15.04.2026 42km. Cool is not cool.

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  Wednesday 15th 42F/5.6C [8.20] Bright overcast. Expected to remain dry but cloudy until later. 65F/18.3C in the room. 49F/9.4C in the greenhouse. One of my new digital thermometers was reading a competitor's, wireless, outdoor sensor. 

 I had bought them both from the same big shed store. Each made by a different manufacturer. It seems the new thermometer was only on the wrong channel. As soon as I changed channels it matched the old, digital thermometer. Which I have now been using for over a decade. 

 Both outdoor sensors are placed in the open air under the eaves of the north facing, roof overhang. A site which I hoped would totally avoid, local, solar heating. Which would give artificially raised readings. 

 It is nice to finally have confirmation of the much older thermometer's accuracy. Though it ought to be three samples, or more. to reduce the risk of error. I round the temperature readings anyway. So I am not aiming for scientific accuracy.

 Up at 7.15 after earlier failure to take off. More weird dreams. No noticeable ill effects from yesterday's clash with the crowbar. 

 I feel the need for a ride. Though I would prefer it was warmer. Battery on charge while I have my walk and prepare. Batteries should not be left on full charge. As it shortens their life. The downside is that the bike isn't road ready in an emergency.

 9.25 Back from my walk. I was unable to walk off my lower back pain. It continued to hurt. Making progress slow and painful. The neighbour's cat was sitting in the drive as I left. I spoke and it walked briskly past me. Later to be seen hunting on the back field. 

 12.00 The first e-bike battery is only just full charged. So I have decided to wait until after lunch for a ride. Besides which, I couldn't decide where to go. 

 17.00 Returning from a 42km ride. I rode to a charity shop in a rural village. Then meandered back via the quiet, country lanes. Crossing the motorway and a bridge over the new railway. See images above. It was never sunny and felt rather chilly. 

 I met the lady in the village earlier. So called in on the way home for a chat. 

 Dinner was a wholemeal bread roll with tuna. Followed by a milky coffee and a digestive biscuit. The back pain continues.

 7.40 I lit the stove. After dropping below 65F/18C it was becoming too cool for comfort indoors. Talking of which: I must set the alarm tonight. In readiness for tomorrow's heat pump installer.

 

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14.04.2026 A Bloodbath!

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  Tuesday 14th 41F/5C Heavy overcast and a wet morning. Brighter this afternoon. 66F/19C in the room. 47F/8.3C in the greenhouse. I put a fresh log in to let the stove burn on after bedtime. This seems to have helped maintain overnight temperatures.

 Up at 6.30 after a busy night. I have an appointment with the doctor after lunch. As a follow up to various tests last week. 

 9.30 I am using the wet morning as an excuse to prepare the site of the internal heat pump unit. The recently purchased, recycled carpet runner needs to run along that wall. This involved removing the existing runner. Which was trapped under the big, old, oak chest of drawers. All the furniture had to be pushed to the far end of the room. Then I had to remove the heavy drawers to be able to lift the chest at all. Old runner removed. Now I have to tidy up before fitting the new. 

 I was struggling with the rudimentary skirting board. Which was held at intervals by large, rusty nails. My intention is to replace the ugly board with box shaped conduit. The board really did not want to come away from the wall. I was lying on my stomach under the dining table. Levering away with a crowbar. When it suddenly swung up and hit me viciously on the forehead. 

 A deep gash and lots of blood followed. I dashed off to the bathroom. To flood the site of the gaping wound. Taking blood thinners is apt to cause problems with clotting but the bleeding soon stopped. Unfortunately my career as a septuagenarian babe magnet may be temporarily over. At least until the wound heals. I am recovering my composure by updating the blog. 

 Now I need some plastic conduit. To hide all the cables running across the floor. There are three security camera cables. Three TV cables. A standard lamp. A table lamp and the mains cable for the computer and all its associated accessories. Most of which are never switched off. 

 There is an alternative socket behind my bed. Which could become the continuous mains supply. It just needs to be connected to the present multi-sockets to tidy up the "knitting."  

 Duly completed. The attached snap [Top right] shows the ugly wall and new carpet runner. Quite a good match between the rugs. The carpet motif is perfectly centered under the TV and the coming heat pump. 

  10.00 I'll have morning coffee. While what remains of my senses return to normal. I use the latter term loosely of course. 

 11.45 I shall have to drive into town after my appointment to find box shaped, snap-on conduit.  

 The doctor is going to give me a stronger medicine to stop me clotting. My heart is fluttering. Increased risk of a stroke or heart attack.

 After that I drove into town. Returning with the conduit I needed. I wanted something wider but settled on two length of 50x20mm. A single length of 25x16mm will hide the cables rising to the TV. The second image shows that most of the ugly wall is hidden behind the chairs. The heat pump will also cover the joint in the plasterboard under the TV. 

 15.15 It is brightening up with some sunny periods. 

 18.30 I managed to extract the pretend skirting board and take it outside. Now there are just the three network cables for the cameras. Which can be lost in the conduit running along the floor in place of the skirting board. The TV can be lifted down from its bracket on the wall. Then laid flat on the bed while the heat pump work is in progress. Now I have to conjure up some dinner.  

 I went with fish fingers and 3 minute broccoli. I lit the stove at 21.00. It was feeling chilly and I saw no reason to suffer.

 

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13.04.2026 Promises-promises.

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 Monday 13th 40F/4.4C. Overcast. Possible early brightness. 24 hours of rain arriving at lunch time. Easterly winds. 63F/17C in the room. 50F/10C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 6.45 after another night of weird dreams. Not weird in appearance but just unlikely and often boring subject matter. Highly realistic. Mixed contexts. Mixed casts from different walks of life.

 09.30 Back from my short walk. It was unpleasantly cold in the easterly breeze. Plenty of birds about.  

 15.00 48F/9C. No rain yet. I lit the stove. It had dropped to 62F/17C in the room. There had been none of the brightness to warm the greenhouse and thus the house.

 It was nearly 19.00 before it finally started raining. 

 19.30 72F/22C. Dinner was poached egs on toast. Another day wasted on YouTube.

 

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