26.04.2024 Ride, park and drive.

 ~o~

  Monday 26th 33F/1C. The sky looks clear but misty down below. Light northerly winds. With a slight risk of wintry showers and some sunshine. 

 The greenhouse is opaque with dew. The  plastic panels are always wetter than the glass. The glass roof attracts dew too.

 Up at 6am after a reasonable night. The room was flooded with moonlight this morning. Shining obliquely through the greenhouse and the windows from the southwest. Onto the wall near my bed.

 7.30 It is already light enough for a walk if I dress warmly enough.    

 8.15 Returned from a short loop along the drives. The mist was patchy and even threatening in the north west. Dark mist, roiling up from the fields and into the leaden sky. In best Hollywood fashion. The low sun broke through its veil of cloud and tobacco filter. Not a breath of air movement. 

  I wore a fleece jacket under my winter, Ventile jacket. Providing a comfortable warmth without overheating. There were many small birds. Foraging and even singing here and there. A few, larger wood pigeons practised their climb and stall. No doubt intended to show off their prowess to the ladies.

 Yesterday's intended ride to the shops never happened. So I must go this morning. Or risk having no lunch at all. 

 10.30 Returned from shopping in the village on the e-bike. I was overtaken by a much faster electric [?] scooter. They must have been doing a silent 40mph without pedalling. I didn't have much of a chance to identify the machine but it looked like a normal IC scooter. I was cruising at about 30kph or 20mph. With no chance whatsoever of catching them. They were out of sight within a few hundred metres.

 I made the mistake of wearing a normal, hi-vis, outdoor walking jacket. The hip pockets were a serious nuisance. Making pedalling awkward and hard work. At least I have restocked the larder. I ought to light the stove. It is only 60F/15C in the room.

 15.15 Quite a lot of sunshine. The room is a comfortable 68F/20C thanks to the stove and large logs. I have returned from a shopping trip to another village. Where I could buy three sacks of kindling. A pleasant young chap was delighted to help. He was strong too! Carrying two sacks effortlessly to the car. Then the third as if were a down pillow.

 The main road closures continue. As district heating piping is extended to further villages. The detours run to many kilometres of narrow lanes. These small lanes have had no obvious preparation for the increased traffic. With the verges chewed to liquid mud for much of their length. Where opposing vehicles struggled to pass. Not helped by record wet weather. 

 One-way notices have been erected opposite many private drives on these detours. Yet the traffic flow remains almost equally two way. Stage two of the project is expected to last until December 2024. Stage three into 2025.  Eventually two district heating systems will be joined in the middle. To maximise the system's efficiency. 

 There are no plans to extend "fjernevarme" district [remote] heating to my area at the moment. No doubt the high cost of excavation and installation of the insulated piping requires sufficient customers to warrant the huge investment. 

 There are very few houses along my particular road. Even though it will soon lie between two systems. 62% of  large number of potential customers must sign up before a new system can be approved
. They should come up with a microbore system. It would save a lot of digging.

 Dinner was poached eggs on toast. I nearly forgot to photograph the proof of the pudding. WYSIWYG! It was lovely. Thanks for asking.

 I have been watching a lot of YT videos on AI. The sooner they let it loose. The sooner we can dispense with crappy products. Like a waste food, recycling basket. With a tiny, rounded bottom. Try and lift the lid and the damned things leans backwards! Every time! Until it is almost full. Full enough to be heavy. Then the lid can be opened easily. A committee of idiots designed and approved this piece of crap. Before more idiots accepted it and paid for it. In the tens of thousands! 

  ~o~