Despite it being relatively warm this morning, compared to the last few weeks, it was windy and wet, and by 10am I was feeling cold onboard Discovery, so I decided to light the fire. It didn’t take long to get going as it was so windy outside, but then by 11am I was getting ready to head to the flat. thinking it wasn’t such a good idea to have lit the fire.
In the past, I have left the fire going when I’ve gone out for a few hours, but not all day, but decided to keep it going on a low setting. However, after heading out the boat and through the gate, I got a sense of panic that a fire burning for so long in the wood burner may not be such a good idea. On a rare occasion, when it has been really windy there has been backdraft and fire comes out the wood burner semi-open hatch into the boat, with this image in my head, I went back onboard and turned the setting to off.
When I got back at 6pm this evening, Discovery was lovely and warm at 22 degrees centigrade! I looked in the wood burner and despite it being switched off, with no air coming through, it had burnt all day.
What I have concluded is the wood burner turner, that decides how much air comes in and out, changes – I don’t quite understand how, but it does. Some days one setting closes off all air and the fire goes out really quickly and other settings it won’t shut, even though it had a few days before. Now the setting that closed off the air completely is allowing it to burn. This makes me feel a bit better, that its not because I have not mastered the wood burner, instead it has a life of its own!
I have had this setting on all evening and the fire is still going, but burner very slowly, keeping Discovery at a lovely 27 degrees! I hope I can continue to use this setting and it doesn’t change again! Of course, the wind outside must make a difference as well.
So this morning, I ran to my flat (6.5km) – finished the final bit of painting and then ran back (4.5km). My energy is back!
Despite it being wet and windy most of the day, it was good to be outside 🙂
I then attended a pre-Burns Supper Zoom meeting and now writing the blog.
If you are interested in coming along to the Zoom Burns Supper there are still some tickets left. Not only do you get a great evening, you also get a small package sent in the post with a whole host of goodies including a programme and chocolate!
More details and tickets available here – https://www.citizenticket.co.uk/events/edinburgh-green-party/big-burns-night-in
Lockdown Restrictions Corner
It seems in the media, that there is talk at the moment on ways to change people’s behaviour to follow lockdown! I was writing about this just a few days ago (Day 288). .
Although there has also been some speculation that the rules may be tightened even more to try and get people to follow them.
I was thinking about this earlier and wonder whether a simple thing could be to make wearing face-masks compulsory everywhere, except in your own home? The research suggests that the virus spreads through tiny droplets in the air, so wearing face-masks everywhere maybe a good way to protect us more. A while back, a friend was talking about being in Spain and how wearing face-masks everywhere is compulsory. People, not wearing face-masks get completely shunned by everyone as they are not wearing one – they stick out massively. Would this work in the UK?
I must admit, I have become so used to wearing face-masks, I sometimes arrive home and realise I have been walking with it with 15 minutes and forgot I had it on!
Would compulsory face-masks in the street, etc…work for you?
The reason, I write this, is because it seems that most things I write here, ends up being followed by the government – I suspect lots of government ministers secretly read my blog to get an ideas on what to do next!!!
Back to behavioural change – as I wrote back on Day 288, it feels that people are adapting their behaviours to continue their life as much as possible to how they have been living, rather than how they were in March/April and just ‘Staying at Home’. We have had restrictions imposed on us for so long now (nearly 10 months) that I think it has become the ‘new normal’ and that people have learnt how to adapt their lives or I guess don’t follow them anymore.
You may remember on Day 290, I reflected on what did ‘lockdown’ means to you? In England they are referring to currently being in ‘Lockdown 3’, whereas I feel that we have been in lockdown for the last 294 days!
Anna, responded to me back then (and I forgot to include until now) saying:
“My thoughts on what is Lockdown. For me it’s the period I have been told to shield. So that was from 16 March-1 August and then because of where I live I was advised to shield from 31 December currently until 21 February although that date may change. The rest of the time I would say there have been restrictions.”.
Thanks for that Anna!
What to you think? Is ‘lockdown’ the same as ‘restrictions’?
I guess, for the purpose of this blog – as it is ‘Reflections on Lockdown’, I have come to see that we have had 294 days of lockdown!
As I come to the end of this blog, I am feeling super happy that I may have now mastered my wood burner. It’s not too hot and not to cold 🙂
I am also feeling great, that I have finally finished painting the flat! Tomorrow, I am staying at Discovery doing some paid work, Wednesday I am going to the flat to tidy everything up and check if there are any areas I have missed painting and also start moving furniture into the Kitchen. Then on Thursday I will finish moving everything into the Kitchen (if it fits) and take up all the carpets. Just in time, for the new carpets to be fitted on Friday.
The main bulky objects to get into the kitchen is the double bed and mattress, single bed and mattress (although I may take the legs off the single bed), chest of drawers, wardrobe and dining room table – it’s going to be a squeeze! Oh and the sofa, which I am hoping to find a new home for. The sofa is probably going to be the most challenging, it only just fitted through the door when I got it, so I may have to dismantle part of it too!
Robin’s flatmate, has agreed to take a long term loan of my electric piano and piano stool, which is a great relieve. They are picking it up on Thursday evening, so this won’t need to go into the Kitchen 🙂
Today it has rained on and off most of the day, it’s been windy, but relatively warm. The canal is nearly all unfrozen, just a little bit left frozen – that was super quick, only took 36 hours!
Hope you’ve had a Magical Monday 🙂
Jim xx
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