18.09.2026 Success.

 ~?~

  Friday 18th 63F/12C [7.40] Overcast and windy. Rain and wind expected for several days. 19C/66F in the room. Too cool. I'll fire up the heat pump. Currently set to 20C/68F on the remote.

 Up at 7am after an unusually quiet night. Though with lots of dreams.  

 10.00 Occasional brightness but generally grey and blowing. I've had my online chat with my minder. 

 Time to think about a run to another charity shop? I'd need the trailer and its cover. Or go back if I find something worthwhile. The overall mileage could get very silly again. If four journeys are required. 

 14.30 Returning from a trip to Fåborg. It rained and blew on the way there. After visiting numerous other charity shops I returned to one. Which didn't open until 13.00. They had several candidates but their prices were higher than other shops. I spent 500kr in the end. On a light wood grain cupboard with drawers. 140cm long.

 With the help of a couple of elderly gentleman volunteers it only just fitted in the trailer. I covered it with my thick blanket, roped it down and set off. Only to have to stop in a layby after it started raining. So that I could fit the tarpaulin cover. 

 The rain was just a sprinkle and lasted only a couple of minutes. Never mind. Safely home. Now to get it indoors! Through the new, glazed, patio door methinks. I have furniture moving trolleys. If I can find them. After lunch!

 16.00 Al is safely gathered in. I used 2x4 stumps to lift the cupboard feet above the trolleys. The cupboard could go back a few more inches. It just needs the cables to be tidied. It's not a masterpiece. Certainly not an antique. Just a cheap, modern piece of furniture. Functional and quite pleasing to the eye. I don't think it has ever been used. Probably refused for the pale mark on the central door.

  

  ~?~

17.09.2026 Keep on rowing.

 ~?~

  Thursday 17th 50F/11C  [7.30] Bright overcast. A dry morning followed by continuous rain. 20C/68F in the room. 10C/50F in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7am after numerous visits to the fire bucket.

 My doctor has already answered my online query about my low blood pressure. He suggests I have a rest from one of the six tablets I take daily for my high blood pressure. 

 Exercise therapy today. I can go this week because my cooking class is fortnightly. 

 13.00 And back again.  The exercise session went very well. I was doing more repeats and intervals than required. It was all on different exercise machines this time. I visited two secondhand shops and a charity shop on the way home. Still looking for furniture. Nothing really suited my needs.

 13.30 The rain has already started. Expected to last three days. 

 It became winder. Gusting to 15m/s according to the DMI. 

 Dinner was two boiled eggs on wholemeal bread rolls. Lowered into boiling water. Seven minutes before dumping the hot water and chilling with cold. Five minutes to soak up the remaining heat. Perfect!

 

  ~?~

16.09.2026 Go NW, young man.

 ~?~

  Wednesday 16th 56F/13C [8.45] Overcast, with sunny periods and odd showers. Peaking at 17C/63F. 20C/68F in the room without the heat pump.

 Up at 8.10 after a fairly quiet night. 

 I'll probaby go furniture hunting at charity shops. Towing the little cage trailer behind the Morris Minor. There is a whole string of village, charity shops with furniture for sale. Off to my NW. 

 I think I am refining my needs. Now preferring wood grain to harsh white. The softer wood grain does not draw the eye quite so much. Hopefully providing a more harmonious impression. It's all completely and utterly meaningless in the grand scheme of things. Entirely for my own comfort and amusement. I get so few visitors at the hovel. That any change will go unnoticed by humanity. Most importantly it gets me out of the house and away from YouTube.

 10.00 Had my morning chat with my minder. I'll have a quick shower before I'm off.

 15.15 Back from my search. I reached as far as Fredericia. It was 9 charity shops in all. Still no luck.  

 As soon as I had eaten a late lunch of two rolls I was dizzy. My vision went blank white. With the brightness turned right up. My hearing was droning. I was burning up and sweating profusely. After sitting with my eyes closed for half an hour I lay down and slept properly for half an hour. Feeling better afterwards. My guess is that my blood flow was redirected. Away from my brain to my digestive system. 

 19.15 I just took my blood pressure at 5 minute intervals. Before deciding on having any dinner.

111/71 Pulse 77, 106/66 P 79,  96/65 P 79. The BP advice online for active 80 year-olds is 140/90 to avoid dizziness and falls. I sent these figures to my doctor. 

