31.08.2024 Nobody knows the troubles I've had...

 ~o~

  Saturday 31st 53F/12C. Bright and mostly sunny forecast. Peaking at 19C/68F. 

 Up at 7.30 after drifting away from earlier failures to lift off.

 What to do with today? I ought to fit the new stem but it means removing lots of stuff. To allow it to fit over the handlebars. Not helped by all the cables dangling everywhere. The handlebar clamp on the new stem is a removable plate. 

 However, the Bosch Nyon designer wanted to completely dominate the handlebars. So that they earned their reserved parking spot for their second Porsche. By using a massive bracket which would support a truck! Then there is the equally massive bracket on the headlight and horn. They only had one job to do and both failed miserably.

 This all meant the headlight bracket had to be moved outboard of the Bosch bracket on the left. Except that the handlebars shrink rapidly beyond their maximum diameter in the centre. So the headlight bracket is now struggling for purchase. While the Bosch bracket is offset to the right.

 To make matters worse I have given away my lifetime collection of cycling stuff. So I had not a single spacer for the fork steerer tube. I spent ages searching the shed in vain. In the end I had to dismantle the Trykit stem and borrow one of its precious spacers. Not that I have ridden the trike in ages. I'll have to order a pack of spacers. Just in case I need a transport backup for local shopping. 

 I keep thinking I should convert the Trykit to straight handlebars but where to start? Dropped bars with Campag Ergo/Shimano 2x11 speed, hybrid gears are unusable on straight bars. 

 So, that means new handlebars, MTB[?] brake levers, gear levers, gear changers, stem, brake cables, gear cables, cassette, chain. Normal pedals in place of the SPDs. They'll never unscrew after all these years. So throw in a new chainset and cranks. Which saddle? How often would I ride it?

10.15. 60F/16C. I am finally mobile again. Feeling dizzy from twisting my neck to look upwards at invisible screws. I was too busy for morning coffee. Or a walk. Tut-tut.

 11.00 I should go shopping. Starvation is so "yesterday."

 12.45 65F/18C. Returning from a 20km ride to the next village. It was surprisingly cool. With my eyes streaming at times behind my wrap around sunglasses. I came home with only half the items on my list. Due to a lack of stock. 

 The new stem gave me a more "purposeful" stance on the e-bike. Rather than the fully relaxed, hands merely resting on the swept back handlebars, of before. My hands and wrists weren't overloaded. Though the distance covered was relatively minor. Only a longer ride will confirm whether the change was worthwhile.

15.30 I rode the long way to the village for more shopping. Another 17km. My reflection in the empty shop windows showed I was hardly leaning forwards at all.

Bosch Connect is bragging about improved services. Bosch Connect hasn't Synched since the middle of last month! It won't connect to my mobile phone! I finally managed to Synch after a quarter of an hour of trying repeatedly. Far too many Porsches in Bosch car parking? Causing a traffic jam so they can't get to work? Thought so.

 

  ~o~

30.08.2024 78km

 ~o~

  Friday 30th 52F/11C. Bright overcast. Dry but cooler at 19C/66F max. Westerly winds.

 Up at 6am after a reasonable night. No immediate plans for today.

 I went for my usual walk to the lanes.

 The traffic was rather heavy because I was a little later than usual. My hands were cold at first, walking into the wind,  but soon warmed up. I was actually too warm walking back with the wind. 

 9.45 59F/15C. Rather overcast. I had forgotten to recharge the bike battery last night and it is taking some time. Currently [?] 67%. 

 11.00 Battery recharged. Going for a ride.  

 16.00 67F/19C. Returned from a 78km ride to Odense and back. The Brooks B67 was okay until about 60km. Then it started feeling hard. Taking breaks helped for a while. I was wearing my bibs with the thinnest padding.

 I bought a very short handlebar stem. After feeling as if the handlebars are slightly too high with the riser stem and swept back handlebars. I was constantly bending my elbows and ducking down. Because I was always sitting too upright in the headwind. Yet wanted to avoid overloading my hands and wrist by leaning too far forwards onto the handlebars.

 There was a headwind all the way home today. It was lucky I took a jumper. Or I would have been too cold. The jacket I wore at the beginning of the ride would have been too warm. I stopped to change the battery on the way home. To allow myself the luxury of Turbo mode. To get home as easily as possible. 

 Imagine being overtaken by a girl on a manual bike with straight handlebars? Straight into the wind too! Though she had a much lower position then the dummy propped upright on the e-bike. I was using Sport mode at the time but tiring fast. 

 She looked like a sprinter. Judging from the muscles on show below the shorts. She turned off soon afterwards. Typical behaviour for somebody who gives there all to overtake. Then finds they have nothing left in the tank. 😉

 I only consumed two micro Corny bars and two micro cartons of apple juice. Not nearly enough because I missed lunch. Which I made when I arrived home. Followed by tea and a toasted roll as usual but an hour later than usual.

 It was fish fingers and chips with frozen peas for dinner. Washed down with an organic beer. Note to self: Don't try to use small plates every time.

 

  ~o~

29.08.2024 Heatwave!

 ~o~

  Thursday 29th 63F/17C [6.30] A few, high, silvery clouds in the east.  It will be bright when the sun rises. A high of 27C/81F is promised for today with unbroken sunshine again. Temperatures will be lower from tomorrow.

 Up at 5.40 after a fairly quiet night. I woke from a vision of my garden having a perfect lawn over its entire area. Which ranks close to pigs flying on the reality scale. 

 I still haven't decided whether to ride to cooking class. It adds about half an hour to the journey time compared with driving. The bike ride is by delightful rural lanes. With undulations and views across the gorgeous countryside. Passing through hamlets and villages in almost perfect silence. Except for the birds singing. 

 The car journey is via main roads. The Morris roaring along [loudly] at 50mph. The Danish national speed limit. With other drivers sitting on my bumper and pushing me along. Because their sociopathy is supposed to be instantly contagious. Zombie mode! So that all traffic must travel at their chosen [illegal] speed. I'll go by bike. 

