As you can see from the above, it’s been quite windy today. I was hoping it might have moderated by now but that will not be until after 23:00. It has been gusting to Bft 8 from the north.
My ride to Paleochora took 18.5 minutes against the wind. At one point I could only stop and wait for the wind to subside. I went to Petrakis for some last-minute vital items. A bottle of wine for the Holiday Period, some paper handkerchieves and some traditional Cretan Christmas biscuits. I asked Yannis what he would take to someone if he was going to a meal. He immediately replied wine whereupon I said traditional and Cretan.
The ride back was much easier although it still took 14 minutes! I don’t think I had my heart in it today. Something to do with it being cold, damp and windy. My least favourite weather conditions.
I had some breakfast and a cup of tea before my weekly ET. It was so cold and windy that I abandoned the awning tent and retired inside to displace Obi from part of the rear bench seat. He was delighted to see me and me him. I rubbed his tummy and he warmed up my frozen hand with his hot little body.
Dave didn’t get an afternoon walk as, by that time, it was not only windy and cold but wet too. I decided that I really needed to get the circulating fan for the heating system working properly. The heater is, as far as I know, the original Truma gas convector heater complete with circulating fan and distribution system. The idea is that heat from the fire is pushed with the electric fan around the van. There is a vent in the bathroom which I have blocked off and there used to be three more around the seating area. One was replaced by a power socket and the other two remain. It’s a simple system but quite effective. The fan even has a variable controller which reduces the fan speed if the fire has just been turned on and the air is cold. Nothing like a freezing blast of cold air around your feet! Without this circulation system, most of the hot air goes up to the ceiling so your feet get cold until the entire van is hot. The fire needs to be set to a higher temperature and takes longer to heat the van. The fan has not been working reliably so I’ve not been using it. The outside temperature this evening is 10C so some heating is definitely required. The temperature inside the van earlier was 15C.
I decided I wanted the fan working so set about clearing the cupboard above the unit. As you can imagine, everything is behind or under something else. A bit like in a boat, space is not wasted. I needed to work in difficult positions but managed to expose the fan and give it a squirt of lubricant. Since then it has started to work so the van is a warmer place!
Xanthippos didn’t appear as usual and no one seemed to be a Georgia’s. I sent him a text to say I was walking the dogs then went out earlier than usual. It was nice not to have to feed them in the dark. The walk was brink and bracing although we did go up over the rocks once I’d got into the mood.
My dinner is defrosting and reheating over a Bain Marie. I have stored some of my previous creations in the freezer in the central kitchen. Now that I know my key works to the restaurant kitchen, I’ll ask Georgia if I can store my ‘ready meals’ in the chest freezer there. I have a suspicion some light-fingered person might abscond with my grub otherwise. Making up batches of food is something I’ve done for years. In Hindhead I’d make up loads of food in my slow cooker then freeze it. A quick meal – just pop it in the microwave. I don’t have a microwave so reheat over a Bain Marie. I cook rice or pasta in the pan once I know the top is thoroughly heated through.
I also have a small reindeer with a Santa hat which I rescued from the roofspace when I was clearing my house. Two decorations! What more do you want?
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