 I had no dinner. Just a cup of tea and a digestive biscuit. 

10.15 I have been having quite severe pain over my heart for some time this evening. So I have just used the nitroglycerine spray under my tongue. The pain has gone. I am going to bed. 

  ~?~

15.09.2026 Arse over tit! Innit?

 ~?~

 Tuesday 15th 60F/16C [9.00] Overcast. Cloudy all day. 20C/68F in the room. No heat pump last night.

 Up at 7.20 after a quiet night. No visit to my English friend today.

 10.30 Had an hour's chat with my minder.

 11.30 I stayed home instead of riding in what soon became rain. I have been moving furniture. Trying to minimize the various assaults on the eye. Which means removing junk from direct observation.

 The white box unit had been hiding all the wiring under the window but was hopeless for storage. It was bought [recycled] to go under the TV. Until the Heat pump took its place. 

 So I have moved the white unit over to beside the bed. With plastic basket/tubs to hold stuff which needs repeated and regular access. Which means I need something to replace the white storage/display unit under the window. Perhaps a multi drawer unit? To absorb some more junk and conceal all the hideous wiring. 

 Modesty prevents an image. The space contains a wireless router, internet fibre optic router, an 8 way, POE switch and several large power supplies. Three multi-mains-sockets. Including an eight way. Plus all the various cables connecting this ugly assortment. Quite honestly, I no longer have a clue if there is any duplication or redundancy. Could I wall mount any of it? Who knows? It was once and was just as ugly even then. Conduit is utterly meaningless in this context.

 12.00 Still fiddling. 

 16.15 Back from a  drive to four charity shops. The recycled gods did not smile upon this unfortunate soul. At least, not today. I had taken the trailer. In anticipation and false optimism.

 I passed a police car supervising the rescue of a car. Which had somehow managed to overcome a steep bank. To end up on its roof. Well above road height. Not something you see every  day. My guess is excessive speed on a completely blind, extremely sharp corner. Made worse by being on the brow of a hill.

 A large rescue lorry was busy sorting out the acrobatic vehicle. As the traffic built up in both directions. Two young women sat up on the bank. Not obviously injured. More looking bored. No doubt it will take a little more than a car wash. To sort out the mess.

 Meanwhile the search goes on, To lift the living room by a notch or two. There are at least three more charity shops, with furniture, in the same direction. Go north west young man! 

 Dinner was a chicken fry-up. With mushrooms and tweggs on toast. I flipped the eggs to be sure they were properly cooked. 

 

  ~?~

 

14.09.2026 Tweggs.

 ~?~

  Monday 14th 52F/11C [8.00] A dry but cloudy day. With only a little sunshine.

 Up at 7am after a fairly quiet night. 22C/72F in the room with the heat pump remote set to 20C and Heat.

 My next exercise class is in town at 11am. I'll go in the Morris.

 I brought the empty bins back. After having a game of catch with the robot. I couldn't get past it with two bins. It was too quick for me! 

 The exercise therapy went well today. I was able to use my cycling fitness on some exercises. No dizziness at all.

 After lunch I was busy with the robot mower. I was dissatisfied with its failure to cover every inch of the drive. So I deleted the map and started from scratch. This time it reached much further than before. I repeated the mapping and mowing several times. 

 And so it came to the dinner menu. The tuna on fresh, wholemeal, bread rolls went quickly out of the window. The "help" hadn't restocked! Of course I had to let him go. One simply cannot tolerate such inadequacy in the shopping department.

 So it was to be boiled eggs on fresh bread rolls. The latter were already buttered in anticipation of tuna being readily forthcoming. Which only left the matter of timing: 6 minutes for runny. 8 minutes for soft boiled. The logic was clear. The eggs would be lowered into boiling water and would remain there for exactly seven minutes. 

 After which the hot water would be dumped into the sink and cold water would quickly replace it. Twice. To ensure the eggs would peel cleanly. And did. I had allowed five minutes for the eggs to cool by immersion. 

 They were absolutely perfect. Runny, yet firm enough to be cut into slices with a common kitchen knife. Swab please, nurse. The only downside. Was my inability to readily use the TV remote control. Due to an excess of  yolk adhering to these miraculous, surgeon's digits.    

 

  ~?~

13.09.2026 43km. No limits.

 ~?~

  Sunday 13th 62F/17C [9.45] Overcast with possible local showers. Brighter later. A breeze from the W-NW.