 14.30 80F/27C. Back from cooking class on my bike. It was intolerably warm in the large kitchen. I was so hot I felt dizzy. Nobody else seemed too bothered. One entire exterior wall is of glass with roller blinds. Lowering those, to block the sun, merely closed off the two, small, opening windows. 

 I spent the morning splashing my neck and face with cold water. While steadily drinking my way through lots more cold water. 

 The complex [hot] meal we made was fine and the mood typically good humoured. I almost nodded off during the chat session after the meal. I felt as if I couldn't keep my eyes open. Coming outside, as we left for home, the air felt hot. I was pedaling against a warm headwind all the way home. 40km today.

  Having eaten at lunch time I had no need of an evening meal. I ate an apple.

 

  ~o~

28.08.2024 62km.

 ~o~

  Wednesday 28th 57F/14C. Another warm, sunny day is promised. Possibly reaching 24C/75F.

 Up at 6am after a fairly uninterrupted night.

 The plan is for a ride. Taking in a visit to my English friend.    

 7.45 I have been playing with saddles. Trying to replace the Brooks B67 with the Contec. The threads on the spring fixing bolts aren't the same size. So a straight swap for the leather tops is impossible.  

  13.40 Returning from a 62km ride. Many drivers completely ignore the speed reduction at village boundaries. Many were traveling far too fast for the national speed limit. Let alone the village speed limits. A hump at village entrances is the only democratic limiter on their sociopathic behaviour. However, one hump on a local village entrance had to be removed. Too many vehicles were hitting it at high speed with their sumps!

 I had intended to visit Ringe but never made it. There was no time to complete the journey and return to my friend's place as agreed. Riding on the main roads was terrifying! Nobody was keeping to the speed limit. Many drivers overtook me far too closely against oncoming traffic. The oncoming drivers did not have the intelligence to give more room on seeing a cycle. Just sitting in the middle of their lane like cruise missiles. The verges were often easily wide and flat enough to have provided a wide cycle lane. But this is only "cycling friendly" Denmark. Not the Netherlands.

 I actually took to the verge as one giant, shit recycling tanker came roaring up behind me. The 1.5m distance rule is just a fantasy. On the return journey I had the rural lanes almost to myself. The traffic was almost non-existent. Having the wind mostly behind me. Made riding on a warm, sunny day a real pleasure. I stopped at intervals to adjust seat height and tilt. The constant battle with saddle soreness. Despite the Assos chamois cream and wearing padded, bib shorts.

 I was feeling dizzy earlier but it went off. Today's temperature peaked at 76F/24C on my home thermometer. It is supposed to be warmer again tomorrow 27C/82F before the warm weather breaks. Back to the cooking class tomorrow too. The winds are light again. So I could go on my bike. There is a break for the physio classes. They are bodily moving up the road.

 Dinner was uncooked sardines on toast.

 

  ~o~

27.08.2024 Maiden voyage.

 ~o~

  Tuesday 27th 55F/13C. Bright with wall to wall sunshine is promised. Reaching 20C/68F later.

 Up at 6am after a rather quiet night. I have a dental appointment at 11.00. I can do some shopping while I am in that village. It's a nice day so I can ride there. A reasonable headwind coming home.

 Cooking classes restart on Thursday after a long summer break. These overlap with my Thursday physio sessions but are only every other week. I could do the physio class and then drive to the cooking class when I am finished at 10am. Unfortunately both classes are in opposite directions from home.

 The journey from one class to the other is 35km. Almost a straight line on mostly 50kph roads. So would take half an hour according to Google Earth. I would be arriving half an hour late. Which is usually spent sitting around a table and chatting. The actual cooking starting later.  It is quite commonplace for cooking class members to turn up at odd times. 

 7.45 Time for a walk.

 8.45 62F/17C. Back again in warm sunshine. I foolishly wore a jumper. It was soon removed and tied around my waist. I detoured slightly to add a gentle climb to my efforts. Dripping with sweat. Traffic busy. Nothing else to report. Just another day at the office. The poor little woodpecker was stone dead so I buried it.

 12.00 70F/21C. Returned from a first trial of my new dental plate. Some minor trimming required for an even bite. Did a bit of shopping and returned home. I had gone in the car as it cut it would cut it too fine riding there.

13.00 72F/22C. I just had my maiden voyage to the recycling yard. I completely forgot that the trailer tipped. It would have aided emptying it. Shopped before returning home for lunch. A warm and sunny, but breezy day. I forgot to buy more porridge for breakfast. So I'll ride back to the other village this afternoon.

 I rode to the next village up the road. Nobody else sells the organic porridge I like. I detoured back via the rural lanes to make it into a 25km ride. Windy but a pleasantly warm and sunny, summer's day. I had the roads almost to myself.

 On my return the lady from the village was collecting wild plumbs in the drive. For her wine making. Our paths had crossed in the village and I had warned her the plumbs were already falling. Attracting lots of butterflies. She stayed chatting until nearly six.

 I bought some organic  broccoli. So will have some of that with fish fingers for dinner. 

  ~o~

26.08.2024 New glasses.

 ~o~

  Monday 26th 57F/14C.  Light overcast and windy. Rain this evening.

 Up at 6.30 after a reasonable night. No coffee after dinner must have helped.

 The Great spotted woodpecker is huddled in the middle of the parking space this morning. How a cat hasn't found it yet is anybody's guess. Will a cat get avian flu if it chews the bird? I tried putting the sick bird up on the shed's flat roof yesterday for safety. It immediately tried to fly and crash landed badly on the lawn. Am I supposed to just leave it on the ground? Perhaps a cat would kill it quickly. Put it out of its obvious misery.

 Physio class today. Followed by my eye test an hour later. I had better take a change of clothing. I get hot doing exercises indoors. Normally I would drive or cycle home straight afterwards but couldn't get a sight test straight after. So I have an hour to kill in sweaty clothing.

 The physio class proved I have very poor balance. I also get very hot doing exercises indoors. I had three quarters of an hour to kill afterwards. So I wandered around a charity shop.

 The opticians proved I have astigmatism and very poor accommodation. I have ordered a pair of glasses for use on the computer. I read so little that I can use my various magnifying glasses. In conjunction with my new glasses. My first pair of "real" glasses in well over 30 years.

