11.10.2022 On your head!

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 Tuesday 11th 44F. Still almost dark at 7am. Too early for a walk. It looks clear with sunny periods promised. Up at 5.30. Tuesday cooking class today.

 My usual, brisk walk to the lanes. Where I paused to photograph the full moon resting on top of a phone mast. This required a short detour along a tractor track in a muddy field. A dozen geese went over and suddenly split up. One lot had seen the inviting lake below. The others couldn't make up their minds but eventually fell into line.

 Back home for morning coffee. Followed by a shower and the half hour drive to the cooking class. There were eight of us today. The three teams made a mixed vegetable tart, rye bread and fish food, finger snacks.

 I weighed and measured all the ingredients for the rye bread. After that I cut up a large, iceberg lettuce into tiny bits. Great fun with a razor sharp knife and a plastic cutting board. I don't think I have a single sharp knife in the house.

 14.30 54F. Home again after some shopping.  I opened the greenhouse door to spread the warmth. Rather cool and cloudy this afternoon but at least the wind has dropped.

 Tried my luck in the observatory but it was completely overcast. Gave up and went back in for a nap.

 I have been worrying what to do about the large, bare, brick wall in the lounge. Whether to render it or just paint the bricks as they are. It is presently and always has been an eyesore. In yellow ochre, 1960s [?] bricks.

 Would you believe it? The old school kitchen, at the cooking class, has an identical brick wall. Which is covered with white paint. It looks absolutely fine. Honest but with a natural repeating texture. It didn't offend me at all. [Image left is a combination of flash and fluorescent lighting on the kitchen wall.]

 I shan't bother to render mine. Though I shall prime it first. Before painting it white. I think I'll need a proper paint roller on a 1m/3-4' handle. 

 First I have to clear the room and lift the carpets. Major work! There is a huge [tasteless] double bookshelf unit resting on the carpet. It came with the house. The unit has one end tight against the brick wall. All the books will have to come off. If the shelving unit is to be moved out of the way. 

 Which suggest a complete rearrangement of the lounge furnishing. Lose the cupboard units below. Then have the bookshelves stacked two high against the brick wall in the corner? That would free up room for the dining table.

 I still haven't found any satisfactory way of disposing of many of the books in the house. Mostly English language. Lots of my wife's gardening books but mine are mostly technical. From a lifetime of my countless, different hobbies. I won't burn them and couldn't give them away when I tried. 

 The poor access, on the end of a long drive, makes selling them for a few pence each all but impossible. It would need a large van to take them all away in strong boxes. I filled my trailer with boxes of books one day. Then I did a tour of the charity shops and secondhand booksellers. Nobody wanted them. I suppose if things go really pear shaped [Loony Pootin & WW3?] I could end up burning them in the stove to keep warm. 

 As I had eaten at the cooking class I had no need of an evening meal. Coffee and a biscuit was fine.
 

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