 A comfortable 21C/70F in the room. I left the heat pump on overnight set to 20C. So it has settled down.

 No further contact from the chap who showed interest in my lathe. 

 I just had my morning chat online with my minder. No immediate plans for today.

 I think I'll go for another ride. It isn't raining. I have had to do quite a bit of ducking recently. To avoid overhanging shrubs and trees on the cycle paths. I wonder, if I were to identify as a taller person. Do you think they would trim the shrubbery more efficiently? 

 Denmark has rules about hedges. Mostly about height where adjoining neighbours disagree. I am unsure about the law. What if private citizens were to trim overhanging branches on official cycle paths? What if I were to carry loppers on my bike? Would I be guilty of carrying weapons of mass destruction? Like burglars are prosecuted for carrying tools. To aid breaking into a unidentified property.

 13.50 Back from a 43km ride to Assens and back. Mostly by the still incomplete, cycle path. It is now largely navigable. Even to the very end. Opposite the Assens police station. I know all the roads around the path intimately. Yet it still feels like a very long way traveling along the path. The vanishing point seems almost at infinity. Largely due to the tunnel effect of hedges on either side. 

  18.15 I dragged two recycling bins long the drive and sent the mower out. 

 Time to think about making dinner. 

 Sunday dinner was fried chicken, mushrooms, carrots, peas, mashed potatoes and Bisto gravy. 

 

  ~?~

12.09.2026 30km.

 ~?~

 Saturday 12th 57F/14C [8.00] Overcast but mainly dry this morning. Wet later and overnight into Sunday.

24C/75F in the room! I left the heat pump running overnight set to 19C. It is still pumping out hot air at 40C and rising. Something obviously isn't right with the remote control. I have reduced the setting to 16C. To see if anything changes.

 I dropped the price of my lathe to 4000kr and have somebody interested. No further response to my answering message.

 Thee was an unexpected guest in a car yesterday afternoon. Nobody I know. They may have been at the wrong address. They reversed away from the entrance after some hesitation. I was having a nap at the time. 

 The heat pump continued heating the room. So I switched it off. 

 Image taken yesterday. Concrete being added to the base of the new railway bridge. Where the embankment has still has a long way to go to reach the top of the bridge. The motorway runs alongside but is hidden behind the black noise barrier. 

 12.00 Back from a 30km ride. Including riding an unfinished stretch of off-road on the new cycle path. Just bare earth by the look of it. I joined the path where workers are widening the main road. My guess is that they will build a traffic island. To make it safer to cross by bicycle. They have a similar arrangement above Aarup. Where the excellent, two-way cycle path ends just short of the motorway and new rail track. 

 I did a load of shopping in the village on the way back. It always surprises me. How much the Ortlieb Classic panniers will accept. I was shocked how rapidly the basket was filling up with essentials. So much so that I was almost tempted to put it all back. Then ride home to fetch the car. I need not have worried. The bulging carrier bags each dropped into the gaping maw of an Ortlieb. It stayed dry but breezy for my ride. The rain in now supposed to arrive around 19.00. Lasting well into late, tomorrow afternoon.

 I checked on the noisy "gardening" going on in the empty property. The twin carports have now been cleared of junk and several massive shrubs removed. Which had been growing tight against the empty house. I wish my buddleias grew so well and so fast! They were packed with flowers too.

 

  ~?~

 

11.09.2026 56km. Ponds.

 ~?~

  Friday 11th 55F/13C [8.20] Heavily overcast. A dry morning with rain later. A rather cool 19C/66F in the room. 

 Up at 7.30 after an odd night. I struggled to get to sleep. Got up to take off a jumper. Because it felt too cold at bedtime. I slept better after that. Perhaps I should have a minimum temperature for the heat pump to work on. I haven't developed a proper strategy so far. Just heated or cooled the room briefly. Usually aiming for 22C/72F. 

 Now autumn has arrived the house walls are much cooler. Which means I am radiating more heat to my surroundings. Regardless of the air temperature in the room. Normally I'd light the wood stove and burn a couple of logs. The stove would continue to provide warmth long after it had died down. Thanks to the soapstone cladding. While the heat pump is either on or off.

 I could have a ride this morning.

 The fish are more obviously active now their greenhouse shade net has gone. The Canadian Pondweed [Elodea] is growing like mad. No other plant I introduced lasted for long. The fish seem to like brushing through the Elodea and graze any algae build up. 