 12.45  The woodpecker was doing uncontrolled cartwheels on the parking pace when I returned home. Then it poured with rain and the bird was lying still when I last checked. I shall bury it tomorrow if it is still there.

 Dinner was Rema baked beans on toast. Still tasteless with extra pepper and salt.

 

  ~o~

25.08.2024 The sick woodpecker.

 ~o~

  Sunday 25th 58F/14C. Bright, but unsettled forecast. Possible showers.

 Up at 6.15 after a disturbed night. I must have visited the fire bucket a dozen times. Yet had nothing to drink after 5pm.

 8.40 Sunshine. Going for a walk. 

 9.15 Back from my walk in bright sunshine. Feeling a bit tired. A surprising amount of traffic for a Sunday morning. The gales had blown leaves and a few twigs out of the hedgerows. Clouds of sparrows burst out of the neighbour's hedge in huge numbers.

 10.30 I have been picking up and dumping a heap of grass cuttings in the trees. They were left behind when the big trailer was taken to the scrap yard. I managed to make myself breathless. Which is supposed to be a good thing. Everything is sopping wet after the rain. It rained again. Forcing me into shelter.

 12.00 I have rescued a woodpecker. About the size of a  blackbird. It was in the long grass under the glazed gable end. Shaking its head involuntarily. Presumed injured or concussed from impact with the glass above. No blood and its wings and legs are still working normally. It gripped my fingers and wouldn't let go!

 I have placed it in a small open box to see if it recovers. It now appears to have gone to sleep. I must keep it way from the cats. Which wander through the garden.

 13.25 66F/19C. It started raining again. So I came in from hedge clipping. Tired, hot and sweaty. The new trailer is very easy to move and steer. It is well filled with clippings now. I had better have some lunch.

 14.00 The woodpecker is still asleep. Its head now turned towards its back. At least it isn't dead. Thank goodness the repetitive head movements have stopped.

 15.30 More hedge clipping. Along the drive and both sides of the beech hedge at the front. The bird keeps moving around in the box but is still trying to sleep. It may have a headache. I am hoping the box will provide the shelter and confidence it needs to relax and recover. Without fear of discovery.

 16.30 I am delighted to report that the woodpecker has left the box. I checked carefully all around but saw no sign of it on the ground. Leaving it to recover in its own time was apparently successful. I suppose I had better find some of those stickers of birds of prey. To fix to the big windows as a deterrent against bird strikes. 

 5.45. The bird is back on the lawn and unable to fly. The head shaking and twisting is a symptom of bird flu! Total lack of coordination another. Humans can catch it and I have repeatedly had the birds in my hands. I have washed my hands thoroughly but that may not be enough. It's a bit late anyway from earlier handling. 

 It has only now occurred to me that the bird might be sick rather than injured. I found some spirit hand spray from the Covid pandemic and gave my hands a good soak. I have broken skin! It seems there is a low risk to humans. Most cases are the result of inhalation from within enclosed spaces with sick birds. Or poor hygiene by poultry keepers.

The bird had gone again later. No sign of it this time.

 Dinner was fried chicken, mushrooms and eggs. Helped down with a bread roll.

  ~o~

 

24.08.2024 Rural decay.

 ~o~

  Saturday 24th 54f/12C [7.00] Blue sky with mottled, high cloud. The sun has yet to rise. The forecast is for sunny periods with southerly winds. Leading to potential thunder storms and gales from late afternoon onwards.

 Up at 6.15 after a restless night. I really must drag myself outside today. Perhaps even a ride. 

8.15 Returning from a brisk walk to the lanes. The sun broke through just as I turned into the lanes. Painting my favourite landscape in a warm wash of light. My foreground shadow grows longer with each passing day. Making photography awkward unless I zoom in. 

 12.00 Returned from a 38km ride. The garden is full of butterflies! I rode south, down to the bumpy coast. Fighting a headwind all the way. To look at an old farmhouse my wife and I once saw for sale. We visited it a couple of times. It was thatched and once pretty but just too isolated and needed far too much work. 

 Somebody else eventually bought it and was making good progress. Then nothing. No sign of life as it steadily deteriorated over the years. It is now wide open and abandoned. 

 I see a lot of what were once cheap, rural properties for sale becoming dilapidated or demolished. Perhaps it was lucky we never made the decision to move. It would have meant starting from scratch but at well over 20 years older than the last big effort. I almost rebuilt this place since we bought it 28 years ago. It has hardly changed in value. Unlike all the other houses I am hundreds of meters from the road. So very little road noise.

 Two of my neighbours along the road have been up for sale for years. One gave up and the other has just sold his old farmhouse At a price below many secondhand car sales. The busy road is within an arm's stretch. 

I passed Dreslette Church.
The tower was built by a rich, local farmer.
Who wanted to be able to see the sea.

 Two similar properties close to the verge never sold and went to forced auction. To be bought by a waster who wrecked them and then abandoned the ruins as an eyesore. Using the gardens for storing scrap metal, vehicles and building materials. Which will never be used again. Trees and shrubs grow out of the insides and hide them from the outside. 

 The same has occurred in several local villages. Where his activities have ruined property values and made many of them unsaleable. As occurred with my two nearest neighbours. Both now appear to be abandoned. 

 16.00 73F/23C. A visitor has just left. I am going shopping in the car.

 Returned for my shopping trip but felt dizzy. My vision is spinning. No dinner. Slowly reducing while sitting and watching TV. 

10.00 Having slight pains in my chest and back over my heart. Slightly nauseous. I am going to bed.

 

  ~o~

23.08.24 Gone with the wind.

 ~o~

  Friday 23rd 61F/16C [19.00] Heavy overcast and very windy. With rain forecast for early and late. Storm force SW winds this evening. Not a good direction due to a lack of tree protection and a bad day for a ride.

 Up at 6am after a disturbed night. I deliberately avoided coffee after dinner but still topped up the fire bucket. At intervals throughout the night. More weird dreams.

