4.04.2026

 ~?~

 Saturday 4th 41F/5C [7.15] Heavily overcast but expected to clear to sunshine. A windy day. Slowly reducing from 15m/s gusts. Only to climb to 19m/s gusts tomorrow. As storm "Dave" crosses north of Denmark. Peaking at 8C/46F by late afternoon. I had better stay off the e-bike. 64F/18C in the room. 48F/9C in the greenhouse.

 A picture I took yesterday of a sand pit or quarry in what was a forest. Just imagine the vast volume of sand which has been removed. Note the tiny machines in the distance. These are not toys but large scale loaders and excavators. This gives a better sense of scale.

 Up at 6.30 after a very sleepless night. My wife died at home four years ago yesterday.

 I should stock up on groceries today for Easter Monday holiday. Which will also save me going out in the wind and rain tomorrow. 

 8.40 Some brightness in the east. Blue holes appearing. Time for a walk.  

 9.15. Back again. Fleeting glimpses of sunshine as the sky raced overhead. A strong, eye watering wind. Roaring in my hearing aids. Pushing twigs out of the hedges and onto the asphalt. A large, solitary deer ran away uphill. Across the prairie towards the forest on the summit. I saw only two coal tits foraging in the hedgerow today.  A male pheasant hung about near the chicken run. Quite a lot of traffic on the road.

 10.40 Just recharging my phone before I go shopping in the Morris. 

 12.00 Back from the shops. Three carrier bags full. There was one shower. Queues the length of the supermarkets with only two tills open. Every other customer buying lottery tickets. Which mens the checkout operator leaving the till. To mess about with another machine. Then come back with assorted cards and bits of paper to ring it up on the till. Then hand it all over. Minutes wasted every time.

 13.40 I am going to ride into the village to do more shopping. 

 

 ~?~ 

3.04.2026 🥳🎉 Happy 80th Birthday Dave! 🥳🎉

 ~?~

 Friday 3rd 38F/3C [8.00] Overcast but dry until later. The westerly wind steadily increasing throughout the day. 65F/18C in the room. 50F/10C in the greenhouse. 

 Up at 7.20 after a very untidy night. I was awake for at least an hour from 2-3am. Was going to get up at 6 and then it was suddenly well past seven. Lots of very silly dreams.

 The new railway bridge on the road to Grønnemose from Gelsted  With the loader bringing soil to build up the roadside embankment on the far side. This road is set to re-open at the end of April. It is already showing a remarkable change from my last visit. Where before there were huge drops on either side. Vast quantities of sand and a soil must have been brought to the site. 

 I must pull myself together and go for a ride today. Sitting on the computer is making my lower back pain worse.  

 Happy 80th Birthday to my brother Dave! It took you long enough! 😉

 9.40 40F/4.5C. Back from a half hour walk around the field spray tracks. It was cold. Made worse by the westerly wind. My hands were cold in the GripGrab gloves. I wore my heavier, pile lined, [recycled] fleece jacket and was glad for it. 

 A small group of tiny Coal tits arrived in the roadside hedgerow. They have surprisingly deep voices but seemed unaware. Or simply uninterested in my being at arm's length. As they foraged rapidly over the bare stems. I think there were four of them. Though it was difficult to keep track of all of them at the same time. They moved so quickly. 

 I'll have morning coffee and then see if I still want a ride. I'll have to dress warmly. It's not that easy to add enough layers under a close fitting rain jacket. 

 The new, High Speed railway route is in a cutting here. As it passes behind the Grønnemose industrial estate. Which is currently being transformed. With new buildings, car park resurfacing, landscaping and new businesses. Looking towards 25km distant Odense. From the new bridge on the road from Gelsted.

 10.50 Exit for a ride. Long, thermal, ski underwear vest, racing jersey, synthetic jumper, pile lined fleece jacket under a windproof, hi-vis  jacket. Long thermal leggings, DHB shorts under cargo trousers. GripGrab winter skull cap under my ABUS helmet. Sorel walking boots. GripGrab lobster mitts.

 13.20 46F/7.8C. Back from a 39km ride. Two supermarkets were open in the next village. Staffed by retirees at the one I shopped in. I was never too warm. Despite all my layers. I stopped to admire a Panasonic heat pump on a cottage right beside the road and ended up chatting to the owners. They can heat three rooms of their home with one high level blower unit. Their cottage was very similar to mine in dimensions. 

 There were several crossings on the new railway. Where I paused to take new photographs. A large, front bucket loader was building up the new, roadside bank with soil. The driver seemed to be the only one working today. [Easter Good Friday] 

 The new road can be seen on the right leading up the slope to the new bridge. Now looking from the opposite side to the image at top right. Grønnemose behind me and looking towards more distant Gelsted. Which is several kilometers away.

 18.00 I have just had a chat with my brother. A keen e-biker and skilled bike mechanic. Who has opened my eyes to potential improvements to make my Trykit trike much more fun in old age. I had been building mental obstacles which may not exist in real life. 

 Conversion to straight handlebars need not be hugely expensive. I was getting lost in pull per click for gears and braking problems. I am using 2x11 Campag Ergo gears and brake levers. Which I won't need just for pottering to the shops. Fewer gears mean lower costs for cassettes and levers. I could even add a low cost, low power battery-electric, conversion kit. Interesting! 

 Dinner was beans on toast with tomato soup. 

 

  ~?~

2.04.2026 Activity nil.

 ~?~

  Thursday 2nd 41F/5C [7.50] Overcast with rain on the way. There might be some early brightness. SW wind gusting to 10m/s. 63F/7C in the room. 47F/83C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7.15 after a disturbed night. 

 Somebody is supposed to be fixing the potholes in the main drive this morning. 

 Another day wasted on the computer watching YouTube videos. The overcast and miserable temperatures would have made a ride unpleasant. The shops are all closed until Saturday because of Easter.

