4.12.2024

 ~o~

 Wednesday 4th 37F/3C. Raining. A cold, dark, grey, wet and breezy day is promised.

 Up at 6.10 after a quiet night but with weird dreams again. I was woken by what sounded like mice scratching. Though I believe it is the goldfish pretending to find food floating on the surface of their water. Identification of the sound and its location is complicated by my deafness. I don't wear my hearing aids in bed. I have put down a mouse trap to check if there is any wildlife indoors. The refreshed water in the aquarium is crystal clear this morning.     

 66F/19C in the room this morning after reaching 72F/22C last night.

 Doctor's appointment after lunch.

 9.15 It stopped raining so I went along for the dustbin. Had a chat with the builders. They are working on other projects so next door is a lower priority.

 

 

 

 

 

 ~o~

 

3.12.2024 No sploshing about.

 ~o~

  Tuesday 3rd 37F/3C [7.15] Overcast and very, very dark. Sunrise is at 8.15.

  Up at 6.10 after a busy night.

The forecast is confusing.  I thought it might be a day for a ride but the promised sunshine and light winds are not certain. There is talk of scattered showers and stronger winds. Starting westerly as a light breeze but going northerly and increasing by lunch time. Temperatures could be between 2-5C/35-41F.

  After going outside to check the weather I drove to see my friend. It was cold and quite cloudy at the time. Though there were periods of sunshine later. 

 13.10 Returned from visiting my friend and shopping.

 15.30 I have replaced one quarter of the water in the goldfish aquarium at 68.2F/20C. First I use a submersible pump to lower the water in the fish tank. Then move the pump to the bathroom and pump fresh tapwater back from a 20L tub sitting in the bath. One must avoid introducing any soap residue. I use a 10m long, food quality, clear hose. The bath mixer tap allows me to match the temperature in the tank. Within a couple of 1/10s of a degree F. 

 The water looked cloudy at first but cleared within a couple of hours.

 I rinse the power filter sponges in the discarded tank water. To avoid decimating the beneficial bacteria. Though the local tapwater doesn't contain chlorine anyway. I have a garden hose spray "pistol" in a quick release hose fittings. Which I un-clip and move from the bath to the fish tank depending on the direction of water flow. The hose remains static. I merely swap the pump and spray pistol in the fittings on each end. It sounds like a lot of work but it is far easier and safer. Than walking back and forth with heavy buckets. 

 Fish produce waste. Which builds up as nitrogen in their water. They also produce growth inhibitor hormones. So periodic water changes gets rid of these contaminants. Helping to keep the fish healthy and grow strongly. Meanwhile, beneficial bacteria in the power and under-gravel filters. Work constantly on breaking down the nitrogen. The water plants also feed on the nitrogen. It can take some months before a balanced system evolves in a newly set up aquarium.

 Dinner was pan fried chicken and mushrooms with mashed potatoes and baked beans. Half a tin of beans was arguably too much. The mashed potato ended up looking a bit mean. Boiled potatoes always look too  many.

 ~o~

2.12.2024 Another non-event.

 ~o~

  Monday 2nd 43F/6C. Another grey, misty, damp and windy day. 

 Up at 6.45 after a fairly quiet night. If you ignore the Disney-esque trips to the fire bucket. [Sorcerer's Apprentice.]

 62F/17C in the room. I'll have to light the stove before my keyboard is ruined by nose drips.

 11.00 44F/6.7C. Still grey. breezy and misty. 67F/19C in the room. Another morning wasted on YouTube. 

 The washing up was completed in 27 minutes. 😇

 21.00 47F/8C. Dinner was fish fingers, organic Fettuccine pasta and tinned organic tomatoes. I used a whole tin of tomatoes but strained them of juice in a stainless steel sieve. I drank the juice later after it had cooled. It was a little watery. Perhaps it was water? 71F/22C in the room.

 I have moved the Scottish grandfather clock upstairs out of the way. Which made me a little breathless. No, I didn't carry it upstairs fully assembled. I couldn't think of anywhere downstairs where it would look right. It could have gone in the rear/main entrance hall but I'd have to move the coat hooks. I have already moved them once.

 

 ~o~

1st December 2024 Is it just me?

 ~o~

  Sunday 1st 39F/4C [7.45]  A little warmer than yesterday but without the sunshine and with lighter winds. A grey day with some sun later according to the forecasters.

 Up at 6.20 after another quiet night but with more, strange dreams. I am presuming that one or more of the multitude of tablets keeping me alive. Is responsible for the oddly detailed and realistic dreams. Or, is it just me?

 My rechargeable table lamp had run out of juice and I dared not fumble for the fire bucket in the pitch dark. I had to find my way to the light switch on the other side of the room. Through the maze of (cough) designer furniture. Then dash to the toilet. "Dash" is not quite the correct term here but properly conveys the sense of urgency. Today has got off to an atypically dramatic start! 

 7.55 As I look across at the new [recycled] cabinet. I am immediately struck by its distinct lean in the mirror reflection. I shall have to add packing at the bottom to straighten the mirror. Not the cabinet itself. Which has been dutifully checked with my one meter long builders level. 

 Correction: The cabinet is certainly not leaning sideways. It is leaning backwards by about an inch at the top! Duly fixed with a small pack of tissues. Until I find a piece of wood of matching thickness. A quick search through the portly selection of kindling produced just the thing. I added a wood screw to the face. To prevent the inevitable plunge of the packing piece down behind the cabinet. As it was gently pulled out from the wall at the top. I should have known that the mirror wouldn't lie.

 8.20 I celebrated today's progress by lighting the wood stove. It was only 61F/16C in the room. More logs and kindling had to be fetched from the greenhouse. A stoker's work is never done. 

 8.35 The sky is now visible as uniformly grey. Daylight is a foolish exaggeration. I am not inspired to rush to the e-bike. My nose is pretending to bleed after several days without the least sign of leakage. Not the disloyalty one expects from one's own appendage. Not when the medical profession was actively involved. Reverse white coat syndrome? Suit yourselves.     

 11.15. I have not moved far from my computer chair this morning. I ought to go for a walk. For my own mental and physical health.   

 12.00 42F/5.6C. Heavy overcast. Back from my late walk. 68F/20C in the room.

 Dinner was mackerel in tomato sauce on toast with halved tomatoes. 😋

 11.00 38F/3C. I just remembered the recycling bins and dragged the relevant example along the drive. The stars were out and there was an icy cold southerly breeze. My glasses were wet from huge tear drops. No more physio until the new year at a new venue.

 

  ~o~