Gratitude 17 Dec

I'm grateful for :

Watching the rain from a dry house. 

My brother who is happy to come and stay with us, and to help me & Alison around the house. 

Friends to have coffee with after swimming. 

Gratitude 27 Nov 2022

I'm grateful for:

Paul coming up to brew with me this weekend

Jan & Duncan for joining Alison & me for a meal out at Spagiattos

Royden, Vic & Jane for taking time to have coffee with me this morning. 

Duncan & Paul for helping so I could actually inspect my beehives myself. 

Gratitude 18 Nov

Today I am grateful for

- good friends and conversations at the Kumeu bee group

- being able to get on the beach at the swim camp

- having cover on the deck so I could braai in a thunderstorm 

Gratitude 18 Nov 2022

Some things I am grateful for

* Being part of a loving family. 

* Having access to great healthcare

* Being able to put a new battery in my car without affecting our ability to live & eat. 

* Being mobile enough to cook dinner. 

For context. 

Alison & I attended Heidi's funeral today. Heidi is a cousin of mine, the daughter of Syd & Christine. Fought well against triple negative breast cancer, but it won. 

And I am 7 weeks into recovering from a ruptured achilles, still in a moon boot and on crutches, but progressing. 

Chopper challenge 2022

On 14th March 2022 I managed to swim the Chopper Challenge, a 20km swim to support the Westpac Rescue helicopter service.

Contemplating the start

I had planned to do it in 2021, but had pulled out as I felt I was not ready, but instead supported a team from the rescue service with Geoff Carter who's boat we used. I was really impressed with the relaxed organisation and the weather was good so it was a good day. I even managed to swim a bit the the rescue team.

So my resolve deepened, especially as I have been involved with people doing even bigger swims. I was part of the support team for Sarah O'Dywer who attemped the length of Taupo swim, and although not finishing still swam for 15 hours.

Coming up to the day of the swim I felt I had done OK in training, although (actually) I hadn't done enough really long training swims.

Unfortunately the event organisers decided the event could not occur as planned due to the Omicron COVID19 pandemic and so the event became virtual. Which meant we we all to do our own course and arrange all our own support, not too much of an issue.

Geoff Carter agreed to loan me his boat, and Vic Dundas & Royden Hindle were the captain & crew on the Gannet (Geoff's boat). Liz Palmer & Hayley Wilson were my kayak support.

Marieke Wijnen & Warrick Hart were also part of the adventure, Warrick kayakking for Marieke who swam with me. Well, sort of swam with me, ahead of me being more accurate.

We had originally planned to swim from Long Bay to Devonport, but the wind was forecast from the south east, so we switched plans and instead swam from  Shakespear park to Arundel reserve at the northern end of Orewa beach.

The day started out really well, the weather was as forecast and while we started out into the wind we were still nice & fresh. We had to go quite wide at the northern end of the peninsula as there was a rocky outcrop that extended out quite a way. Once on the northern side of the peninsula the sea flattened out nicely and swimming went well.

That's me in the background

Swimming along the peninsula just seemed to go on and on. Army bay came & went but Tindalls seemed to never arrive. I was starting to struggle, especially with my right hand. 

The right hand has been an issue for a while, often it is a numbness which my physio & docker says is likely to be nerve related or maybe carpal tunnel. Whatever it is it dissappeared after about 2.5 hours but I then got a pain inside the hand. It was right inside the back of the hand and felt bone related, not sure what was happening there. The pain did not go, in fact it kept growing during the swim. At times I was swimming with a fist, or even the hand in a 'claw' but nothing seemed to change anything.

Because of my hand I kept drifting to the right and my team suggested heading straight for Orewa rather than going close to the point off Stanmore bay which was the original plan. I had no issues with this as I was tired of looking at the peninsula.

The kayak crew were doing a fantastic job keeping me fed and hydrated, boiled potatoes, sour squirm lollies, gels and sports drinks were provided every 30 min, and after 4 hours I took 2 ibuprofen to see if that would help. It did, a bit.

After 6 hours Orewa beach was plainly in sight but my shoulders were now cramping and the swim was a serious challenge. I started taking breaks every 20 min, and the support crew got serious as it was clear that is was not thinking as well as at the start. It was very clear to me that the support crew intended for me to finish and there were going to be no offers to get out and into a boat. So we soldiered on, although at the end I was only able to swim 100m between breaks, but eventually there was sand under my feet and gentle waves pushing me ashore.

I managed to do a 'Shazeel' style exit, but after that I was hardly able to move my right arm. There was a great group of supporters on the beach and I was able to banish the dark thoughts that had been with me for the last few hours. 

It was so good to have such a group waiting, and once I had managed to get dry and out of the togs & into dry clotes began to feel much better. 

