of Scrapheap Challenge, in which one of the teams built a steam-driven paddle boat (the engine was built from scratch). It was truly GREAT! The steamer only lost to the Diesel because the valve-timing was held together with (Blue Peter) sticky tape. Had the switch been screwed down, it would have been a wonderful race! The Diesel must have been 20-40HP and the Steamer was about 2-4HP, so it was a very well matched race. They did say that it was the 1st electronically controlled steam engine (in this case a microswitch controlled the inlet and exhaust valves, driven by solenoids). That is not strictly true. For one thing I worked on one with Thames Steam Launch Company many years ago. It is all known technology, so, surely, we cannot have been the only ones to have done it?

Saturday, 28th March 2009

The first thing to do this morning is to invite Mary & Mac over for tea at some time that it's convenient to them.

Yesterday!

100 tri-folds for Lessingham Village Hall
3 Workshop manuals and 2 Parts manuals for ferguson tractor owners.>br> Final proofs for Wedding invitations.
500 compliments slips for our tee shirt suppliers
26 peotry books (waiting for materials on Tuesday for covers)

Now that is a better day's work!

Today a Workshop Manual. and handed over the Lessingham trifolds to Steve.

Thursday, 26th March 2009

Mark was doing very well last night. With typical brass he insisted that we spend an hour at The Hill House last night, where he was met with the expected awe at his stowick resolve and bravery.

Many thanks to Steve, who helped me dismantle the Tillock yesteday, so that I could bring it in. Actually he is very like Mark and would not let me do much of the lifting or mechanical work. With two of them round me, I didn't get to actually do much for myself, which I was rather looking forward to. I am begining to know what it is that people with disabilities are on about, when they say they want a modicum of independance. Shhh! Steve! I'm not moaning, Just learning. I mean it! Thanks!

I guess a jolly good clean-up and maybe a paint job - to keep the work clean - would help now. I just wanted to make sure it was all there - and it is, more or less 1 side-lay.

Mark has gone into work this afternnon, to show that a heria operation does not have to lay a person low for weeks, provided they work at it. He won't be working today though! The Hill House Inn, for whom he works is keen that he does the right thing and rests up for long enough for him to be fully repaired in time for the Summer Solstice Beer Festival, at the end of June.

Wednesday, 25th March 2009

I think Mark has been surprised at the extent to which he has been temprorarily disabled by these hernia operations. I have left him in bed this morning. He is showing no signs of waking. If my similar, but not as extensive, op. a while ago is anything by which to go, he will be out of action for a fortnight, in terms of driving and getting around the house and maybe quite a bit longer in terms of pulling pints. Mind you! He is a determined chap, so we'll see! For now he cannot lift a pen to paper.

For my part I am hoping that some of the jobs I am hoping for will turn up soon, as we could do with the income. I also hopw that the next orders for tractor books will not be long in coming. There are usually one or several in the last week of the month!

I am expecting a gent. to come today about some books for the, newly independant, Walcot Flood Devence people. That's a charitable freebie. I am also hoping the new (150 years old) Tillock case-blocking press will arrive today.

Tuesday, 24th March 2009

Mark is home and, whilst extremely delicate, at least he is almost talking - between laboured breaths. I don't think he will be lifting anything or pulling any pints for a day or several. At least he has a smile on his face!

Monday, 23rd March 2009

Right then! That's Mark ensconsed in his hospital bed and me alone for the next 24hrs.

On our way we did go to see some monotype type-casting machines, which are for sale locally. Fascinating!

Sunday, 22nd March 2009

I started the day with a nice little order for Ferguson tractor books, to go to Australia. They are ready for the post on Monday morning. It being the last week of the month, I am hoping for more order for these books this week, as seems, most months, to be the case.

Mark has, very kindly, cleaned out the heat-sink on my PC's processors and the PC is now running much more smoothly. Thank you Mark!

I have had a email from a printmaker who also has an Imperial blocking press. i hope we will have a chance to speak on the phone soon. He has a number of questions about letterpress, with a view to expanding his studio. I need to engage in conversation or else the email exchanges will go on for ages and I would still not be able to advise him, without being sure of his intent and possible options. There is such a wide variety of variables to take into account!

The chickens are laying 2 or three eggs most days now, so spring seems to have sprung and we hope the grass will soon rizz. That will cut down on food requirements a little, as will the birth of some new insect life; for the girls to eat. I am very pleased with the cockerel now. He is even daring to eat from my hand without biting. He is becoming a very biddable bird, without the vicious nature of his father.

the fish in the ponds have begun to take food, as the temperature rises. We rerally do feel that spring is nearly upon us. We have passed the vernal equinox, and things begin to look much brighter again. No more getting up in the dark for me! BST starts next Sunday morning. Hoorah! I have to admit to being a proponent of British standard Time. I am not too keen on BSDT (double time in the summers).

Mark is due in hospital about noon tomorrow. So bear that in mind please. I may be unavailable for a short time around then. I think he is due home in the morning of Tuesday. that is another time that I may be unavailable for an hour or so. Then with mark off work for a week, recovering, we can get on with some serious work here, at home. I know that Mark is planning to prepare the groundwork for the printing for The Hill house Inn Solstice Beer Festival, whilst he is off work.

I have found a low filing cabinet and placed it near the other iron hand presses, ready to mount the Tillock. Having all three together will be a good thing. I have a fine 3-shelf trolley (I really don't know what else to call it), which I use for papers and inks, for feeding and such like. That will roll very nicely between the presses, I rarely use more than one at any one time.

I some ways I would quite like to have the iron presses in the same room as the 4 different digital presses, as that would make a handsome contrast. However, the digital presses need to be with my, big, PC and that needs to with the scanners. There would not be space in the room which houses the iron presses for all that as well as Mark's PC, his vinyl cutter, sublimation printer and hot-press. Added to that, it is handy to have the finishing (laminators, drill, folding, cutting and creasing machinery and binding machine) and pre-press (guillotines etc.) equipment in the room next the the digital presses. There is certainly no way we could put any of these things in the same room as the UV exposure units, vacuum frames, plate and film-making or dark-room equipment. The comp.-room is out in the garage already, so that can't do much for us. Anyway! I like the peace out there when setting metal type; apart from the fact that is is very well lit, just where the copomsing frames are sited.

The one thing that I am beginning to get close to having to admit is that I could do with a small (I have no real idea oif small would do! Mt feeling is that A3 would be the smallest that I could get away with and I really hate the modern litho process, with a passion. In fact, one has to wonder why they call it lithography when there is no sign, whatever, of a stone.) litho press. I thoroughly hate the idea and will only do so if truly pressed - if you'll pardon the punn. The one lithographic process I might be persuaded to entertain is actual lithography. the type that actively employs a sandstone rock as a printing medium. I heard of one the other day and find myself sorely tempted. Other than that, the nearest I would want to go, would be colotype. It does not use stone, instead it employs a glass plate coated in an egg albumen sensitised gelatine. The clever thing is that one achieves a very nearly contiuous tone image from continous tone film. This process seems to have been overrun by printmakers. I really don't see myself as a printmaker. For me they are predominately artists, whereas I see myself more as an artisan craftsman printer. I really don't have the creativiy of an artist!

Saturday, 21st March 2009

I was just reading one of the wbs sites of a author's society. They start off by warning that we printers of Print on Demand books are only after the author's money. Well! Erm! we do expect to be properly paid for our work. That seems only fair. What seems to be the cause of the antipathy? No doubt someone will let me know.

For my part, I will be happy to print a book - or several - on demand (subject to copyrights). That's how I earn my living, I'm a printer! As to any attempt at rip-off? Why would I do that? Paper this much, Ink this much, Trimming so much - labour soem other much. price agreed. job undertaken. I really cannot see the problem. Happy days!

Am I going to set up signings and other promotions with books shops all over the country? No! Why not? Because I'm not charging so to do! I'm charging toprint such books as customers order. I also undertake to pay the royalties demanded by the author, each time I sell a book. That seems only right too. I understand that there are people out there who would want someone to promote the books they have written. Just in the same way as I want my printing business promoted. Indeed! I understand that there are publishers out there who will undertake such a task for authors. This am not such a business. We are here to turn an idea into reality. The specialist salesperson for that product is a salesperson or the author themself. Seriously, if an author can find a publisher to do the marketing side, no doubt they will do so. We are not here for those authors. We are here for the authors who know full-well who is going to buy their books, and is perfectly capable of directing those reader to us, to have them printed.

Oh! We do not restrict the rights of the authors to their copyright; that remains with the author. We only undertake to make the publication available to would-be buyers who seek it out, on behalf of the author. Maybe this is an unusal kind of arranegment. I just fail to see anything wrong in it.

I suppose that I am coming from a place of having written a few little books myslelf, and published them for myself, quite happily. They are of limited interest, so I don't expect to sell them by the thousand, but I have sold them by the dozen; and been pleased so to do.

Friday, 20th March 2009

As the end of another week draws nigh, we await delivery of a 19th century Tillock gas-fired blocking press to supliment the book-binding equipment. We hope that will turn up on Wednesday. Where, exactly, we are going to erect the Tillock, I am unsure. That is something which shall have to rest, gently, in my mind for a little while. My real worry is that Mark will have been chopped up (hernia op.) by the time it arrives, so it will be a so and so to get erected in place. I shall have a struggle lifting even the basic frame, with the rest dismantled, on my own and Mark will not be lifting anything heavier than a bag of sugar for a few weeks.

The press below is the Imperial letterpress machine we have (the picture was taken after it had spend ages in a damp garage. It has been cleaned now). You will note that the Tillock is of a different type, based on identical design. The Tillock has a gas burner in a print-head, in place of a platen. Then the bed does not run out in the same way as the pletterpress machine and does not have the folding timpan either. The Tillock is specifically designed to gold block the covers (or cases) of books. These presses, of around 10" x 15" (Crown Folio) were much faster to "fly" than the larger like the 20" x 30" (Double Crown) Albion, below. Some 300 impression per hour were said to be achievable by one small boy. I don't suppose you would get much in the way of quality at that speed. I have tried it and, whilst it is certainly achieveable, it is very hard, very fast work. My best is 200 per hour on cutting jobs, which require no time for inking.

I am sure you all know that we also have this Albion Iron Hand press by J Marr and Co. of much larger dimensions, for bigger jobs. This machine is of very similar design the the, smaller, Imperial (the differences are important, but not huge). It is said that a team of 2 young men, one to ink the type or block and one to impress and postion/remove the paper (presumably the older lads, who had, earlier in their training operating the smaller presses) could print up to 200 per hour on this press in it's heyday, under the watchful guidance of a Printer. No doubt the Printer would watch a number of such presses, each operated by lads of varying sizes, according to the sizes of the presses they were using.

It must have been an amazingly industrious sight to behold. Especially when you think that at one time, this was the only way to produce books with large amounts of text; the type for which was all hand-set, letter by letter, by skilled compositors. These letterpress presses were also used for hand-bills, newsletters, flysheets, posters, as well as indulgences for the Church; until that went out of favour. All three of these presses are from the mid 1800's. The earliest, to my knowledge so far, is the Imperial at from 1858. The J. Marr Albion is 1863 and I do not yet know the date of the Tillock gas-fired blocking press.

Printing presses were built in fairly large numbers following the lapsing of The Licensing Act from around 1694, which had effectively controlled the spread of printed knowledge since 1643. All osrts had abused the powers of that Act and it was one of the most powerful ways in which democracy was clawed from the depths of despair. It seems a shame that we are regressing, so quickly! It's almost as though no-one understands the meaning of the word, any more. It is far more complex than any definition I have heard in reply to the question. With freedom comes great resposibilty and high expectation of good behaviour. When that expectation fades and is replaced by legal obligation, democracy begins to disolve. In our case, it is now being swept away in tides and torrents, im my view!

The other item due to turn up any time is a new A3 document scanner. Our old A4 scanner has performed faultlessly, but A3 is now the thing of the future for us.

Mark is booked in to have his operations on Monday, at Great Yarmoth. I plan to leave the phone staffed, but it's probably best to wait until I get back if you want an educated answer to anything on Monday morning.

