14.07.2024 Not home alone.

 ~o~

  Sunday 14th 58F/14C. Heavy overcast and rather breezy.

 Up at 6.30 after being awake at 4.45.

 Whoops! Chump can now claim more in common with Hitler. Survivor's guilt [as if] and a bad hair style. He is still using the Nazi clenched fist. The rumours are already flying online. How could somebody holding a rifle lie openly on a roof? Within a short distance of Chump the Ranter? 

 Cultists are blaming Biden. Others are asking about the US security services. People were shouting about seeing the gunman but being ignored by the police and security services snipers. One policeman can be seen wandering aimlessly around the base of the alleged perp's [final] resting place. Without even unholstering his gun!

 The Real News Headlines: The water in the big fish tank is clearing slowly but still misty. Probably dissolved gases. The water temperature has risen to 63F/17C in the 68F/20C room. 

 I turned off the filters overnight. Now I need to set up a separate circuit to ensure they can be left running. They don't consume much power but there aren't many power sockets available in the room. I have no intention of heating the tank. So the long term draw will be just a few Watts for the air pump. Which powers the under-gravel filter. 

 Plus the lighting. Presently two 30W florescent tubes. 60W? Ouch! LEDs might be more "climate friendly." I'll have to investigate the options: Aqualight has an inexpensive system with one 92cm LED strip for a 1/4 of the power consumption of the tubes. Hopefully one white LED strip will be bright enough to replace the two florescent tubes. I'll have to invest in a power supply with enough capacity for more than twice the load. Just in case I need two strips. I just found a 15W LED strip only 60cm long and it easily lit the tank. So a longer strip will be even better.

 No doubt this is all very boring for my average cycling [?] reader. Though there is definitely method in my madness. I now have two cheerful, highly active companions. Who constantly react excitedly to my presence near the tank. So now I have something to talk to. Usually in highly derogatory terms at their speed of growth and girth. Not to mention their insatiable greed. Without the responsibility of a cat or dog to worry about. Fish don't usually chew the furniture. Nor sharpen their claws on my [cough) designer armchairs. So I hope you will forgive my rambling detours.

 8.20. Time for a walk.

 9.15 Despite the initial pain in my lower back I tried to keep up a good pace. Making it further than my usual turning point in the lanes. The wind was decidedly cool. Bright but overcast. A few birds in the roadside hedges and trees. Warblers, chaffinches and something odd sounding. Which I did not recognize. 

 Somebody is doing up a rather sad little house in the lane. This will add further interest on my morning walks. Perhaps it will push me to go slightly further than usual. Just to keep an eye on progress. I will use any excuse to keep myself occupied, active and interested. Or my morning walks can become rather devoid of variation. Other than the changing crops, weather and light. 

 I still don't have the willpower to go further afield. As I did so often in the past. I would scramble through the forest where there were no clear tracks. Climb steep banks and paths. Where only occasional foresters would roam. Returning home to share my sights and sounds over morning coffee. As I played a slide show. Of my latest collection of sometimes literally hundreds of photographs taken that morning alone.

 11.00 63F/17C. The sun is trying to break through. As the trees and hedges rock wildly in the wind.

 The lady from the village called and we chatted for a couple of hours. 

I actually remembered to take the recycling bin along the drive to be emptied in the early hours.

 Dinner was poached eggs on toast.

 

  ~o~