I doubt that I will do another swim of this scale again, but who knows. The issue is that I would have to do many more longer training swims first and I'm not sure that I would enjoy that. And after all I swim because I enjoy it.

Some impressions / take aways from the swim:

• I did not anticipate the salt water affecting my nose so much. I anticipated the salt mouth and had some listerine to try and address that, but my nose blocked up. And it took at least 24 hours for my mouth to feel OK too.
• Boiled potatos were easy to eat and felt good.
• The more training you do the easier the event will be. Who knew that?

Here are some more pictures

Vic, the boat captain

 

Hacking a TiltPi

 I recently bought a Tilt hydrometer, an excellent piece of homebrew equipment. You put it into your fermenter and can see exactly how your beer is brewing on an app on your smartphone. But this still requires you to get your phone close to the fermenter, especially if you use a a stainless stell one like I do.

But there is another way, Tilt Pi. The guys at Baron brew created as system that can be loaded onto a Raspberry Pi Zero that you can leave near your fermenter, but can access anywhere when you are on the same network or Wifi. The Tilt Pi also logs to Google spreadsheets so you can integrate the data into a number of brewing software systems, cool.

But I wanted more, I wanted the data in my home automation system.

After some investigation it became clear that the system was built using NodeRed, and I was able to see the flows that drive the web site on the Pi. http://IPaddress of PI:1880

Next the task was to find one of the nodes in Nodered where I could access the raw data. 

 

 

Eventually I found a node called 'Add parameters' as shown above. All the data (and more) that you need is available as javascript variables. Now it is relatively easy to get the data to other systems that you may have available. I sent to information to 2 places.

Influxdb.

Influx is a great time series database and if you have one running its a great place to put the data. The data can be stored directly into Influx from NodeRed running on the Pi.

1. Install Influx nodes to Nodered (node-red-contrib-influxdb)
2. Add a function node to process the data for Influx. The influx data entry node expects an array of 2 elements: the first is an array of the data elements, or those elements that are subject to change, I called this 'fields' below. The second array is tags for Influx.

fields = {};
tags = {};

tags.Nodename = "Fermentor";
delete msg.payload.Nodename;

if (typeof(msg.payload.Beer[0]) !== 'undefined') {
    tags.Beer = msg.payload.Beer[0];
}

if (typeof(msg.payload.Color) !== 'undefined') {
    tags.Colour = msg.payload.Color;
}

if (typeof(msg.payload.SG) !== 'undefined') {
    fields.SG = msg.payload.SG;
}

if (typeof(msg.payload.rssi) !== 'undefined') {
    fields.RSSI = msg.payload.rssi;
}

if (typeof(msg.payload.Temp) !== 'undefined') {
    fields.Temp = ((msg.payload.Temp-32)*5/9);
}

msg.payload = [fields, tags];
msg.measurement = "Beer";

return msg;

3 Add an influx node to store the data in Influx.

The flow will look something like this when you have finished:

And that's it really. The data will be in InfluxDB, I use Grafana to display the data.

COVID-19 Lockdown, day 2

Thought I might as well try blogging through the Covid pandemic. Seems I'm not so good at doing that though. Maybe just aim for short posts, not all the words going through my head.

The hive is back in action

Checked hive 2, the brown one, yesterday and there were egg cells, so I have a functioning queen again, what a relief! Having said that I nearly stuffed it up again. I made another hive lid with a hole in it covered with some steel mesh so that there is some ventilation for the hive.
I took the old hive mat off to replace it, but something caught my eye, I thought I saw the queen. Looked all over the grass, and then checked the lid and there she was. Gently (I hope) brushed all the bees back into the hive, so will check again next weekend to make sure she is still there.
This all started last winter, I decided to keep bees so went on a bee keeping course with the Auckland Beekeeping Club.
I caught 2 swarms, one I gave to Greg, and the other I kept, and I also bought a nuc from Carol at the ABC.
The swarm I kept seemed small and after drawing out 4 frames didn't really do anything else. I was worried about this and, after advice from the bee forum, swapped the hives around and started feeding sugar syrup. The hive responded nicely and now looks quite strong.
I put both hives onto a pallet, but in doing so I think I killed the queen in the nuc hive. When I check a few days later there were queen cells in the hive so I removed all except one and then waited. And that takes me back the the start of this post.

Getting back into electronics - this time with Microcontrollers

I took a few e-books with me when we went on holiday to Rarotonga recently, and some of them were on home automation. This has rekindled my interest in electronics and left me with 2 main take-away's:

• Using microcontrollers such as are in the Arduino boards is much better than using discrete components. While there is still some electronic design involved, the function can be controlled by software and the device is better able to respond to external signals, both from sensors but also from other devices, computers or humans
• Home automation, or at least smart homes, is about making devices communicate with each other, and with having a control system driving the whole house. And the best way to do this is with radio, it is not practical to wire everything together.