It is worth mentioning that Tyvek^TM wristbands are well and truly on the list of products available here in full colour. Most sellers can manage printing in one monochrome colour or another, We can print in photo quality colour on this difficult material, with ease. We charge only 9 pence each for them. and our minimum order is a, poultry, 8 bands.

I am still waiting to hear from my "poet" customer, for whom I am soon the print some peotry books.

I am also still wishing another gentleman well, who has written a very improtant work on the subject of time keepers. He will know himslef if he reads this. I have his cases and stand ready to bind his books.

We were expecting to receive some artwork and wristbands from a company who would like a sample ofwhat we can do. I rang this afetrnoon to tell them they had not arrived and learned that they have not yet received the artwork from their artists.

We have sent "bubnny" proofs out 1st class, for wedding stationery, this morning.

Wednesday, 18th March 2009

Mark has been to the hospital today to get his pre-surgery check.

This evening, we have printed 500 business cards for The Limes guest house at Catfield in full colour one side and black on the reverse.

A sample of pink card/paper has arrived with a customer to select for wedding stationery. We now only await their approval of one kind of the other (or maybe even a request for something different) so that we can go ahead with that job.

Regular readers will notice another string to the bow on the web site, with the vinyl cutting on it's own page now for signs.

I'm currently bidding on a new, larger (A3) scanner. We await the outcome of that.

Meansbetimes, Mark is cutting the cards to size for The Limes guest house at Catfield. We print them 10up. then we shall box them in 100's, ready for collection tomorrow.

22:53
I am just about to print a Protop Topper Instruction Book

23:55
That is ready for the postman in the morning.

Monday, 16th March 2009

Welcome to monday morning!

At 7:40 this morning I ordered paper and card for collection tomorrow, for trifold handouts for the Hill house Inn, and for printing my books. I have enough in stock for 4 manuals, which I guess will be more than enough till tomorrow.

Over the weekend I have had orders for two Ferguson combined workshop andparts manuals. 1 has been paid for by Paypal and will go out 1st class this morning and the other customer is sending a chheque, which no doubt, will arrive in due course.

I have also begun work on 5 invitations to a wedding for a couple who have designed them, using a pair of rabbits in a delightful piece of art-work. I am just waiting for the couple to decide on what paper and card they want.

I also wrote a little article for the Foilink trade magazine, which should come out in the next issue.

22:11
I have won A3 the scanner at auction! Hoorah!

I have heard from my wedding stationery customers, by e-mail and replied, just now. that's all going ahead well!

Sunday, 15th March 2009

Minimum price for alcohol
Some years ago I worked with alcoholics and street people in a voluntary capacity. I did that for quite a time. As a result I do have some insight into the lives of these people.

I do have sympathy with publicans who feel they are competing with cheap supermarket booze; but there is something much more important and fundamental to consider .....

For poor people, raising the price of booze will mean that they can afford less food and shelter. Alcoholics will not drink less just because Government ups the price of booze. They just steal more, eat less, live an even worse quality of life with poorer nutrition and die earlier. All in worse squalor. All the legislation in the world will not change that simple truth. I'm not suggesting that it be subsidised - Heavens forbid - Just don't try to force a living breathing human being to do your will by withdrawing simple sustenance and shelter - YES! FOOD & SHELTER! Not booze. Food comes second to booze for an alcoholic. Alcoholics can't help that!

What about stopping children from becoming alcoholic? I here you ask. Then look after your children, if you must have them. Prevent shops selling booze to kids. Control who your child is with at night and give them something to look forward to coming home to. They're YOUR children! You deal with it!

This is another case of the lunatics running the asylum This move is just plain ill-thought-through! It displays a complete and utter lack of understanding of the problems that face the people of the UK. It makes it look as though we are being governed by idiots! Oh! come to think of it, we are! We are electing parliamentarians on the basis of 'what decision-making process' exactly? It sure as heck isn't their intellect! "I am the man behind it all. I am the man responsible"."The Responsibility" by Peter Appleton Just as I am for the bomb, the tax system, the monetary crisis, the constant attacks on foreign combatants by UK soldiers, the incredible lack of housing and the homeless in the UK, shortfalls in NHS recourses resulting in the withholding of life-saving drugs and services, poor roads, pollution, lack of care for the elderly, pathetically low pensions etc. .............

Have a look at this page on the Liberal Democrat website. Even they can't get this one right!

On the subject of pensions,
Is it the case that the monies I have contributed toward MY pension have been used to pay someone else’s pension and that there is not one penny in the pot for MY pension, until you rob a young person in the same way?

Now who’s the crook? If I ran a a private pension company doing that, I'd be banged up! Once again, hang on! It is me, and you and you and you .... We vote for this trickery and tom foolery! Yes we do have a choice. There is always a choice.

Saturday, 14th March 2009

Credit
This is a very difficult matter. The whole country is deep in the mire, because of the cost excess borrowing. The only reason Catseye Press are not in the same position is that we have avoided borrowing, using our own hard-earned cash to fund the projects that we have undertaken. That has, without pulling our punches, led to personal hardship, of a sort. We have not led the lifestyle expected in the UK in this century, whilst we have been building up our equipment and stock.

Now we are finding ourselves quoting for jobs, being told that our prices are good, and yet not seeing orders result from some of them because we do not extend credit to our customers. Sorry people! It works both ways. We are providing a good service, at low cost (else our estimates would not be acceptable) and we have achieved that by doing it our way. We hate to loose work opportunities over this. it is very upsetting, but we have talked it through at length and the decision has been made to stand-firm. In short, we are not a money-lender, we are printers!

We would encourage everybody to join us in our stand against credit. When you consider where the money comes from to extend credit, we must all understand that it has to come from the end user. The customer! The ordinary Joe in the street! These valued individuals cannot afford to be paying us to borrow money or to lend it. Every darned thing we buy has an element of cost built in, which goes to pay the bankers! We know people who are loosing their homes over credit, It's that serious! Tough it out with us, people! We will all be the richer for it in the end!

Credit cards
Are for shifting money about, not for long term loans.
Never allow the borrowed sum to go beyond the payment day. the interest is crippling!
Use Debit Cards which cannot be used to incur debt, instead.

General suppliers
Run themselves into debt by lending money.
Please don't try to force them to lend you money by refusing to do business with them unless they extend you credit.

Manufacturers
These people are not qualified to be money-lenders.
Please don't try to force them to lend you money by refusing to do business with them unless they extend you credit.

Shopkeepers
These people cannot afford to be money-lenders
Please don't try to force them to lend you money by refusing to do business with them unless they extend you credit.

Banks
Have proven themselves, recently, not to be good money-lenders
Do yourself the great service of refusing to borrow money from them.
All they have to do is to withdraw the facility after a little while, and then they own all that for which you have worked so hard for so long.
Banks are places to store money likely to be needed in the short term and to convey money from place to place.
Expect to pay for that service! It is of value to us all, as non of us wants to have to travel around collecting cash, especially in this day and age.
If used sensibly, for the purpose for which they are intended, they can be a very valuable asset.

Money lenders
Qualified and experienced at money-lending, who charge (a lot) to lend money.
You then have to pass that cost on to your customer/employer in order to pay the price of the money you have borrowed
Then your product or service is uncompetitive, when compared with the one one saved up to avoid borrowing.
Oh! and/or your profit margin is much smaller as you have to pay for the money you borrowed.

For goodness sakes! Let's stop this in it's tracks, NOW! Be brave and bite the bullet!

Thursday, 12th March 2009

Woopie! I have a new keyboard. Wow! It is so different to the old one! That's to say that it works, so much better. Unfortunatley my fingers haven't learned that yet, so I'm still all over the place. I really must do some of those touch-typing excersises - when I get an hour or two.

Mark and Steve had a good day on the 9NAN yesterday. There was a lot of clanking and banging, all the day long.

Mark also mounted and set up a press for me, in the same room as he has his PC. That will improve output a bit! The latest one that's going on my PC could have come yesterday, but didn't, so might come today or tomorrow. That's all down the the carriers (I've decided to stop trying to spell courier as it sounds French). I am very hopeful of a delivery today, I have so much to do and so little time in which to do it. yesteray the chances (certain assumtions accepted) were 33:66 against me. Today they are nearer to 50:50. That sounds like an improvement to me! Hopes are raised in the "ready to dash" position!

Later
The new, additional, printer is now installed. That brings the printers on this PC alone to 12. Mark has other on his PC

Wednesday, 11th March 2009

I have had a hard day on the arithmetic front! I have completely failed to read numbers correctly and have ended up embarrasing myself. At any event, I have apologised to the parties concerned and now must put that behind me.

I am awaiting the arrival of a new machine, and I don't know whether it will be delivered today, tomorrow, or Friday. I feel as though I am wishing my life away. Hmmmm!

Mark & Steve are working away in the garage on the 9NAN Mark has in. I am just printing out the book they need, to get on with what they are doing.

Tuesday, 10th March 2009

My telephone headset arrived this morning. Woopie! Now I can talk to my heart's content and wander from place to place around the building as I want. I can get on with work, or make myself a cup of tea, just as I choose. Above all, no doubt the pain in my arm from holding the phone to my ear will subside in a very few days.

I had another enquiry about Tyvek^TM wristbands this morning. I wonder if any of these will turn into orders? If they do, we might have to order yet another machine.

I am quite keen to look into other products that need to be printed on Tyvek^TM, to see what we can do to help folk who find short runs a problem. ANbody who has anything to suggest, is welcome to telephone.

Monday, 9th March 2009

I love days like yesterday!
I printed a Ferguson Plough Manual and a Potato Planter Instruction Book. I proofed some business cards for customers who visited from The Limes at Catfield and spoke at length to a number of people from companies selling Tyvek^TM wristbands. I also completed the greetings cards, which I proofed last week. There is a big pile of printing waiting for the postman.

I've got another press, for Tyvek, arriving in the next few days. That shoud allow for more production. After yesteday's calls, I am expecting demand for full colour prijnting on Tyvek,^TM to oncrease a little over the next few weeks. I have another press lined up to order, some time in about a month's time.

Sunday, 8th March 2009

I wonder why I get so few calls at the weekend? Surely everbody must know I am open as usual, every weekend?

One good thing about that is that I can get on with some important chores. Today I have been adjusting the web site metatags. For those of you who don't know, but would like to, metatags are a means by which search engines find web sites. They are short lines of script which guide the search engines, but cannot be seen on the pages.

Saturday, 7th March 2009

We had a very good day, yesterday!

We produced and posted a Ferguson tractor combined workshop and parts manual, 50 brochures for Opies ... The Stove Shop, 3 proofs for Uniprint and 75 Wedding Invitations, ready to go this morning when the postman comes.

Later
By contrast, today I printed a couple of hundred "proof" cards for another printer.

I can tell I am beginning to advance, slightly, in years now. I have just completly failed to take a photograph of a gold foil and colour business card to post here. I shall have to wait for Mark to get back. I really have tried pressing every button on the camera a number of times, and the best I can achieve is something very out of focus. I can see the thing try to auto-focus, and then flash. out comes a grotty, fuzzy mess! Never mind. Patience will out!

later still
Mark took just 2 seconds to correct the settings I had wrong on the camera.

Gold can be a bit difficult to photograph, but you can see the idea here!

Additional investment in specialist machinery to print Tyvek^TM products
Tyvek^TM and other low-melt-temperature sub-straights simply cannot be printed using conventional toner technolgies. Modern digital presses simply run too hot and melt these very clever polymer products. Catseye Press now ownes the technolgy to undertake this very specialist kind or work.

we have, today, bought a new machine, dedicated to the prnting of Tyvek^TM wristbands and other Tyvek^TM & other polymer low-melt polymers, for clubs and other venues' security as well as specialist (especially outdoor or wet) packaging needs. This is an an added string to our bow, which we hope will bring in further turnover and revenue streems, by investing in the most medern of technologies. There are very few printers in the UK who know how to do this and we are proud that, once again, we are at the forefront of a developing market.

