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Monday 6th -1C/30F. Quite bright but cloudy and misty with a white frost. Temperatures have dropped indoors despite the stove burning well until late. Up at 7.15. 8.25 local sunrise. Short lived brightness. The direction of the sun was soon lost to uniform grey.I went for my usual walk to the lanes. Visibility was complete invisibility of all vehicles beyond ~50 meters. Not one vehicle was showing rear fog lights. So their normal lights were disappearing along with their bodywork into the mist. A couple of crash test dimmies were actually running on side lights! No headlights!
There are a number of non-PC names for the mentally deficient. I left the road for the verge each time a vehicle approached. Some drivers were probably using their mobile phones as well. No point in disturbing their idiocy. When it can be so easily avoided.
It is almost tragically trivial but the fridge is much easier to access now. I have gained only a few inches less overlap with the hall door but it has really improved the geometry. If the bottom half of the dresser was moved away. Then I could place the fridge where I liked on that wall. It is only supporting the fresh fruit and bread rolls. So any reasonable surface would do.
I have a large trolley! 😁 Which is a bit shorter in length than the dresser. Though then I'd have to clear a space for the dresser. Which could go in place of the trolley in the alcove. Do I really want a large trolley in such an exposed position? I hope you are all paying attention. Because I shall be setting homework! 😊
12.15 +1C/34F. Brighter now. The mist is dispersing slowly. Meanwhile, the trolley has duly replaced the dresser. Thereby lowering the appearance of the kitchen. From downright scruffy to almost tragic-comically unkempt and down at heel. The rustic look assumes one has interesting or pretty things on show.
Fortunately I was able to hide a couple of 20L tubs under the lower shelf of the trolley. I just hope I remember they are there! Or I could be buying bin bags on a colossal scale.
I suppose I could drape a cloth around the trolley. If I had any shame. I haven't yet arranged anything properly on the trolley. I suppose it ought to have a shelf midway. To maximize its capacity for life's detritus. Stacked storage tubs?
The large, recycling, metal waste basket has found a new home. In front of the corner storage rack behind the open hall door. Only history will record whether this was a wise move. It contains no waste food. So cannot be considered a health risk. Even in lose proximity to the sealed tins on the rack in the corner.
The bags of cement and tile adhesive have been better hidden from sight. In a corner under a small table. Now I have just found another stack of colourful buckets! One of which was full of small, but unused, dustpans and brushes. Stored away by my late wife for yet another rainy day. A strange mixture of optimism tinged with pessimism. The odd thing is that I must have brought all of these things home myself. Yet I remember so little of having done so. My wife rarely ventured out. So I did all of the shopping for several years.
13.30 Lunch over. This area of the kitchen needs little effort to raise the cosmetic appearance. So filling, wallpaper removal and white paint will do wonders. Then I can add architrave to the entrance hall door on the left. I had to enlarge the hole in the wall to fit the secondhand door I had bought. I could not use an angle grinder and diamond wheel. Because of the dust this would produce. So I chain drilled and chiseled the opening to a larger size. Repeatedly spraying the blockwork kept dust to a minimum.
It has turned into a bright, but cold day, with little wind. So I am going for another ride to the shops. I should take advantage of every opportunity when the weather is fine and the mood takes me. First I must torque the crank fixing bolts.
The moment I was dressed and ready to get the trike out it became darker. It was rather cool but I was suitably dressed. Having practiced cold weather riding extensively over the years. I attached some small flashing lights but visibility remained just beyond 100 meters all afternoon.
Yet again I took the familiar, hilly route via the quiet, country lanes. Passing through the forest going both ways. Total of 15 miles or 24km. My fitness and breathing kept coming and going. Thankfully the chest pain from panting hard on the longer climbs was absent again. Even pedaling hard I could not exceed 23 mph on a long descent. Though I was unaware of any wind. I found a nice square baking tin in a charity shop. Ideal for chicken pieces and four, roast potatoes. A lucky find.
Dinner was cheese on toast. Followed by tomato soup and a roll. No pictures.
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