So I'm on a new learning journey. I thought I would start with something relatively easy, so I am going to replace the LED dimmer controlling the LED's in the hall way. Not that there is anything really wrong with what I have, but it is a fairly simple project and now I can make the LED's TWINKLE.
One of my goals now is to improve the documentation around my projects, electronic and otherwise. The page for the new Twinkler is here.

Electronics

One of the things that I have been doing recently is hobby electronics. My first project was a dimmer circuit for some LED's that I installed into the roof of the passage. If you look closely you will see several constellations on the roof. I have developed quite an interest in LED's for lighting, and this was my first attempt, not really successful, while they are very bright individually, they didn't crate enough light in the passage really. I'm still interested and I'm sure will do more with LED's in the future.

I've started to put my projects & designs online, so at least I can go back and see what I have done, there all here: https://sites.google.com/a/west.net.nz/wiki/home/electronics

Another project was a light box for toastmasters, it worked for me but other people did not see the LED's well enough.

I built a delay timer for the windsceen wipers on my car, driving a car in Auckland without this is just dumb. Quite a project, the design was good, but, man, did I have problems in building & installing it, but it's working now.

And the current project if the lazy mans light switch, this is still a work in progress.

Generally I do it because I like making thing and solving problems, probably spend a bit too much time on it, but there are worse things to do with my spare time.

Hobbies

I went to a combined 50th party recently, me being one of the birthday people (no my birthday is later in the year, I'm still a 49 yo spring chicken). Megan put together a number of photos for the party with a bit of a theme of 'Dad's hobbies" and it made me think that I have gotten involved in a number of activities and hobbies during my life, I think I will take some time to write about them over the next days/week/months oh well some time in the future

Flying lessons - first solo

Wow, yesterday I got to do my first solo flight. What a buzz.

I was not expecting it at all, I have looked at the syllabus on Fri night and it looked like I have to do glide approach, flapless landings, going around and aborted takeoffs, so I assumed a few weekends worth.

We did a few circuits and I was goiung quite well, then one landing it all seemed a bit long, got near the end of the runway and so did not do a touch & go, the the instructor got me to look at the flaps, still up! He had pulled the circuit breaker so the flap lever did not do anything and I didn't notice, but he was pleased. Next circuit he did a simulated engine failure after take off, and then it was a glide approach, on late finals and there was an aircraft stuffing around on the end of the runway so we went around. The sweat was flowing at this point.

Normal circuit next time and he asks me to do a full stop landing. Bugger I thought, I'd like to get a few more in, its a fantastic day. Then he springs it on me, how about doing one on my own!

Cool I say trying to look cool and failing badly. But it all worked out well, the plane & I did a circuit and came back in one piece, a reasonably acceptable landing too.

As I said, what a buzz. The instructor & I worked it out afterward, I had 7.5 hrs dual flying before going solo which the instructor says is good, especially for an older student, apparently most people take 12 - 15 hrs.

Well I need to make sure I concentrate on the flying and not let things go to my head.

But I won't forget that flight for a long time.

Learning to fly

Its not a new years resolution, I don't do those, probably more of a bucket list thing, although I don't really have a bucket list either.

However I have wanted to learn how to fly for a very long time so I have now started.

My first lesson was 2 weeks ago now, what a great experience, I had bought the theory books when I booked so I had read the book on general aircraft stuff and so had some ideas about what was happening. My instructor, John, explained things really well and let me do almost all of the flying, the weather was tremendous and I was torn between listening to John or looking out of the window as we flew over the sea off Orewa. I got to fly the whole way back and landed the aircraft, although I'm not sure how much John 'helped' me.

I did my second lesson (Straight and level) with an older instructor Judith. Not as exciting as the first as she did a lot more of the flying, maybe I made her a bit nervous, but still very enjoyable. So far 1.3 hrs, not very much but a start.

I did a fair amount of study on the theory while we were camping, so I'm almost ready for the first exam, but I think the next thing on the agenda is to book the medical, otherwise I may just be wasting money, I'll do that as soon as I get to work.

Looking forward to my next lesson, climbing and descending, next Sunday.

Pizza oven update

I've been ignoring this blog for a while now, thats what happens when you get a job and time gets short. However the pizza oven is mostly done now, it is fully functional and we are eating pizzas on a regular basis. I have only made the oven door today so I have not attempted to do anything other than pizzas in it, but soon I hope to try a roast soon.

The pizzas have been great and we have had a number of pizza parties, so far everyone has had good things to say so we must have got something right.