There is little doubt that, becuase we do not borrow from the theives and bankers, to fund fascinating and exciting projects like this, we will experience a short period (estimated to be about a fortnight) of stress. If we had borrowed the huge investment in this, instead of saving and paying cash, we would be scrimping for ages to come. As a direct result of our policy of saving up for the equipment we need to earn our living, we have already done the scrimping and have only the good times to follow. We urge this policy on all busiiness in the land. In the mean time, we urge our exisiting and loyal customers to continue to use Catseye Press for their printing needs, so that we can surge forward, helping people to experince decent quality, specialist printed products, at competitive rates into a strong and exciting future. For us, the printed word is one of the most exciting things mankind has ever invented, and we want to continue in it's growth and expansion. That even include the Internet as a printing medium!

P.S.
It's nice to know we all now own a share in Lloyds banking group, as well! Well done us! may it make us all, pots and pots of tax-free profit!

Friday, 6th March 2009

I just popped out to the post at 15:00 - 15:09hrs and missed a call, number witheld. Please call back?

Thursday, 5th March 2009

Mark and his helper had a wonderful and very full day, yesterday on the Ford-Ferguson 9NAN in the garage. He seems rather pleased with progress.

I completed a proof of Wedding Stationery for the Mr. & Mrs. D. and that is going 1st class this morning. The materials did not arrive until half and hour before the last post (well, actually, there is only really one, but the morning collection is sort of extra to save me going to the post office with the big parcels, which will not go into the post box). That should arrive in the morning with the customer.

I also have an order for our friends at Opies ... The Stove Shop for brochures, printed on A3 art paper.

My guillotine blade is due back tomorrow, so that will be a relief! It arrived at the grinding company at 11:00hrs yesterday. This is a company called North Shields Grinding and they provide fantastic quality and brilliant service.

We are negotiating to buy a three pahse invertor, for the new guillotine, as well. That is a very expensive business! How I wish it were a single phase motor!

I had 2 large boxes containing Ferguson workshop manuals, parts lists and instruction books go out in yestrday's post and I have opne more waiting in the wings for the guillotine blade to come back. I sincerly hope that will make Friday's 4:30 post. If not it will have to go on Saturday morning. I have, of course, spoken with the customer.

Wednesday, 4th March 2009

Yeaterday I produced a Ferguson tractor workshop manual, this morning I am producing another the same, a parts namual and a plough manual. and a High loft Loader Instruction Book and a Diesel Tractor Instruction Book.

I am hoping for a delivery of paper and envelopes for a Wedding Stationery order, so that I can produce a proof of that to go out in the post as soon as possible.

We have had enquiries, for which I have quoted for a local election campaign's leaflets and other work, a run of "specialist" calendars for the lifeboat crew's fund-raising campaign and we have finalised things for our preparation for the Hill House Inn Solstice Beer Festival.

Mark is going to be working on the Ford/Ferguson 9N, in our garage today. The hope is that a friend will help. Mark is pushing on with this as he is booked for his hernia operationns at the end of this month and will not be able to do much, once that is done, for a few weeks - at least in terms of lifting.

Monday, 2nd March 2009

I have sent my portable headset phone off to be replaced. It has been playing up lately and has been a bit annoying. The nice people at Plantronics say it is still under guaruntee, after nearly 2 years. What an amazing service! Do give me a couple of minuites to get to the phone, sometimes. I am not always at my desk, contrary to popular opinion. That's just a function of being able to answer the phone, whilst working at a press or even eating a meal at the front of the building. The phone is at the back of the property, in the hot foiling and engraving room, with the most powerful of our PC's (the iron hand presses and fabric printing equipment, with the vinyl cutters and smaller PC's, is at the front) and it's no mean dash, when one is in a hurry to get to it to answer.

The next thing to get fixed is my keyboard. I have been promised one, which is due to arrive in a day or so.

Sunday, 1st March 2009

Crikey! It's March!

Friday, 27th February 2009

I just had a call from More Than car insurance, telling me that my car insurance is up for renewal, and offerring to quote. First, where disthey got that information? Secondly, it's not accurate. Then we came to the truly dodgy bit! They announced that in order to quote they would have to do a credit check on me. I sent them off with a flee in my ear. Not that I have anything to hide, but why would they need to do a credit check scheck for a payed-up-front transaction? I'm fed up with this country! I really am!

I have completed the proof of the tractor picture for my custmer in Scotland. I must ring next to sk when to send it.

Just t backtrack a bit! It's bakers and insurance gamblers that I find the most untrustworthy of professionals, in this world. Why would I want to trust them with my personal information? If an insurance salesman wants to know my credit rating, I am bound to want to know why. The reply I was given was that it is automatic. WHAT?????

Forget you not that it was only a few months ago that I was complaining that the MEt Police wanted me to get involved ina 'volutary' schem, whereby I was to do just such a check on all my customers. Remember my answer? I said "NO"; and very forcibly too! This is the way it's going, good reader. Beware, be afraid! Be very afraid! Something is going (or has gone) very wrong in the country and I don't know what it is.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licensing_of_the_Press_Act_1662

As of right now, I am not in the mood to check for typos.

Wednesday, 25th February 2009

We have changed a consumable in our big printer today, which last for 150,000 pulls. That gives us a good idea of how many we have printed since we bought it.

Tuesday, 24th February 2009

An interesting combination of Ferguson tractor instruction books went off to Devon this morning. If I were to make deductions from the order, it would go something like this "Here we have the owner of a Ferguson TE20 (originally a Continental engine), which has been concerted to Diesel using a Perkins engine and is fitted with tyre tracks, is in a rush to lift the sugar beet, which is very late in (indicating a broken down modern tractor), followed by an urgent need to cut wood for the household fires using a Ferguson cordwood saw". Of course, I am not Sherlock Holmes. so I can be certain that is all wrong.

Yesterday's post did not bring the things I need to try printing on glass, for the first time, so I rang up and they said, again, all was posted days ago. I wait on!

In the mean time, I continue to print for fun as I wait for orders. I have quoted on a few jobs, though. I think Mark is going to Norwich today to collect some paper. I am not sure yet, as it is early for him (07:50hrs). mark needs some more business cards, which I can foil this afternoon.

I have been on the phone this morning to the manufacturer of one of my machines. they are sending over some special Teflon lifejackets, which I can use in a foiling process, which I have been using. It should improve production rather a lot.

Mark is, by now in Norwich, where he is replenishing stocks of several cards and papers for me.

You will also see that I have slightly altered the header in these pages, changing the links on these pages to 2 rows, in order to spread them out a little.

This morning's post brought a beautiful painting of a Ferguson FE35 from Colin, which I am to use to colour-match for some folded cards, for a customer in Scotland. This delightful original, painted by an, obviously very talented, young artist, is to be the key to the front of these cards. It is always difficult to print from a scanned image, without the benefit of sight of the original, to match. The customer has to be applauded for the superb, hand-made packaging use to send this, clearly valuable, work of art, through the post, by special delivery. computers are not really so good at interpreting the details of images like this. They are inclined to differ from the original in terms of density and other elements, despite all the information being properly held on the software file, ready to de-code using the human eye.

It's now 10:00am and I am ready for to take the first pull on Colin's picture for the first comparison. I will keeep you informed.

I finished work at 2pm, weiry with consentration. Back tomorrow!

Saturday, 21st February 2009

Our advert in Cosmopolitain Bide came out today. I am now watching the stats to see if it has any effect on the web site and I am, as usual staffing the telephone; today with extra intest in the type of calls which come through.

I am grateful for a call from 1 customer, who has just recieved his Ferguson tractor Workshop Manual. He sounded very happy with it in every respect. It was good to get some feedback on the Ring-bound edition in the new box ring-binder.

Thursday, 19th February 2009

No doubt regular readers will have noticed the addition of even more pages to this web site. I hope it all encourages you to remember us when you need printing.

I have produced a good batch of little books for Sparex. They seem to be selling weill, especially the ones that Mark and I wrote about repairs to various parts of Ferguson TE 20 tractors. These include the electrics and the carburettor and governor.

I have also printed and despatched a few workshop manuals. I am surprised at the sheer numbers of ring-bound manuals I am printing. I always thought (and still do) that the hard-bound coffee-table edition is the best. I have had to order more covers for the hard-backs and more ring binders for the others. They are expected to arrive in a day or three and I have plenty in stock for now.

Other than that, all I have done since I last wrote is 100 business cards and some compliments slips. Mark has printed a few Tee Shirts for a pool team. They seem to like those! Oh! And he hs also printed a couple of little heart-shaped purses for gifts and a couple of special-design Tee Shirts for individuals.

We have been looking into printing on glasses (pint-pots for a start) over the past few days. Now there is an interesting challenge!

I am expecting a call tomorrow from scotland about proofs I sent to a customer a few days ago. One of the things of which we must all be aware is that if a picture comes on a disc, in PC format, if I haven't got the original, against which to compare the result, I cannot colour-correct. That's why, if that's the way we are doing it, I always send proofs, till we get it the way the customer likes it. That can sometimes take a few shots. The key is always to talk! Thank goodness this customer is a very, very nice man! Tee Hee!

We did go to see a very fancy Xerox printer at a local open day. It's very impressive, and very fast. The speed is stunning and the quality is as good as that of the machine I have got here. One funny thing is that they are marketing the vitually the same (rather slower) engine as mine under the Xerox name. It's a small world!

Whilst in conversation today, with a friend of mine near London, I discovered that she had seen a printing press, back in 1961, which could print in full colour, by a similar process used today by the most advanced digital presses, which wikipedea states, was not invented until 1973. She saw it whilst visiting a US military base. They were using it to print maps. How is it that the military are always 10 years ahead of the rest of us, even when it is the taxpayer who funds them? It would have been almost worth joining up to play with they're new toys. If only they would stop using hem to kill people at my expense and in my name! Grrrrrrrrrr!

Talking of funding, G.B. seems to have started printing money! Off we go again then! Not to worry! We all got through the last Gvt. muck-up so no doubt we'll get through this one. I wonder where all the money goes, when they get up to these tricks? I suspect the bankers get it. What do you think? Don't answer that! I know the answer.

But I have to ask the question, "what does he think the printing of additional paper (actually, I think they inferred on the news that it's digital) money will achieve?" It seems they are simply sending the bankers a few billion here and there, by electronic transfer,to top them up, without actually having the reserves to support the transactions. I'm with Clarkson on this. I'm sure I don't need to repeat what he said. It was emblasened all over the news and appeared on the face of it to be spot-on accurate. Why Clarkson was made to appologise, escapes me. Maybe they'll make me appologise next. Now let me think? Am I entitiled to my opinion any more than is Clarkson? Erm ... I dunno! Vote Lib Dem!

Sunday, 15th February 2009

OK, so fairly major changes to the web site today.

Nothing much more to add really. It's Sunday after all, and that little lot has taken all day.

I'm still here to talk on Sundays though!

Saturday, 14th February 2009

Since last writing I have printed some proofs for some gorgeous personal stationery (with a customers' own delightful original artists image), to which I want to add one more card-type for which I am waiting. I have produced a Ferguson tractor Workshop Manual and an Instruction book and I am designing and printing some business cards.

As far as the proofs are conserned, I am hoping that the customer will opt for the mould-made card. It is of the highest quality and just oozes high stands. I have embossed a pair of initials in one corner, which looks and feels quite wonderfal and adds an extra level of personalisation, which is rare these days. There could never be any doubt who sent this card. It would stand out from amongst all others.

3:04pm
I have sent off the business cards and the proofs now.
The only down side to this glorious mould-made paper is the price. The difference between lined and unlined mould made envelopes is £21.90. The difference between plain white and unlined mould made envelopes is £51.02. The difference between white card and mould made card is £57.38. All these prices are based on 100 cards and envelopes.

We shall have to see whether the customer thinks the difference is worthwhile.. I certainly do. But then I love quality stationery!

Monday, 9th February 2009

I just had a marvelous chat with a gentleman about Ferguson Cordwood Saw. He has just bought it and needs an instruction book. The exciting bit was carefully leading him through paying using Paypal. I understand that Internet payments can be a bit worrying for anybody who has not used it before. He did, of course ask if it's entirely safe. I had to say no, but that it is very safe, just not 100%. Nothing is 100%, in the world. A bit like my typing.

Anyway, he has paid sucessfully and his book will go with the postman 1st thing in the morning, all being well.

