10.04.2024 The Morris Minor is back!

 ~o~

  Wednesday 10th 45F/9C. Cooler, overcast, with light showers and gales. Up at 6am after a difficult night. The greenhouse was whistling loudly in the fierce, southwesterly winds. Gusting to over 20m/s overnight. I feared another pane had blown out but its was just leakage. The wind is slowly reducing and going westerly. From where there is lots of shelter from trees and shrubs. 

 I laid some long planks and the level across the rubble. The workers did a great job. Just a few big blocks can be moved out to the edges. In case I hit any of them while excavating for the carport anchors.

The Moustache e-bike on the carrier on the Morris. The clip-on number plate has been removed for privacy. The e-bike is much longer than the Morris is wide. A brightly coloured band could be applied to the overhanging, rear bike wheel. 

8.30 Returning from a loop along the parallel drives. The wind really was strong and gusty. I was treated to a superb flying display by what I am calling a harrier. Smaller than a red kite and with a long parallel tail. Long, narrow wings held stiffly without flapping. It seemed unperturbed by my presence and was continuously gliding sideways. Soaring effortlessly on the wind. To quickly cover the entire field looking for potential prey. White speckles and splashes here and there but mostly brown and black.  

 I am going to collect the Morris Minor this morning. I left the Buzzrack, bike carrier in the car all those weeks ago. So I can ride there and bring the bike home on the back of the Morris. I just hope I don't have to sell the car to pay the repair bill! 

 9.00 I am readying the bike and myself. For a ride to the rural garage. 

 10.45 Returned with the bike and the Morris. The new handlebars are great. Very relaxed with no weight on my hands. Fierce gusts from the side, at first and then behind me. I was cruising at 35kph on the flat without much pedaling. All thanks to the tailwind.

 The workshop proprietor was very generous and only charged me for three hours of work. Instead of three weeks! Many of the electrical and ignition components have been replaced. I now have an alternator in place of the dead dynamo. Most of the problems were caused by badly installed, faulty components and very poor earthing. A red kite was circling low over the road as I neared home. 

 11.15. I ought to go shopping. There is nothing in the larder. I'll go in the Morris.

 12.15  Back from the shops. I had no sooner climbed out of the Morris at the supermarket. Than I was accosted by a mature woman full of praise for my car. 

 I saw a dead deer on the verge. A very unusual sight. 

 12.50 52F/11C. It is trying to be sunny now. More blue skies than the white fluffy stuff. I have opened the internal windows to the greenhouse. Starting at 62F/17C indoors.

 It was far too hot in the greenhouse. So I hung both shade nets. The cord I used isn't UV stable and is fraying badly! Sold as flag line! If the whole lot slides off the greenhouse roof I know who to blame!

 While I was outside, getting breathless, I replanted the screwed spike and put up the rotary clothes drier/airer. Which made me even more breathless! Though it was nicely timed. Because then I could put the mower back into the shed. Ambition discovered its boundaries. So much for shoveling gravel today. It's not going to happen.

 My wife's flower bed is looking quite green. Some orange cowslips have flowered. Lots of promising tufts of leaves spread over the whole bed. I am glad I cleared all the woody stuff away this time. It will be easier to see her flowers when they come out. 

 Dinner was chicken and mushroom with chips.

 

  ~o~