17.01.2024 A bit chilly!

 ~o~

 Wednesday 17th 32F/0C. Some new snow but too dark to see properly. The north and western areas of Denmark have had a snow storm with drifting. The roads are treacherous again. With the police advising all drivers to stay at home!   

The north west corner of the garden this morning. Taken through the balcony window.

 Up at 7.15 after a restless night. I woke at 3.15am feeling a distinct draught on my face. The room temperature was a quite modest 60F/15C. So was not directly to blame. I was still perfectly warm and comfortable under the summer down duvet. 

 I got up and checked every door and window was closed. The cause must have been the strong SW wind. There was quite a draught around the living room door to the front hall. This glazed door was very secondhand as bought and is now distinctly warped.  

 The louvre over the kitchen extractor fan is flapping in the wind. Which sounded quite loud. The gravity closed louvre is very poor at resisting direct gusts. I may need to fit a fixed louvre over the automatic one. 

 7.30. The room is now at 55F/13C. Which is much cooler than it has been. While the outside temperature is hovering around zero. This can't usually be blamed for the indoor chill when the wind is light. I had better light the stove and wait for daylight. To check round again.  

 The old, horse chestnut stump and logs.
Taken through the balcony windows.

 The kitchen has dropped to 52F/11C overnight. While the exposed kitchen window is plastered with thin snow. The other window lies within the greenhouse. Those who follow my blog may remember that I fitted a small extractor fan into a replacement polycarbonate pane. 

 I was delighted to find a small louvre which fitted over the fan. Without increasing the footprint of the fan's baseplate. Alas the small, hinged, plastic blades of the louvre are all too prone to lifting in the wind. I shall have to come up with an external wind screen. The fan set-up is obviously causing far too much heat loss. An external 90º elbow might work to block the wind blowing directly on the louvre. If I can find a way to fix it.

 8.00 57F/14C in the room. It is just light enough outside to see that everything is liberally coated in snow. Even the north facing windows have snow adhering to the glass and frames. No point in going to the museum today. Even if the roads are passable. Which I doubt. The trees are rocking in the SW wind. Which is presently gusting to 20m/s or 45mph, but falling quite rapidly. Any new snow showers should be over by 10am.

 9.00 A large, black and white cat was caught red handed. Sniffing near the front door as I opened the curtains. It paused for almost a minute, staring back at me, before slinking off. High stepping away through the snow.

 9.35 60F/15C in the room. I'll leave a walk until after the wind drops. Morning coffee first to help me warm up.

 13.30 I had beans on toast for lunch having run out of butter. Weak sunshine has lifted the greenhouse to 44F/7C. Enough to cause the snow and ice on the roof to slide off. I have been getting through an awful lot of logs to get the room up to 65F/18C.

 9.45 25F/-4C. I never did go for a walk today. Just another day wasted hiding from the winter weather. After a day of feeding the stove with logs it has just reached 66F/19C. The overnight snow has been cancelled. Tomorrow promises to be sunny and hovering around zero. With light, westerly winds. No idea if the roads will be fit for the drive to the Thursday cooking class.

 Dinner was salad. With poached eggs and tuna. I poached the eggs in a small, water filled, frying pan. Needs more practice I think.

~o~