29.04.2024 Seriously? You call that a lawn?

 ~o~

 Monday 29th 51F/10C [at 8am] Bright sunshine and dry with a light wind promised for this morning. Cloud after lunch.

 Up at 6.30 after a reasonable night. For some reason I feel much more relaxed recently. No longer at the mercy of endless negative dreams and memories. I lay there for another quarter of an hour after waking. Just thinking about things to be done. This is very unlike me.

8.15 Time for a walk. I am still struggling to clear my chest. Though no coughing fits so far this morning.

8.45 I didn't go far. I cannot summon the will to walk further. A beautiful, spring morning. With a cool breeze. Yet again I am surprised at the variation in leaf growth between trees. A Great tit was beeping loudly. From the very top of a fastigiate, red oak. One I had often earmarked for felling. Due to its close proximity to the observatory. A final decision best left until I make more progress on the demolition.

 11-11.45. A first attempt to reduce the lawn by 20cm/8" in height. Even at maximum height of '10' the fully charged, twin batteries could give no more. So I have had to put them on charge. The grass is inevitably damp and sticks together. Causing clogging and stalling. The moles have undermined and humped the landscape. I was breathless, sweating and coughing. My hands are shaking violently now. One third of the trailer is already full of grass cuttings. 

 15.00 I have covered the whole area with the highest setting. Before attacking it with the '6.' The sun has had a chance to dry out the grass between cuts. Not a lot of difference between the two settings. There was some coughing involved but I don't feel quite so knackered this time. The lawn slopes gently downwards to the west. [Left, in the pictures.]

 There was no sign of wildlife. Not even the odd wildebeest grazing quietly. I scooped a lot of drowned leaves out of the small pond with my hand. The central grass ridge in the drive has been clipped. Along with what passes for the parking area. It got a bit chewed up with the gravel delivery car's, wheels spinning when the ground was wet.

 The windows, covered by the lean-to greenhouse, have been opened. Pushing the earlier 62F/17C up to 69F/21C in the room and 70F/21C in the kitchen. It has become more cloudy as promised but still with plenty of sunshine. 

 17.30 Just finished four days of washing up in under half an hour. Battling with ants on the windowsill again. There's an endless supply of willing victims ready to sacrifice themselves.

 Dinner was what most might loosely call "poached eggs on toast." What a mess! The harder I try the worse the appearance becomes. Though the one on the right had excellent form. Strictly IMO of course. The one on the left is an abomination and the result of swirling the water. Before the final egg plopping. It is no wonder poaching is illegal! Though both tasted fine.

  The milder weather saved me from lighting the stove today. I shan't drop the shade nets fully just yet. Not while I can still borrow the sun's warmth for the great indoors.

 ~o~