2.07.2025

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  Wednesday 2nd 72F/22C [7.45] Bright sunshine and breezy. On its way to over 30C/86F. The whole of Europe is baking in record heat. Expected to end in local thunderstorms tonight.

  Up at 6.30 after numerous failed attempts at lift off. A fair night.

 The greenhouse and its pond water are at 70F/21C this morning. After leaving it open all night to cool off. A comfortable 73F/23C in the living room.

  7.45 I ought to go for a walk before it gets unpleasantly hot. 

 8.30 75F/24C. Don't laugh, but the sun is already oppressively hot! It was delightful walking in the shade of the roadside regrowth. Where a playing field was converted to just another field. All the mature, roadside trees were cut down to the ground. To be replaced by dense and impenetrable natural [?] new growth of poplars. Which were already present by the roadside. The breeze added to the pleasure of this cooler corridor. The birds enjoy the nesting opportunities. Though it deprives the humans of a clear view of the forest perched decoratively on the hilltop. 

 A steep, nearby hill had been harvested and baled. Giving a renewed sense of scale to the landscape. This hill is regularly favoured by soaring birds of prey. Which, no doubt nest in the adjoining plantation of larch. The prairie in the foreground has yet to be harvested. 

 9.30 Cloud. A long chain of thunderstorms is sneaking past our location towards the NE. The tail should just miss us at around 10.30.

 11.20 82F/28C. Rather cloudy with sunny periods. The sky was dark to the north when I left. Humid and hot when the sun comes out. I disturbed a red kite in the lane. It was standing on the side of the road but took off immediately. 

 I am returning with six tiny goldfish for the greenhouse pond. I am floating their poly bag in the pond. To equalize the temperature. The dealer gave them a squirt of oxygen to ensure safe travel. 

 The moment they were released, after 20 minutes, they instinctively formed a shoal. Even though they came from three different tanks and were three different varieties.  

 13.15 85F/29.4C. Bright overcast. Highest temperature expected around 15.00.

 

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1st July 2025 Carport wheelies?

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 Tuesday 1st 53F [4.30] Bright sunshine all day. Reaching 27C/80F. Higher still tomorrow. When it could go over 30C/86F as the record breaking heatwave spreads north. Not only Europe but the USA is suffering from record breaking heat. 

 If this becomes the norm then a few million more people will be dying early. The architecture of most houses and commercial buildings is badly designed for resisting external heat. Most are designed to trap heat for warmth in winter. Using heat pumps for air conditioning is hideously inefficient and therefore expensive. The electrical grids can often not cope. Many Danish homes have been fitted with black roof tiles. The heat in loft conversions will be a killer.  

 Wide awake and up at 4am. My English friend is driving over to my place later.

 I have been lying in bed and working out how to move the carport roof aside. To allow me to dig the holes for the foundation blocks. I was going to move the roof forwards but sideways is much better. To keep the parking space clear. 

 The gravel is so resistant to movement. That I shall lay scrap plywood on top. I still have loads stacked in heaps from the observatory. Then I'll use industrial wheels/rollers to reduce the friction further. These can be temporarily clamped to the carport gutters by their frames. Or fixed to scraps of plywood and then clamped as needed. I have lots of these wheels left over from the dismantled, observatory dome, rotation system. 

 I went back to bed for an hour and then started tidying and cleaning. 

 My friend arrived and we enjoyed a cup of tea with Danish pastries. As we put the world to rights. 

 15.00 81F/27C. After lunch I clamped the industrial wheels/rollers to the carport gutters. I used a simple plank and block as a lever. To lift the roof corners far enough to slide the roller frames underneath. 

 Each needed some packing to reach the bottom of the gutters with the screw clamps. I then easily rolled the carport roof to the left. It is slightly downhill. So I used stop blocks and metal brackets to prevent any risk of overshoot.

 First it required my lifting each end of the roof. To place the rollers onto the scrap, plywood tracks. I can simply add some smaller, scrap plywood sheets to move it further. In order to expose the entire area where the foundation blocks will go. Which will requiring some digging. 

 The sun's heat was fierce and I was soon dripping with sweat. Back indoors now where it a more comfortable 74F/23C. Keep drinking the water! 

 Dinner was an omelette. Consisting of sausages and mushrooms. I flipped it onto the warmed plate from the frying pan.

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