 The plants are at their thickest where the submersed filter pumps water upwards. I had imagined it would prefer still water. Not according to the dense growth reaching up to the surface. All around the maximum flow. I don't have a fountain. Because I can't stand the sound of the water constantly falling back onto the surface.

  I tried all the options but even the near silent bell fountain was irritating. So I use the filter pump with the shortest possible exit pipe. To minimize surface disturbance. I can then see the fish and depths of the pond much more clearly. 

 I often wish the pond were larger than its 1500 liters. I was limited by the width of the double doors when I was staring at the Cemo/Chemo catalogues online. 

 The 1500 liter, industrial fiberglass container only just fitted through the open, greenhouse doors on edge. Even then I had to lay lengths of timber and old cushions. To allow the taper sided pond to sit more upright. As it slid in with hardly any room to spare. Working alone as always.

 I badly wanted to protect the container from cosmetic damage. The sturdy plastic container was no lightweight! It is reinforced. To carry and store heavy industrial components and liquids.

 

 I sank the pond to what I felt was a comfortable depth in the greenhouse floor. Though it required lifting my herringbone brick floor and then lots of digging. Before laying sand and fine gravel for the pond base to sit on as evenly as possible. A lower depth might have put myself or visitors at risk of falling in! So I kept it at knee height while seated. A perfect choice in retrospect.

 Cemo are in Germany. I had to wait while they produced another batch of their grey plastic containers. Then collected my pond from the Danish distributor in my little, car trailer. Drawn behind the Morris Minor. I avoided the motorway on the way home!

 Meanwhile, the large, parabolic, fiberglass dish pond out in the garden. Has filled to the brim with water lily and falling leaves. It is impractical to add fish. Due to the limited depth and constant overload of falling debris. No doubt a heron wold soon find it. 

 Just as one did in my big pond in the corner of the garden. I had to rescue the huge bird from the protective net. After it got under the net and ate my entire stock of 8" long goldfish. Its viciously sharp beak making holes in my hands and wrists. During the dramatic rescue! It had got itself well tangled!

 9.30 I'm going for a ride. It's rather cloudy and breezy but I'll still enjoy being out. Away from the damned computer!

 10.00 Off we go. 

 13.30 Back from a 56km ride. Taking in several charity shops. I bought two spotty mugs. Because they were fun and will reduce the pressure to wash up so often. I had to fight a headwind all the way home. It had tried to rain all morning but held off. 

 I saw a superb custom car. Which looked like it was based on a 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupé. 

 Steady progress on the new rail track. I took a few photos with my phone. This one is in the open countryside between villages. Tiny Hønnerup is the nearest. I am standing on the new bridge over the railway. The motorway is just to my right.

 The roads were quiet and the traffic well behaved. Except for one brain dead/ drunken/ drug addled/ immature/ mentally retarded/ registered blind/ senile/ sociopathic/ Ovethi van driver. 

 Who brushed past me. Inches from the end of my handlebars. As he entered a village with a 60kph/40mph speed limit. At high speed. On a blind bend. With only one vehicle approaching. The car just behind him could give me the legal 1.5m spacing. Because there was no more approaching traffic. 

 There are some people working on the overgrown garden. Of one of the abandoned properties in our hamlet. The IC motors of their tools are whining loudly. It sounds like more than one. I wonder if this means somebody has bought the place? Or it is just being tarted up for rental.

 Dinner was cheese on toasted rolls with tomato soup! I haven't had soup for ages.  I used the whole tin.

 

  ~?~

10.09.2026 Eating out.

 ~?~ 

 Thursday 10th 50F/10C [7.10] A sunny day is promised but the WNW wind is gusting to 10m/s. Temperatures peaking at an autumnal 15C/59F. 

 Up at 6.30 after a very wakeful night. Yesterday's long naps took their toll. 

 I gave the heat pump a quick blast to raise the room to 21C/70F from 19C overnight. Don't want a chill after my shower.

 Cooking class this morning. I might have cycled there but for the wind. Which I would be fighting all the way home.   

 13.50 Back from cooking. Where we had a good time as usual. I helped to make a huge pot of a complex sauce with beef mince, mushrooms, onions, carrots and all sorts of additional ingredients. It turned out to be delicious. Then there was rice, a salad and a cake.