What I still need to do is to is properly cover the oven with render and complete the braai that is next to it, should happen some time in the future!

Pantyhose needed for Pizza oven!!!

Yes, sounds strange I know but I need some pantyhose to do the next section of the oven. The next thing I need to do is cover the oven in a layer of vermiculite, it comes in granules which makes it hard to cover a circular surface. So the idea is to fill the legs of pantyhose with vermiculite and then wrap them around the oven before covering it all with a layer of plaster.

So are there any ladies (or wanna be ladies) in the Auckland region who can help me, I need about 10 pairs. If you can you can email me jim@west.net.nz, or leave a message on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Jimboeri

Thanks

Jim

Pizza oven #9

The first part of the oven dome is now complete. The first couple of courses are quite easy, the bricks are split and then laid with the mud/clay/mortar mix using a piece of plywood cut in a quarter circle with a 420-mm radius as a guide. You can get about 2 courses done a day, then let the mortar cure before starting again.

Eventually the angle of the bricks is such that gravity takes over and you need something else to continue laying the bricks. A swiss ball is used for this, I thought I might need some bricks to lift it up a bit, but the ball I was using was big enough on it's own.

I still carried on at 2 courses a day, it wasn't hard work but it was a bit tricky. I gave up with using a trowel early on, I put on some thick rubber gloves and picked up the mortar with my hands and poked it where it was needed with my fingers.

Quite satisfying to have completed the dome so far.





The next bit was really easy, a layer of the mud/clay/mortar over everything for a covering of about 5cm. This links it all together, and adds more bulk to retain heat when cooking.










I understand that the most important part of getting pizzas right is getting the oven temperature right. So I have been fortunate in getting a thermocouple from my swimming friend Geoff, thanks Geoff. It's inserted in the oven wall, we'll have to see how it works when the oven gets fired up!

Pizza oven #8

Some progress to report. While waiting for the fire bricks I did do some work on the BBQ side as you can see, I am going to make a back wall for the BBQ but that will happen when the oven is complete.

I picked up the fire bricks and pizza hearth tiles on the weekend. Took a while to cut the pizza tiles (a thin fire brick) to size but got it done, then a thin layer of sand & cement on the base bricks so they lie flat and then the tiles go down. Once that was done I started on the oven dome which means that all my firebricks need to be cut in half, not too difficult though.

My main conumdrum was what to use for the mortar. Andrew next door use refractory concrete/mortar, but that costs $100 for a small bucket and he went through 2.5 of these and I didn't want to spend that sort of money. Robin in his article uses clay from the garden mixed with sand and cement, but the guy from the place I bought the fire bricks recommended using Lawsons Super, a cement admixture. These guys all know more than me!

So while Andrews option was obviously good, it was expensive, and Robin has done heaps of ovens so there is no reason to believe that the clay/cement mixture won't work. So I've gone with Robin's mixture, but added the Lawson Super to make the mixture more workable and for insurance. But I won't know if I've done it wrong until it's too late, bugger.

But at least it's starting to look like an oven.

Pizza oven #7

I haven't updated the blog in a while, the slab needed to cure for a few days and I needed to get more materials for the oven and BBQ.

I scored a great freebie and got around 200 second hand bricks from Jan Battaerd at the surf club, and I have ordered some firebricks too.

A layer of bricks goes on the slab, helps to retain the heat, and these are held in place with a line of mortar around the edge.

The oven and inner arch are made of half bricks held together with a 'mud' mortar. Robin Overall's design uses a mixture of cement, sand and clay/subsoil. I was a little concerned about this and was considering getting some commercial fireclay. Bit a bit of reading in the 'net and I found that the grey clay that is the bane of east coast bay gardeners is basically fireclay so I decided to stay with Robins method.

I'll carry on when the firebricks arrive.

Pizza oven #6

I have now achieved my first major milestone, I have a base on which to build the oven itself. I must be getting alittle more used to it but mixing, moving from the front of the house and pouring the slab seemed easier that the other concreting operations. I think the local hire man will be disappointed I'm finished. As you can see even more rebar to hold it together.

The slab has to cure for a few days so I can do some work on the front garden, it is looking truely tragic at the moment. I also need to start ordering the materials for the oven or there will be no building going on at all.

Pizza oven #5

It was a big day today, hired the concrete mixer and filled all of the blocks with concrete, only its called grout when its filling the blocks. It took about 1 cubic meter of concrete, which google tells me is 2.3 tonnes. I mixed it at the front, barrowed it up and around the back, and then put it in with a spade and a little funnel thing I came up with.


Next is to box up for the slab that goes on top, and which will hold up the pizza oven and BBQ, not too hard so should give a little time for the body to recover. I am feeling a little weary & sore tonight!