 The stove was lit at 12.00. I was bored with being uncomfortable. 

 I walked along in the late afternoon in a cold wind and spitting rain. There was no sign of anyone having done any work on the drive. 

 Dinner was a chicken and mushroom fry-up with an egg on toast and baked beans. 

 I did the washing up at 10pm. 😇

 

 

  ~?~

1.04.2026 Three heavy parcels to go!

 ~?~

  Wednesday 1st 36F/2C [8.00] A cool, grey, misty morning clearing to sunshine around lunch time. The wind has dropped and rather lost its way. Mostly around the SW.

 Up at 7.00 after a dream filled night.

 After my wittering on about insane driving there was an analysis on the Danish news website. 2/3 of dangerous drivers are drunks in denial. An average of 1000 drivers per year are prosecuted under the stricter rules. Though the number is falling slowly. Confiscation of the vehicle is often involved. 

 I have had damage to three of my own cars by drunks. Twice in car parks and once where I was shunted from behind at a red traffic light. Two of them seemed to think that chewing TicTac mints immediately after "an accident" sobered them up. 

 Two admitted they were driving their wife's cars. Presumably unable to obtain insurance for their own vehicles. Perhaps after previous drunken driving episodes. Or quite possibly after being banned from driving. Then there are all the drug addicts in denial. 

 8.30 Time for a walk. 

 8.50 Back again. I looped around the neighbours' drives to get away from the road. The mist was invisibility beyond 200m. Poor visibility at 100m. Two cars passed showing no rear lights at all. Two just with running lights. The rest were showing fog lights. A large Audi saloon went past at very high speed. Showing no interest in the completely blind bend. Where our drive exits right on the apex. That's not skill at driving. It's severe mental illness. I presume a rear fog light is a paid for extra on luxury Audi saloons? 

 I have spent the morning outside packing a telescope mounting. To be sent back to England to another amateur astronomer. I had to break it down to three parcels in the end. I was over the 20kg limit. 

 I have just confirmed the 16th April as suitable for installation of my air to air heat pump. 

 13.30 Lunch over. Greenhouse at 93F/34C. Internal doors and windows open to spread the warmth. 67F/19C in the room. 

 16.30 I drove into the village to deliver three parcels to the village parcel office. I have been at it all day.

 Dinner was cheese on toast with half a tin of tomato soup. 

  

 

  ~?~

31.03.2026 Heat pumps 'Я' Us.

 ~?~

  Tuesday 31st 41F/5C [8.45] Quite a bright day promised but windy from the west again. 

 Up at 7.30 after failing to gain altitude at 6am. 

 My English friend is visiting me today.   

 I had a walk. Which was rather spoilt by the cold and strong wind. Despite wearing a warmer jacket.

 I have had the estimate for the installation of a Panasonic NZ35YKE-1 heat pump and have accepted it. Now waiting to hear how soon they can do the work. After Easter probably means next week. In the meantime I have to source some paving slabs. For the exterior unit to sit on its rubber feet.

 My visitor was delayed but brought some tasty cakes with him. By then I had the room up to a toasty 72F/22C. After he'd left I let the stove go out. 

 My nice neighbours sent me a message to say the drive is to be repaired on Thursday. It is full of potholes from the heavy vehicles associated with the work on the two empty properties. 

 Dinner will be fish fingers and chips. And was. It is still 70F/21C in the room.

 

  ~?~

30.03.2026 Your life in THEIR hands?

 ~o~

  Monday 30th 39F/4C [8.30] A mixed days of sunshine and showers. Breezy again. 63F/17C in the room. 44F/6.7C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7.30 after waking at 6am. It was still quite dark so I went back to bed. 

 10.20 Back from a chilly walk. I should have worn three jackets rather than one. A pair of gloves would have helped too. 

 I dragged the wheelie bins back with me. They ignored my tying a green, food waste bag to the handle of the relevant bin. They should have left a couple of new rolls. At least, that is how I have seen it done numerous times. Does one have to call at the recycling yard for more kitchen recycling bags now? They are only open twice a week.

 I have to go shopping. Better this morning. With a wet afternoon forecast. Or go in the car later.

 I watered all the plants. 

 13.00 43F/6C. Heavily overcast and rain. Lunch. 

 15.15 Returning from the shops in the Morris. Two very full carrier bags. No tomatoes or baked beans. Lucky I went in the car. It has rained on and off.

 I seriously doubt that one in four of the vehicles I saw today was traveling at or below the speed limit. Speed limits are seen as purely voluntary in Denmark. They have been for the three decades I have lived here. On some roads probably 95% of drivers are traveling too fast. 

 There is often no excuse because there are large road signs which indicate the speed of the passing vehicle. Which flash when the set limit is broken. When every single vehicle makes the sign flash then the road badly needs a speed bump. The truly fair and democratic speed limiter. Though even these humps are removed at times. When too many lunatics have their sumps ripped off by taking the hump at insane speeds! 

 There is no speed limit anywhere on the Danish road system where you won't be tail gated. There is no village in Denmark. All with the national speed limit. Which will prevent drivers overtaking another vehicle. While the overtaken drivers are traveling at the legal speed limit. 

 For years I was convinced the speedometers in all my various old cars were inaccurate. Because I was ALWAYS the slowest driver on the road. Simply for keeping to the indicated speed limits. None of them have a clue about sight lines, reaction times and braking distance.

 On a parallel theme: Over 5,000 drivers have now been prosecuted for "insane driving." Which usually means confiscation of the vehicle. To be later sold at auction. Provided it wasn't damaged during the police chase. The rules include driving at 100% over the speed limit. Senseless driving and driving under the influence of drugs or drink. 

 There is no excuse for a car police chase these days. All it needs is a follower drone to be released by the police vehicle. Whenever they spot seriously poor driving. Chasing a drunk, drugged or raving lunatic driver just excites them. A drone wouldn't appear in the perp's rear view mirrors. 