 In the afternoon I used the dry day. As a chance to take down the shade net from the greenhouse. I spread it out on the gravel parking space to fold it neatly. It was immediately brighter indoors. Despite the present overcast. The front garden shrubs and beech hedge have grown wildly through neglect. Which will block the low sun in winter. I should attempt some serious clipping.

 18.15 I have sent the mower out to do the drive. The strobe light is much brighter when the sun is down behind the trees. Not so bright when competing with full sunshine. The security cameras register the robot as a vehicle. I had to fetch a stepladder to trim a tree. Which was blocking the view of the drive.

 19.30 While it is still daylight the robot has announced that the sun is setting. It has returned to base for charging. The onboard cameras obviously have a low light limit. That was a first. It didn't need charging but returned to base for safety reasons. You can't have robot mowers parking wherever they like. 

  

  ~?~ 

9.09.2026 Sick note.

 ~?~

  Wednesday 9th

  Woke feeling hot and sweating. Nausea. Spent 45 minutes sitting on the toilet. Not diarrhea. Went back to bed. Then woke later to vomit in a bucket. Horrible taste and smelt like chemicals. 

 11.00 Going back to bed and still feeling awful. Pain in my heart but no point in taking my tablets if I throw up again. Had a glass of water.

 12.30 Slept for the rest of the morning. Feeling better. I'm going to throw the second half of the chicken away. It was the last of the eggs. Both were well within Best By date. My visitor reports no problems. So it wasn't the pastry. Everything else was my normal fare and was already open and used at least once. 

 I've had a bread roll with raspberry jam and a cup of tea. I needed something to keep my eight tablets down.  

 Chatted with my minder. To confirm proof of life. Old farts are supposed to burn their food. Not under-cook it! Allegedly.

 It was a sunny morning, I think, but is darkening now and rain is here. The gravel has already darkened.  I still haven't taken down the shade net on the greenhouse. 

 I decided to have lunch for dinner. Two wholemeal rolls, with raspberry jam, organic honey, curried herring and extra mature cheddar cheese. Not all on the same roll. With a cup of tea. 

 The heat pump had a quick blast to boost the temperature up to 21C when I started shivering.

  

  ~?~

8.09.2026 Euforia now talks to my PC.

 ~?~

  Tuesday 8th 62F/17C [8.00] Very heavy overcast. 22 hours of rain forecast. 21C/70F in the room. The greenhouse is tracking the outside temperature. So no need to record it unless it is significantly different.

 Up at 7am after a fairly quiet night.  

 I had time to tidy up a little before my friend arrived. Bearing gifts of spandauers. A Danish pastry.

 My English friend visited me today. Leaving around 14.00. After two hours of chatting and having sorted out my phone's unwillingness to talk to my PC. I use this arrangement to monitor the robot mower in action. My problems were largely due to using too large a font on the phone screen. Set before I bought my new progressive glasses. 

 The afternoon was spent on YouTube.

 Dinner was a chicken fry-up. With mushrooms, toast and tweggs.

 

  ~?~

7.09.2026 Euforia is flashing!

 ~?~

  Monday 7th 56F/13C [7.20] Overcast but sunny periods expected. Peaking at 21C/70F in the late afternoon. The rest of the week is unstable. 20C/68F in the room. 14C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7.50 after a busy night at the fire bucket. No idea why. 

 I have an appointment for an exercise therapy class at 11am in town. I shall have to find my gym shorts and shoes. 

 I  have attached the mini-UPS and strobe light to the robot mower by the simplest possible method. The strobe unit has two projecting studs. I added a single nut to each. Then twisted the strobe diagonally to make the nuts fit into the provided screw slots on the back of the UPS. 

 Then I simply lowered the UPS into the mower's lifting handle. I have yet to check if the addition will fit under the charging garage roof. I wish the strobe unit was a bit brighter. Though I can see it flashing clearly in the distance in the security camera's view. 

 The light fitted easily under the garage roof. So I can relax on that score. If the mower is parked I just need to lift the light and UPS free. To recharge indoors.

12.30 69F/21C. Back from the exercise class. There were only four of us. Three others in far worse condition than myself. Plus two attentive therapists. I was doing fine until we were asked to sit on huge, softballs. When we were asked to bounce up and down I immediately felt dizzy. I lay down on a padded bench until I felt better.

