13.11.2026

 ~?~

  Friday 13th 38F/3C [8.10] Wall to wall sunshine is promised but windy from the WNW. Peaking at 7C/44F and 16m/s. 

 Up at 7.10 after another wakeful night.

 I am still trying to send scans of the documents relating to cashing on my investment. The PDF I sent, after spending ages filling it out, didn't save anything. Despite telling me it had. So they got only the blank form back via email. 

 So then I scanned and sent half a dozen images of relevant blocks of text. They didn't like that because it couldn't be separated into the three original pages. So now I have scanned and sent images of three full page A4s. Being Friday 13th and the last day for the compulsory cashing in does not bode well.

 Back to more important matters: Cycling in cold weather. Yesterday was a farce. I threw on a hi-vis jacket and put my warmest gloves in the panniers. Before loading the rack and e-bike on the Morris. For the journey to the garage.

 When I got there I had to unload the e-bike from the heavy rack. Then remove the rack and store it nearby. Then chat about my car and repairing Minors in general. 

 It was about 3C and blowing a gale. So I was already chilled before I climbed onto the bike. 11km straight into the wind at that temperature was never going to be fun. My core temperature was probably low. So no gloves were going to have much of a chance in keeping my extremities warm. 

 Today I shall probably go shopping in a village to the north. The supermarket there sells the organic porridge oats I like. That puts the wind on my shoulder. On what is a very exposed and fairly busy main road. Sadly there is no other north going road or lane I can borrow. Major detours would be involved.

 There is hardly a hedge to be seen over ten kilometers of main road. Few drivers adhere to the speed limit. There are no cycle lanes. Just the white line. Marking the edge between muddy grass and the muddy asphalt. Which has been repeatedly dug up and poorly resurfaced at short intervals. For expansion of the district heating system. Over several years now and still ongoing.

 I've had a chat with my minder. She has survived the flu.

 10.00 40F/4C. Back from my walk. Sunny, chilly and windy. I wore my new [recycled] down jacket. It was toasty warm without overheating. I was even able to walk with my bare hands exposed. Not needing the beautifully warm jacket pockets all of the time.

  

  ~?~

12.11.2026 11km. A Minor service.

 ~?~

  Thursday 12th 41F/5C [8.00  A mixed day of cloud, rain, possible sunshine and a period with storm force SW gusts to 21m/s mid afternoon. Brief, peak temperature of 8C/46F at 12.00. 6C/43F for the rest of the day.

 Another mixed night of wakefulness and dreams. 22.5C/72.5F in the room. The heat pump remote is set to 18.5C and sitting on the coffee table. It makes no sense.

 Exercise therapy this morning. Any plans to ride there have been forgotten.

 I had a walk first. Then chatted with my minder. Who is on the mend. 

 12.30 Back from therapy and shopping. After 15 minutes of cycling I used a lot of the exercise machines. Afterwards I drove down to a supermarket under a leaden sky. There was nowhere to park close to the door. As I headed across the car park it started to hail incredibly heavily and blew fiercely. It was all over by the time I escaped again. With two carrier bags stuffed to the gills.

 16.30 38F/3.3C. Back from delivering the Morris to the Minor specialist. For a service. I had to put the e-bike on the rack and leave the rack with the car. It was bitterly cold and blowing a gale on the way home. Straight on headwind. 11km. My hands were like blocks of ice in the Reusch skiing gloves. 

 It was the first time in ages I rode in the semi-darkness. The headlamp on the Moustache is incredibly bright. It was only just getting dark but still daylight. A large patch of light was clearly visible on the ground well ahead. Which would make riding in the dark very safe. 

 Dinner was two, wholemeal bread rolls. With extra mature Cheddar and curried herring. 

 

  ~?~

11.11.2026 Round and around..

 ~?~

   Wednesday 11th 42F/6C [8.45] Overcast, cloud clearing slowly. To possible sunshine. Peaking at 7C/45F at 10.00 this morning. Light SW breeze. 

 Up at 8.15 after a wakeful night. It was over 74F/23C in the night. I was dripping with sweat. So I had to turn down the heat pump.

 I shall be visiting my English friend. 

 I had a short chat with my minder. 

 Showered. Ready. 

 12.30 Back from my visit. The autumn colours were vibrant. After coffee with Danish pastries and a chat, we wandered his extensive garden. 

 17.45 I still haven't a clue which number the sales form is asking for. [See yesterday's exciting episode!]

 I made some progress today using AI to analyse the problem in Danish. The compulsory sales window for refund of my original investment closes in two days. Two banks and a legal department [at the company holding my investment] are unable to tell me which numbers I should enter. In the boxes provided on the sales form.  

 Dinner was fish fingers, peas, pasta and tinned tomatoes. 

  

   

 

  ~?~