 The drone follows the driver home and then the police can SAFELY make the arrest. Probably with a video recording on the drone to convict the perp of numerous driving offenses. Why are there always time limits for being banned? Causing death by dangerous driving ought to mean an automatic lifetime driving ban. Regardless how much two tier justice you can afford each time.

 A lazy day. Mostly spent on YT. 

 Dinner was poached eggs on toast. I lit the stove while the eggs boiled.

  

 

  ~o~

29.03.2026 +1hr & 49km.

 ~?~

  Sunday 29th 38F/3C [8.20] A bright, cool start but increasingly windy from the SW. Peaking at 7C/45F at lunch time. Showers and more cloudy after lunch.  67F/19C in the room. 45F/7.2C in the greenhouse.

 I woke at 6.15 after another busy night. Having forgotten the clocks moved forwards overnight. Though not magically. I had to go around correcting them.    

 Copenhagen announces that all of its busses are now electric. Denmark was reported self sufficient in wind and solar power.

 9.50 Back from a walk down the road. Cool breeze but sunny. Bare hands just tolerable. I took my camera. No deer today. 

 I plan to have a modest ride. Just to check progress on the new railway route. Then catch up with some shopping on the way back. 

 11.05 Off we jolly well go. I shall head further east to enjoy quiet and hilly lanes. 

 Two young chaps went past. Out training, side by side, on their racing bikes. Which was not polite or even sensible. As half a dozen cars came up behind us and were completely blocked from overtaking on a long climb! As was I. 

 Eventually there was no more oncoming traffic and the ignorant pair continued along the flat just chatting. As the string of balked traffic could pass at last. I became bored with sitting on their wheels and overtook them. Quickly putting half a mile on them in Turbo mode. Or half a kilometer when dealing with complete ignoramuses.

 13.50 Back from a 49km ride. It was cold and there were several showers. The last and heaviest as I neared home. The wind tried to spoil the ride but I persevered. I found half a dozen railway crossing sites. A couple of them on newly opened roads. With brand new bridges marked 2026 neatly cast into their faces. 

 The enormous earth moving exercise continues. As hills are cut away and raised humps push upwards. To provide an increasingly level track bed. Deep hollows seem to have no obvious purpose but may be emergency reservoirs to avoid flooding. 

 There were no organic tea bags but I bought a couple of bags. Of my favourite, organic, porridge oats.  

 After a nap I brought the trailer along to the greenhouse. To empty it of the remaining logs and kindling. Enough for several weeks I hope.

 Now I'll drag the two wheely, recycling bins along the drive.  

 17.30 65F/18C in the room. I had better light the stove. 

 Sunday Dinner was chicken, peas and roast potatoes. The obvious mistake was not having bought any carrots. The chicken breasts were a day past their "Best by" date and discounted. So I cooked both pieces. 

 I boiled the potatoes for ten minutes in salty water first. Before placing them around the chicken in the baking pan. I gave it 40 minutes in the oven at 200C with the fan going. It was all fine. The roast potatoes were cooked through and brown on the exterior. After five minutes rest the chicken was beautifully tender. 

 

  ~?~

28.03.2026 A herd of deer!

 ~?~

  Saturday 28th 40F/4C [6.35] A damp start, turning grey and then sunshine and showers. 65F/18C in the room. 45F/7C in the greenhouse.

 Woke at 6am coughing badly after an unusually quiet night. Decided to get up.  Back and hips aching. 

 9.00 Back from my walk. I spotted about 25 deer resting out on the prairie. Some of them had huge antlers! While I could see the deer though my binoculars. I couldn't capture them, at that distance, with my phone camera. 

 I would guess they were 600 meters away. Every attempt at zooming in just made things fuzzier. Digital zoom rather than optical?

 So I walked home, collected my Lumix G9 DSLR camera with Leica 100-400mm lens and drove back to the spot. A disused field entrance. No memory card in the camera! It was still sitting under the computer monitor from the last download. The G9 has no internal memory for saving images. Grr!?

 12.30 I could have escaped on my e-bike but decided to be sensible. So I spent some time adjusting the level of the carport feet. Despite my best efforts to level it the rainwater stays in the gutters. Instead of flowing away. Which leads to falling leaves collecting in the gutters. Further blocking the flow to the downpipes inside the rear legs. 

 It rained briefly a couple of times. I have come in for a rest and some lunch.

 I continued outside after lunch. 

 Dinner was a salmon pasty with peas and pasta. I forgot the tinned tomato again. I washed up while it cooked.

 

  ~?~

27.03.2026 Heat pump survey.

 ~?~

  Friday 27th 32F/0C [6.40] A mostly sunny day is forecast. Peaking at 7.4C/45F. Currently 63F/17C in the room. 37F/3C in the greenhouse. 

 Up at 6am to continue cleaning and tidying for the arrival of the heat pump engineer/surveyor/salesman.  

 I was carrying the recycling out to the bins when he arrived.  We had a good long chat. A very sensible, thoughtful and intelligent young man. It was decided I needed a medium model of about 5kw. Which would provide a reserve of heat if needed. Without being oversized. This might even allow the curtains to be removed from the open stairwell. 

 Though he thought it unlikely it could push air around the whole house in a loop. It would leak into the kitchen but not as a primary heat source. A second smaller heat pump could work high on the kitchen wall. To warm the kitchen and bathroom. At about the same cost as a mini split. Due to the considerable length of piping involved with the latter. Having to reach from the outdoor unit on the other side of the house. 

 He recommended a high level indoor unit mounted above the TV. Rather than a floor model. The latter would not provide the carpet sweeping effect I had hoped for. Whereas the high level unit could blow almost straight down. To avoid draughts on anyone sitting immediately below. Then the warmth would cross the floor and rise on the opposite side of the room. To begin a continuous circulation. 