 A lovely, sunny day. Pleasantly warm but breezy. I'll have lunch and then think about another ride. Although I was using an exercise bike at the start of the class. I realised that I never sprint any more. Nor put much effort into climbing. The e-bike does it all for me. I get continuous exercise but it probaby doesn't raise my heart rate by much. Nor cause deep breathing.

 13.45 It has become much more cloudy and rather windy from the south. I was going for a ride but my mood has changed completely with the changeable weather. 

 14.45 Much brighter. A ride? Yes/No.Yes! 

 16.45 Back from a 35km ride to the new railway. I am absolutely knackered. From battling the wind all the way home. Even using Turbo mode it was very hard work. Half a dozen teenage scooterists were screaming up and down the empty lanes. Another lad was on a lightweight motorcycle. Which had a truly terrifying turn of speed. At the cost of a screaming motor. I just hope he and his hearing survive. 

 I had a half hour, timed nap to recover.

 Dinner was Heinz beans on toast. Thank god that was the last of them! They were a cheap, special offer in a local Danish supermarket. I bought half a dozen tins. Expecting traditional British quality. Not this sugar laden, tasteless crap. I shall never criticize the Danish/Italian baked beans ever again! 

 

  ~?~

6.09.2026 34km for rolls.

 ~?~

  Sunday 6th 51F/11C [7.30] Bright overcast. A dry day is promised. With lighter winds. 20F/68F in the room. 10C/50F in the greenhouse.

 Up just before 7am after a fairly quiet night. No ill effects from yesterday's ride.

 A modest ride today I think. To try a different supermarket chain for my wholemeal bread rolls. This has been going on for all the time I have lived here. The monopoly industrial bakers keep discontinuing bread or rolls which I like and use daily. It is always the supposedly, healthiest option at the time. Which is frustrating. In having to find an healthy alternative. I haven't touched the white crap in decades.

 12.30 Back from a 34km ride. On a whim I rode the forest track. As it was more or less on my way. It felt strange to be on my bike there. After years and my hundreds of visits on foot. The inclines are steep, the surface very rough and loose in places. Puddled in other places. Mud is worse than anything else. The tire treads are not for off road but perfectly adequate.

 The forest had changed considerably since my last walk there. Areas clear felled. Others replanted with conifers. Resulting in a complete change of atmosphere in places. I had forgotten how steep the hills and bends really were. The Moustache is very stable and has enough power to overcome any incline. It's just a matter of being in the right gear and assistance mode. The big disk brakes are fine.

 There were lots of vintage cars in the lanes. All going the opposite way. Perhaps to meet at the Skoda Museum. 

 I found the rolls I needed at the more distant supermarket. 14km from home. I bought two packs to make it worth the trip. Enjoyable as it was anyway.

 The afternoon was spent on YouTube.

 The robot had another outing on the drive. The difference where it mows is remarkable compared to where it doesn't. It magically suppresses the weeds. It just needs more discipline! 

 I took the recycling bin along the drive. For emptying early tomorrow morning.

 The ponies were glad to see me and enjoyed a mouthful of grass each. 

 Dinner was a mushroom omelette. It slid out of the pan rather nicely.

   

  ~?~

5.09.2026 29km and pushing the boundaries.

 ~?~

  Saturday 5th 56F/13C [7.50] Bright overcast. The last wet day of a series. Peaking at a  low 16C/60F. Westerly gales building to 16m/s gusts this afternoon. Possible sunny periods. 20C/68F in the room. 13C in the closed greenhouse. I shall take the shade net down if it has a chance to dry out.

 Up at 7am after a fairly quiet night. The water lily has produced its first new leaf. Now five.

 I have just collected the recycling bin from the junction with the main drive. Proving that five days is not enough time. To trigger any interest in my longevity. The ponies were curious and looked up from their breakfast table at the shuffling old fart. They were too far away to be tempted. By handfuls of grass from no man's land on this side of the fence. Petit far gras? Suit yourselves. 

The forecast is not remotely conducive to a sneaky ride. Heavy showers coming in from the west. May contain hail, cloudbursts, lightning and fierce gusts of wind. Nice! I could potter to my usual shopping destinations in the Morris. Which would save me having to think about doing anything about the hovel. Or its excess of contents. 

 There has been no interest in the lathe. Secondhand Myfords are being listed. At more than twice what I am asking for my "proper" engineering lathe. 