I posted some books to a customer a week ago and I have not yet recieved payment. I must remember not to do that again, even though I know this customer will not let me down, but they obviously don't understand that making me wait hurts the old finances.

Saturday, 7th February 2009

This morning started with 100 A5 flyers for a local Cab company.

Then I altered the www.fergusontractor.co.uk>web site to include a picture of the new lay-flat protective ring-binders for the Workshop and Parts Manuals for Ferguson TE 20 series tractors.

Now I am writing this. See you later:-

Later
Then I made some improvements to my Weddings page.

Thursday, 5th February 2009

WARNING!
I have just spoken on the phone with BT who tell me that YES, 0844, 0845 0870 prefixed numbers are all free in the new scheme for pre-paid calls (check your service contract). BUT 0871's, which are also national rate numbers ARE NOT included.

Yesterday's Ferguson tractor Workshop Manual order is ready for the postman to collect in the next 1/2 hour.

All other orders have already been despatched. None are outstanding.

I have had a phone call this morning form a Workshop Manual customer, who has a few problems. He is not getting fuel to his carburettor. He has fitted a new carb and a new fuel bowl, but no filter on the fuel tap. I suspect that the tap has already bunged up with grot from the fuel tank.

The worst of it is that he has taken the head off and taken it to be serviced by an engineer. Sadly, the engineer has tried to exptract the lead plug in the head and cracked the head in the process. Now the owner needs a replacement head, so I have suggested that he asks Dave Garner, who's phone number is 01553 828 330 or Patrick Edwards. A full list of suppliers for used spare parts for Ferguson TE 20 series can be found at www.fofh.co.uk/yellowpg.asp

Wednesday, 4th February 2009

Diabetis
Here's a little sallutory story for my diabetic friends. As I am sure you all know, I am diabetic. A few months ago, when I saw my GP, she asked me how much Metformin I waas taking, I told I took 4-5 x 200 tablets a day. She said I should reduce that, so I reduced it to 3-4. Since then I have been nodding off in my chair again in the afternoons, not bothering much with checking my blood/sugar levels and generally not being my usual self. Over the past couple of days, Mark has pointed out that my moods have been swinging more than usual so I have been checking blood/sugar to apease him. Woops! Not that it is very high! 8-9's are where I am at. Not over ten though! But never below 5. I shall take myself for a test in a couple of days and see what the long-term result is. Anyhow! I have now upped the metformin again, to 4-5 x 200's and will see what happens. I have to say that I feel better already.

I sent off samples of Tyvek^TM wrist-bands yesterday to Club King. I know the boss there is about to go off on holiday for a month, but we will have to see what he has to say. I am just waiting for a quote from the company who make my cutting formes to tell me how much it is going to cost to set up the perforations. Double Sided tape is due here today. I could be up and running in a couple of days. The forme/s will probably be about £100-150, if I know my stuff. I just need to decide whether to go for 19mm wide bands or 25mm wiide bands. Can anybody think of any other application for me to print Tyvek^TM tear-proof paper? Answers on a postcard please (Make that a phone call, if you don't mind). Just bear in mind that it retails at 50p per A4 sheet abd £1 for A3.

They are suggesting that they make it illegal to ski without a skid-lid! I think skiing is unwise to the point of stupidity (except for legitimate travel needs), but I will defend, to the hilt, the right of anybody to do it, with or without a helmet, as they please.

This morning it is raining here, so it is very overcast. non-the-less it was light enough to go out without a torch, if anybody could brave the rain, at 7am. There was definite light behind the cloud at 6:15. Hoorah! As soon as it's light enough to go out before the blinking dog-walker, who are at it at 6:30, I can start my walks again. I just don't like it when the mutts run up to me growliing and yapping and the owners tell me they're only being friendly. Growling and showing of teeth is not a display of friendship!

I printed 20 copies of The Legendary Ferguson LTX Tractor, The Big "Fergie" Story, by Erik Fredriksen for Friends of Ferguson Heritage yesterday. They will soon have them on their shelf. They have been in my bookshop for some couple of weeks now. I also sell a hardbound edtion, which is £15.00, but very smart!

My telephone headset has been playing up for a few week now. I hope to recieve a replacement today. That should solve the problem of customers' voices fading to nothing mis sentance. I have to say that his headset is over 4 years old and Plantronics have been very helpful in their attempts to help me to solve the problem.

I am also expecting new ring-binders for my Ferguson tractor Workshop Manuals today. These are coming from Viking-direct. We will have to see how well they go down. They are actualy slightly dearer than the hard-covers, but I hope they will be a better option than the simple display ring-binders used so far. I have raised the price accordingly. I have one outstanding order for a ring-bound workshop manual and that will go in the new binder at no extra cost. I hope the buyer likes it.

Mark did more preparation for re-starting the restoration of the Ford/Ferguson 9N he has here for a customer. He hopes that he will start work on it next week. The space is now clear and benches set up all ready to begin. His plan is to work on it every Wednesday now until it is completed. The next stage in the job is the cleaning (and repair where necessary) of hundrds of parts, ready for re-assembly.

Tuesday, 3rd February 2009

Politics first

I had an e-mail for the Lib. Dems. this morning. I didn't realise that our esteemed Government are pushing the Identity Card on more and more people. They are using the usual 'voluntary' thing as they do with so much else. I only hope that those who think the whole plan is harmless and useful, are also aware that at the same time these ID cards are being introduced, Government is also intioducing other volutary schemes, the like of which require that people like me conduct a financial investigation into people like them, before doing any printing for them. Yes! That's right! it's true! Just voluntary for now, but sure to become part of the plan to licence all printers, elecricians, plumbers and so on. You will never again be able to do anything for yourself without first becoming properly qualified. If you allow it, it will serve you right! I have warned you all! See http://www.homeofficewatch.com/2009/01/31/id-card-creep/comment-page-1/#comment-4965. If you want to help to solve this problem, do surf to http://www.libdems.org.uk/noidcards/ and sign.

My telephone headset has been playing up
Fortunately, Plantronics, who supplied this headset have a very good Technical Support Department, which may have solved the problem for me. Thank you, plantronics!

Advertising
We are still waiting for the publication of our advert in "Cosmopolitain Bride", which is due out towards the end of February. Our advert at Yell.com generated a couple of hit this morning. Woopie! Maybe it will work!

back to politics for a moment.
I have just had an e-mail from a friend. It tells of God's latest request to Noah, to build a new Ark; and of the problems he experienced with the authorities in executing God's request. To sum up, God shelved his plans to destroy life Earth again, on the grounds that the UK Government had done it for him.

Thank you Derek!

Monday, 2nd February 2009

Is there enough anti-freeze in all your engines? The forcast says it could yet get colder.

Where insurance is compulsory, as it is on the roads, look after your no-claims bonuses. the crooks always get it back from you, with profits. A payout is never free!

The chickens shuddered dlightly, when I opened up 1st thing this morning, then politely declined to come out to play and have not layed eggs for 3 days. Bah! I fed them in their little house, in the end, this morning.

It does seem to me that Monday mornings, are usually quite busy on my web site, but this morning is much quieter than usual. Surely my customers are not waiting till they get to work to surf my site and when, like this morning, they are delayed or don't make it in, due to weather, they don't surf from home? I know it's a long time since I worked for an employer, but surely folk don't surf, privately, on company time, do they? It really does look that way from here! Fascinating! Of course, whilst I know how many people are surfing, I have no way of knowing who it is and where they are (well! I do know if they are in the UK or abroad). This morning, so far, I have had 13 Americans, 2 Swedish and 8 from the UK. Last Monday, I had :-
Great Britain with 97 sessions
Switzerland with 4 sessions
France with 2 sessions
Netherlands with 2 sessions
Romania with 2 sessions
Sweden with 2 sessions
Bulgaria with 1 session
Germany with 1 session
Norway with 1 session
United States with 41 sessions
Australia with 1 sessions
Guam with 1 sessions
That's a fairly typical Monday. And, it's only the www.CatseyePress.co.uk web site.

Last Monday at www.fergusontractor.co.uk we had:-
Iran with 6 sessions
China with 3 sessions
Russia with 1 session
Thailand with 1 session
Great Britain with 95 sessions
France with 9 sessions
Netherlands with 5 sessions
Sweden with 5 sessions
Bulgaria with 3 sessions
Ireland with 2 sessions
Belgium with 2 sessions
Switzerland with 2 sessions
Finland with 1 session
Germany with 1 session
Lithuania with 1 session
Luxembourg with 1 session
Norway with 1 session
Portugal with 1 session
Croatia with 1 session
United States with 90 sessions
Canada with 1 session
Argentina with 1 session
Uruguay with 1 session
Australia with 6 sessions
Guam with 1 session
New Zealand with 1 session
Mauritius with 1 session

Weekends are always quieter. That's my point. It's as though people are much more inclined to visit our web site from their work computer.

Saturday, 1st February 2009

Pinch and punch for the 1st of the month

Saturday was very quiet, but I awoke this morning to an order from Australia, which I have printed and will go out 1st thing in the morning (Monday), if the postman makes it in this rather chilly and somewhat white weather (raging blizards).

Oh! and I drilled some photocopies (for fixing into a ring-binder) of a rather wonderfull book this morning for a local customer. I had the privalage of seeing the original. Ooooh! Hand made paper! Letterpress printing! Really remarkable quality work!

Political stuff
The one thing I think Mr. Ferguson got wrong, was the suggestion that farmers would grow rich and the world would all be well-fed if farmers bought Ferguson tractors. It was not a whimsical fancy of his. It certainly aught to have been the case, all other things being equal. Sadly, all things never are equal. The whole world always grows to fill the availability of needs. There will never be enough as long as the population grows faster than mankind's ability to produce. Add to that the seemingly inexorable need. that people constantly display, to reproduce as fast as they can, and we have a real dilemma on our hands.

But the problem starts off small and grows and grows until disaster strikes with the inevitability of the passing of time. Why is it that if a man has the space to accommodate 20 chickens, he feels the need to squash 25 into that space? The answer is that he feels that he could live better and raise more screaming bratts, on the profit from 25 chickens than he could on the profit from 20 chickens. Sadly, when there is, sure as eggs is eggs, a glut of chickens, the price goes down and no-body profits. The man who was happily selling his 20 chickens at £1 each, is now only getting 75p, so he now needs to grow 27 chickens to maintain his living standard. The next thing we find is that his chickens develop some sort of disease, brought on by the over-crowding, and the supply of chickens dries up. Whoosh! Up goes the price of chickens, so that no-one can afford chicken. Then all the chicken-producers go bust and start to grow sheep instead. That's the end of sheep-rearing as a living then. And so it all goes on.

Well now! Here we go with the price of oil. You all think "I know, I'll save up for a pension for my old age". Good idea, in itself. But the person with whom you save you money then rushes off to invest it in a way, which he hopes will earn him a profit over the interest he has agreed to pay you. What's more, he is looking for the greatest profit he can get. HUGE profit! Rich investor! “Great”, thinks he. He invests in oil, which is, as yet, in the floor, in some Arab nation. It's oil that Mr. Arab will dig up next year perhaps. When it come time to sell the oil that Mr. Arab dug up, so that the chap who is saving for a pension can heat his water and his home, it's so expensive that he cannot afford it. You may think that the solution is simple. All we have to do is to cash in our pensions to buy the oil. Sorry! Most of the rise has been creamed off by the futures investor. Not one jot of profit has been made by the investor. Not only that, but the investor has to pay taxes on the apparent profit he has made. Tax does not take inflation into account. Now the poor investor IS poor, as he cannot even afford food and water, let alone oil.

I think I have said enough about the useless third of society for now. It's starting to feel like we have no control over our own destiny. Read again another day to find out how we can regain the control over our lives that we so desire! But for now, here's a clue. I suggest that nobody borrows money from bankers! They are in the same clubs and think the same way as the futures marketeers.

Do we really think they didn't understand what they were doing? These are the people who's university education we have all been paying for the past few decades. If they don't understand, they are either daft or they have not been listening in their lectures. I really don't know which it is, but I have been ranting on about it for ages, and no-one in authority has been able to, either, see it or stop it. I don't know which, but it is as clear as the nose on my face.

