All Aboard the SS Fail!

[clarion]

I started from home with 21 gears, and got to work with 1

Why?  Well, quite simply, a jockey wheel fell off.  And I couldn't find the bolt, so I spent ages trying to sort the chain for a single speed.

Of course, the cage fell apart before I got to work

I can't get the grut off my hands - I mst go back to having gloves in my toolkit.  It's never been a bother before.  Spit & leaves normally get most off, but there aren't so many leaves in Stockwell.

Still, got to work in decent time, only to discover - I'd left the jockey wheel & bushing on a wall

Got to work, and two members of staff off sick.  And one disgruntled.

First call of the day?  Related to a complaint.

Welcome to the week... 

[ABlipInContinuity]

The bliss of a Monday morning!

Good weekend per chance, Clarion?

[tiermat]

Sounds like a bad start to the week, just think it can only get better.  I often think of the Van Morrison song "Days Like This", adding my own line, thus(see if you can spot my addition ):

"My momma said there'd be days like this" but not so bl**dy many

[Regulator]

Ah - the balance is restored then.

I had a lovely ride in and have been congratulated fulsomely on a tricky position paper I wrote in a hurry last week.

Sorry!   

[border-rider]

 ...have been congratulated fulsomely on a tricky postion paper....

Was it not actually all that good then ?

[Charlotte]

[Regulator]

 ...have been congratulated fulsomely on a tricky postion paper....

Was it not actually all that good then ?

I wrote it knowing that two people in the organisation would hate the conclusions and recommendations, as they would result in power being taken from their inept hands.  To get fulsome (in the sense of excessively complimentary or flattering) praise from them is a sign:

(1) that you're doing things correctly; and,
(2) you know how much it hurt them to write it...

...so it was just what I was after.   

The fulsome (in the sense of generous in amount, extent, or spirit) prasie received from the others is in recognition of having wound the other two up... 

So I'm a winner every which way! 

My apologies to Clarion for the shit he's getting to restore the natural balance.

[border-rider]

 ...have been congratulated fulsomely on a tricky postion paper....

Was it not actually all that good then ?

I wrote it knowing that two people in the organisation would hate the conclusions and recommendations, as they would result in power being taken from their inept hands.  To get fulsome (in the sense of excessively complimentary or flattering) praise from them is a sign:

(1) that you're doing things correctly; and,
(2) you know how much it hurt them to write it...

...so it was just what I was after.   

The fulsome (in the sense of generous in amount, extent, or spirit) prasie received from the others is in recognition of having wound the other two up... 

So I'm a winner every which way! 

My apologies to Clarion for the shit he's getting to restore the natural balance.

Oh, nice recovery   

I especially admire the reference to the usual misunderstanding of the meaning of the word

[clarion]

It's OK, Greg - sometimes we get good days; sometimes they're a bit less good

I've washed my hands five times, and they're still mucky, but fortunately I don't have any meetings today, so it's just the staff, who think it's quite funny.

[Wendy]

Unlucky, sunbeam!  Why not get two packs of muc-off wipes to keep in the office and at home?  They are super for getting the dirt off when you have to, and if you have gloves as well, you'll *be prepared*.

[Wendy]

p.s. Greg you really are on form today!!!

[Notsototalnewbie]

Sorry to hear of your woes Clarion. There might not have been leaves in Stockwell, but there may have been me, seeing as I don't leave til about 8.50 most mornings...I could have provided gloves/babywipes/tea.

I have gloves both at home and in my panniers, but last night I embarked on some tyre-grit-picking without really thinking, and ended up in a nice blackened mess, including chain-tattooing my legs when I turned the bike right side up again.

Baby wipes got it off easily - when I mentioned this to my earth-mother friend she felt all the more justified for not using them on her baby!

[tiermat]

Unlucky, sunbeam!  Why not get two packs of muc-off wipes to keep in the office and at home?  They are super for getting the dirt off when you have to, and if you have gloves as well, you'll *be prepared*.

Homebase do some paint removing wipes too, which are a great sight cheaper than branded ones and really are the mutts dangly bits when it comes to hand cleaning (and IIRC citrus based rather than solvent based)

[clarion]

d'Oh!  Thanks, NSTN, I didn't even think of popping round.  Even if I had, I'd have expected you to be out, or rushing to get out, at 0820.

I'll bear it in mind for next time I get a fail nearby

Re: removing yerch from hands etc, the best I have found (and believe me, I have been researching this for years, with various types of muck - one of my rigging nicknames was 'Smudge The Dirt Magnet') is Ecover Hand Cleaner.  Sometimes hard to find, but more effective than stuff like Swarfega, even.  Top stuff

Do I have any at work?

Well, what do you think?

[Notsototalnewbie]

One of the remaining good things about here is that no one cares what time you get in as long as you do your time. So I am usually pottering about in the mornings with no real sense of urgency...(unless I have to get the bus like I do tomorrow, then I have to leave much earlier to allow for not being allowed on it/traffic etc).

Didn't know you could even get Ecover hand cleaner. Rob is clearly under the misapprehension that I'm hiding it in a bottle cunningly marked Ecover Washing Up liquid, as that is where all mine seems to have gone...

[clarion]

It's really good stuff - citrussy, and with IIRC bits of coconut shell.  It forms a paste with a bit of water, which takes almost anything off, without the unpleasant feeling you get after using Swarfega, or the soreness after scrubbing with anything else.  Oh - and none of the dry skin you get (I have ) from washing up liquid.

You buy it in a tube like an obese toothpaste.

[clarion]

*thinks*

I wonder if this is a velo-strop because I was looking at road bikes for a new, faster commuter if we go for a Cyclescheme.

n+1 objected to by the original 1, a loyal friend from years before n-1 were purchased.

[Notsototalnewbie]

You buy it in a tube like an obese toothpaste.

But where from?

[clarion]

The organic supermarket in Balham sometimes has some.

Er...

You can normally get it from The Bear in Todmorden, or the wholefood shop in Hebden Bridge, but I guess that's not much help.

Srsly, I get a bit peeved when i find a product that works and I like, then can't get it anywhere and have to buy inadequate alternatives.

[tiermat]

According to the Ecover website it should be available from Budgens, Homebase and Waitrose...

[clarion]

They don't keep huge stocks on the shelves, so you're lucky to catch it in waitrose.  Don't know about the others - not been to a Budgens in years, and never seen it in Homebase (though not been often lately)

[dkahn400]

Re: removing yerch from hands etc, the best I have found (and believe me, I have been researching this for years, with various types of muck - one of my rigging nicknames was 'Smudge The Dirt Magnet') is Ecover Hand Cleaner.  Sometimes hard to find, but more effective than stuff like Swarfega, even.  Top stuff

Do I have any at work?

Well, what do you think?

Tried sugar and washing-up liquid?

[clarion]

Good thought.  I'm just about to check summat on the bike, then I'll give that a go

[Notsototalnewbie]

I work between a Waitrose proper and a John Lewis, will try both of those.

Not this lunchtime though cos I's going to check out the Howies sale in the Actual Shop. Just looking, you understand.

[Jasper the surreal cyclist]

Howies? That is the path to the darkside young padwan (I am so trying not to buy those japanese selvidge denim jeans.....really I am)....