 11.50 Back from a drive to the next shopping village. Just as well I didn't go by bike. It started raining as I crossed the parking space. Continuing on and off during my outing. The roads were saturated on the way back. With wide and deep puddles dragging the car sideways. This was on a main road that has recently been resurfaced. 

 I dropped in on the garden centre for a 50L bag of potting compost. Plus a nice thick bamboo cane for my rubber plant. Which is showing signs of needing a giant killer before long. The three lengths of dowel in the pot at the moment do almost nothing to support the towering edifice.

 13.45 61F/16C. 93F/34C in the greenhouse. I had to open the skylights. The radar now shows much smaller, more isolated showers, racing in from the west.  Though it is still windy at 16m/s gusts. I'm going for a ride. I'll take my waterproof trousers, just in case and wear my waterproof jacket anyway.  

 16.00 Back from a 29km ride. I was fighting a fierce headwind all the way to Ebberup. Where I discovered more fine gravel had been laid towards the east. Though possibly not finish rolled. The stretch towards Assens was still not navigable. Despite my wide tires and full suspension.

 Having joined the path I managed to ride all the way to Glamsbjerg. With only one deep puddle preventing my progress for a few yards/meters towards the end. So I simply circumnavigated it. Perhaps one third of the new cycle path was still bare and bumpy soil. Though I still managed a steady 16kph or 10mph. 20kph on the fine gravel. 

 It started tipping down just as I reached home! After remaining sunny for most of the afternoon. I could see the sky ahead was black. So I timed it, quite accidentally, to perfection!

 Dinner was cheese on toast with boiled eggs. 

  

 ~?~ 

4.09.2026 Largely absent.

 ~?~

  Friday 4th 59F/15C [8.40] Heavy overcast. Yet another rainy day and more to come. Gales tonight. 20.6C/71F in the room. 15C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7.40 after earlier waking and drifting.

 9.30 I have had my morning, online chat. 

 The rest of the day was largely wasted watching videos online. 

 I watered the indoor plants. 

 Oh, and washed up. 

 Dinner was a salmon pasty, pasta, peas and tinned tomatoes. 

 

  ~?~

 

3.09.2026 Glass back on display.

 ~?~

  Thursday 3rd 58F/14C [8.00] Heavy overcast as yet another wet day grinds on. Windy, starting southerly, going westerly. 21C/70F in the room. 15C/59F in the greenhouse.

 Up at 7.40. As the pattern of waking early then drifting continues. I think it's a much better sign than getting up at some foolish hour in the night. Lying awake in the dark is no longer a problem. I just relax.

 I spent some time bringing the glass items back downstairs. They had been removed for safety during the demolition around the doorways. I used the corner cabinet which had housed the cats. Segregating the nominal colours on each shelf.

 The corner cabinet has larger shelves than the rectangular ones. Though the twin bars supporting the glass sides and the hinged glass door. Do obscure the contents more. Than the more conventional, rectangular wall standing cabinets. My eyes can easily see past these glazing bars. The camera cannot and makes it worse by distorting the angles. 

 The sheer weight of these glass items is always a worry. When they are placed on what seems like very thin glass shelves. I reserve the wooden bottom of the cabinets for the very heaviest items. Only the four glass shelves are shown here. The bottom of the cabinet has been cropped away in the image. 

 I was extremely dizzy after a few trips up and down the stairs. Carrying baskets of glass ornaments. My vision was as if the brightness had been turned up to full! Fortunately this passed after a few minutes. Google suggests that it is probably a sudden drop in blood pressure. After lunch I lay down for an hour. 

 I have now filled the bottom of the corner cabinet with a range of white glass ornaments. There are some large and heavy, coloured pieces left. They can remain in the kitchen display cabinets.

 It is ironic that few of these pieces ever saw the light of day when my wife was alive. There was literally nowhere to display them. So most of them sat in cardboard boxes wrapped in newspaper. A couple of dusty, red glass vases sat on a windowsill. Yet I find the mostly Finnish, vintage glass interesting and attractive. So that I really enjoy having them on show. Unlike her teapot and cat collections. Both of which left me rather unmoved. 

 I was told that some people like to have a simple shrine to a loved one after their passing. My shrine to my wife has become four, huge, glass display cabinets. Their contents a beautiful reminder. Of our endless years. Of visiting Danish charity shops, car boot sales, antique and secondhand markets. Over a very wide area. Probably over a fifty mile radius. 

