15.06.2022 I AM a number.

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 Wednesday 15th 50F. A bright start followed by a grey day according to the forecasters. Up at 3.15am. 

 As soon as I wake up my thoughts go round and around. Usually involving reliving some part of my wife's passing. I have to get up to have some peace. Reading the raving insanity, corruption and hypocrisy of the global news online helps me to forget. For a while. 

 My morning walks are now spoilt by not being able to report what I'd seen, on my return. Not being able to play that morning's images in series on the computer screen. As we have "morning coffee". A cycle ride inevitably ends the same way. Back to an empty house.

 My entire life was measured by sharing everything I did and thought. Discussing the trivial and important alike. How am I supposed to know what to think? Without her pragmatism and wisdom?    

 7.35 Returning from a 80 minute, circular walk. One of the few public paths I know of. Though it is not marked as such. I must have a nap. I keep nodding off at the computer.

 9.00. Had an hour's nap and morning coffee. Now what? 

 I just had an SMS message from the county council. Reminding me that I have an appointment tomorrow morning to register for the new, national, identity system. As a non-Dane I must provide identity via my passport and personal appearance at the town hall. 

 Were I a Dane it would all have been done and confirmed online. I was given the advice to enter my mobile phone number on arrival. So they could call me. When it was my turn. With a direct link if I cannot make it on time and must cancel. 

 Does your county council offer such a service? Or do you pretend that you are not a number? That national identity systems are in direct conflict with your privacy and security from government snooping. 

 Meanwhile, you have a Driving License,  passport, an NI number, a home telephone number, a mobile number, an email address and a bank account. Or several of the same. Plus all the myriad other means of personal identity. Which you pretend don't exist because you are free of such limitations on your personal freedom. 

 The Danes and residents carry a national health card. The size of a credit card. Which is a uniformly accepted means of identity under almost any circumstances. It carries one's person number [NI number in GB speak] Which is one's date of birth. Plus an additional four digit security code. The whole number is used for all communications with officialdom in Denmark. Including the health service, supermarkets to prove you are old enough to buy fags or booze. Or to show you have turned up for an appointment at the doctors, dentists or hospital.

 I used my card when the police were stopping all the traffic for routine checks at the queue into a major country fair. I had a British driver's license all in Welsh at the time. The policeman immediately relaxed on being shown my health insurance card. 

 The greenhouse is being given yet another tidy. Despite being quite sunny it is a pleasant 65F out there. Lots more ceramic pots. Unused seed trays. Unused seed modules. Mini greenhouses. 

 That which I thought were just pretty, table serviettes proved to be loads [and loads] of microfibre cleaning cloths. So I shan't want for those in the short term. I was actually searching for some after using the first packet I found on the kitchen floor.

 The green recycling bin is full up. With another week to go. I may have to run some plastic to the recycling yard. I have the remaining bags of Rockwool in the trailer. So I shall have to bag all the plastic trays. Then take them in the boot when I go shopping. 

 I plan to make chicken curry tonight. I have Ben's Original Medium Curry sauce in a jar. I will need rice and chicken breast pieces. My wife used to add tomato puree. I doubt it will be safe after months with the tube in the 'fridge. I'd better check. No problem. Good for a couple of years. 

Now to find some brown rice. It used to buy it from a 17 mile distant health shop. The chicken ought be organic but may not be available locally. An excuse for another ride on the trike? Surely not? 😉

 13.00 Enjoying lunch after a shopping ride for just 7 miles. The wind was lighter today. I bought low fat, organic beef mince, chicken breast fillets and organic brown rice. I have done my homework online about frying the chicken and making the curry. 

 16.40 Dozing off. So another afternoon nap. Followed by some time in the observatory imaging the sun. Poor clarity and lots of cloud. It has become overcast so I have been taking pictures of my wife's flower beds instead. It gets busier each day. Click and scroll on the image [above] for an enlargement.

 19.30 Just finished my very first DIY curry. Everything went well but there should have been more liquid sauce. I have no idea where that came from when my wife made it. Water?

 My version was moist enough but just wasn't what I am used to. I used half a cup of brown rice and half a jar of Ben's Original Medium Curry. There was too much chicken for one person in the pack. So I cut up the larger piece into thumbnail sized chunks with kitchen scissors. Probably still too much. 35 minutes simmering for the rice. 5 minutes rest. Ten minutes for the chicken + five minutes mixed with the curry sauce. I added a few inches of puree worm from the [toothpaste] tube to the mix. The chicken was tender but chewy enough to be satisfying. Overall, I'd give it an eight. For beginner's luck. 

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