 The indoor unit can be set to low airflow if it should ever be necessary. An estimate for the work should soon arrive by email. Though he thought it would probably fall under their standard installation charge. Installation after the Easter holidays.

He left at 8.00. I had better have a walk before I get bogged down on YouTube. Or wittering on here. It's bright but a bit cloudy out there. The sun is shining right through the length of the house. I should sign up as a Druid.

 8.30 Walkies. 

 8.50 And back again. Bright sunshine but a cold, westerly wind. I was hoping for a ride but will need warm clothing and gloves. 

13.20 Back from a 42km ride. Two charity shops and a newly opened railway crossing bridge. An icy wind rather spoilt the ride. I changed from five fingered gloves to lobster mitts after my first stop. Moved up and down through the Modes to check my fitness. I did some light grocery shopping on the way home.

 16.30 65F/18C in the room. The stove was not lit so far. I had opened the greenhouse skylights while I was out. The wind was pulling the heat out. Normally the skylights are useless for reducing the soaring heat. Due to a lack of airflow. It needs one or both end doors opened. To break the vacuum. It is currently only 80F/27C out there. I'll use the slightly raised heat to warm the fishpond and the house wall. The thermometer in the water is showing 57F/14C.

 8.00 21C/70F. Eventually I lit the stove. Dinner was tuna on two wholemeal rolls.  

 

  ~?~

26.03.2026 Cooking class.

. 

 

 ~?~

 

 

 

Thursday 26th 38F/3C [6.20] Overcast with showers. Clearing later. Windy again. 

 Up at 5.45 after a night of weird dreams. I woke earlier but managed to go back to sleep. 

Cooking class today.  

13.30 Back from cooking class. Everybody in good humour as always

 I made Waldorf salad to go with the bacon rolls.There were sliced potatoes in a tasty sauce.

 Desert was rhubarb tart and cream. It was all yummy.  

 16.30 Back from town. It tried to snow then sleet on the way. I didn't find any carpet runners but bought the extra long cables I needed. Plus some conduit to hide the cables.  

 I shan't be needing any dinner tonight. 

 The heat pump surveyor is coming early tomorrow morning. 7.30! I had better set an alarm.

 Google is making an absolute mess of the image placement within the text arrangements. It's hopeless! I give up!

 

~?~

25.03.2026 All change!

~?~

  Wednesday 25th 43F/6C [8.00] A cloudy day with the possibility of rain and some sunshine. Rather windy from the SW going westerly. Gusting to 20m/s or over 52mph at 10am before easing slowly to 16m/s by lunchtime. Then increasing again. Not a good day for cycling. 63F/17C in the room. 49F/9C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7am after a typical night. Where I saw every hour from 1-6am on the big, red digital clock.

 Some tidying to do before the heat pump surveyor calls on Friday. My recent purchase of a [recycled] white shelving unit. To fit under the wall mounted TV. Needs to find a new home. I plan to place the floor mounted heat pump unit under the TV. 

 I'll measure the shelving again. To see if it will replace the present [and very untidy] supports for the printer, router, assorted multi-sockets and a big rubber plant. Which is currently a hideous mess of cables.  

 The white shelving unit, very helpfully, has holes in the vertical partitions. Between the six large, pigeon holes. So cables can be readily fed through as needed. Most of the cables are white. So they won't stand out so badly as they do now. I may have to drill some holes at the sides to let the cables enter neatly.

 8.00 Flashes of early sunshine are finding blue holes as the trees rock in the wind. 

 8.45 Time for a walk.  

 9.15 Back again. It stayed dry but grey. I wore my fluffy fleece jacket under the Ventile. The wind was indeed strong. Roaring in the trees. Fortunately I had the shelter of the roadside hedges for most of the time. Another bird of prey identification problem. A rather plain bird of buff and brown. Nowhere near the size of a Red kite. Only a slight V-tail. Not the usual deep V. None of the strong coloration of the Red kite. 

 Soaring just above me for quite some time. Before the wind relented and it could gain forward momentum. I'm going with a Black kite. Though I was convinced it was much smaller. The females are slightly larger but coloration similar. 

 9.30 Pouring with rain. I was lucky to have missed it!

 I had a call from the door company. The doors will probably not be ready until the end of April. I changed the dimensions. To allow more room for variations. So I was shunted down the queue. 

 12.00 Almost finished unraveling the cable "knitting." The white shelving unit fitted perfectly under the eastern window.  Moreover it brought a lot of light into the room. I am still struggling with the Reolink POE security switch. Problem solved. I hadn't connected a missing cable. All back to normal. 

 I haven't had to drill any holes. I'll get rid of the junk on the shelves elsewhere. Then drop all the cables behind the shelving. Out of sight. Then I can reinstate some ornaments on the shelves. Just to make it look purposeful. I have updated the photo to show the results.

 The IKEA bamboo shelving. Which was previously holding the computer accessories. Proved to be almost exactly the same size as the Panasonic indoor heat pump unit. Quite a bit bigger than it looked online.  

 I really ought to invest in some cable conduit. A 10m HDMI cable will provide more flexibility in routing. The 5m is presently too stretched and hanging at 45º. A piece of white conduit can drop straight down beside the new heat pump unit. Without drawing attention. 

 I still have to solve the cosmetic problem of the bare and damaged plasterboard. That blue carpet runner must go too. I should be able to find something smarter in the charity shops.

 Dinner was mackerel in tomato sauce on toast. 

 ~?~

24.03.2026 Stop that veering!

~?~

  Tuesday 24th 41F/5C. Overcast with light rain expected. Three days of rain are forecast. 64F/18C in the room. 47F/8.C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7am after a typical night.

 I shall be visiting my English friend. 

