Maths, fences and science

Daughter-of-Furtheron was chuffed with her result in her Maths exam. She isn't bad at Maths but has a phobia about it really, at times she just freaks says she can't do it and just gets a block and won't try. Slowly over the years we've been trying to help her get better at that, some times she has come home and says she can't understand the homework at all. My general policy on this is that if she is clearly that stumped to encourage her to seek out the teacher for help, firstly that is what they are paid to do, secondly no doubt my old, half forgotten and no doubt bad practices won't help her in the world of "New Maths". Often she finds herself with a collection of her friends all seeking out the teacher as none of them understood it as well. She is soooo like me at times it can be frightening! Anyway she has hit a Level 7 which is where they expected her to be at the end of this year and she was so chuffed she sent me a text about it straight away.

Son-of-Further has done a little chore I'd asked him to do for us whilst at home, namely painted our fence. Now we don't have a huge back garden but there are about 25 fence panels in total all around it which is enough to be one of those tasks you'd rather not do. He agreed to do if I got the sprayer that in the advert the guy stands there laughing like the old Laughing Policeman song. By the way that guy has no work overalls on, bare skin, not sure about eye protection etc. but all the things that they put on the safety notice. Anyway I thought it an investment that might mean we actually repaint the thing more regularly anyhow once bought so I trotted off to B&Q Sunday and £100 later returned with that, the stuff to go in it and some other odds and ends.

Anyway he painted the whole thing yesterday and basically did a bloody good job, probably better than I'd have done. Now here's the rub, the sprayer is quick, much quicker than the traditional slop it on with a brush method and probably gives a better more consistent finish, however it does seem temperamental and a lot of time was spent faffing about getting the sprayer working. You aren't supposed to run it empty but as S-o-F points out the stuff in the container is thick and sticks to the sides so you can't really see. He had a couple of occasions when it spluttered to a stop and he refilled it and an air lock got in it. First one he decided to brake for lunch, recharged the battery thinking that the issue (it probably did need it) and after lunch it was okay. At about 3pm I got a call from him frustrated as he couldn't get it going again. I told him to leave it an hour (the web site said that) and he then was able to finish off as it cleared on the next attempt. But same issue when he tried to clean it out - you refill with water and run that through until all the "product" is out. Again air lock and no joy. We had another go when I go home in the evening with little joy, suddenly I had a thought. He held the tank thing up as high as he could and I held the hose down low - in a minute it cleared. See gravity, clever bloody thing... who thought that up... oh yes Newton... well God I suppose really, Newton was just the first to notice it. So sprayer thing on balance just about worth it given he'd have never finished in a day traditionally and the finish as I say is good just a bit frustrating with the airlocks... no jolly large chaps laughing heartily in our garden! Wear protective gear, S-o-F didn't wear eye protection and was moaning his eyes stung afterwards.

Another pleasant valley Monday... yes I know that isn't the lyric... never mind.