~o~
Up at 6am. It is supposed to be cooking class. Will the roads be clear? I was already in doubt about the Morris misbehaving. Questioning whether I ought to cycle there. I am not risking the e-bike on snow and ice. My usual route is via small, hilly lanes on the e-bike. Main roads in the car.
7.45 62F/17C in the room. Stove lit. I found the manufacturers instructions yesterday and was browsing through them. There I discovered a tiny door stop which I had completely overlooked. It was to allow the door to remain safely ajar while lighting the stove. When more air is often need for a forced draught before the chimney has warmed. The powerful magnets, which hold the door closed, are difficult to overcome. Requiring a much larger gap than necessary. Which often leads to smoke escaping above the door. The tiny lever works wonders. Maintaining a small but efficient gap.
I had the stove installed by the master sweep. This was while my wife was being diagnosed in hospital. The stove had been blocking the hallway, still on its delivery pallet, for months after purchase. She wouldn't let me install it. So I called in the expert sweep when she wasn't here to argue about it.
My wife was furious when she was brought home in the ambulance. Supported on either side by the two big men. As she made her last, slow journey on foot. It was amazing how they managed to get the ambulance so close the house. What with the hedges being so overgrown back then.
Soon after that I nearly blew us both up! By closing the stove's air control too soon after lighting. The gases built up inside and were ignited. The stove door flew open and the access plate was blown off the base of the chimney! Not an impressive start to my taking over stove duties. I was supposed to be the expert.
The stove was the least of her worries after that. She died only a few days later of cancer. After months of flatly refusing to see the doctor. That was very nearly three years ago now. A lot has changed since then. All of it utterly trivial to others. All of the tiny steps important milestones. On my recovery from her loss.
13.45 65F/18C in the room. 34F/1C outside. Back from cooking class. After walking to the road I decided the car was the likely source of any problems. Not the roads. There were a couple hiccups but the car more or less behaved acceptably. Sunshine on the way home but it is overcast now.
I was surprised to discover that my short haircut was typical of the rest of them. Except for one exception. I helped to make a vanilla cream and fruit tart. With strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. Others made a goulash. With rice, salad and potatoes. It was all fine. I couldn't take any pictures. Because I had changed my jacket just before I left and forgot to take my phone.
17.00 30F/-1C. Returning, heavily laden, from a shopping trip. Not that I need any dinner tonight. After eating, too well, at the cooking class. The forecast is possible snow. The sky is dark and it feels colder than it did earlier. A toasty 68F/20C in the room.
I made do with a beer for dinner.
~o~
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