 12.15 Back from my visit. Still overcast. Light rain earlier. Three cars all veered towards me on the way home. I was beginning to think the Morris had become magnetized! Very odd indeed. At least one of the drivers was on the phone. One looked ancient. The other was invisible behind their windscreen.

 17.00 63F/17C. I finally decided to light the stove. I have been cleaning the glass in the indoor glazed doors. Long overdue. So had no need of extra heat. 

 After that I have been doing online homework about specific heat pumps. Floor mounted indoor units in particular. I have no desire to be sitting in a gale emanating from a typical, high level blower. Heat needs to be released low down. So that it washes across the floor before rising naturally.

Dinner was fish fingers and chips. I washed up while it cooked. Well, somebody had to do it. The robot home help has a night off. 

 ~?~

23.03.2026 Heat pump update.

 ~?~

  Monday 23rd 40F/4.4C [8.15] A cloudier day with veiled sunshine. A chilly 62F/16.7C in the room. 47F/8.3C in the greenhouse. I ought to light the stove but will leave it until later. The sun might yet surprise me with some free warmth.

Up at 6.25 after a typical night. Once in the upright position I had to keep clearing my throat. That has passed. Riding in the cold wind must have given me toothache yesterday. However, that too faded overnight. 

 8.30 Time for a walk. Reset to default. 

 9.00 Back from my walk. It wasn't very warm but the traffic was light. The sun broke through the dappled sky. The greenhouse is already up to 58F/14C. 

 I decided to clean the pond pump in the greenhouse. It was covered in algae. Brushing and spraying finally cleared it. 

 I have also been outside dismantling an old telescope mounting. The shafts had become very fixed. So I needed patience and ingenuity to remove them. 

 13.30 Lunch over. I have just had a pleasant phone call from a local heating company. About my installing a heat pump. The office lady spoke excellent English. Which made it remarkably easy for me to discuss my plans. Their surveyor is coming at 7.30am on Friday. I hope he will be experienced enough to make some useful suggestions. Installation will probably occur in April. Excellent news!

 I have the greenhouse door open to warm the house. The temperature out there was in the mid 90s F. Now dropped to 88F. With the house having risen to 65F. It is bright but not really sunny. It became more overcast. So I closed all the doors again.  

 The stove has lifted the room to 70F/21C using a total of three split logs. Two laid on the bottom plate to start. A third log placed on top when the base logs were burning well. 

 Dinner ought to be the second piece of chicken breast. I might add fried chicken to bread rolls. Like I did with the sausage.  Or just have another fry-up to use some of the eggs. 

 The eggs still had some days left. So I went with the sliced fried chicken on wholemeal bread rolls. 

 

  ~?~

22.03.2026 50 chilly km.

 ~?~

  Sunday 22nd 1F/-1 [6.45] An overnight frost. The sun is just rising over the hill to the east. The forecast is for a misty start with early cloud. Peaking at 10C/50F this afternoon. Sun from 10 o'clock. It seems nobody told the sun. 64F/18C in the room. It was 72F/22C last night. 36F/2C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 4.25. I woke at 4am for the first time to use the fire bucket. Only to descend into a spiral of negative memories. Sleep did not arrive to end the misery. So I got up to escape. Not with any irritation or remorse. It happens. So why torment myself further? Life presents a series of unfortunate events which alter one's path. Once I am upright the memories of those events can be set aside. Peace returns. 

 Overall I think my life has been a reasonable success. Despite the many hiccups along the away. I have created so many peculiar things. It would cover an A4 page if I listed them all by my own illegible hand. Fame was never my goal. Wealth might have been once but it always managed to swerve effortlessly around me. 

 In absence of abundance I was forced to make the things that I wanted. Each new project provided new skills and knowledge. Often involving new tools. Which could all be shuffled along to the next project. Usually with the need for more tools. More knowledge. More research. More reading. The steady, or unsteady accumulation of skills and flexibility in thinking. I am no artist and have the musical skills of woodlouse. My skills at math are so poor as to warrant mirth. Yet I get by. 

 I have been extraordinarily lucky in being able to find "stuff" throughout my long life. The basic building materals needed for the construction of the latest obsession. For I am certainly obsessive. Once the latest butterfly flutters into view. I blame my innate intelligence for much of my creativity. Curiosity has been my main driver. Being unable to turn my intelligence into anything resembling a career was almost beneficial. A computer without a memory is a pitiful thing. Though never to be pitied. 

 I have inbuilt resources and can call upon them when the plumbing needs fixing. Or many other practical needs around the house. Like a new roof. Or insulation, woodwork, drainage, plumbing, windows, doors and tiling. The enormous savings over the long decades have probably allowed me to find the funds for my endless projects. 

My late wife referred to me as a "butterfly." Because I would become so engrossed in a subject or construction. Only to completely lose interest once something was achieved to my own satisfaction. The countless books in my library are witness to my fleeting and flitting nature. I am a perfectionist in my drive to succeed with a project. Dismissive of my unwillingness to compromise. 

 YouTube keeps suggesting videos on "manifestation." The subtle control of one's personal universe by conscious power of will. Which makes me think. That my remarkable luck is often my simply having a positive attitude. Not deluded longing. Not a belief in some higher authority. No castle in the sky nonsense. Just a belief that what I need is simply waiting to be found.

 Take a recent example: I needed display cabinets for my late wife's glass collection. Suddenly they were "coming out of the woodwork." So to speak. Yes, it is true that I was deliberately searching for these cabinets in charity shops. Searching for inspiration in online furniture sales websites. 

 I have to ask: Was this all that it required? To have a need. Then to find so many cabinets, so quickly, at such very modest expense. All in the same period style by probably the same manufacturer. Yet I have no memory of these cabinets being available beforehand. None were ever for sale before I needed them. They are so distinctive that I am sure I would have noticed. 

