7.09.2026

 ~?~

  Monday 7th 56F/13C [7.20] Overcast but sunny periods expected. Peaking at 21C/70F in the late afternoon. The rest of the week is unstable. 20C/68F in the room. 14C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7.50 after a busy night at the fire bucket. No idea why. 

 I have an appointment for an exercise therapy class at 11am in town. I shall have to find my gym shorts and shoes.

 12.30 69F/21C. Back from the exercise class. There were only four of us. All in worse condition than myself. Plus two attentive therapists. I was doing fine until I felt dizzy. I lay down on a padded bench and felt better.

 A lovely, sunny day. Pleasantly warm but breezy. I'll have lunch and then think about another ride. Although I was using an exercise bike at the start of the class. I realised that I never sprint any more. Nor put much effort into climbing. The e-bike does it all for me. I get continuous exercise but it probaby doesn't raise my heart rate by much. Nor cause deep breathing.

 

  ~?~

6.09.2026 34km for rolls.

 ~?~

  Sunday 6th 51F/11C [7.30] Bright overcast. A dry day is promised. With lighter winds. 20F/68F in the room. 10C/50F in the greenhouse.

 Up just before 7am after a fairly quiet night. No ill effects from yesterday's ride.

 A modest ride today I think. To try a different supermarket chain for my wholemeal bread rolls. This has been going on for all the time I have lived here. The monopoly industrial bakers keep discontinuing bread or rolls which I like and use daily. It is always the supposedly, healthiest option at the time. Which is frustrating. In having to find an healthy alternative. I haven't touched the white crap in decades.

 12.30 Back from a 34km ride. On a whim I rode the forest track. As it was more or less on my way. It felt strange to be on my bike there. After years and my hundreds of visits on foot. The inclines are steep, the surface very rough and loose in places. Puddled in other places. Mud is worse than anything else. The tire treads are not for off road but perfectly adequate.

 The forest had changed considerably since my last walk there. Areas clear felled. Others replanted with conifers. Resulting in a complete change of atmosphere in places. I had forgotten how steep the hills and bends really were. The Moustache is very stable and has enough power to overcome any incline. It's just a matter of being in the right gear and assistance mode. The big disk brakes are fine.

 There were lots of vintage cars in the lanes. All going the opposite way. Perhaps to meet at the Skoda Museum. 

 I found the rolls I needed at the more distant supermarket. 14km from home. I bought two packs to make it worth the trip. Enjoyable as it was anyway.

 The afternoon was spent on YouTube.

 The robot had another outing on the drive. The difference where it mows is remarkable compared to where it doesn't. It magically suppresses the weeds. It just needs more discipline! 

 I took the recycling bin along the drive. For emptying early tomorrow morning.

 The ponies were glad to see me and enjoyed a mouthful of grass each. 

 Dinner was a mushroom omelette. It slid out of the pan rather nicely.

   

  ~?~

5.09.2026 29km and pushing the boundaries.

 ~?~

  Saturday 5th 56F/13C [7.50] Bright overcast. The last wet day of a series. Peaking at a  low 16C/60F. Westerly gales building to 16m/s gusts this afternoon. Possible sunny periods. 20C/68F in the room. 13C in the closed greenhouse. I shall take the shade net down if it has a chance to dry out.

 Up at 7am after a fairly quiet night. The water lily has produced its first new leaf. Now five.

 I have just collected the recycling bin from the junction with the main drive. Proving that five days is not enough time. To trigger any interest in my longevity. The ponies were curious and looked up from their breakfast table at the shuffling old fart. They were too far away to be tempted. By handfuls of grass from no man's land on this side of the fence. Petit far gras? Suit yourselves. 

The forecast is not remotely conducive to a sneaky ride. Heavy showers coming in from the west. May contain hail, cloudbursts, lightning and fierce gusts of wind. Nice! I could potter to my usual shopping destinations in the Morris. Which would save me having to think about doing anything about the hovel. Or its excess of contents. 

 There has been no interest in the lathe. Secondhand Myfords are being listed. At more than twice what I am asking for my "proper" engineering lathe. 

 11.50 Back from a drive to the next shopping village. Just as well I didn't go by bike. It started raining as I crossed the parking space. Continuing on and off during my outing. The roads were saturated on the way back. With wide and deep puddles dragging the car sideways. This was on a main road that has recently been resurfaced. 

 I dropped in on the garden centre for a 50L bag of potting compost. Plus a nice thick bamboo cane for my rubber plant. Which is showing signs of needing a giant killer before long. The three lengths of dowel in the pot at the moment do almost nothing to support the towering edifice.

 13.45 61F/16C. 93F/34C in the greenhouse. I had to open the skylights. The radar now shows much smaller, more isolated showers, racing in from the west.  Though it is still windy at 16m/s gusts. I'm going for a ride. I'll take my waterproof trousers, just in case and wear my waterproof jacket anyway.  

 16.00 Back from a 29km ride. I was fighting a fierce headwind all the way to Ebberup. Where I discovered more fine gravel had been laid towards the east. Though possibly not finish rolled. The stretch towards Assens was still not navigable. Despite my wide tires and full suspension.

 Having joined the path I managed to ride all the way to Glamsbjerg. With only one deep puddle preventing my progress for a few yards/meters towards the end. So I simply circumnavigated it. Perhaps one third of the new cycle path was still bare and bumpy soil. Though I still managed a steady 16kph or 10mph. 20kph on the fine gravel. 

 It started tipping down just as I reached home! After remaining sunny for most of the afternoon. I could see the sky ahead was black. So I timed it, quite accidentally, to perfection!

 Dinner was cheese on toast with boiled eggs. 

  

 ~?~