 It all started by having neighbours from hell. Who used an un-silenced chainsaw 24x7. To produce illegal firewood in another neighbour's back garden. One immediately adjacent to our living room and bedroom windows. We were forced to be absent as much as possible. 

 So collecting became our hobby. At the time I hadn't a clue how much we had actually accumulated. I donated many trailers full to charity shops. Until, they told me to go away. They didn't have the staff to cope with it all. The rest I am slowly selling off. 

 Chat GPT is threatening to add adverts to my extremely rare visits to their universal index. Nothing like AI. Even worse than that, they have defiled my PC. By sending an email which cannot be deleted nor binned. 

 Moreover it won't let me close the email page. Even after repeated attempts at deletion. So their mail is essentially immortal. Corruption plays out as corruption does. Will the email magically disappear when Chat GPT goes bankrupt within the next few months? 

 Dinner was mackerel in tomato sauce on toast. With halved, cherry tomatoes. Sæby quality is falling faster. Than the expensive copy tins they sell via Rema 1000. 

  

  ~?~

2.09.2026 More Downsizing.

 ~?~

  Wednesday 2nd Overcast. Rain forecast for the next three days.

 Up at 7.20. 

 Tipping down. Off to see my friend.

 13.10 Back from my visit. With shopping on the way home. It has rained and poured and generally tipped down, on and off.

 I have finally listed my old metal lathe on a Danish small ads website. I have owned the lathe for over 35 years. It started my clock restoring business in Wales. Later used for my telescope making activities. It holds many happy memories. But, I must downsize. 

 Dinner was fish fingers and chips. It stuck to the baking paper. Oh, the shame!  

  ~?~

 

1st September 2026 Autumn.

 ~?~

  Tuesday 1st 61F/16C [8.45] A bright, sunny morning with a risk of showers. A westerly wind gusting to 10m/s. 21C/70F in the room. 16C in the greenhouse.

 Up at 8.20 after failing to take off at 6am.

 I might sneak in a ride this morning. 

 9.50 Had my morning online chat and now it is tipping down! 

 The showers continued on and off. Heavily at times. 

 I did nothing all day. Except sit on the computer. I brought down the dry laundry from the clothes horses upstairs. Put the pile of washing up away.

 Dinner was thinly sliced, fried chicken on bread rolls.  

 

  ~?~

31st August 2026 To David.

 ~o~

 Dear David, 

 If you should read this. Know that we are all so sorry to hear of your loss. The pain of missing a loved one takes time to heal. Whether it be sudden or almost, half expected. You must give yourself time to mourn. Your present torment of confused thoughts and emotions are perfectly natural and normal at this time. They too will slowly subside. Try to push any negative feelings of guilt aside. These too are perfectly natural but corrosive to recovery. Forgive yourself for any perceived responsibility.

 I am here if you need me. Or just want to talk. Otherwise I will give you a week or so. To recover from the initial shock. Before I ring you. If you do not feel like talking yet. Then that is perfectly fine too. You owe none of us your attention. If it is still too difficult for you. No one will blame you. 

 Nobody really knows what they can say to ease your pain. Be gentle with those close to you. As they try to ease your burden. Above all, be kind to yourself. Try to accept whatever help is offered. And if not, then do not reproach yourself for a moment. Only you, know what you really need. 

 In tears, love from Chris.    

 ~o~ 

31.08.2026 Robot flasher?

 ~?~

  Monday 31st 61F/16C [7.45] Overcast with the risk of rain and thundery cloudbursts again. Variably windy from the south. 22C/72F in the room. 17C/63F in the greenhouse.

 Up at 8.00 after earlier clock watching in the dark. 

 I had my morning, online chat. 

 I have a new therapy exercise class starting next Monday at 11am.

 I drove to an electronics outlet where I obtained an orange strobe light and a WGP301 UPS. With a draw of only 100mA on a 7800mAh battery I should get in excess of 27 hours of continuous, stroboscopic, light output. Mounting it all on the robot mower without cosmetic damage will be fun! I shopped for groceries on the way home.

 In the afternoon the lady of the manor popped by for a chat. She stayed for a couple of hours. 

 Dinner was a huge mound of salad. 

 My sister rang with the sad news of a member of the family passing. 

 See next post.  

 

  ~?~