iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 12/08/2026

Clouds didn't clear enough (annoyingly in the opposite direction was blue sky), though as the peak passed the birds started their dawn chorus.

Near peak of the 90% solar eclipse. Clouds covering the sun with a little sun poking through.
Fence, trees, etc in the foreground.

Camera in other direction and there's blue sky and wispy white clouds. Tops of trees and phone line in foreground

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 08/08/2026

I wonder how best to tag the last collection times in #OpenStreetMap when there's mainland and island last collection times that are different?

Photo of a Royal Mail postbox last collection times.
Text:
Last collection time
For UK mainland
Monday to Friday 11:30 am
Saturday 10:15 am
For Shetland Island
Monday to Friday 5:00 pm
Saturday 3:00 pm

Other collections
Additional collections may be made throughout the day until the last time shown.
Postbox number ZE1 107

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 31/05/2026

Just tightened the screw on the door of the tumble dryer. Door latch was catching just below the hole. The iFixit set is so useful for random little fixes like this.

The iFixit Manta Precision Bit Set held in front of the tumble dryer with the door open with the door hinge and two screws holding the door on in the background.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 09/05/2026

I've fixed the hole in my shorts with a patch using a frayed handkerchief for the patch material. Should avoid me losing my keys. Not pretty but no one should see it from the outside and better than throwing away and buying a new pair.

Inside of a pair of shorts showing the stitching of the patch on to the inside leg side of the pocket.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 15/03/2026

Spotted this song rainbow this afternoon in the centre of Falkirk, and then stumbled on the kerb and sprained my ankle.

Damp street from recent rain. In the gap between two sandstone buildings there is a strong rainbow showing in the sky. The buildings are lit up from the bright sun from behind the camera.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 26/11/2025

Something odd in #HomeAssistant and the Octopus integration yesterday as it's basically doubled my usage for the day due to some data error in the first hour of the day. Odd.

Screenshot from home assistant energy tab. Energy used shows a big spike in the first hour of yesterday.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 18/11/2025

#HeatPump outside temperature is 3°C Flow temperature is 36°C Dining room 19.8°C Bedroom 21.7°C Could probably get the dining room a bit warmer and flow temperature down further with some improved insulation or an extra radiator. Semi detached house built in […] [Original post on mastodon.green]

Screenshot from home assistant showing the current figures as of 18 November 2026 at 07:43.
Main figures in the post.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 14/11/2025

I spotted this rainbow during one of the breaks at #sotmeu25

View from the street between grey university buildings. Grey sky with a rainbow above the buildings. Camera pointing up so can't see the street.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 14/11/2025

I'm now on the Ember coach from Dunblane to Dundee. #sotmeu25

Dark scene showing a bus stop and the bright headlights on an approach coach. Can just about make it the destination of Dundee and route number E3.
There's also a grass verge and footpath.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 01/11/2025

@threadinburgh.scot it's on the first search screen where it shows what you are searching for in terms of number of passengers.

Screenshot showing the journey search screen on ScotRail app. "1 adult, 1 child, no Railcard or promo" is editable when tapped. It's above the blue search button.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2025

Currently getting our property de-looped from next door after installing the #HeatPump. Got a few holes outside for the new cable to be able to go in so that we will be connected to the grid directly instead of via our next door neighbour.

Hole in the ground at the side of the house. Steps in the background. There's 2 new pipes for the new electrical mains cable that is due to be installed.

Hole in the street showing the main grid cable is expose for jointing in a few days. There's also the pipe for the new mains cable. Can also see the telecoms/cable ducts exposed too.

Hole in the concrete by front door. Can see a red pipe where the new electrical cable will be fed through in a few days.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 16/08/2025

Overhead line equipment going in on the line from Edinburgh to Fife.

View out of train window. Can see overhead line equipment without the main power lines. There's a cable between the structure that holds the cables. Can see new housing in the background.

