6.07.2025 Can thee ride tandem?

 ~o~

  Sunday 6th 64F/18C [9.45] Damp and overcast start but sunshine at 9.45. This morning's rain is supposed to clear this afternoon. There doesn't seem to be much rain on the DMI radar.

 Up at 5.50 after a quiet night. I forgot to start my blog as I was researching stuff online. 60 pages of posts on a technical forum takes a while to read.

 9.45 The arrival of unexpected sunshine prompts me to escape to the shops. Several staples are running low or completely absent. 

 12.00 Back from an hour long trip to the shops in the Morris. 

 Where I saw a combination tandem. The young lady rode up front as if seated on a  recumbent. While the man sat upright. I sensed a pet in a cage at the back but it was hidden in cloth. It was too small for a child. Or at least I hope so.

 Another lazy day watching YT technical reviews. Apart from spending some time outside in the sunshine. Stating at the sun though a solar telescope. Between waiting for large plates of cloud to pass over.

 Sunday dinner was fried chicken, brown mushrooms, peas, carrots, boiled potatoes and Bisto grave. It was all absolutely perfect. Except perhaps, for the want of another teaspoon, or two, of gravy. 

 

  ~o~

5.07.2025 Sun worshipping in its absence.

 ~o~

  Saturday 5th 57F/14C [6.00] Heavy overcast, windy and raining. A long, wet weekend is promised. Continuing wet into the coming week. I knew I should have gone for a ride yesterday. Oh goody! I can continue to tidy upstairs.  

 Up at 5am. Too many memories!

 I have ordered some "adapter plates." To mount my carport feet onto four of the concrete foundation blocks. The extra cost of stainless steel seemed sensible over ordinary mild steel in the long term. Which will inevitably rust and become unsightly. The plates will allow some adjustment of height via the central bolt. To ensure the feet are perfectly level. 

My purchase of the manual stamper. Will allow the bottoms of the excavations to be well compacted. So the precast foundation blocks will not sink. Back-filling around the precast blocks with concrete. Will expand the footprint. Greatly reducing the risk of sinking or lifting in high winds. 

 The advantage of the pre-cast foundation blocks. Is their ability to be moved around within the excavations. To ensure the uprightness of the carport legs. While there is no need to support the carport against all movement. While the concrete sets. Which would be vitally necessary. If poured concrete was used for the foundations themselves. One cannot predict a storm while the concrete is still setting. Which can take some time to reach full strength. 

 I closed the lean-to greenhouse last night. The lower temperatures and wind were making it rather chilly. The lack of sunshine would not allow losses to be easily regained.

 7.30 I am already getting cabin fever. A walk in the rain just needs the correct clothing. I understand that people do it all the time.  

 8.00 And back again. Not really raining. Though quite breezy. The traffic was light and gave me a wide berth. The roads were very wet. I looped around the neighbour's drives for a bit of extra distance. A little over 400m. The warblers were only slightly restrained by the weather.

 A lazy day tidying, browsing and experimenting with furniture layouts. 

 I assembled telescopes as if to observe the sun. The sun did not comply and was absent all day. Instead I watched the ponies on the front paddock exploring hierarchy. As if it mattered in the endless war on overlong grass.

 Dinner was mackerel in tomato sauce on toast with halved tomatoes. 

  

  ~o~

4.07.2025 No, I am not lost.

 ~o~

  Friday 4th 57F/14C [7.00] A bright start but becoming cloudy with possible showers. 20C/68F peak.

 Up at 6.40 after an odd night. I was up from 3.15-4.15. Otherwise quiet with strange dreams.

 It would be a waste not to have a ride this morning. I can tidy upstairs when it rains.

 One of my new fish is lying dead on the gravel in the greenhouse pond.

 I thought I'd killed the large, golden Cornus in the front garden. After cutting it almost down to the ground. The main branches were mostly dying back. So it badly needed pruning. It has suddenly exploded into leaf from nothing. Far larger leaves than I remember.

 8-9.10. No, I didn't get lost. I walked to the village. Then up to forest via the main  track. Through the overgrown woods and back down via the field edges. I haven't walked that route for years. The main track has been resurfaced with finer gravel since I last passed this way. I disturbed a deer. Which dashed off for 20 meters before stopping to see if I posed a serious threat. Then bounded off out of sight. I don't blame it.

 The Assens county council has obtained the old railway track. Closed to passenger traffic in 1966. Goods traffic ended in 1996. It plans to use a 60% government subsidy to open an 18km cycle path along the old track to Glamsbjerg. Cost is likely to be around £2 million equivalent. 

 What a shame it has no immediate plans to extend it all the way to the city of Odense. Or at least as far as the village of Tommerup. The intermediate countryside is gorgeous. There is an excellent cycle path from Old Tommerup to Brylle. Which is on the way to Odense.

 13.00 71F/21.7C. Windy with sunny periods. Lunch over. I stayed at home. Tidying and changing half the water in the goldfish aquarium. In the afternoon I assembled one of the new shelving units. Then arranged tool trays on the stage.

 Dinner was fried chicken and chips. 

 

 ~o~