9.04.025 Demolition ongoing.

 ~o~

 Wednesday 9th 39F/4C. Overcast. A sunny day is promised after early cloud clears.

 Up at 7.15 after a busy night servicing the fire bucket, then dozing.

 Physio after lunch. No immediate plans for this morning. Though I shall attempt to remove the plaster from my nose. Hopefully the appendage, to which it is attached, will remain safely in place. It did.

 8.50 Still overcast. Going for a short walk. 

 9.30 Still overcast. I looped around the spray tracks on the fields and then back along the new drive. A pair of wagtails were close but seemed unperturbed by my presence. My nice neighbour was tending her chickens. So I stopped for a chat. 

 10.30 Still overcast.  Back in to  cool off and have a rest. I have been removing timber 2"x4" cross braces from the observatory. This allowed me to withdraw the huge stepladder from the base. Out of the now open side of the observatory. 

 The Torx screws continue to disappoint. Probably only one in three will undo. Without the bit spinning uselessly in the head. Fortunately I can twist the timber by hand. If I can get one screw out. To release the remaining screw. By literally ripping it out of the timber! Using the cross brace as a lever. 

 Decades of  collecting ladders at rest. The two stretch builder's ladder on the right came from the UK. It may be nearly half a century old by now. 

 The Japanese, tripod ladders are much younger and were bought locally, over time, as needed. There is a local stockist who imports them. The wide bases make them very difficult to tip sideways by accident. Making them a safe support for trimming trees and hedges at height. The double rungs are also very comfortable for use over an extended period of work. 

 The stack of recyclable plywood and timber lies beyond in the background. With yet more to be added. This material is supposed to become a carport. 

 12.30 Back in after removing all the screws I could move at the base of the legs. I moved all the ladders clear of the building. Tidied the timber from inside the building. The chain hoist made no impact on tipping the building.  I am hot and rather breathless again. Slightly dizzy too. I'll have to give physio a miss today.

 I must have been overdoing it this morning. There was a lot of crouching. Lifting heavy ladders and moving them. Stacking dozens of lengths of timber. I wasn't feeling very well after I came back in. I had lunch early and a [timed] 40 minute nap later. The sun came out but it wasn't very clear nor hot in the greenhouse. The room just made it up to 68F/20C before I closed all the internal doors. Then watered all the plants. Then moved the crockery on the cupboard shelves to match how often I use them. Why does it take me so long to get around to these things?

 After much internal debate I finally ordered the large grey container I discussed earlier. To make a 1500 liter [400 gallon] indoor fishpond for the greenhouse. 

 I also ordered a well reviewed Oase Filtral 3000 UVC internal filter. To keep the water clear without hoses dangling everywhere. As is required for an external filter. The dealer recommended a smaller unit than I had carefully planned. Because I will keep so few fish in this volume of water. 

 I have already discussed the potential benefits of the pond. In calming the soaring temperatures out in the greenhouse in sunshine. Even in spring it has already reached well over 120F/50C! Albeit without its shade netting. 

 The greenhouse has been an untidy storage area for far too long. Almost since it was assembled from two matching products. Halls Silverline. A 10' and a 12' model end placed to end but with out the gable ends in the middle. Resulting in a useful 22' long x 8' wide, glass covered space. Joined in the middle by a special profile sold for the purpose. 

 It is time the herringbone, brick floor was easily navigable on foot. From end to end! Getting the big tank/pond in there will force me to clear the mess. Which I have left untouched at the kitchen end of the greenhouse for three years. Mostly my wife's excess of household cleaning items. Multiples of the same.

 Dinner was mackerel in tomato sauce on toast. Hopefully you will remember what that looks like. Because I failed to photograph it. Again.

 There is nothing to watch on Netflix. Also again.

 

 ~o~