The humble oil can
Do you know how hard it is to find a humble oil can? You dont? Well I can tell you they don't make 'em anymore! Not in general spare parts anyway. Such is the change in the way we see things- going from those items we repair and service, to items that we throw away.
The jeep has many grease nipples, steering box, clutch brake pedals, transfer box, there is even a small hole in the distributor where you have to put 2 drops of oil every 1000miles.
Front diff, and steering grease nipples
So this weekend- thats exactly what I did- lay under the jeep, in the rain, and greased it up and added oil the the dissy. Doesn't the oil can look grand? Found at a market...
Oiling the distributor- to be done every 1000miles..
After finishing this, and cleaning the pool, I decided to go for a walk along a local fire trail. I spotted Yellow Robin, Eastern Spinebill, and New Holland Honey Eater. These are all very striking birds, with distinct markings and bright splashes of yellow (on the Robin and Nhhe)
New Holland Honey Eater
Whilst observing these ( and there were many) amongst the low growth I spotted an Eastern Whipbird, not just a glimpse,(as is often the case), but a real good look. He seemed preoccupied in catching his food than me.
Eastern Whip Bird
When I got home I cooked duck- which I basted in a marinade of olive oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic, white wine and lemongrass. This I cooked slowly on the open spit of the bbq until golden brown and crisp....
And thats all I did on my only day off......
the bird photos are not mine...
ReplyDeleteI love whip birds...I miss the sound of them so much, like I miss magpies...:)
ReplyDeletehey yes... my pet magpies are beautiful for real. I have had one since 2001! :o)
ReplyDeleteAnother fascinating post! You are right, I can remember when I saw a proper oil can! My dad had a good one where you had to depress a lever with your finger to squirt the oil out.
ReplyDeleteNice collection of birds there mate.
yes- I had one of those oil cans.. must of lost it when we moved.
ReplyDeleteThe birds were quality ( if thats the right word to use!)
Simon,
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderfully, great and good day! Great pics of those birds, and I can just taste that meal!
Yes, throw aways. I guess that is a part of getting regular, steady customers. Over at Mom's I'll bet I can find several of those old oil cans. But I have only the plastic kind.
yes ted it is a sign of the times- I wonder what the carbon footprint of the jeep is? theres no plastic, and only a little bit of rubber...
ReplyDeleteThat's ALL you did on your one day off?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a lot to me.
How nice to have such birds around.
We have the occasional gull.
:)
you must be near the ocean! :o)
ReplyDeleteI've obviously been reclusive far too long - I missed the Willys acquisition all together! It is utterly gorgeous and appears to be in very fine fettle!
ReplyDeleteSigh - I also had a lovely metal oil can like that one but it was undoubtedly lost in the move south. The oil dispensers available now are pathetic and ill-performing at best. Now you've just reminded me that I left several appropriate metal 'gerry' cans out at the ranch in the rushed exodus. That Willys needs one or two of those, you know. grin
Hi Lin! yes its a beauty. The modern oil can is a sad example to the old ones..
ReplyDeleteIf you go to Willys Overland they do sell originals for Jeeps!
"and that's all I did on my day off" - hat off!
ReplyDeleteI imagine the duck tasted fantastic! I have never eaten a true spot-roasted one, yet alone fresh off the spit.
We have a place here that serves cold thin-sliced smoked duck breast (they call it smoked, tea-smoked I suppose because it has just the subtliest taste) with a honey-orange-cumin sauce that is out of this world. I imagine lemongrass must have a similar enticing effect!