 One of the lighting cable connectors to the fish tank was dangerously overheating. I used my Topdon, infrared camera to show 43C. I have emailed the dealer for advice.

 8.15. 63F/17C:  Still overcast and very windy. Time for my morning walk.

 It was a slightly strange morning walk of coincidences.  Light rain never amounted to anything. Long minutes passed between vehicles. Then a huge forestry extraction vehicle went past. I was trying to think of an apt description for the massive, balloon tires with tractor treads. When the very next thing to pass was a low bed pickup loaded with fat tractor tires. 

 A tractor went past carrying a large excavator on a low trailer. One of several seen today. Probably a field drainage opportunity straight after the harvest. Only to return minutes later going the opposite way.  Obviously lost because it took a side turning in the lane. There immediately followed a lorry loaded with field drainage pipes. Which ignored the side turning and never came back. A very smart, white Audi raced past in the lane. Trailing great clouds of white smoke and a very strange smell. Had it been filled with diesel? No coolant? Running on steam?

 Two of the local, brown birds of prey scattered in opposite directions. At the first sight of my arrival. One struggled into the gale. Making very little headway as it dived and turned. The other was traveling more with the wind and gained hundred of yards in mere seconds. Two crows watched from the top of a local hill. More of a mound really. They were standing side by side in a slightly comical manner. As if discussing the events below.

 13.00 It has started to rain. A wet afternoon is promised as the wind builds to several hours of 20m/s [45mph] gales. Mostly from the west now. Which is behind the shelter belt of trees. Tomorrow night promises 25m/s [56mph] gusts from the SW.

Another day wasted on the computer. Dinner was mackerel on toast with tomatoes.

 

 ~o~

22.08.2024 Torture recyling basket retired!

 ~o~

  Thursday 22nd 58F/14C. [6.45] Heavy overcast with rain and wind forecast. 

 Up at 6am after lying awake for hours in the night.    

 6.45 Went out to give the wet Morris a wipe down. There was light rain in the air so I wore a jacket.

 After having the house stinking of rotting food all summer.  I finally invested in a "proper" waste food recycling container. 

 One without all the idiot holes in the hinged lid and without a ridiculously rounded bottom. So that the container no longer tips backwards every single time the lid is lifted. Or, more accurately, an attempt is made for the perforated lid to be lifted. 

 This. privately funded, replacement container is slightly smaller than the "official" torture basket. Though far more attractive in every way imaginable. The bag merely has to be lifted out and tied. The "1984 brigade" at the recycling centre will never know how I have upgraded. So there will be no token strikes and refusal to empty my recycling bins. Which I have to drag 100m uphill when full and heavy. Despite my being an old fart with heart problems.

 I wonder how many drooling idiots there were in the entire supply chain. Between a Chinese factory owner's nepotism. In using a cruelly retarded but still entitled, first born as "head designer."  Which [whom?] never once in their entire disastrous "career" ever tried to lift the lid of their perforated abominations. 

 You know, the spoilt brat, with the fleet of Ferraries, Porsches and gold plated Lambos. Who slapped down every questioner regarding the atrociously bad design. Or probably beat them up in the basement. Before firing them. To live a life of misery begging on the flooded streets of some hideous Chinese metropolis. With their own wife and offspring in tow. Until they died of hunger and disease. Nevertheless, the infamous design was soon passed by the local communist mafia. "In order to undermine Western Democracy at home. Where it hurts the most!"

 Then there are those responsible for ordering millions of the damned things! Just to torment the Danish, rate paying ratepayers! As only they know how. From long practice. Talk about working far above their pay grade! 

 By the way, the vintage, pine cupboard I bought last summer. Has served admirably as the kitchen housing for my recycling containers. I can effortlessly open the doors. Then drop paper, plastic, or whatever, into the appropriate containers. With all the skill of a well-rehearsed, recycling robot. 🤖 

 The cupboard top supports my mini-oven, grease-proof paper, bread rolls and fruit. So it has been well worth the very modest investment at a flea market. The e-bike's Ortlieb pannier bags slide nicely into the slot against the wall.

 12.00 Returned from retraining. Where the first half was exercise cycling again. I think we did eight intervals. Simulated climbs, by upping the resistance. Followed by flat out sprints for the top. Then it was 3 or 4 x 15 repetitions on various exercise machines. Finally we had to climb the stairs to the third floor as many times as possible in five minutes. I managed only five climbs and was breathless!

 On the way home I detoured to collect my shiny new, smaller trailer for the Morris Minor. A Brenderup 1150S. I am very pleased with the finish and all the improved details. Compared with my 21-year-old trailer by the same maker. Recently scrapped along with my 1990s car.

 With the new trailer I opted for the high net sides. For lightweight but high volume loads, like garden waste. With a high tarpaulin to keep things dry. The whole lot lifts off to reveal a small, conventional, low-sided trailer with its own tarpaulin. 

 The high sided tarpaulin blocks my mirror view to the rear. Though I do have outside mirrors. The tarpaulin need not remain in place unless needed. So a normal rear view in the inside mirror will then be available. This will also allow the headwind to blow through the mesh for lower fuel consumption on longer journeys.

 The trailer fits well within the width of the Morris. So I need not worry in the typically narrow lanes against oncoming traffic. If the car goes through a gap then so will the trailer. With plenty of room to spare. 

 The trailer body tips backwards and the tow bar folds under. So it can be made very compact indeed for storage. Even smaller with the net sides lifted off. Allowing the four sections to be leaned against a wall. Or even stored flat. The whole trailer can then be tipped up on end. All very clever and really well thought out. I like the new spring latches too. 

 I left the trailer locked and at home for a drive into the village. Prescription refills and food needed. I bought a cheap pair of cargo trousers having run out of anything wearable in public. 

 Dinner was fried chicken and mushrooms. With organic Fettuccine pasta and organic tinned tomatoes.

  ~o~

 

21.08.2024 Avoiding a flood.

 ~o~ 

Beware of those who would lead you by the nose. By dictating whom or what you must hate. For they have nothing positive to offer. Which might otherwise enrich your existence immeasurably. Freedom of choice and expression are the most valuable and yet still the rarest of commodities. Traded by those who empower only themselves, at your crippling expense.  

