15.02.2025 LED light strips/tape/bands.

 ~o~

  Saturday 15th 24F/-4.4C [7.15] Much colder than the forecasts. Already getting light. With some sunshine promised for this morning. NW winds starting light and turning westwards. 

 Up at 6.40 after dozing on and off. 64F/18C in the room. I had better light the stove. Still some glowing embers. The bottom plate is still warm under the ashes. Which I clear every day. There is a generously sized ash box. With a lid to avoid clouds of dust when carrying it outside. To be deposited on the compost heap. Well away from anything else.

 7.40 Nose bleed. Right nostril for a change. Quite unusual. Easily light enough for a walk now. The greenhouse is exactly at freezing point. 0C/32F. There is a bank of dark cloud to the north.

 7.55 Off we go. 

 9.00 29F/-2C. I was gone for a little over an hour. Cutting across the prairie via the spray tracks. Until I reached the main [only] track up to the forest. Where I worked my way uphill to the summit. The early golden sunshine washing the landscape into the far distance. I could even see the sea and Jylland. Though it wasn't crystal clear this morning. I then descended the hill by the edge of the field. 

 Sturdier boots would have been useful on the frozen earth. A solitary horse came out of its stable to see me. I was warm throughout. Too warm most of the time. Thanks to my deliberately brisk pace. There was no perceptible breeze. Only the local wind turbines were turning. All others were still.  

 9.20 It is increasingly cloudy. Now overcast. I feel the need for another ride. While the wind is so light. Which raises the inevitable problem of a suitable goal. Perhaps I ought to be concentrating on finding some warm white LEDs on a self adhesive strip. For the twin display cases in the kitchen. I don't like the blue-white of the cheap, multi-colour strips when set to white. Warm white is closer to a traditional, incandescent, light bulb.

 Aha! A Nordlux band is available in a 5m length in warm white. [2700 Kelvin] It can be shortened to the  desired length but not rejoined. One length could be gently folded [or looped] in the middle and run twice for more light. The width of the front vertical bars on the cabinets will allow the plastic strip room for side by side mounting. 

 The LED lights are sold at the big shed DIY stores in town. Plenty of stock too. I feel a trip into town on the e-bike will be well rewarded. Then I can switch my recent obsession with cupboards into something else. Even though it involves a lot of washing up of the ornaments to go on display. 

 12.30 34F/1C. Back from a 29km ride to town. [Almost 20 miles in Olde Monie] It was more pleasant coming home than going. The temperature had risen a couple of degrees. It felt like a headwind on the way. My cheeks were really stinging with the cold. Though my hands were okay this time. Certainly not warm but not aching either. 

 I found the Warm-White, LED [self-adhesive tape] lights I was looking for in two different big-shed stores. For the modest cost I invested in two of each kind. Just in case one proves better than the other. One pair was 3m long by Sartano. With torpedo switches and black leads. The other pair 5m by Nordlux are without switches but with white leads. 

 This gives me more options for doubling the tapes back on themselves for more light. The cabinets are 1.6m high from their raised floors. So 3m would provide two full drops side by side. 5m would make three full drops possible. Though very unlikely to be necessary.   

 I was planning to have the power supplies on top of the cabinets. Where they will be out of sight. In practice, the generous length of lead between the PS/plug will allow them to reach a multi-socket. The 3m lights are rather pretty. Bright, but not that cold blue light I am trying to avoid.   

 I will have to drill the tops of the cabinets to bring the power into the LED tape. The mini-jacks set a lower limit for drill size. [12mm] The hole can be hidden behind the front wooden bar and plugged. 

 I also bought assorted electrical items. Including an extension lead with a torpedo switch. The sockets above the display cabinets are out of reach without a stool. I'll use a multi-socket and switch the power to both cabinets together. 

 A Schuko socket and plug will make a short extension lead for the bathroom radiator. The heater lead is black, too short and ugly against the pink tiles. So I'll make a short, earthed extension lead. To drop down just behind the newly found cupboard from the Schuko socket on the wall.  

 There were two more tubs of Finnish glass I had completely forgotten about. So there was room for all of it to fill the twin cabinets. Lit so evenly by the LEDs the effect is quite magical. Even with my limited skills at tasteful, ornamental arrangement. A second go at balancing colours is even worse. I have darkened the image to bring out the details. 

 Third time lucky? I found more glass! So much beauty but my wife never got to enjoy it. It was always hidden away in boxes. 

 Dinner was organic sausage, with mushrooms and organic tweggs. One of the eggs was broken in the shell. I finished off with a bread roll. Discounted at the supermarket because it was overcooked and dry inside. I am tempted to take them back but that always leads to years of being treated like shit by the checkout staff. Ask me how I know? Foreigners aren't allowed to complain. It's below their station. Even when they are being robbed.

 

  ~o~