17.06.2025 Rub a dub tub.

 ~o~

  Tuesday 17th 57F/14C [6.30] Overcast but meant to be sunny all day. 

 Up at 5.45 after a quiet night. A nosebleed started just prior to having my shower. 

 We shall both be going to see my English friend this morning. 

 7.15 Sunshine. Time for a walk. 

 7.45 Back from a half hour walk. I have never heard so many birds singing. Most of them were warblers.

 8.10 I managed to get the enormous tub into the greenhouse by myself. By sliding it on scrap cushions on its long side. The tub is smooth all over. Both inside and out. Which makes moving it about far easier. Unlike the usual, one-sided GRP. Which is often extremely rough on the non-cosmetic side. While being highly polished on the visible side.

 Though not inexpensive, the 1500 liter/400 gallon, glassfibre container is very sturdy. It compares well with the price of preformed plastic, fish ponds. Moreover it doesn't have the ugly folds of ponds lined with rubber or plastic sheeting. It is self supporting. So does not need to be buried to resist outward water pressure. It has no materials which can break down. Like wood or UV sensitive plastics.

 The plan is to bury the container to a depth of around 20cm or about 8". This will involve the removal of an area of bricks and some soil from the greenhouse floor. The bottom of the newly excavated hole will be given a sand base. Well stamped down and carefully leveled. For the container to stand on. This degree of lowering into the floor will reduce the visual impact of the container. While the reduced apparent water depth [by about one third] will make it appear. As if the bottom of the pond is at floor level. While the true water depth will remain at 80cm. 

 I shall place a layer of small stones [pea gravel] on the bottom of the pond. To give the goldfish somewhere to forage. Which they currently do most of the time in their aquarium. I hate naked floors on ponds and aquaria. They are not only unnatural but must stress the fish. 

 I shall have a threaded bulkhead fitting for drainage. With a PVC valve and a short length of flexible hose. To carry the waste water out through the open greenhouse doors. Thereby avoiding the need for excavation for the plumbing. Or, worse, bailing the container. If it ever needs to be emptied in a hurry. 

 13.00 Back from an enjoyable drive through the countryside to visit my friend. Where the three of us had coffee and Danish pastries outside in the warm sunshine. With a pleasant, cooling breeze. Followed by a conducted tour of his amazing, old house and large gardens by our. Before returning home by a circuitous route. Which took in several villages, supermarkets and charity shops.   

 16.00 Back indoors to cool off. I have been trying to downsize the contents of the greenhouse. Which had hardly been touched for several years. My attempt to insert a spare trolley into the airing cupboard was not very successful. Though I did find several boxes of unused, ceramic tiles. They can go to a charity shop. A small victory in the endless war on hoarding. I kept the spares. For those I have already fixed within the hovel. 

 18.30 We have been having a blitz on the greenhouse clutter. With great success. I shall have to deliver most of it to the recycling yard tomorrow. The ants in the greenhouse floor were not pleased to be disturbed. 

 Dinner will be salad. With some of the nice neighbour's, free range eggs. With tuna and the usual salad items. Plus grated, extra mature, cheddar cheese. My guest showed how to cut everything small and mix it [literally all the salad ingredients] in a large bowl. A far better way of enjoying it all. Alas, she will be returning to the royal mews in the capital tomorrow. 

 

  ~o~