26.05.2023 Small but beautifully formed.

 ~o~

 Friday 26th 50F. Bright sunshine after a cold night. There was mist on the outside of the new, triple glazed, bedroom window. Breezy again. Which makes a ride a careful choice of direction again. I have a hairdressing appointment after lunch. So I shall have to ensure I get back in plenty of time for lunch and a shower.

 Cornus seen through the kitchen window.

 I bought a pack of desperately needed, ankle socks from the supermarket. These were a pack of 5 pairs of organic cotton socks. With a little man made fiber. I haven't had new socks for a decade. The mauve, ankle socks, which I always wore on my trike, have finally disintegrated. They literally fell apart as I put them on. 

 A bit of research suggested new socks ought be washed before I wore them. So I filled the bathroom sink/basin with hand warm water and added some washing up liquid. When I dropped the socks in the water immediately became absolutely filthy! Not just excess colouring leaching out but it actually looked very dirty. 

 Several repeats finally made the water clear. Though still quite dark from the black sock dye. There followed at least half a dozen rinses, with clean water, before the colour was almost gone. I left the socks to soak well in between washes and rinses. Lots of squeezing in between. To ensure all the dye came out. Finally, they could be hung on the outside airer. To dry in the sun and wind. Hopefully without the stench of pig shit on the air.

 8.00 52F. I'd better have a walk. My back and knees are hurting.  

 I was soon free of pain. Though it was quite cool in the northerly wind. I had to button up my jacket. A male pheasant was showing off his finery to a female out in the middle of the fields. I didn't hang around to see if his ruse was successful. 

 The traffic mirror had slumped on the pole opposite the far end of the drive. So I walked the 250 yards along there carrying a ladder and spanners. I got some funny looks from passing motorists. The view to the right on this dangerous, blind bend has now been returned to normal. One can exit the drive with much reduced risk. 

 A high proportion of crash test zombies cut the corner at high speed. Despite the double white line, road markings for miles in both directions. A second mirror gives a view to the left. That had remained firm since I last adjusted it.

 I rode north into the wind to do some shopping. Even in Sport mode it was hard work. I was able to maintain 40km/hr, for a while, on the way back. Only 20km. I did some exploring of a housing estate. It had once been a wild area. Now it is all bungalows and a maze of paths and roads.

 I rang the Danish Moustache dealer about a replacement prop stand but got nowhere. So, mid afternoon I repeated the same ride as in the morning. The bike shop doesn't open until the afternoon. I bought a prop stand in the hope that I could adapt it to match the Moustache fitting. 

 Once back home I drilled out the hinge pins from both. However it would require a solid metal spacer to bridge the gap between the two channel sections. I might try my luck at the other bike shop tomorrow. It is in the opposite direction and further away. 

 I had fitted the Brooks B17 "Special" just to see how it went. It was as hard as a boulder and like balancing on a shiny marble ball. While still having to pedal. The Proofide had no discernible effect.

Dinner was poached eggs on toast. What do you mean they look undernourished? High inflation means the eggs have to get smaller. To ensure an obscene profit for the offshore-money owned, supermarkets.

 

~o~