12.04.2025 The forest beckoned.

 ~o~

  Saturday 12th 44F/6.7C. Overcast. A grey morning followed by sunshine. The first rain in ages is forecast for tomorrow afternoon. There have been countless wildfires. Usually blamed on morons burning weeds.

 Up at 6.15 after a quiet night. My back is aching. No walk yesterday. 65F/18C in the room. I lit the stove last night and it rose to 69F/21C by bedtime. I have run out of two more kinds of tablets. I'll visit the apotek/pharmacy/chemist later. They should all be on constantly renewed prescription.

 The topsy-turvy observatory is still out there. I am not quite sure what I was expecting. Had the demolition fairies been around and sorted it all out overnight? One can wish.

 The wireless, remote control on the aquarium lights has stopped working. I inserted a new battery but it is still lifeless. A shame, because it provided stepped increments of brightness. To avoid blinding the fish. Or leaving them suddenly in the dark. I'll order a new one. Easier than returning it under guarantee. With all the palaver involved. It was quite cheap as I remember. If only I could remember which online shop I bought it from. I used several for the initial set-up to see how they performed. For supposedly future reference. 

 8.15. Going for a walk.

 9.15 And back again. Remaining grey, with a cold westerly breeze. I walked the wrong way, down the road, just for a change. Then up to the forest via the steep, farm track. It is steepest at the top. Where there is a drop in the elevation before it climbs again. To flatten in a plateau of fields surrounding a tongue of forest. Almost invisible from below.

 Two red kites went over minutes apart. Both heading north on the same track. Noisy geese circled and foraged on the fields. Ducks hovered. Wondering what I was up to. Then flew off. The ground was safely dry to use the edges of the fields. Without having to walk on the crops. Going well. I did not become the slightest bit breathless on the last, steep climb up to the woods. 

 The wind was cold on my hands. So I mostly kept them in my jacket pockets. It was interesting to rediscover the alignments. Between familiar, now distant features in the landscape. When seen from a completely different angle and elevation.  

 12.00 Returning from a shopping trip to two villages in opposite directions. There are different supermarkets in each. All of which stock different products not found in the others. The routes in both directions were complicated. By detours and road closures. For expansion of the district heating system. Of course there was nobody working at the weekend. Hopefully the locals could still reach their homes. 

 17.00 The room has reached 69F/21C with the greenhouse enjoying afternoon sunshine. Later 72F/22C. The backlog of washing up has now been dealt with.

 Dinner was a salmon pasty with organic cauliflower. The cauliflower smeared in butter on the pre-warmed plate. Both needed 15 minutes to be ready but the results were excellent.

 

 ~o~