Diary of a Tinkerer – Part 1

I’m not lost.  It is, after all, impossible to be lost when you are in possession of a temporal transformer.  Time and space have been my playground for some time.  However I do find myself – ah – temporarily displaced, one could say, since my efforts to adapt the Machine to incorporate the space-time continuum (a theory I discovered on one of my journeys into the twentieth century) have had a somewhat unfortunate – and unforeseen – result.  In short, I find myself marooned in the year 2017 and one twelfth of my normal size with a malfunctioning device.

Nevertheless, I am by nature a resourceful gent and I have acquired the services of a slightly eccentric but mostly harmless lady (of normal dimensions) who has agreed to act as my guardian and enabler while I am forced into this regrettable situation.

The good lady looked only mildly taken aback when I informed her that I would need an engine room – at 1/12 scale, naturally – in order to generate enough steam power to re-calibrate and start the Machine.  She rummaged in a cupboard and produced a small valise of suitable dimensions (although quite UNsuitable design).  Once I had persuaded her to redecorate it in a more suitable manner, though, I decided it would do very well.

“So what goes inside it, Henry?” the enterprising lady asked.
I informed her that a large steam tank was needed, and pointed at a white plastic container on her table which bore the legend ‘Cod Liver Oil Capsules. Extra strength. Take one daily.’
“About that size and shape,” I said.
“Right you are,” she grinned, and decanted said capsules into a tin.

We worked together to transform the container. She wielded the car spray can and fitted the pipework, while I worked on the more intricate gauges and levers necessary to maintain the correct pressure and temperature.

I am beginning to feel quite optimistic about this project.

To be continued.

Henry is, at the time of writing, still marooned in the 21st century.  To be exact, he is located at the Steampunk Dolls’ House, which he finds quite distressing.  Should you wish to visit, or even liberate him, please find him there by using this link: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/480727524/steampunk-explorer-henry-dollshouse?ref=shop_home_active_18