~o~

  Wednesday 21st 60F/16C. Overcast with rain and wind.

 Up at 5.30 after a quiet night. I already miss the old car. Not for itself but its associations. Another bottomless chasm in the seemingly endless road of life. Another burnt bridge, left behind in my forlorn, broken path.

 I have ordered a small trailer for the Morris Minor. Brenderup's smallest model, the 1150S. Anything larger or heavier is beyond the Morris' legal limits. It comes with manual tip function for easy [?] unloading. High net sides for restraining garden waste and a high tarpaulin to keep things dry. With a folding tow-bar for compactness in storage. 

 I could start dumping garden waste beyond the parking space. Quite sensibly in fact. Now that area is directly accessible. Still, not having a handy trailer seems far too limiting. Getting rid of recycling materials becomes far too difficult. The Morris has a tiny boot. 

 Anything which limits my ability to unload "stuff" on a whim. Is a serious hurdle against increased tidiness! Too many things have come to a standstill due to my recent health problems. It shows in the scattered remains of a wasted summer.

 7.45 I am going for a walk. I may be some time.

 8.15 Back from a short but brisk walk. I tootled down the neighbours' shared drive and back. It was good to get away from the tire roar on wet roads. While safely avoiding the wet, straggling verge and self-driving idiots. 

 A quick run up the road to the next shopping village in the Morris. I needed some hose fittings for water changes in the aquarium. It poured down on my return. I was forced to sit in the car. Listening to the rain drumming on the roof. This was followed by periods of dark skies and sunshine. It is quite breezy at times. 

 12.15. One quarter water change accomplished. My first using a pump and a learning exercise. I shall use a bigger container in the bath next time. This is the reservoir of clean tapwater. From which I pump water back to the aquarium. I needed four refills of the smaller tub. Each of which had to be closely matched to the 70F/21C of the aquarium. Then treated with a conditioning fluid. No soap or cleaning residues must find their way into the tank.

 I am enjoying having the company of the fish. They don't seem to mind how rude I am to them. Provided I keep feeding them of course.

 Dinner was sardines on toast. The irony has not escaped me.

 

  ~o~

20.08.24 Gone, but not forgotten.

 ~o~

 Tuesday 20th 53F/12C. Bright overcast. More sunshine later.

 Up at 6 after previous failures to achieve lift off.

 Not sure what to do today. A walk would be sensible.

 8.30 64F. Mostly bright overcast. And back again. I reached the lanes and detoured along the shared drives. The neighbours have been earth moving and I was curious to see the changes. It is amazing how quickly crops germinate. Two days from seed drilling there is a green sward on the fields. Otherwise nothing of note to report. I was slightly breathless on the gentle climbs. 

 9.30 Darker and getting quite breezy from the south.

 My old car is due to be tested but I have finally decided to scrap it. For which I shall receive the princely sum of 4000kr [£460 equivalent.] If, I deliver it to the scrapyard about 10 miles away. Only half of that if I have it collected. I was thinking of getting rid of the trailer as well. It is too heavy to tow with the Morris Minor. 

 If I take my e-bike in the trailer I can ride home. The trailer is in increasingly poor condition so it owes me nothing after all these, 21 years. I have had the old car for thirteen years. It is from the mid 90's. Recently  it has only been used for trips to the recycling yard with the trailer. It will be a bit of a wrench for the car to go. My late wife and I traveled everywhere in it. So it is full of memories. The parking space will seem much bigger now.

 11.15 The car is now completely empty and thoroughly checked. The e-bike is loaded in the trailer. Assorted vital papers are collected to take with me. I am just waiting on the postman to deliver a parcel. I have to be at home to accept it.

 14.15 The parcel arrived and the fish have more plants to chew. I am going to get rid of the car and trailer. I hope I haven't forgotten anything! 

 The car and trailer are no longer mine. It was an 18km ride home with shopping by detour. Windy! I passed a herd of about 50 young bison. Not on the road. They were in a field. A hidden cycle path was covered in fallen plums. A dark cloud of butterflies rose as I rode through.

 Dinner was fish fingers and chips. Picture to follow if the technology allows.

 At 10pm I found myself battling through yet another mound of washing up. It was in a good cause.

 

 

  ~o~

19.08.2024 Sweaty, robotic mower.

 ~o~

  Monday 19th 54F/12C [7.15] Bright overcast.

 Up at 6am after a reasonable night. No obvious ill-effects from yesterday's little outing.

 A roadside garden with mature orchard, trees and shrubs.

 Fitness retraining in town at 9am. I had better go in the car.

 8.00 I have showered and hung out some laundry. The sun has broken through. 

11.00 Bright sunshine.  The first half of the class was exercise cycling. Doing intervals between spinning freely. Fortunately I wasn't in too bad a shape after yesterday. I hit 140rpm a couple of times during sprints at the tops of imaginary hills. Where the resistance was set up for a minute before the sprint. Then it was onto exercises. To improve our flexibility and balance. Both of which are sorely lacking in my case. Shockingly so! I did some window shopping on the way home.

  15.30 The batteries went flat so I am back indoors from mowing. I am hot, sweaty and a bit dizzy. My legs are plastered in grass. From leaving the mower's back door open without the grass collector. I managed the entire area today. Including the lawn, the parking area and the drive. 

 The latter needs at least five cuts. Three for the center and one each for the edges. I gave it seven. By cutting both sides twice. I would have bought a self-driven mower but heard negative comments on YouTube reviews. It would be far too complicated to have a robot mower. 

 18.30 I have had another mow at a lower height setting. To pick up the grass and tidy things up. The batteries are flat again. Now noisily on charge. I have brought in the towels from the rotary airer. Replanted in its third position and counting.

 Time to think about dinner. Extra mature Cheddar cheese on toast with cherry tomatoes I think. Tasty! 😋

  ~o~

18.08.2024 Quin, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Mao, Pinochet, Kim, Pootin, Maduro, Xi, Bashar, Starmer... ?

 ~o~

  Sunday 18th 53F/12C. [7.40] Bright but overcast.