Ooooooooh!
Here come that snow again! And what thick and windswept snow it is! It's that Russing snow! Rushing snow is always the coldest. Then we has to buy our gas from the Rushings. Pdd that! Didn't they aught to give it to us by way of compensation for not keeping their own air to themselves? Surely? That would be the better way to think of it in this age of fault and blame?

Friday, 30th January 2009

January 2009 can go down as the month we learned to print in full colour digital on DuPont Tyvek.

Wednesday, 28th January 2009

It's funny how things go. Folowing a fairly boring day, yesterday, Mark was due his day off today and had to go into work and I have printed several ring bound Ferguson tractor manuals. That's kept me busy most of the day. There have been a combination, Workshop and Parts Manual, two Workshop Manuals and a single Parts Manual.

I am still awaiting the arrival of samples from Germany and from the UK of a new tear-proof paper, which I can use in my digital press and the new web-foil printer.

Web sessions served in the past month are 4166 from this web site, totalling 99 hours of browsing. The www.fergusontractor.co.uk web site has had 11890 in the same past month period, totalling 352 hours of browsing. I guess that leaves me browsed for a grand total of some 451 hours over the past month. What I wouldn't give for £1 for each hour!

Tuesday, 27th January 2009

I had a very enjoyable vist this morning from a man who has had a Ferguson tractor workshop manual and parts list. As he arrived I had a telephone call for exactly the same order, from someone else. That was a busy few minutes!

Monday, 26th January 2009

My first job this morning has been to print a Ring Bound Ferguson Workshop Manual and Parts list.

Then I rang round my family and had a chat with most of them. My sister did not answer, but everybody else is fine.

Next I must drill this book, and fit it to it's ring-binder.

I think the next thing I might do would be to make a plate for the foiling press on the new (well, not so new, but new to us) vacuum U.V. light box. It will be a matter of doing test strips to discover the correct exposure times on the new equipment.

19:48
Then I did some work on my search engine links, slipped an advert into Yellow Pages and then, I couldn't help it, I just had to fiddle with my web site's heading.

OK
I was a bit dissapointed with the post this morning, and got bored because it didn't bring a cheque I was expecting (allowing me to get on with the job to which it relates), or samples of 2 different kinds of paper, whch I am looking forward to playing with. I like to print stock, which is considered difficult or impossible to print on. That's my hobby. I just love printing - and Ferguson tractors!

Saturday, 24th January 2009

The first job this morning is printing on Tyvek. This is always a fun challenge, as Tyvek is very heat sensitive and most of the processes I use involve heat. Of course, letterpress does not! These Tyvek wristbands are for identifying payees at conserts, and other events.

12:16
I have an order for a Ferguson Multi-purpose Blade Instruction Book. Assuming payment arrives as hoped for, I expect to get it out with the morning post on Monday at 10am ish. It should be with the customer by Tuesday.

14:02
I have been printing simple security logos using holograhic foil. It goes on the Tyvek wrist bands, well and looks very good on plastic business and ID cards. In fact it will print well on most card and paper as well. Secuity printing involves an understanding of a number of issues. In this modern age, a lot of things need to be increasingly secure. We have a robust, common sense approach to our code of practice with regard to any secure product production.

Friday, 23rd January 2009

So! We are finally in recession!
That's exciting!
Recession is when I earn a decent living.

I see myself as one of that nation of shopkeepers, about which we are all told during childhood.
For me, that is as much my identity as my name has ever been. It may be silly, but in plain and simple terms, that's how I feel; a shopkeeper!

For the past few decades we have been trying to keep-shop in competition with huge businesses, which are constantly borrowing to the hilt, in an effort to undercut us ordinary shop-keepers and to drive us out of the market. They have been spending what I call "funny money" to offer 'lost leaders' and all sorts of discounts, incentives and inducements to customers to buy grot. Yes grot! Yes, I refer to Reggie Perrin! I suspect he understood better than most, what these big businesses have been up to.

Now, with all these mighty monsters going bust, the poor people they employed are going to be desperate. They are going to be verging on hunger. Hunger drives people. People get up and do something for themselves when driven by hunger. There is a good chance they will begome shopkeepers themselves. They might even make, grow or mend something in an effort to earn a real living. Making, mending and growing things is the only real way to live for the benefit of others around you. Let's do it! The people of England are very good at it!

I'm printing. I need an ink-maker. I would prefer one who is making ink in England. I don't know of any. The ink I use is made in Germany, as far as I know. Come on England! Offer me ink!

I need a paper maker! I don't know of a paper mill in England which makes proper, top quality, low cost paper any more, least of all do I know of a paper manufacturer who makes some to the hi-tech papers I need in this modern market. Go on England! Make me paper!

I need my blades sharpening! I am pleased to be able to report that I use an English engineer to grind my blades.

I need a foil-film maker. Once again! They are not making the stuff here in the UK. It's all imported. Would somebody please start making foiling film in England?

Finally
Let it be known that we don't want to pay bankers. So would the people setting up to make the things we need, please do it without borrowing from banks. As soon as you borrow, it becomes cheaper to buy from abroad and have it shipped in. Businesses in debt have to pass that debt to the customer and the customer cannot afford it. If that means that you have to make your product by hand, then start of doing it by hand. Use your profits to buy your machinery after you have saved the money.

Today's printing
We have been printing on plastic business cards today. They look great!The ones we most like are black, overprinted with a transparent logo design, and then overprinted again with silver. What a gorgeous job!

17:09hrs
I have just had an order through for a Ferguson tractor Workshop Manual, to go to Eire. I'll get that printed ready to send by Air Mail as soon as payment arrives.

Thursday, 22nd January 2009

I had a checkup at Norfolk & Norwich Hospital today, relating to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. I was passed as a good patient who is responding well to treatment, and will be seen, next, in 2 years time. In the mean time, I keep up with the treatment. Works for me! Thank you NHS.

Here's a quote from BT, which will affect our business. Well done BT! And not before time. They are, however, increasing the charge for this service, but only a little bit.

Make FREE calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers.

Having to pay for calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers can be a source of irritation for everyone. Whilst BT customers have always benefited from cheap calls to these numbers, we’ve now decided to go one step further and as of 16th January, make calls to 0845 and 0870 numbers FREE within your inclusive call time.

Depending on the type of calling plan you have, these calls are FREE during the weekend (with Unlimited Weekend Plan), evenings and weekends (with Unlimited Evening & Weekend Plan) or any time (with Unlimited Anytime Plan) - That's us. So now you can make the calls you need to make, without worrying about the cost.

Other than that, a quiet day - so far!

Wednesday, 21st January 2009

Today is Mark's day when he doesn't go to The Hill House Inn, Happisburgh at all. It's the day that he gets to do things that he wants to do, for himself. A sort of a day off! Today Mark has begun the assembly of my new electric guillotine, in my finishing room. Then he has installed a new vacuum light box in my photographic room, for exposing positive film and photopolymer plates and, finally, is now erecting the Taylor-Hobson engraving machine, which will engrave metal plates, with which to produced embossing and foiling plates.

What for me is a side-effect, and for him is the main purpose of the excersise, is to clear the garage of my machinery, in order that he can get on with the Ford 9N tractor, which he is restoring for a customer. Indeed, he took the job on before ending his tractor-restoration career, before we ever moved here. I know he is very keen to get this job under his belt and the tractor back to it's owner in new, gleeming condition.

In the mean time, I have been printing wrist bands, for use at events, to identify vititors who have paid their entrance fees. It is fascinating material, which has a tendancy to melt when it is hot. It is a sort of tear-proof paper, which is made of plastic filaments, rather than wood fibres. All very high-security! I can already print on it in one colour, and hope to be able to print full colour versions of short runs, soon. By short-runs, I guess I am talking up to about 2000 sheets with 9 wrist bands to the sheet, totalling up to some 18000 wtist-bands per job. I am equally happy to be printing as few as 9 wrist bands at any one time.

I have just had an order through for a Ferguson TE 20 series Workshop Manual, a Ferguson Rear-Mounted Mower Instruction Book, a Ferguson Diesel Tractor Mainenance Book and a Ferguson Diesel Tractor Instruction Book. I hope to have those in the post in the morning.

Here is our very first ever little engraved plastic item.

It's 19:20hrs and I'm just printing a laminated poster for The Morley Sculpture Society Annual Exhibition, at which our friend, Belinda Opie is exhibiting.

Tuesday, 20th January 2009

Here's hoping all goes well at the US Presidential inauguration later today.

Today's first little bit of news from us is that I have printed a Ferguson mouldboard Plough Manual and an Earth Levelling Blade Instruction book, which are ready for the next collection by the postman.

Mark has been planning to print Security Event Wrist Bands for this year's Solstice Beer Festival at The Hill House Inn. This had led to more product developement. Until now, short runs (up to about 1000) of these has been pricey. We now seem to have the problem licked, so that short runs should be almost as reasonably priced as normal and longer runs. I hope that by the end of the week, we will be offering short runs of event security wrist bands at excellent prices.

Our advert for Cosmopoltian Bride is now in and should be seen in the march-April edition, due out some time in late February.

I have increased to pressure on my compressor today, to it's rated maximum. That is no bad thing as it will enable me to foil larger areas, whillst not compromising safety one jot. I downgraded it when I first had it, as I was not using it to it's potential.

Monday, 19th January 2009

Just as a matter of curiosity, the Government are talking about lending more money to the bankers, so that they can lend it to the public. Hang on a tick! Who is funding the Government? We are! Are we? I think that this time it's the children who are doing it (although I'm not sure that anybody asked them if it's OK with them to spend their earnings before they have even started work yet). Am I right? Are we borrowing from children, some as yet unborn to restore an economic system we have messed up? Errrr! Don't forget folks, "we are the ones behind it all, we are the ones responsible".

Here's something else I don't quite grasp in this 'sub-prime lending losses' matter. If the borrowers failed to pay their loans back, surely the properties then got re-posessed by whoever was holding the risk? Then afforesaid risk-holders get to either sell, lease or rent out the properties. Where's the loss there then? Are we being conned into lending billions of pounds to banks that will then lend it back to us at a vast profit?

On a lighter note, here is the advert we are thinking of posting in a bridal magazine next month.

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR TRACTOR BIFFS
Today I got the final permission needed to print the second edition of Erik Fredriksen's 'The Legendary Ferguson LTX Tractor'. That is now on my web site at £6.43. I have decided to number them.

Sunday, 18th January 2009

The building, here, has been a-rumbling now for a couple of days. The cause is this little lot on the beach:-

Isn't it a good thing that the driver of this machine, which lifts many scores of tons at a lift, is overseen by 3 highly educated people (seen here in the foreground) and a surveyor (in orange)? I do hope they have all had a proper university education! That's so very important these days, for special 'standing and watching men work' skills.

You will notice that the grab is almost twice the height of the surveyor, and , no, they don't just grow small surveyors round here. This machine is lifting rocks 6 x 6 x 6 feet (ish). It's massinve. The whole area shakes, as in an earthquake, when it drops one.

Friday, 16th January 2009

Mark has been signwriting a trailer for our friends at Opies ... The Stove Shop this morning. Here is how it is coming on:-

Thursday, 15th January 2009

I doubt that there is one amongst my readers who doesn't know that I am addicted to cigarettes. Tuesday morning I tried a new toy. It's calles The Electronic Cigaretteand comes from http://www.theelectroniccigarette.co.uk. It's two full, smoking days, later now, so here's why I bought it and what has happened so far.

In my opinion, the legislation imposed on us by The Labour Party and other Members of Parliament is unnaceptable. I deny giving them the right to do it and I hate them with a passion for doing it. As a result, I work from home, where they cannot stick their dirty noses, thus denying them business rates and I visit the pub less often, thus denying them booze revenue. They can consider themselves punished.

Yes! I have tried quitting, and that leaves me feeling dreadful, and failing to quit. I hate failure! It also left me heavier than when I started to try. In my case the health implications of being over-weight out weight (so-to-speak) those of smoking.... for now.

