17.04.2024 77 not out.

 ~o~

  Wednesday 17th 38F/3C. Brightening between variable splodgy clouds. Winds light. It has dropped to 63F/17C in the room overnight from 71F/22C at bedtime.

 Up at 6.30 after a night of strange dreams. I kept dreaming, for what seemed like hours, on variations on designing and building hammocks. Asking different people what they thought. Recommended materials? I have absolutely no idea why. I am not even remotely interested in hammocks! 

The next long dream was about a series of actors or models standing and seated in an open backed, canvas topped lorry. With lots more totally illogical variations. Had the lorry moved they would have tumbled like skittles. Yet I was chasing it through the traffic at one point. The characters kept changing too. Perhaps it had something to do with watching TV?

8.00 Time for a walk.

8.30 42F/6C. Sunshine. Back from my walk. I reached the lanes and turned back. The traffic was unusually dense. Nose to tail at times. The sun broke through now and then. The light, northerly breeze wasn't enough to cause a chill. 

 My walks are not the marathons of the past. The distances I covered, almost every morning, surprise me now. I would regularly be walking though the forest for an hour and half. Often capturing hundreds of images each day. Now I barely make it to the lanes and bring back a phone camera snap or two.

 Many of my plans for the house have not come to fruition. The place is certainly improved. Though not to the extent I had imagined or even hoped for. Motivation is very hard to find. So I dive into whatever interests me at the time. Perhaps the warmer and brighter weather will spur me on.

I have often used my blogs to push me into completing projects. Discussing the details, often at length, helped me to maintain momentum and focus. I imagined my "audience" was willing me on. That they'd be disappointed if I failed.

 Alas, no more. I spend pointless hours watching YouTube videos. When I could and should be doing something creative. While I still can. If only for achieving cosmetic improvements. Or tidying up!

 My wife was my constructive critic and a valuable guide to common sense goals. Without her constant presence and advice I now stumble aimlessly forwards. Her vital "nagging" got things done. Things were not allowed to be overlooked. Just because they did not inspire me at the time.

  I miss our constant back and forth exchange of ideas the most. Even a heated conversation is/was better than nothing at all. Nothing prepares you for the deathly silence. Of being entirely alone.

 There were some large clay plant pots for sale at the supermarket. So I decided to split my wife's aspidistra. Which was totally root bound in the red pot at the rear. 

 The only way to get it out of the pot, other than smashing it, was to use a knife. I ran the knife around the inside of the pot. Trying to avoid the root system. Eventually I was rewarded with a clean exit of almost solid root ball. Only the very bottom had a few cup fulls of soil. 

 Fortunately I had remembered to buy some clay balls and potting compost at the village garden centre. The knife was used again to cut between bunches of leaves. Keeping at least two to a bunch. There was no chance of splitting the solid mass of roots by teasing. They proved to be fragile anyway.

 The divisions added up to more than three pots. So I had to find some remaining plastic pots. I gave them a good rinse with a watering can. Then re-potted all the clumps. The sheer volume of leaves shows clearly how overgrown the plant was for its single pot. 

 I'll have to buy some more potting compost to fill the empty spaces as I soon ran out. My wife left me some open bags of the same potting compost. Though they may have been contaminated by years lying open on the ground outside. So I shall spread it around and not use it in the indoor pots. 

 I have no idea where I am going to put the replanted horde. They'll have to come indoors before it gets cold. But not into the greenhouse. Which is too bright and too hot and cold.

 19.15 Dinner is... ? Chicken, mushrooms, fried egg and baked beans. With a bread roll to mop up the plate.

 

  ~o~