 I wanted to find an affordable Morris Minor. Something to suit my slower pace at relatively low cost. So I could get rid of my aging Japanese car. Which we had owned for years and was reaching the end of its affordable life. Hey presto and abracadabra!  A chap in the nearest village was selling a nice Morris for an elderly owner. Less than a kilometer away. Then I needed specialist advice and expertise. A supplier of unique spares and skilled repair of these old vehicles. There is a specialist restorer within a short bike ride from Chez Hovel. 

 8.00 33F/+1C. It has misted over on the back fields while I was scribbling. Time for a walk.  

 8.30 36F/2C. Bright sunshine. Back again. I used the thick mist as a cover for a loop around the spray tracks on the fields. The overnight frost promised firm soil. My hands are freezing despite the gloves. Traffic very quiet. 

 The temperature doesn't climb much until lunch time. So an afternoon ride makes most sense. I should stay at home this morning and do something useful. 

 12.00 52F/11C. 67F/19C in the room. 95F/35C in the greenhouse. I have opened all the internal doors and windows to share the warmth. 

 13.00 Lunch. 68F/20C indoors. I have sorted the indoor containers into the recycling bin and dragged it along the drive. Made progress with dismantling a heavy old telescope mounting. For packing and dispatch. Watered all the indoor plants and retied the Monstera. 

 13.45 53F/12C. I am going to get ready for a ride. 

 16.55 51F/11C. 68F/20C in the room. I opened the greenhouse skylights before leaving. Currently 77F/25C out there. Returning from a rather chilly 50km/31 mile ride. I explored the still closed and newly opened roads on the new railway route. Took lots of pictures with my phone camera. I was getting saddle sore and tired from about 40km. So I used Turbo mode to help me get home. 

 A pair of storks flew low over the road just in front of me. Right out in the middle of nowhere. A tractor was ploughing. With a tail of hundreds of gulls. Several birds of prey wanted a free lunch too but were being attacked by the gulls. 

 Sunday dinner was chicken, mushrooms, peas, carrots and roast potatoes. Mostly in the baking tray. I boiled the peas in a pan. Bisto gravy to follow. After half an hour at 220C, with fan, in a pre-heated oven, I allowed the chicken to rest for five minutes. It was the most moist and tender I have ever tasted. 

 

 

  

  ~?~

21.03.2026 An icy 25km.

 ~?~

  Saturday 21st 38F/3C [7.30] Overcast and expected to remain cloudy. Peaking at only 6C/43F. Southerly winds. 17C in the room. 46F/8C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7am after a quiet night with irritating dreams. I couldn't find my own house in a strange city. I was carrying a tablet but couldn't make it work. The usual drivel but ultra-realistic.

 I'll probably have a Saturday morning ride. Do some shopping. 

 9.15 Walkies. 

 9.45 39F/4C. Back again. Cold and grey. Hands cold in gloves. The skylarks are still singing overhead. It was funny watching a wagtail standing on top of a chimney turbine. Pecking away at it for some reason. One wonders if it would do the same when it is spinning? I stopped to chat to two ponies by the fence. It was more of a monologue than a conversation. They seemed attentive. 

 11.10 Going for a ride. 

 13.00 Back from a 25km ride to the next village over. Going well but the headwind was icy in both directions. The split mitts helped. I shopped on the way home. It remained grey all day. 

 8.00 40F/4.4C. The room has reached 70F/21C with the stove lit. I'll let it ie down now. Dinner was sausage on fresh rolls. I still had half a sausage to use up but wanted to avoid just another full fry up.  I cut them in half after frying for 15 minutes. Then gave them another five minutes. Finger food.

 

  ~?~

20.03.2026 Hi-viz introvert and verge crawling.

 ~?~

  Friday 20th 34F/1C. [7.30] Overcast with thick mist. Expected to clear to sunshine by 11am.  63F/17C in the room. 42F/5.6C in the greenhouse. 

 Up at 7am after a quiet night. Woke at 6am but decided it was too early. Suddenly it was daylight. No ill effects from yesterday's ride.

 It seems my timing was completely awry on wanting a heat pump. Stump's private war for oil profits for his keepers. Not to mention saving his Russian bosom buddy's war effort. Has many Danes crippled by rising oil and gas prices. Suddenly everyone wants a heat pump! The latest pool of taxpayer funding makes a system change seem almost cheap. Getting rid of their old central heating system is a condition of the grant. I had better buy some more logs! Before those too are driven up in price. I can't afford to burn the last of the [recycled] furniture. Or I'll have nowhere to sit.

 I had better wear my hi-viz [recycled] jacket on my walk this morning. Yesterday I mentioned that am now walking on the rough verges when I can. Having watched another AI YT video. About sending vital, survival signals down to the ancient bod. Walking on the road is no longer good enough. 

 I remember talking about this on the blog years ago. Walking on rough tracks forces the feet and legs to constantly adapt to changing terrain. Not to mention the brain-hips and aging balance systems. Which keeps them all in better shape than walking on smooth, flat surfaces. 

 There is another survival gain from avoiding the asphalt. Commuters on autopilot don't stand such a good chance of hitting me. Try as they might. The main downside of verge crawling. Is the increased risk of tripping. Perhaps falling under the wheels of a passing lorry. Or even injuring myself enough to leave me stranded beside the road. 

 I could be nibbled by stray cats before anybody calls for an ambulance. It's no easy feat being empathetic. Not when it is illegal to stop on double white lines. Or to use one's mobile phone while driving. Especially when you and everybody else in the queue to nowhere. Are always ten minutes late for work.

 8.15 It is definitely brightening up out there. I am running out of excuses to sit here wittering on.  Though I still can't see my neighbours bringing up the rear. 

 8.40-9.00 Morning walk. It continued to brighten without a clear sun. I looped around the drives. The mist is slow to clear. 

