11.10.2026 A slightly chilly 16km.

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  Sunday 11th  47F/8C [9.00] Overcast. A cloudy day with a few sunny periods is forecast. Peaking at 10C/50F. Breezy to 8m/s from the north-NW.

 A toasty 23C/73F in the room. I'll try setting 19C on the  remote. Instead of 20C.

 Up at 8.30 after a quiet night with dreams.  

 I'll have a walk after chatting with my minder. 

 The hairy, little, guard dog refused to let me pass. So the owner had to collect it. It was slightly too cold for bare hands.

 It is brightening to sunshine. I've had morning coffee. So I'll go for a late ride. 

 12.45 50F/10C. Back from a 16km ride to the village to shop. Back via the forest and the stately home. It was slightly too cold for bare fingered racing mitts. I had taken fingered gloves but was too lazy to stop and put them on. Mixed cloud and sunshine. The beech woods haven't turned to their autumn colours yet.

 Yet another afternoon on YouTube. I took the recycling bins along the drive. Tidied the carport. Sent the mower out for a run. Had a nap.

 Sunday dinner was chicken, mushrooms, peas, mashed potato and gravy. It was perfect.  

  

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10.10.2026 Goats win!

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  Saturday 10th 47F/8C[7.45] Rain and sunny periods. Windy from the SW. The hedges are already waving about.

 22.5C in the room. Panasonic HP remote set to 20C on the coffee table. I'll try moving the remote further away. 

 Up at 7am. Slept well between tending to the fire bucket.  

 No immediate plans. Rain and wind do not make for a happy [old] cyclist. '

10.15 I had a chat with my minder. Then went for a walk. A smart Ford EV was carefully parked at the end of my drive: With trailer attached. Ownership unknown and no sign of life at either abandoned property. 

 I pressed on along the main drive. Where I should have recognized the black sky and rainbow to the west. As a likely portend of approaching rain. Being surrounded in bright sunshine did not engage any of the usual warning signals. 

 So I carried on. Even as heavy, horizontal drops began to darken my cargo trousers. My breathing was already laboured by the time I reached the road. Though fortunately this soon pased.

 I managed the drive loop at a steady. Rather than a frantic pace. Though I was certainly picking up speed. As I climbed the drive on the embankment. One might even suggest a certain briskness towards the end. As the wind driven rain zipped across the road in bright droplets. 

 The goats had read the signs and had already gone indoors. Absolute proof, if any were needed. That goats are far more intelligent than some elderly human beings. Albeit based on a sample of one against three. 

 I would have repeated my gushing praise for their having reduced an impenetrable jungle to the almost manageable. The brambles were really looking the worse for wear! This after only a day or so. While the flock of chickens hadn't visibly dented their former play area of several months. 

 12.20 I have wasted the entire morning on YouTube. I could have risked a ride but decided I was too lazy. Given the changeable weather conditions. I am pretending to learn from the goats. Though I think I'll pass on the brambles for lunch. 

 Dinner was, an all too predictable, chicken fry-up. 

 

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9.10.2026 Battery swap!

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  Friday 9th 50F/10C [9.30] Overcast. A wet and windy day is forecast. Peaking at 11C/52F.

  Up at 8.15 after a quiet night. A toasty 23C/73F in the room. I have lowered the heat pump remote down by half a degree.

 Just had a chat with my minder. I intend to go for a walk before the rain arrives. 

 I need to go to the village for more tablets. 

 10.15 Back from my usual walk. A little breathless on the way out. It soon passed. I had a chat with my neighbour's goats. They have been moved into the chicken's former ground. Where they are doing an amazing job at removing the brambles and nettles!  I showered them with praise but they remained unmoved.

 12.20 I drove into the village to shop. I was gone only five minutes in the apotek but had left the lights on [again]. The headlights were dim orange and the engine wouldn't turn over. The old battery must have been running on fumes. So I rolled gently downhill and the engine fired. I parked the car on the flat where I could move around the vehicle. 

 Fortunately I had enough tools to remove the battery. Then found myself unable to lift the sheer weight of it. Being right at the back of the engine bay. With the hot water tap sticking up right in front of it. Somehow I managed to tilt the battery sideways and finally haul it out.

 Replacement took a few minutes and then I could go shopping. I have perhaps 100 assorted spanners at home but wasn't carrying anything very useful in the car. Sheer idiocy on my part! One of the only two spanners in the Morris oilskin folder. Was only just able to manage the four nuts involved. 

 15.45 Blowing a gale and tipping down. 

 Dinner was a salmon pasty, peas, pasta and tinned tomatoes. 

 

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