I bought some electronic cigarette. so that I could visit the pub and smoke inside, without having to go outside in the cold, wet and wind for a fag, when I want one and so that I don't get so irritated during conversation, when I need to smoke. I woke up cheesed off on Tuesday morning having had a bad ight at the pub on account of this nonsense and the electronic cigarettes arrived with the post Tuesday morning. I had a go, so didn't need a fag, just then. Then I kept puffing at it, and before I knew it , it was 8:30pm. At 9pm, our friend, David, turned up and we went to the pub to try the thing out (frankly I expected bunch of ill-informed, bigotted, idiots to tell me off for smoking inside the pub. I thought I was ready for them! ACtually, inside, I was quaking. As it turned out, no-one commented. Well! It IS Happisburgh, where the men are men and....!). Mark was due to finish his shift at 10. It was busy, so he didn't finish till very late and we came home, happy. I woke the next morning having, virtually, not had a fag for a whole day.

I lit up as normal Wednesday morning (albeit a little late, for me) and thought! Hm! This tastes a little tarry. SO I puffed on an electronic cigarette. Mark and I moved a load of stuff out of his garage, we erected my small, iron, Imperial hand press next to the J. Marr and Company Albion hand press, moved the bandsaw into a more suitable place, in the building and had a generally rewarding day. I also printed some 'compliments slips' for the wholesale suppliers of our blank Tee Shirts. The big point is that I didn't have a fag till 11:30pm, when I wondered how it would taste. Suffice to say that I didn't much like it, had one more electronic cigarette, before going to bed.

I did recieve some more paper samples yesterday. It is a highly exclusive paper, with a deckle, which is made to the most amazing and wonderful standard. It still lacks a little in 'size', which is what prevents ink from bleeding into the paper, so I have asked the same manufacturers to send me more samples, with more size in the pulp mix. This sort of paper is often used for watercolour painting, and may be better suited to the specialist printing processes, which I use. Not that the paper I use at the moment is lacking, rather that I am always seeking to better my best and to extend my range.

Wednesday, 14th January 2009

Suffice to say that I have started the day, this morning, on electronic cigarettes and have no desire to smoke the real thing.

I would like to think I could get a second guillotine set up today, but Mark will be out and it is very heavy, so maybe not! We'll see. Cripes! It's 08:15. Cup of tea anybody?

If I correct any typos, it will be much la'er.

Tuesday, 13th January 2009

This morning the postman brought a packet containing Electronic Cigarettes. These are intended as a substitute for the real thing, whilst in public places. After about 20minutes, I have to say that I have yet to be convinced, but shall persevere.

I had an evening out lst night and, frankly, didn't enjoy it much. I was forever having to go out in the pouring rain and howling wind for a fag. I really do hope this electronic cigarette thing solves that. The problem is that everybody seems to talk nonsense when I'm not smoking. Yes! I can see full-well, that it is likely that the problem is all (or mostly) coming from me, but that doesn't make it possible to socialise sensibly when withdrawing from smoking cigarettes.

Moving on to another subject!
Control
The UK is coming further under the control of legislative direction every working day! We have all heard the number of new laws and directives foisted upon us since the present Government "came to power". Then we all raised our hands in horror and promptly forgot the number. Me too!

As I see it, it is we, the electorate, who have led them to this. Each and every one of us would benefit from the understanding that they think they are doing the will of the majority; and may well be, in fact. As an example, I listened last night to a man who defends us against the smoking legoslatiom , because it has affected his trade and defended new legislation prohibiting us from wiring a plug socket in our own homes, because he considers himself to had the necessary knowledge, time and money to obtain the required qualification. BAH! I suggested that his arguments seemed inconsistant and he retorted (after first suggesting that we agree to differ) with an accusation of lunacy in a very derisory and agressive manner. Mark, now, will not discuss anything with me which is along this line of thinking, and those people, who's opinion I respect, in the pub seem incapable of conversation on these matters without being hurt or degenerating into abuse. Frankly, I am pained, because I see this sort of subject as being amongst the most important, before the English nation, today. I need to develop my thoughts. If there is no-one with whom to discuss the problems, the thinking stagnates or may even set in a shape which is patently wrong, for lack of sensible excersise..

Later
The day has gone well, really. The electronic ciggies seem to be working OK. No doubt they will take a little getting used to, but I have little complaint except that the batteries seem to run down very quickly. I have no doubt that this is due to the fact that I am using them quicker than they are charging. I have ordered an additional charger, which will help and, added to that, one battery will get a full charge overnight, which will be a very good thing.

Apart from that, it has been a fairly quiet day, with a fair amount of thinking, but not very much doing. I did print an invitation in silver on hand made paper using a toner-transfer system, which I had thought might be difficult, and it was not possible. They have not used any size at all in the manufacture of the paper, so the toner is drawn deep into the fibres, leaving none on the surface to which to attach the toner. I have ordered an alternative.

The other thing about the hand-made paper is that I have made better quality paper myself, even when I did it in my kitchen sink. They seem to be doing the same thing as some modern letterpress printers are doing and accentuating the flaws in the paper-making process in order to establich that it's hand-made. It leaves me wondering where the real tradesmen are these days? But then again, I can see that the public will be looking for those flaws and if they saw well made, hand made paper, they may not know the difference between that and good machine made paper. It's a funny old world!

Saturday, 10th January 2009

Giid grief! Is it Saturday already?

This morning I have been printing boxes for wedding invitations.

Thursday, 8th January 2009

This morning I have printed some more brochures, which we are now trimming and collating for our friends at Opies ... The Stove Shop.

I could do with an item of household furniture, strong enough to use to mount an old iron hand-press weighing much more than Mark and I can lift together, but sufficiently non-industrial looking for our living room. I need to set it up to do box-making jobs. The area and height need to be akin to that of a small office desk. If anybody has such a thing kicking about and needing a very abusive home, and is local to us, please let me know.

First let me thank Belinda and John Opie for pointing the following out to me when they goot home from a walk or bike-ride:-

I've just returned from a brief look at sea, and they are unloading a huge barge of rocks onto the beach for sea defences. It is fantiastic to see such skill in managing a 2000 ton craft to the beach, working the tides as they must. If they were to get the timing wrong, they could be in awful trouble, so the skills required have to be top notch! Marvelous!

This afternoon, I have printed a WOrkshop Manual and Parts Manual Combined, ready to post out in the morning. I am about to start printing a Tractor Instruction Book, which I intened will catch the same post.

I still have 5 Workshop Manuals destined for Germany, ready to despatch.

Another, fascinating costing excersise, I have been doing, is for little glossy boxes, some 1 3/4" cubed and printed in colour for an established customer from Covent Garden (I'll put the URL here when I know it). I am quite excited about that little job. They will be shape-cut on one of my 19th century Iron Hand Presses after printing on my top of range, modern digital press.

I have arranged collection of the five manuals to Germany. The postman will collect the Instruction Book and the Combined Workshop and Parts Manuals in the morning. my next trick is to get some books off to Norway....

Opies ... The Stove Shop collected their brochures this afternoon. Many thanks John!

Tuesday, 6th January 2009

No-one currently has to wait for delivery this year yet. It seems that most customers have 'got their orders out before they've put them in', to parody a poem on the wall of the printers' at which I served my apprentiship.

Monday, 5th January 2009

PETER!

I have an appointment at about 10:30 and I have to travel to it. So, please call me after 11:30am GMT or before 9:15am GMT.

Today the Weddding Stationery thing goes live. That is the appointment that is so important that I have to be away for a while.

12:40pm
I'm back!

Upon my return, I found a repeat order for 500 compliments slips for the company from whom we buy tee shirts and then for 5 Ferguson Workshop Manuals for export to Germany. That kept me busy for the rest of the day.

My appointmnents with wedding stationery outlets (1 locally and one for The Midlands) went well, now we wait to see tangeable results.

There is now a price calculator for the wedding stationery at the bottom of the 1st page relating to that product range.

I also have an enquiry relating to little boxes for packaging gifts. I have offerred my quotation and it seems to have been well recieved. I hope that new paterns will arrive in the post tomorrow, from which I can have cutting formes made to make some more box designs for general release. At this stage it's about adding strings to the bow and about widening the product ranges available. for instance, I intend to be offerring genuinely three dimensional products including wedding stationery and promotional items. You will be aware of my pyramid desk0calenders; well, now we will be able to go several steps further forward in developing ideas around that sort of thing.

Saturday, 3rd January 2009

PETER!

Sorry I missed your call. I didn't hear the phone. I have been trying to find your e-mail address for days. Thanks for the chocolate! Please phone again. +44 (0)1692 582 292

Wednesday, 31st December 2008

Happy New Year everybody!

Tuesday, 30th December 2008

Well now, let me tell you a story! We have had 107 hits through our wedding pages since I put it up yesterday. I had a phone call yesterday afternoon from Matt and Kerry, who were given the date for their wedding in the morning and saw our web site a few minutes later. They came over late afternoon and have already decided on a style, type face, silver blocking and our gorgeous embossing for their stationary. They have now gone away to make up their guest list and I expect to hear back from them either later today or tomorrow with their order. Congratulations, Matt and Kerry!

I had my latest order for a ring-bound Ferguson tractor Workshop Manual and Parts Manuals, whilst I was out last night and they left with the postman this morning. The 100th hard-bound-edition Workshop Manual is still up for grabs.

Later:-
Matt & Kerry have placed their order for invitations, place cards, thank you cards and orders of service. I hope and expect to get their order ready for them by tomorrow evening. It will be good to have delivered the first order even before the official launch target, which was to be Thursday.

Monday, 29th December 2008

They say that no sector is secure against the 'current financial crisis'. Well! Here's one that is better off than most. We have no debt hanging over us at Catseye Press. Our equipment is all paid for, we owe the banks nothing and we have sensible stocks of inks, paper and card. I have just paid for our web sites for the next year up front, our power is paid for in advance, as is our telephone bill. For once I feel very financially secure.

That is not to say that we are rolling in cash because we do not overcharge, we don't have to because we don't have credit interest to pay all the time. What you buy from us is only our materials and our time. With other businesses the customer is the one who ends up paying the cost of borrowed money. Not so with Catseye Private Press! You don't have to pay the bankers to buy your printing from us.

So! Here we are, back at work after he Christmas holiday, wishing all our customers a very Happy New Year.

We have not wasted the holiday period either! We have completed developement of the new range of wedding stationary, to add to the other vast rage of printing we do normally and we still have our unsurpassed range of books relating to Ferguson tractors and their implements at www.fergusontractor.co.uk

Sunday, 28th December 2008

Thank goodness some people will be back at work tomorrow! I've got so much to do. The best thing is that the paper merchants will be back. I need to order some more card. I only have enough left for about 500 invitations.

Yes! The Wedding stationery range is up and running! We have a fantastic new range of the most up to date options. This year, the fashion is going to be to go for the kind of quality that has not been seen for years, but with a modern touch.

Nothing is impossible now, and prices are so fair!

Boxing Day, 2008

Did anybody see Dr. Who yeasterday. We recorded it, but transmission was late so the last few minutes were lost to us. What happeened at the end please? PLease telephone to tell me.

Christmas Day, 2008

Happy Christmas

OK, I know this is a commercial web site selling printed wares, but I type it and I really do wish all my customers and friends a wonderful day. I'd hate to forget the personal element of life, just because I work for a living. I strive to keep people in mind at all times of the year.

You know I often make political remarks on here too. Well, today is the most important day in the calender to remember goodwill to all mankind, and that must include the polititians, however silly I think they may have been over the year.

Of course we have no idea of what date in the year God came amongst us in human form, but it is my belief that He did and that in so doing He first showed up the failings of humankind, which is, after all, His creation, before demostrating His fogiveness at Easter, when he showed us 'the way' which He would like us all to follow.

I see it as no bad thing to fit all that snugly into an annual calendar, which we can use as a method by which to keep us alert to His grand plan for us all. I hate to bring up anybody's failings, but unless we each remember, privately and for ourselves, what it is for which God forgives us, we never know the extent of that forgiveness. In the case of the Christmas story, it begins with Mary finding herself relagated to a stable, in which to give birth. In my case, as with everybody, it's beyond measure! But, "there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus"

Thank God

I'm going to be running Mark into work this morning and then coming home for the most part of the day, Then I hope to join him there in the late afternoon, at which time we will begin our Christmas celebrations. We shall have lunch together, with our friends, and be home in time for me to raise a glass, last thing. I am rather looking forward tho this year's Christmas Spaecial of Dr. Who.