 11.40 Full sunshine. I have been using a tall, tripod ladder, chain hoist and slings to lower an old telescope mounting from its massive steel pier. The pier was so embedded in the undergrowth that I needed the car and a long rope to pull it free. I welded the pier together myself. The mounting was placed on top while I was still at work. So at least 18 years ago. 

 12.00 My vision just went funny! Sparkling and misty. I hope it wasn't a minor stroke from my exertions! 

 14.00  52F/11C. Full sunshine. It was 100F/38C in the greenhouse. So I opened the door and all four windows to share the warmth indoors. The temperature has risen from 64 to 70F/18-21C. The greenhouse has dropped to 95F/35C. The effect of the openness to the greenhouse is odd. It feels cooler indoors. As if there is a draught. Yet there is little or no indication of any wind. Standing in the greenhouse it feels hot. Because I am being directly heated by the sunshine passing through the glass. 

 The lean-to greenhouse is a Halls Silverline. Approximately 22' wide by 8' deep and 8' high. Consisting of two lean-to greenhouses placed end to end. Connected in the middle with a doubled, joining profile. Which I believe is long discontinued. I dispensed with the gable ends at the centre. To provide an uninterrupted interior. 

 Single glazed in long panes of 4mm glass. In a sturdy, bare aluminium frame, greenhouse style. With curved clear plastic "shoulders" all along the front. Which are a nuisance. The plastic scratches, degrades and cracks over time and is expensive to replace. I would much prefer a sharp angle at the eaves covered only in glass. 

 Beggars can't be choosers. I started with a secondhand greenhouse from the next village. Then added a discounted model from the dealer in Odense. In a perfect world I would have provided a concrete foundation strip. I chose to use green oak. Which has rotted away several times over the years.

 For two decades the interior was covered inside with white material for shade. Which was really pointless. Once inside the glass the sun's heat is intolerable. So I have been covering the roof outside with two layers of commercial grower's shade net over the last few summers. This makes it cooler and more comfortable to be out there. Mostly from not having direct sunshine beating down. The shade nets do darken the indoors. Particularly when the sky is overcast.

 14.25 The room has risen to 72F/22C. The greenhouse down to 94F/34C. I have now opened all the internal doors in the halls ans bathroom to spread the warmth. My very own "earthship!" But without the desert.

 Dinner was giant sausage rolls, mushrooms and beans. I was experimenting with the pastry. Trying to match the format size with the rather large sausage. Not with a great deal of success. Non-organic sausage, discounted. I shan't bother again.

 

  ~?~

19.03.2026 A cold 54km ride.

 ~?~

  Thursday 36F/2C [7.40]  A cool, sunny start but expected to cloud over later. Expected to reach almost 11C/52F after lunch. 63F/17C in the room. The stove was never lit yesterday. Thanks to the continuous sunshine and opening the adjoining doors and windows to the greenhouse. Though it does feel a bit chilly in here this morning. It is presently 41F/5C in the greenhouse. The sun doesn't reach the greenhouse for a while yet. Due to the absent neighbours' trees.

 Looking like toys in the depths of a deep cutting.

 Up at 6.25 after another busy night. I must discover some self-discipline. Stop having a milky coffee every night after dinner. 

 Further to yesterday's meander into buying new doors. I have discovered they have a showroom in Odense. The only major city on Fyn and about 30km away. With petrol prices playing Follow The Stump I may just cycle over there. Though it is much colder than I would have liked. 

 I haven't discovered any parking places nearby. I'd better have a look at the online maps. Before making any silly decisions. Right. There is limited, on-street parking nearby. Providing it isn't already taken up. The showroom opens at 10.00.

 The true scale of the articulated Volvo tipper truck in the previous image. There were lots of these working along the stretch I visited today. I think this was an A30G.

 8.25. Time for a walk. 

 8.55 45F/7C Back from my walk. I had a quick chat with my nice neighbour as he left for work. His flock of chickens is expanding. I walked on the verge as much as possible today. Though I was hampered by all the deep tractor tracks. Presumably the drivers were pulling over to let following traffic pass. A vast crop sprayer was trundling across the prairie in the distance. It was just warm enough to take my hands out of my jacket pockets at times. I hadn't bothered with gloves.  

 9.40 Off we jolly well go.  

 12.00  53F/12C. And back again. I chatted for an hour with the window salesman/advisor. His excellent command of English was very useful. As he shared his knowledge of his products in response to all my questions. 

 Concrete work for a cutting and a bridge support. 

 I passed another site. Where the new HS railway line crosses the motorway. At a major junction with the main road. On the western approach to Odense. Great mountains of soil and sand. Were matched by great chasms. With pale concrete castings visible below the road for bridges and cuttings. 

 Unfortunately there was nowhere to stop to take pictures. I might use it as a goal for a ride after lunch. The sun has gone in and today's temperature has already peaked.

 16.20 Back from a 54km ride. I captured lots of images of the new railway. Mostly beyond Skallebølle and around Blommenslyst. A driver drove at high speed onto the motorway against a red light. Just as I was pulling away. The light had changed several seconds earlier. 

 It was cold and grey. With an irritating wind on the return leg via Tommerup St. My hands and toes were getting progressively colder.  

 Laying soil for leveling the new track bed. A giant CAT D7 bulldozer spreads the dumped soil. While a road roller compacts it. Volvo tipper trucks ply constantly back and forth. A white, off-road, box shaped tanker [?] is busy too. One of several. I could see white in the distance but have no idea what they were spreading. Not for dust I don't think. It looked too damp and muddy for that.

 I found a new cycle path beside the road. Between Tommerup St. and Skalbjerg. Which I hadn't heard about. Nor discovered until now. It was laid in smooth asphalt on the verge but rose and fell with the level of the fields. Rather than the road beside it. I was at least three meters lower than the traffic at times. It stopped abruptly in Skalbjerg. Though there were small red flags in front gardens on the opposite side of the road. A possible extension towards Vissenbjerg? Where there have been cycle paths up and down the big hill for decades.