 Up at 5.30 after a quiet night with strange dreams.

 7.45 Going for a walk.

 8.30 Returned from a walk in the wrong direction. Just for a change of scenery. It was actually cool enough to feel cold on my hands at first. Though it soon passed. The sun never made it to full strength. 

 I kept up a brisk pace to test my condition. Prior to making a decision about a ride. Clouds of sparrows were moving about.

 Abandoned house. Buy for pocket change at forced auction. Take out a huge loan on some meaningless valuation. Leave the property's existing neighbours powerless to sell or improve the abandoned home property. As trees, hedges and weeds soar and invade. Use the original loan to buy more houses at forced auction. Become a wealthy property investor. Live in a luxurious home. In "a nice area" with guaranteed rising property prices. As rural values plummet and the market stagnates.  Leading to more forced auctions. Ad infinitum.

 There is a Sunday flea market at Søllinge NW of Ringe. A reasonable distance at 40km/25 miles each way. Or not, depending on my route. I actually managed to make it 101km/63 miles at an average moving speed of 21kph/13mph. I went too far north on the way. Detoured on the way back to take in the Ringe-Espe, old railway, cycle path. I suffered from tiredness and saddle soreness. Despite wearing my best bibs. Getting off and walking a few yards at intervals helped towards the end. There were lots of cyclists out training or touring. Or just cycling.

 I changed the battery at 80km/50 miles. With 10km of charge left. I rode the majority of the way there in Tour Mode. Switched to Sport mode with the new battery. Bursts of Turbo mode to get up the hills on the last leg. In theory the Tour Mode should have given me much greater range on the first battery, but didn't. 

 I consumed one banana, three sub-micro Corny bars and three sub-micro cartons of organic apple juice. I should have taken my lunch rolls but never quite got around to making them. 

 Dinner was a salad. Using a multi-coloured "salad mix" instead of real lettuce. It was largely tasteless on my palate but not unpleasant.

 

  ~o~

 

17.08.2024 30km not out.

 ~o~

  Saturday 17th 51F/11C [7.15] Bright but cloudy. Expected to slowly clear to sunshine but only reaching 19C/66F.

 Up at 6am after a fitful night. I managed to half fill the fire bucket! I was sweating profusely for a while. Then had a dizzy spell when I got up too quickly. It is 70F/21C in the room but feels too cool for a t-shirt.

 I'll try a walk to see how I am feeling today. I need to go shopping and would like to go for a ride if I am up to it.

 8.15 Back from a sweaty walk to the lanes. The traffic was almost nonexistent. I was a bit tired and breathless but plodded on. A doe and her two young dear watched me intently from the far side of a field. They had gone when I returned home. The roadside trees have exploded into growth. Mostly hazel with a few elms and elders, poplars and willows. The rather sad little house in the lane is being gutted internally and the gardens cleared. Good to see something positive happening. My nearest neighbour's building work has been on hold for ages now. No sign of vehicles coming or going. Or any other change. 

 11.30 64F/18C.  Mostly overcast. Returned from a tootle into the village in Tour Mode. I am deliberately forcing myself to work harder on the e-bike. I was averaging a fairly effortless 20-22kph. Only 10km.

 15.30 Another 20km shopping in the next village north. Again I used Tour Mode to give myself a bit of resistance to work against. Averaging 20-25kph. 

 There was no other choice but to wash up. I had run out of every bit of crockery and cutlery. Resulting in time wasting, individual rinsing. Just to be able to have a cup of coffee.

 Dinner was chicken and mushrooms fried in a smidgen of butter. Baked beans with extra pepper and a bread roll.

 

 ~o~

16.08.2024 Benched!

 ~o~

  Friday 16th 64F/18C. Overcast with rain forecast.

 Up at 4.45am. Wide awake despite going to bed at midnight.

 8.30 Woke from a nap. Raining steadily.

 It rained whenever I glanced up from the computer. So I used that as an excuse for another rest day.

 There was brief sunshine this evening.

 Dinner was poached eggs on toast. I soaked the broken eggs in the cup for two whole minutes. Before finally and gently tipping them into the boiling water. For a couple of more minutes. It seems to work. 

 I must wash up or tomorrow's breakfast is cancelled.

 

 

  ~o~

15.08.2024 Retraining.

 ~o~

  Thursday 15th 63F/17C [6.30] Grey start but a sunny day is promised.

 Up at 5.30 after a fairly quiet night.

 My second rehabilitation class in town today. I am not taking any chances by going for a walk. I want to hear what the physios have to say about exercising while breathless. It is their speciality. I shall go in the Morris. I'll need another dose of Google Translate to have a useful vocabulary. There are always new areas. Where I have no previous experience of discussion in Danish. 

 10.20 Back home again. I was far too early reaching town so did the shopping.

 Before I started I warned the physiotherapist that I had been breathless for several days. Then I started slowly on the exercise bike. Where I managed 6km spinning and sprinting intervals. Hitting 130rpm several times against resistance. Then it was onto the bench press, curl machine up and down and pulling down against weights. 3x15 repetitions on each machine. With a warning to start slowly and not push myself too hard. I now have to record everything I do on my time sheet. 

 The physiotherapist was constantly attentive to how I was doing. In case I felt dizzy or uncomfortably breathless. Thankfully it went better and better. I was hot from exercising indoors but otherwise fine. A bit sweaty when I went out to the car but not breathless.

 11.00 I still have to go into the village for the cool and frozen shopping. I'll be sensible and go in the car.

 11.45 71F/22C. Quiet in the village. The sun has finally arrived.

 15.15 Returning from another shopping village in the Morris. Warm and bright sunshine.

 Dinner was chicken and mushroom curry.

 

 ~o~

14.08.2024 Not again?

 ~o~

  Wednesday 14th 62F/17C [6.20] A dry but cloudy day followed by rain this evening? There are thunderstorms sliding by to the north and west. Quite breezy at times. 

 Up at 5.30 after a quiet night but with strange dreams. My legs are still hurting from the knee bending exercises on Monday. Back to the fray again tomorrow! I don't seem to be breathless so far this morning. I have just climbed the stairs to check. It wasn't too much of a struggle. 

