8.12.2024 Let there be [more] light.

 ~o~

 Sunday 8th 40F/4C. Very, very dark! A heavy overcast with rain promised until lunch time.

 Up at 7.30 after drifting for hours. More weird dreams.

 I watched yet another YT video about Monstera care. Then quickly added an LED work lamp on the ceiling above mine. Then I pushed a beech bed slat into the pot. As a brace for the weeping, horizontal branches. Then I moved the furniture around to bring the bulk of the plant. More in line with one of the small, south facing, living room windows. Now, as I sit here, bathed in reflected glory lights. I am wondering if the neighbours will report me. For running a modest cannabis farm. 😷

 The glazed, balcony room ought to be an ideal plant growing space. Except that it freezes in winter and bakes in summer. Ideally it needs some means of ventilation to carry away excess heat. I thought of a small Velux skylight. Placed high up on the northern roof slope. 

 It would have to be netted of course. To avoid an influx of Danish rural wildlife: Things like gnats, mosquitoes, wasps, birds, hornets, bats, newts, toads, etc. Fortunately wolves haven't yet moved into this area. As far as I am aware. The logistics of my fitting a Velux window myself do not bear thinking about. While the large panes of the fully glazed gable end do not lend themselves to any perforation. 

 The goldfish are being home wreckers again. Uprooting plants all over the place. It wouldn't be so bad if lead weight strips were still available. The risk of poisoning infants, given to randomly swimming in aquaria. Apparently outweighs the usefulness of such simple aquaculture remedies. 

 The risk to myself would be minimal. Even if the water is so deep. [At 50cm/18"] That I have to take off my T-shirt to avoid involuntary laundry work. Which would never do. Plant weights are now badly formed ceramic rings of tubular form. Which stand out like a length of bright orange PVC drainpipe. In the natural aquascape one endeavors to achieve.  

 Meanwhile the Vallis continues to advance across the gravel. Each new plant a considerable saving at retail prices. I added the second LED light strip to bring up the lumen count.

 Morning coffee looms but I have run out of bread rolls. With which to make my habitual marmalade on toast. I never neared any useful supermarkets yesterday. So find myself struggling with the idea of a drive into the village to shop. Weather conditions do not favour a ride on the e-bike. I just checked. It is raining fairly heavily and steadily. Typical, camping holiday weather.

 11.30 41F/5C It is brightening up. Still overcast, but definitely lighter. Only 62F/16C in the room. I'll have to light the stove. 

 15.00 Back from a drive into the village for shopping. Even though it had stopped raining it was dark, cold and miserable. So I didn't ride the bike there. Lots of people at the supermarkets.

 Dinner was mackerel in tomato sauce on whole grain toast with halved tomatoes. I did the washing up after dragging two recycling wheely bins along the drive. 😇

 

 

 ~o~