 17.25 49F/9C. 62F/17C in the room. It has just started to rain. I have lit the stove.  

 I don't need any dinner tonight. I've had breakfast, lunch and two bread rolls today. Hours after I usually do.

 

  ~?~

18.03.2026 Two doors.

 ~?~

  Wednesday 18th 38F/3.3C. Bright with all day sunshine promised. 64F/18C in the room. 42F/5.6C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 6am after a busy night. 

 9.15 leaving to visit my English friend. 

 12.30 Back from my visit. It is sunny but does not feel particularly warm in the wind. Gusting to 10m/s from the south. I took a picture of  some spring flowers in his spacious greenhouse. Where we enjoyed coffee and Danish pastries in the sunshine. 

 13.00 53F/11.7C. 65F/18C indoors. 98F/37C in the greenhouse. I'll open the doors out to the greenhouse. To borrow some of that heat. I have also opened the living room windows covered by the greenhouse. To try to speed up heat flow to the indoors. I also gathered the open stairwell curtains and tied them with a cord. To hopefully obtain a chimney effect.

 I have decided to order two new doors for the north facing facade. A panel front door with diamond shaped square window near the top. To provide a smarter, far better insulated and much beter sealed entrance door. With a bit of extra light for the hall. Plus a triple glazed, terrasse door. To allow greater freedom for bringing things in and out of the living room. 

 It was an awful struggle to get the furniture in when we first moved here. The removal chap handed the heavy, three seater settee/sofa up to me. While I was standing on the 1st floor balcony in the gable end! Once safely upstairs it then had to be lowered down the narrow 55º stairs. That was 30 years ago. When I was still strong and fit at 50.

 Similarly, the home helps and district nurses couldn't get the hospital bed indoors. When it was needed for my wife's final days here. The bed had to be dismantled just to get it in. 

 Getting Her coffin out ten days later was similarly difficult for the funeral directors. Very undignified! I couldn't bare to watch as they struggled mightily! My wife was a tiny 5 feet. Had she been any larger, or heavier, they might never have got her out in one piece. 

 The narrow entrance hall forces a sharp bend from the living room out to what is now the main entrance door. Which does not allow much freedom for anything longer than a few feet. 

 The new doors will help to lift the presently hideous appearance of Chez Hovel. Though how much it will improve the value is debatable. It might help the place to sell after I am gone. They say every little helps. That's a lot helps for one paragraph!

 The current window is a lanceolate topped, single glazed, pine antique. It was there when we bought the place. With the firm intention of getting rid of it at some point. It may have some historical value and arguably some character. The old pine will probably last another century. 

 I shall have to do some demolition work to fit the new, full height, glazed door in its place. The area above and below the present window was bricked and blocked up to close the gaps. The floor level indoors is a bit higher than the black painted, ground bar. The ugly, lightweight building blocks badly need repainting. After decades of knocks from gardening tools being leaned up against it. Cream was my wife's choice. After much discussion. Only the back of the house was ever painted. I left the white front alone. With the lean-to greenhouse hiding most of it. The gable ends are still patchy white.

 I presume this old window was once a real door in the long history of the hovel. Which dates back to the 1700s and was once a tiny, thatched, double hip roofed cottage. It was still like that in the 1950s. With a small porch to the main, south facing, entrance door. And another door directly into the living room facing east. Now converted to another window. 

 The last owner before us expanded the place and did it up [very badly!] I spent years doing the place up and making repairs myself. Once it became our new home. Though it was never really good enough. 

 I finally placed the order for both doors. After hours of re-measuring and deciding on the finer details. Some at extra expense. The living room rose to 75F/24C in the sunshine. Though it has cooled off to 71F now. After I closed all the doors and windows. 

 Dinner was cheese on toast with halved cherry tomatoes. 

  ~?~

17.03.2026 Air-air heat pump Pt.2

 ~?~  

 Tuesday 17th 36F/2.2C [6.45] Light overcast with a tobacco filter in the east. 66F/19C in the room. 57F/14C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 4am. Wide awake. No visit to my friend today. 

 Watching videos on heat pumps. Moving furniture to make room for low level and floor standing indoor units. My original idea avoided sitting in "the wind" but directed the heat to the open stairwell. That would leave the main sitting area in the cold. 

 While a low level unit could blow warm air along the floor from the wall near the TV. Towards the computer desk, TV chair and the bed. Where it would rise by convection to form and circular air flow.

 A long time owner of a heat pump said that high level units struggle to match the heat required. Due to stratification. While his low mounted unit kept an entire upstairs room arrangement warm. Consisting of a living room, office, bedrooms and bathroom. Good to know.

 My original drawing is horribly out of scale. This end of the L-shaped room is far more roomy than it appears. So I have now redrawn the east wall to better match reality. Still not to scale!

 The outside heat pump unit coincides with where I keep the three, recycling, wheelie bins. Not a problem. Plenty of room. I have discovered that the heat pump's mains plug must be earthed. The nearest sockets indoors are close but not earthed. They date from a period where Denmark did not have earthed sockets and plugs. 

 However, the plastic water supply pipe lies close to this wall. The storm of '99 brought down a telegraph pole with TV aerials mounted. This broke the buried water pipe at its base and it had to be rejoined. So hammering an earth rod in just there might be risky. I might have to dig down to expose the pipe's exact position. An earth rod would be far simpler and probably cheaper than indoor rewiring back to the consumer unit. Which in on the other side of the house.

 9.30 Sunshine. I drove into the village to shop. Having run out of essentials. I'll ride in again later. When the pharmacy is open.

 12.00 Back from the chemist. I have to have an annual checkup at the doctors. Twice, next month. MOT and service. 

 Dinner was chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes and chips. 

  

 

  ~?~