 I can't believe that I ran upstairs effortlessly and without a second thought for nearly 28 years. It must have been at least a dozen times a day. It may well have been why I remained so fit. My wife and I used to run up the wide stairs in the shopping mall in the city. It was far quicker than slumping like a pudding on the conveyor belt.

 7.00 Going for a walk.

 7.45 That didn't go well! It started off fine but I soon became breathless. So much so that I almost felt I was fainting on the gentle inclines. Not good! I pushed myself to reach my usual turning point. Which only seemed to make reaching home again even more difficult. The sky started off dark to the west but crept slowly overhead. I have had to turn the table lamp on. 

 9.00 Dark and raining. Had a nap. Feeling better.

 Just walking to the bathroom made me breathless. So I wasn't up to visiting my friend. I had another lazy day on the computer.

 Dinner was John West mackerel in tomato sauce on toast. I prefer the Sæby.

  ~o~

13.08.2024 Don't hold your breath!

 ~o~

  Tuesday 13th 58F/14C [7.20] Bright, 25C warm with lots of sunshine. Possible thundery showers this evening.

 Up at 6.45 after a reasonable night. Aching all over after yesterday's rehabilitation pantomime! 

 I'll probably ride over to my friend's place. Just for a bit of exercise. 

 9.00 Or not! I have just been for my morning walk and was soon very breathless. I didn't feel very well either. I don't think it would sensible to ride anywhere today. I had better try to talk to somebody in the hospital heart department. Oh, dear. They can't answer because there are too many people in the queue. Try again later.

 I have had a chat with my own doctor on the acute line and will see them in an hour. My blood pressure is 130/75. Pulse around 50bpm. No obvious problems there. I don't feel too bad at all until I get up and start walking. The breathlessness catches me off guard every time.

 They gave me a cardiogram at the surgery and blood tests. Apart from all the normal stuff I have a [triple] false heart beat. Not dangerous but distressing because of the breathlessness. It is a wasted beat. No pumping = reduced oxygen and a missed "proper" heart beat. 

The doctor sent my cardiogram over and talked with the hospital cardiologist just to be sure. It seems I shall survive another day. One of my tablets, a blood thinner, will be doubled in dose. I am to report any chest pains.

 I have already had an offer of an appointment for ultrasound scanning my heart in 5 weeks time. If I was in any danger it would have been sooner. So they are playing safe but don't think I am going to fall over any time soon. At least that is how I am reading it. 

 Dinner was a fry up. Chicken mushrooms and tweggs. Cooked in sunflower oil. I am still not sure whether this is the safest option. Some YT "heart surgeons" disagree.

 

 

 ~o~

12.08.2024 Google killed the Internet.

 ~o~

  Monday 12th 49F/9C [6.00] Supposedly a long sunny day with light winds. Possible early cloud. 

 Up at 4.45. Which was rather silly. It was still dark but I was lying there wide awake. I am worryingly breathless.

Spindle tree with berries I think. Rowan at top right.

 I shall be recycled today in town. First I shall ride there. Ride an exercise bike for an hour. Under the watchful eye of the physiotherapists. Then cycle another 14km home again. They do say exercise is good for you.

 My long days on the computer have changed slightly. I was working my way through the free AI chatbots. After getting sick of Google's monopolistic hard sell. Totally regardless of my search terms. Perplexity is a refreshing change. Ask a direct question about a commercial product and it answers it as helpfully as possible. Without Google's dozens of damned sales websites filling the first four pages. Firefox has been my browser of choice for years but Google's hard sell makes it completely worthless. 

 Take a simple example: You ask Firefox for the weight of a product. The weight is vitally important to me. I am an old fart and must avoid lifting very heavy weights. I certainly must avoid carrying 30kg around the garden! 

 What if the delivery lorry driver is psychopathically lazy and just dumps the product on the verge? As they usually do. How will I get 30kg the 200 yards/meters home if it is too large for a wheelbarrow or even my sack truck? Dunno. Ask Dansk Fragtmand! One of theirs just dumped a pallet full of bags of fuel pellets for my neighbour. Blocking the entrance to the shared drive. Nice work if you can get it!

The Firefox/Google answer to my product weight question is two pages of sales websites. It's a niche product and not a big seller worldwide. A whole series of out of context sales websites are pushing crap right across the top of the page. Nothing else! It is all complete and utter time wasting. Like the Google-YT algorithm. Which demands ten minutes of worthless padding. Or they don't pay the creator. Is Google run by aliens?

NONE of the sales websites mention the weight. Because the "manufacturer" doesn't mention the weight in their standard, rubber stamped, photocopied literature. Repeated ad nauseam by every single sales website, without variation, right across the globe. Whether "sponsored" or not. Is this what an online search requesting specific details is really all about? Who is this helping apart from Google Global Dictatorship Monopoly Money Printer Inc.?

 Ask Perplexity the weight of the product and is trawls the web. To find and give the correct [?] answer. Usually with some helpful detail. Why can't I have a browser just like that? A free chatbot is currently a specific and very limited service. Not a browser. 

 So I asked ChatGPT. It's answer was specific but stated half the weight mentioned by Perplexity. This weight seems rather unlikely given the sheer scale of the item.  Now what? I'll just have to email the company and get another answer. Why doesn't the "manufacturer" list their product weights? They sell a whole range of similar items in very different sizes. Each and every one has to be manually handled except for the largest. 

 10.50 64F/18C. And home again. 32km. The first half at the rehabilitation clinic was riding an exercise bike. We were supposed to increase the braking to represent hill climbing. There were intervals with increased cadence. Then spinning freely to rest. Then three of us were taken to a large room to carry out exercises. Walking on toes, heels, skipping, backwards, arms rotating, etc. I felt incredibly clumsy! A clown practicing ballet!

 Then we moved onto exercises involving a chair. With 1.5kg weights wrapped around each of our ankles. Again I felt clumsy, inflexible and horribly uncoordinated. I really was working much harder than usual. Getting hot and breathless. Which was the idea of course. I felt slightly dizzy with a headache. So was told to rest while I had a cup of water. Fortunately I rapidly recovered and could continue the following routines.

