20.10.2022 Always a Catch 22.

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 Thursday 20th 39F. Clear. Another sunny day is forecast. Up at 7.15. I have a follow-up, doctor's appointment this morning. Just to see how I am doing after the loss of my wife. 

 11.00 46F. Full sun. Just back from the doctors.  I had a blood test to confirm all is okay. Results next week. The surgery waiting room was empty. Very odd. First time ever in over two decades. Not that I am a regular visitor. 

 14.00. Just returning from a 14 mile ride to the shops. Gone for two hours altogether. Knees a bit painful at times and legs feeling tired too. The price of not going out on the trike for ages. 

 It was too cloudy to go over to the observatory. So I worked on the lounge door to the entrance hall. It had never had a solid crossbar flush with the door. So I made one out of a  bit of 2x4. [50x100mm]. To provide support for the architrave.

 Unfortunately, this meant moving an old fashioned, two-way switch. It switches the upstairs light on the landing. Its cable had always been clipped rather visibly across the top of the door. Which now had to be hidden above and behind the new crossbar. Otherwise I couldn't add the architrave across the top of the door.

 I think a junction box would be useful at the top of the door and out of sight. The cable drop is much too short. Leaving the switch about a foot above the rest of those in the house. Meaning the light switch would be much too high for comfort. 

 A 2-way light switch and ceiling fitting would also be useful for the lounge. Presently, if I want light in the lounge  have to walk the entire length in the dark. To use a socket switch on the wall. With a flex snaking up the wall and across the ceiling. To the light fitting over the dining table. No overhead light was ever installed in the lounge. The same is true in the upstairs bedroom. My wife and I used torches when appropriate. The torches always having to be returned to their allotted parking place.

 The upstairs floorboards [just above] the new crossbar proved to be 2cm out of level. Just over the width of the door. What was worse was that they were projecting over the badly twisted, supporting joist. I will have to cut back the overhanging boards. Without any obvious way of reaching them. Router? Oscillating multi-tool? Bayonet saw? 

 The latter did the job. By bending the blade as it worked. So that the blade guard wasn't in the way. I vacuumed up the coarse sawdust afterwards. Fortunately it just dropped straight down. Imagine the mess if I had used the router! The whole house would have been covered in dust.

Dinner was boiled potatoes, cod in batter and frozen peas. I lit the stove as indoor temperatures dropped.

 

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