Christmas Eve, 2008

Mark has slipped out to the Post Office to post 50 inserts for a book of poems by Dave Sheppard.

Various things arrived here this morning pertaining to the launch of our new range of Wedding Sationary, still intended for the 1st of January. I just realised that that's a Bank Holiday. Well! I suppose we are not a bank, so that'll be OK then.

Mark has delivered the last of the Tee Shirts he has printed for people for Christmas. They all seem to have gone down very well.

It's worth a reminder to everybody that when payments are made by Paypal, following standards suggested by Paypal, I always despatch to the Paypal address.

For those of you who don't get a manual for Christmas, and I guess there may be quite a few, I have loads of stock to print them. The next one out is number 100. I would love to print that either this year or on the 1st of January. I'l try to remember to date it as well as numbering it.

Later (about 7pm)
I have the first complete mock-up of the new Wedding Stationary Catalogue ready. Well! Having said that, I think there are a couple of additions I would like to make. That's OK! There are plenty of days between now and New Year!

Mark is due back from work any moment now. He is working tomorrow lunch time, then we get the rest of the day together.

Tuesday 23rd December 2008

I posted another Workshop Manual off this morning. That was number one of the ring-bound Workshop manual only edition.

I am just about to get on to a supplier of a new gold blocking printing machine for ribbons as part of the Wedding Stationery project.

I have also ordered cutting formes to deckle the edges of invitation cards. They are going to look great!

The next Hardbound edition of the Workshop Manual is nuumbered 100. I sold the first on 23rd February this year. I am delighted with the interest in these books. They really are the mainstay of my little business.

Monday 22nd December 2008

I know I've been a bit quiet for a few days. I have been busy printing Ferguson tractor Manuals and preparing a new range of Wedding Stationery for launch on the 1st January.

So! Anybody wanting to get married next year needs to contact me for the printing for that very special day. Obviously I will be doing Civil Partnerships as well as weddings.

Be sure that I will continue to do the Tractor Manuals I have always done, but that I am just adding a very special, additional, range to my repertious.

Monday 17th December 2008

POST
Yes! I know! Thay've messed it up, but if you order by tomorrow, Tuesday, I can post by Wednesday and You should have your work by Thursday. If I were you, I'd order today. I've plenty of stock of materials and nothing much, pressing, to do.

Everything else
Over the weekend, I have perfected the art of blind embossing wedding stationary with hearts, knots, bells and whistles. My samples are progressing well. I want to have them all ready for the New Year.

From now onwards, all Ferguson tractor books are to be packed in plastic, before shipping, double wrapped, in cruciform boxes. That's why the postage has gone up to the next price range. We are now well over 2kg for a full Workshop Manual. For those who have asked family for a Manual for Chrsitmas, I have printed 2 for wives and 3 or 4 for other family members. Out of all those who have told me that it was their intent to ask for one for Christmas, that's about 10%. The rest of you are more likely to get books on other things, like DIY home-maintenance.

I am staggered not have been asked to print much in the way of Christmas cards this year. Not that I'm into them, myself, but loads of people send them and you could all have had your own design, had you asked.

For those of you facing uncertainity in your jobs over the coming months, if it were me, and it has been, I would act now. There's a raft of cheap machinery on the market as the big boys find they've got their business models wrong, with their impersonal, mass-production services and are having to get out. Coming is the year of the independant business! Coming is the time of shop-local and sell with the lowest possible overheads. This is the year of the people who work from home in their own simple, honest, straight forward one-to-one, customer-centred, independant business. At last! Businesses that care! If you only do it to top-up your ever-shrinking salary, do it! Do it now!

I have, for years, been fascinated by the way larger businesses and organisations refer to independant traders as fly-by-nights, bodgers and other silly and derogatory descriptions of one man bands. I know it's a defense mechanism, to preserve their market against honest competition, but we now know that even the huge banks are not playing it straight. Only the little one-man-band is being honest, because one dishonest stoke from him and the whole community knows and his reputation is lost. Until the banks all went bust, everybody thought going bust was something that only happened to SME's. I'm saying it can happen to any business, but it's more likely to happen to the big boys. The trick is not to borrow vast sums from the banks and money lenders! Then there's nothing much to loose.

Credit and debit cards
Don't borrow on them. Load them up with money and use them to spend frugally), when you have to shop over a distance. Buy from small traders, whose reputatation is important to them. All other times, turn up and pay cash in exchange for the goods. Inspect them carefully before you pay and once you've bought them, they're yours. Pulling a fast one isn't clever, it's shameful. No-one likes a barrack room lawyer. If an item is bought and arrives in good condition, that's the end of the transaction. A polite "thank you" is alway appreciated and usually reciprocated. If good arrive damaged, a decent trader will always offer to replace or refund. See what is said before issuing threats. They never do you any good in the end. Never try to make a claim unless it's an honest one. You'll never live it down. We are moving back to a time of honest and decent trading. Maintain your reputation with care, and be careful with that of others. Wait until you have simmered down before being too criticle. Complaining has grown into a very nasty habit, that needs a little self-control and manners attched to it. no-one likes a moaner!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

Saturday 13th December 2008

From now onwards, all Ferguson tractor books are to be packed in plastic, before shipping, double wrapped in cruciform boxes. That's why the postage has gone up to the next price range. We are now well over 2kg for a full Workshop Manual.

I am staggered not have been asked to print much in the way of Christamas cards this year. Not that I'm into them, but loads of people send them and you could all have had your own design, had you asked.

For those of you facing uncertainity in your jobs over the coming months, if it were me, and it has been, I would act now. There's a raft of cheap machinery on the market as the big boys find they've got thier business model wrong, with their impersonal, mass-production services and are having to get out. Coming is the year of the independant business! Coming is the time of shop-local and sell with the lowest possible overheads. Coming is the year of the people who work from home in their own simple, honest, straightforward one-to-one, customer-centred business. At last! Businesses that care! If you only do it to top-up your ever-shrinking salary, do it! Do it now!

Saturday 13th December 2008

I have had no orders for printing since Wednesday.

There is no posatal service in several important places on Friday, so please order before TUESDAY if you want your books before Christmas!

I heard today that there are 6.4 billion people in the world. The planet, we are told, can sustain 1 billion. Work it out!

If we knock it down to one child between each couple, then their children do the same, it all comes right again. then we can all have 1 each again. Someone else can have one for us.

Wednesday 10th December 2008

I have three Workshop Manuals and one Sales Manual going out in the post tomorrow morning. We now have about 9 days left to order for Christmas. The most recent Workshop Manual I have printed is numbered 98, so number 100 will be any time now. I will put a note up when number 100 is sold. Remember though! The next one is number 99. of the Limited Edition Silver-Grey Sets, I have sold 3, so number 4 is the next to be printed.

Anybody who wants an owner's name or tractor serial number printed in their book is welcome.

Now that I have printed all trqctor manual orders, I am going to get on with developing my new range of wedding sationary. I had some wonder samples of special card turn up today. This is getting quite exciting!

Tuesday 9th December 2008

I have been printing Workshop Manuals for Fergson tractors for ages now. Nobody has ever told me that they would rather have a ring-bound version till yesterday and Sunday. Well, I do listen!

I am making ring-bound manuals available from today! I will print them on white gloss 115gsm paper. The price for the Workshop Manual will be £45.00, for the Parts Manual, £22.50 and for the combined Workshop and Parts Manual, £65.00

For a little while I have been making a bit of profit shipping little A5 booklets and loosing a bit posting Manuals. I have adjusted shipping prices accordingly. International shipping is still a problem, so I will continue to adjust them as needed, once the order comes through.

I am very much looking forward to response on these new Ring Bound Manuals, as I was a bit shocked to hear fom 2 different sources in only 2 days that I have been loosing sales because these ring-bound products were not on my list. I have to admit that I like the hard-bound version far more than the ring-bound versions, but the customer has to be king on these matters. You can have your ring-binders. You really are very welcome. I will still prefer the hard-bound versions.

As to pricing of these books, I have wrung my hands over it a bit. I don't think they are worth as much as the hard-bound books, but they cost me almost as much in materials and will take more time to produce. I have reduced the price for them, but with reluctance. I still claim that my books, either hard or ring-bound, are the best on the market! It's all in the quality of the printing!

If anybody wants to make a suggestion regarding the printing on the cover of the ring-binders, please give me a telephone call. Two or more folk with the same suggestion win the day. Otherwise I will use my own judgement.

Christmas Last Post
Click here for the Post Office Web Site

It's the 20th December for 1st class UK delivery, so you've got 9 days. Please give me 1 full working day to get your book in the post for you. My postman collects at about 10am and these books take me about 2 hours to produce. They are all printed on demand. If you are concerned, you are welcome to telephone to check that I can get it out for you.

Monday 8th December 2008

Over the weekend I had a call from a buyer of my manuals. He expressed concern that when he opened the package, the paper in the books had a "wave" in it. It is my guess that this must not be an isolated incident. This morning I have been on to the paper merchants and have their guarantee that the "wave" will settle out provided that the book is not left directly over a hot radiator. They cannot promise how long it will take, and say that it could possibly, be as long as two months. That, they say, will depend upon how deep the air-borne moisture has gone into the paper and upon the relative humidity of the room in which is it kept. Paper is made of natural fibres, which will expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. At this time of year, they leave here flat, and are posted into a damp vehicle and may even be in that vehicle overnight. The paper may absorb moisture from the surrounding air and will then change shape. Since the book is of some considerable bulk, the damp will only get into the outside edge. The paper then expands around the edge, whilst remaining as it left here in the middle. It is probably not just a function of travel, which must exacerbate it, but also of any difference between the fairly dry air in my print rooms and the different (but by no means wrong) humidity of the air in a person's home. The "wave" that results is an inevitable function of that difference in relative humidity within the book. It will even out and stabilise in due time.

Sunday 7th December 2008

I have spent most of the past few days working on a series of sets of wedding stationary, in readiness to offer this product as part of our normal range. It's staggeringly complex, what with all the different styles, type faces, card types, databases of guest lists and loads more besides. I hope to be ready to launch in the Spring.

In the mean time, I have some excelent orders for Ferguson tractor books and have some more brochures nearly completed for our friends at Opies ... The Stove Shop.

Wednesday 3rd December 2008

I had not realised how long it had been since I had written on this page. Sorry all!

I have printed the 1st three Limited Edition sets of Manuals and I have printed the covers for the Workshops Manuals and am now warming up the press to print the covers of the Parts Manuals and Sales Manuals to match. No doubt those 1st three orders will leave here tomorow.

I had a day off yesterday, as I was tired and a little irritable. It's never good for me to work when I feel like that. I usually work every day of the week, so I feel perfectly justified in having the odd day off in a month.

Mark is off with Steve to Hertfordshire to collect an electric guillotine, to replace our hand rotary model. That will be a lot safer and much lighter work. I hope it will also be a little more accurate - not that te old one is bad, but any improvement is always a good thing. Not having to wind the thing 8 huge turns for every cut will be a real luxury. Many thanks to the man who has given it to us. He has also given us a gallery camera, which will improve things in the plate-making department; alnog with a larger replacement for our little vacuum frame/exposure unit. Woopie! No doubt photos will appear as they become available.

Lest you forget
Owners of my manuals are always welcome to telephone, if they get stuck, with technical issues. It's a service I rather enoy providing. I am also hapy to help anybody else who has problems with their Ferguson TE 20 series tractor, but I might suggest that buying a manual is a good thing as part of the conversation. that's partly because owning a manual always helps in the conversations, because I can say "tirn to page 347," for instance "where you will see" etc. It always majes the explanation over the phone easier. I have to admit that iI really don't much like answering technical enquiries by e-mail as it is not possible for me to cross-examine the caller with questions, which my epxerience leads me to know will bring the true issue to light - and hence the solution. E-mails also seem to take much longer.

And finally
Those amongst you with normal powers of observation will have noticed that I have just split the news into "old" and "new" pages. I have done this to ease loading time.