 This really was a wake-up call. I am not remotely as fit as I had foolishly imagined. Not to mention I am very inflexible. I am even struggling to throw my leg over the saddle of my bike. Even worse getting off! I must exercise more seriously to raise my effort level more often. 

 I was smugly praising my own skills at changing gear and Mode. So effortlessly that I avoided getting any more exercise than simply turning the pedals. I very deliberately avoided getting breathless or hot. By choice of gear and mode. That has to change. More Tour Mode to put some resistance into pedaling will help. No more Turbo Mode on every incline.  

 I remained breathless all day. From first getting up to going to bed. Dinner was sardines on toast. I left in the mini oven for too long and it was nearly overdone!

 

  ~o~

11.08.2024 Shush!

 ~o~

  Sunday 11th 62F/17C [8.30] Bright, but cloudy and dry with a heavy dew.

 Up at 5.30 after an odd night of dreams and waking. No more dizziness and the nausea is gone. Feel dull and tired. Not hungry. Had my muesli anyway.

 8.45. Going for a walk.

 9.30 Back from my brisk walk to the lanes in warm sunshine and a pleasant, westerly breeze. With stops to study the three birds of prey upsetting the crows with a flyover. 

 It was interesting to note. That a Tesla Y was far noisier. Due entirely to tire roar. Than a 4x4 IC, twin exhausts, field sports "minibus." Which passed at the same speed in complete and utter silence. Those who live near a motorway should probably pray for far more of the latter! If, they just want a quieter life.👍

 During the morning I spent some time with my head under a t-shirt. Used as a handy light hood. While looking at the sun with my solar telescope. 

 The afternoon was spent browsing, researching and nodding off to YouTube.

 Dinner was chicken, mushrooms and chips. The supermarket no longer sells the organic beer I like. Which saves me from temptation. The lack hasn't affected me at all.

 

 

 

 

  ~o~

10.08.2024 It's all about the [poor] timing!

 ~o~

  Saturday 10th 63F/17C. Sunshine and gales. 

 Up at 5.30 after an unusually quiet night.

 8.45 Back from my deliberately brisk walk to the lanes.  The farmer was raking a roadside field. Thereby providing breakfast for the gulls. Nothing else to report. I suppose just making it back alive is a plus.

 I have a secondhand, garden party invitation for this afternoon. To which I shall attend as chauffeur and chaperone to the good lady in the village. Dress code is casual. So shorts and a t-shirt might well have done. Particularly in informal, rural Denmark. However, the forecast has changed from wet and gales to sunshine and gales. So I may have to make some adjustments. The Sou'wester can go back on its hook.

 Now I am torn between a cycling balaclava and a headband. The latter providing a tempting opportunity for conveying some important, political message. A sensitive subject in these difficult times. If only to avoid embarrassing my kind hosts. Who knows whether they feel strongly about inadvertent cruelty to goldfish? By those with insufficient means to offer adequate accommodation. One would hate to start a storm in a goldfish bowl. It could spoil the whole afternoon! 

 Or not. I am suddenly feeling dizzy and nauseous after a short nap. My vision is spinning. I wonder if it was the kippers being under-cooked after all? Covid? Agricultural spraying on the roadside field? Two days of brown tapwater? Any combination of the above? Who knows?

 16.00 70F/21C. Sunny and windy. I have woken from a couple of hours of sleep. The dizziness and rotating vision has gone but I still feel sick. With a mild headache. No lunch, but I'll see if a cup of tea helps. 

 I decided to wash up in case it helped to take my mind off my nausea. Moving my eyes to the side still made me dizzy.

 17.30 Still feeling rough but hungry now. Another cup of tea? Toasted marmalade roll? Yes please. 

 There was no dinner that night.

 

  ~o~

9.8.2024 Kippers.

 ~o~

  Friday 9th 61F/16C. A very wet day with gales. Possible thundery cloudbursts.

Up at 6.30 after several earlier failures. The blog editing tools aren't working again. The tapwater is brown!

 No walk or ride today. It has been raining more or less hard all morning. With a few cloudbursts and rumbles of thunder.

 14.00 68F/20C. Dry and brighter. 

 The afternoon was dry but windy. With sunny periods and overcast.

 18.30 The water is still brown. The larder is bare. Salad without tomatoes or cucumber? The potatoes have rotted and turned to liquid mush! Yuk! Major clean-up of the cupboard shelf. A few frozen chips left. Frozen peas and eggs? Eggs on toast? I had toast yesterday. Go shopping in the car? 

 19.15. Shopping accomplished. The other supermarket closes at 19.00. I had no idea and missed it by five minutes. 

 I bought a tin of kippers. To add to my fish diet. Fried, boiled or oven baked? Fried, I think. On toast.

 Slightly underwhelming is probably the best description. I had no idea the fillets were several thinner slices. So I cooked the contents of the tin as two thick fillets. No problem. They were thoroughly cooked through after ten minutes.

~o~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.08.2024 Torrential!

 ~o~

  Thursday 8th 58F/14C. Semi-bright overcast. Dy today. Wet again tomorrow. A town not far away had 25mm [1"] of rain in half an hour yesterday.

 Up at 5.50 again. Midges biting my hands in the night. I was sweating in bed again. So I dumped the duvet in favour of a single sheet. Cornflower water helped with the burning and itching. 

 The second birthday my wife has missed.  

 9.00 Back from my brisk walk. More fields have turned dark after being sewn with massive seed drills towed behind large tractors. One tractor passed dragging the longest bale trailer I have ever seen! 

 A large warbler [?] with a very long beak and snow white breast was making a racket up on my chimney as I left. It was partially hidden until it flew away. Making a loud beeping noise. At first was trying to make it into a wagtail but it was the wrong colour and too large. There is a Great Reed warbler and a Large billed Reed warbler. Not sure. I'll keep trying.

 I drove over to my friend's house at 11am. Returning in some of the heaviest rain I have ever experienced! Half the road was flooded and visibility was only a few meters!

 Dinner was mackerel in tomato sauce on toast.

 

 

  ~o~