Friday 31st October 2008

Today I have brochures and printed staff shirts going out for Opies ... The Stove Shop and brochures also going to Belinda Opie for her exhibition in Pall Mall

On top of that, I have two Workshop Manuals ready for the postman, in the morning and one of our little Maintenance Books on how to repair the governor and carburettor on the spark ignition Ferguson TE 20 series tractors. Finally, for today, Mark has taken away 100 Tri-fold leaflets for delivery to the Hill House Inn at Happisburgh, where he now works.

We have here a Trade Magaine for The Print Industry, which has done a write-up on the type of machine I bought a few months ago. They describe it, in rough translation, 'Looks like an office printer but the similarity stops there', 'Wolf in sheeps clothing' and 'The future of short run printing'.

I have been nagging the chickens, for ages, about laying eggs. Mark found a huge clutch of them this afternoon under a bush in the garden

Wednesday 29th October 2008

For most of this year Mark has driven a wonderful Jeep, which he has really enjoyed. However, it is a simple truth that it uses a great deal of petrol and is not one jot green. Mark knows that and has faced up to the fact. Today he is getting an MOT on my old Vauxhall 1400cc estate car, with a view to changing to that as his general run-around. In the mean time, I have been using my electric bike for most of my journeys and borrowing Mark's Jeep if I need to go further than the electric bike's range or my comfort zone (rain etc.)

Yesterday, Steve arranged for me to be given a 1969 Morris Minor Travellor, by a friend of his, who was letting it go due to it gettting very little use. Thank you Steve! This rather suits me, whilst I am using the bike for the main part, because with free Road Fund Licence, I pretty well only get's to pay for the miles I do, which are very few. It seems daft to pay as much for Road Fnd as someone doing 50,000 miles when I am doing less than 1000 miles a year. Even the Insurance is distance-dependant regarding price. 1500 miles a year is the lowest option, which can be raised in stages as far as I like, seems very sensible to me. Mike Chamberlain at Cherished Car Insurance (telephone 01252 713 148) covered my Ferguson TE P 20 Industrial tractor for years and is a very helpful and honest chap. He is now going to be insurinng my Morris. His prices are fair and he is a very helpful and honest chap.

Driving the Woodie home was a wonderful experience. We meandered sedately along the road, with familiar exhaust note, which only a moggie can produce, with a huge steering wheel grasped in hand (designed to give leverage in the absence of power steering), The simplicity of the controls is such a joy for someone who rarely drives (you know? Where's the windscreen wiper switch when blinded by the plash-back from a puddle, how do I turn the lights on using the Christmas tree of sticks from the column etc.). Yes, I am sure it would do 70 or more at a push, but now I have an excuse not to. I hate travelling at speed, and folk can now either overtake or travel behind with a similar excuse, if they prefer. The Morris McM is not expected to tear around the place. It looks the sort of gentile utility vehicle that an ageing excentric might drive! I quite like the idea of being seen as an ageing excentric!

I'm not going to say "I told you so" about the cold weather. so let's move on from there.
Oh, one more thing on that! Draining water from the spark-ignition engines is NOT the answer. The dirt built up in the water jacket retains water, which freezes and brings on the crack. For those who don't yet know The Crack happens below the carburettor and wrecks the engine block for good. It is very expensive to repair as it is not easy metal to weld.

Back to ecology for a moment!
I just saw a piece on BBC TV News this morning, which tells of the population of Earth consuming 1/3rd MORE than the planet can replace. That sounds very familiar to me. We all seem to be in increasing financial debt, however hard we try to avoid it. Now we are getting into ecological debt. Whatever we 'borrow', we have to pay back, usually with interest. That means that someone has to go without for years to make up for our profligacy (shameless extravagance). Please don't get me wrong! I know I am far from perfect too. I have to keep trying, just as everyopne must. I am certainly not sitting in an ivory tower looking down. This is hard it is very hard!

Talking of debt!
I also heard on BCC TV News that there are come companies who are at risk of going bust due to betting that VW would loose share value by selling shares in them, with a view to buying back later when prices dropped due to something they have done. Instead, prices share prices rose. I thought 'short selling' was now banned?

Saturday 25th October 2008

for all vehicles.

anything outside or in a shed which may have water in it or on it

outdoor water pumps.

Thursday 23rd October 2008

I am a bit confused. I have a few orders, which are unpaid. They are from Ireland, Australia, the USA and England. I have tried e-mailing the customers, but have had no reply or only an initial reply to say they want to go ahead, followed by me making a PayPal payment request. All these came in within days of each other, the IP addresses are completely different, so there is no connection between them that I can see.

Anyway! Just to say that your books are all here, ready to send out by e-mail when you pay.

For those of you interested in Mark's latest escapades, see him at this web address

Wednesday 22nd October 2008

So far this morning I have foil printed a few hundred business cards in Green, Blue, red and gold foils. They all look really very taseful.

I have also seen off a pile of boxes of Ferguson Tractor Books of various titles.

I am looking forward to my first order of books for printing and publishing. I can print any books in A4 or A5 portrait. It is best if the author types them up on a PC, so that I can pop them into my machine and do the layout work. Then we print a few for the British Libray and others and issue an ISBN. They can then be produced on demand as buyers want them. They will go on my web site, where buyers can obtain them over the Internet. Royalties are then sent to the autor, direct.

Tuesday 21th October 2008

Mark has been into Norwich for me to the paper mercant's. He has brought home another 10,000 sheets of paper for the Ferguson Workshop Manuals and Ferguson Parts Books. It is a new type, which is even nearer to the original paper used back in the 40's and 50's. I may be able to get another 10,000, buut then it is likely to run out. The mill has ceased production. Paper of this type and quality, they say, is no longer in demand. However, let's make hay whilst the sun shines. It's wonderful!

I shall now be spending the evening printing books, so that they can all (well, all those which are paid for) can leave with the postman in the morning.

Sunday 19th October 2008

The past couple of days have been busy with Ferguson Tractor Workshop Manuals and other books. There were two parcels posted yesterday and two more on the doorstep, awaiting the postman tomorrow.

Added to that, I have one order from Germany and another from Ireland, for which I await payment.

Saturday 18th October 2008

Today I completed this week's run of Brochures and Mr. Opie collected them from here. Often, I drop them off using my electric bike. Mark and I also printed 5 rather nice shirts with the Opie company name and URL.

A pack of three books went out this morning, from the post office, to Flintshire

Later, I produced a proof of a business card for JBS Elecrical. I now await his response. It is likely to have to have a different e-mail address as I have suggested that they get their own domain name, as it looks rather more professional.

Friday 17th October 2008

I have printed more brocures for Opies ... The Stove Shop today and intend to guillotine, collate, fold and stitch them in the morning. I have printed a Ferguson Tractor Workshop Manual, a Parts Manual, and a Sales Manual. I just need payment for those and they can go out in the post. I am still hoping to meet the person who ordered a couple of books, for collection this week. They are all here for him, ready to collect.

I have an order to print on 4 worksuit-shirts tomorrow. That's a job Mark and I will do together.

I had a curious call about a TE 20 tractor which was still straining to lift when the lift-arms are at the top. I am hoping to hear back from the owner about how he got on with that one.

Thursday 16th October 2008

Following a three week lull in Ferguson Workshop Manual Sales, yesterday I sold 2 Workshop Manuals, 1 Sales Manual and 1 Parts Manual. It's a funny old world!

I am still hoping to see the appearance of the person who phoned last week to say he would like a couple of Manuals towards the later half of this week.

I thought I'd post a photo of my old Ferguson TE P 20, when it was maroon.

Picture by Steve Toomey. Thanks Steve!

Oh! and that was me in the driving seat, when I was 4 1/2 stones heavier than I am now

Tuesday 15th October 2008

I had an interesting call from someone who has had a challenge with his TE A 20. The point of contact was that the tractor has a sloping oil filter and is a TE A 20 with an 80mm engine. The point is that the vertical oil filter was changes mid 1948 at engine number S26000E to the sloping type.

Mark is collecting coated paper for leaflets today, from Norwich.

I am expecting a customer to come to collect a Workshop Manual and a Parts Manual. I am looking forward to that.

Before Mark goes to Norwich, I may pop out on my bike to collect a soldering iron, from Steve, who is kindly lending it, so that I can make myself a new head-lam for my bike. I keep wrecking the real ones, so I must make one which is better suited to these rough roads and which I can charge with a Solar Cell.

I had a new image drum in the big pronter yesterday. I printed some business cards, which I foiled in gold. One of the materials Mark is collecting is more high quality card stock for business cards.

My brochure is now completed. I will print them as needed (on demand as always, even for myself) and send them out. They are very expensive, so not to be treated flipantly. I have no doubt that more new products will need to be added every week. This is just the basis of my work. The only real limitation is the imagination.

Saturday 11th October 2008

Heron Attack!

I've heard it the past 3 mornings. They have a very distictive SQUARK as they take-off and land. This morning I got to see it. The thing stands 4 feet tall! Yesterday I covered the pond with a huge wite trellis, we had barring the way to a side alley, between our house and the one next door. It sort of disguises our gas bottles. It seems to have discomigerated the beast a little, but this has to be the most ancient-looking creature I have ever seen! It is ENORMOUS! It's like something out of Jurassic Park!

These Ferguson TE 20 manuals, I sell, have not been going like hot-cakes for the past 3 weeks. Books, one of which I usually sell every day, have sold 2 in 3 weeks. Hmm! Nothing changed my end!

I see on ebay this manual for only £29.50. That's no-where near what it costs to produce the real thing, which is around double the size. It's around 1/2 the number of pages and is not original. Furthermore it's based on the American machines )watch out for the word "GAS" instead of petrol, it's a give-a-way), not the ones from Banner Lane. Half the book, half the price!

Oh! and will the vendor provide telephone support to his buyers? I think not. I will though. I always have! Once you have one of my manuals, all you have to do when you get stuck is to pick up the phone and ask me.

The other thng is the postage. Hipperson is sending out his much lighter books for £3.70. How does he do that? I don't know. Mine are costing more than I charge for postage as it is! My hard-backed books weigh over 2kg! Half the book, half the price!

He witters on about VAT. There is no VAT on books of this kind! He talks about being "genuine UK VAT registered business you have the full protection of UK consumer legislation". When you buy from me, you have mY word! Don't get me wrong, they are really great people and if you really cannot afford the real thing, this IS the second best. It's actually quite good - just not good enough for me!

Oh well! The customer is ... It's a shame!

I have a new brochure coming out soon, for my general printed wares. The range has grown so much now that I had to do something to get the information stuck firmly in my head. It's harder to remember all this stuff than you might think. My only problem, though, it that they cost a lot of money to produce, because they contain a great deal of information, and people have a terrible habit of asking fro a free brochure and then not buying anything. What is one supposed to do?

In the past I have used a web-shop for sales. With this media, not so many customers use the web. I tend to sell more to folk nearby. Added to that, I've not been able to design a web shop which will do costing and estimating for printing that works properly. It really is a specialist task and is hard to do. A customer would have to know quite a lot about printing to do a self-rogrammed estimate.

The one sad thing is that I will have to print the brochure on low-cost copier paper, with a card cover. That's the only way I can cut my cloths according to my cloth.

Hm! I seem to be whittering on a bit. I don't meant to! Sorry! It just helps me to think.

Friday 10th October 2008

Yesterday was very quiet. Today I have printed a Vaporising OIl Trac Onstruction Book and that is ready for the postman. This evening I have printed another little batch of A3 fly brochures for my friends at Opies ... The Stove Shop. I intend to trim, perforate, fold and stitch those tomorrow. I hope to have them ready for when they go back to Essex, later in the weekend.

Wednesday 8th October 2008

09:38

Well! They've done it again. But his time it has cost every taxpayer in the UK about £10,000. It is now clear to me that despite trying really very hard not to borrow money - and that has been darned near impossible, and I have failed once or twice in my life - I now owe (as a tax-payer) tens of thousands of pounds, which I cannot hope to repay over what remains of my working life-time. You may ask how I feel about that. The answer is; not too keen! I have to ask, "for what am I paying this?" my answer is "other people's greed!"