View out of train window. Can see overhead line equipment without the main power lines. There's a cable between the poles. The pole that holds the cables that is usually over the tracks is folded to the side.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 23/07/2025

Two weeks in Germany and I became the 374th most active male in Germany in the past 2 months. Lots to map in rural areas. Been finding some villages with reduced or missing speed limits. Little edits each day adds up. hdyc.neis-one.org/?smsm1 #OpenStreetMap

Screenshot of https://hdyc.neis-one.org/?smsm1 which shows my editing activity on OpenStreetMap including the recent rank in terms of activity by country. United Kingdom #283, Germany #374, and France #1433.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 07/07/2025

Another odd thing is St Pancras Intl to Portsmouth Harbour suggests a journey via Netherlands and ferry from Hook of Holland to Harwich then back to London and then through to Portsmouth Harbour. Looks like a lack of a link to the local transport at St Pancras. #CrossBorderRail #Interrail

Screenshot of journey plan from London St Pancras Intl to Portsmouth Harbour. Example journeys 15:04 -> 11:41 (+1 day) 20h 37m with 7 connections. Not fully in the old network.

Screenshot of the journey showing the circuitous route.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 07/07/2025

There's something odd going on with the #Interrail app with London Blackfriars station as it wouldn't provide journeys from St Pancras, though one stop earlier and it would allow the journey. #CrossBorderRail

App screenshot showing journey plan results from St Pancras to Blackfriars with the result saying "Sorry, we can't find any trains that match your search".

Screenshot of app of journey from London St Pancras to City Thameslink, with several reasonable journeys.

Journey plan showing a train from city Thameslink next stop London Blackfriars continuing to Brighton.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 25/06/2025

Gas meter no more. 🎉 Thanks to #OctopusEnergy for taking it out less than a week after my heat pump install was completed (or 7 days after we last used gas).

Inside gas meter cabinet with the supply and house side both capped and an earth electrical cable between them. The door of the cabinet is open over some decking. The gas cabinet is against the house wall which has some small pebbles on it.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 20/06/2025

Heat pump install now complete. Thorough job by the folk at Renewable Heat. Just the EPC to go and then I'll be able to claim the funding. Hot water much better now compared to the old gas Combi Boiler. Equal pressure compared to the cold whereas before the […] [Original post on mastodon.green]

Boiler cupboard with door off to allow work to be completed. White got water tank with pipework, pumps, and control panel showing. The hot pipes are insulated.

Outside door on the right hand side closed.

View of heat pump at back of the house. Rear wall of house has pebble dash. The heat pump is broke a window. On the left hand side can see where the flue for the old gas boiler was.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 13/06/2025

This house ain't square. So many corners like this are out.

Black floor tile loosely placed in the corner having been cut square beside other back and white tiles. The corner of the skirting board is jutting out preventing it from fitting in place. Underneath is an underlay board with underfloor heating pipes.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 09/06/2025

@jon @seatsixtyone RailEurope has the same issue though doesn't say come back 2 weeks before like DB.

Screenshot of a journey from Paris to Osterburken with error message saying "Rail Pass applies for the whole journey, but there are no sell" for several journeys.

Screenshot of a specific itinerary where the Paris-Mannheim step has the error "Seat reservation has to be done at station". Not sure any UK station will be able to do that.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 03/05/2025

Defrost the freezer time. Any tips to make it faster?

Inside built in kitchen full height freezer with some drawers removed showing the ice on the shelves.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 08/04/2025

@heliomass bright blue sky here looking out of the shed office window.

View from shed office. Top corner of computer screen at the bottom of image. Frame of the window around the sides and top of the image. Outside the window is a blue sky, with garden fence in the foreground and nearby houses in the distance. Trampoline can also be seen in neighbour's garden.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 15/03/2025

Found another Indian/Italian restaurant that does curry pizza. Delicious, especially the filling sourdough base. It's Mango in Longcroft (little village to the west of Falkirk). I came across it whilst doing a bit of #OpenStreetMap mapping a couple of months […] [Original post on mastodon.green]

Pizza with chicken tikka on top on a plate on a table. Knife and fork either side.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 13/03/2025

Had a nice evening cycle out. Almost freezing, lovely bright moon lighting the way.

Photo of the Falkirk wheel lit up at night with a bright full moon though in the sky. Some clouds in the sky.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 30/01/2025

Would anyone like a 3KW Breville glass kettle that doesn't stop boiling. Probably fixable as it's the bimetallic strip to know the switch that's failing. Happy to give away or wondering if it's worth trying to sell for a nominal fee and delivery on eg eBay […] [Original post on mastodon.green]

Glass electric kettle sitting on a worktop.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 10/01/2025

Sunset from Haymarket earlier this evening.

View from the bridge at Haymarket station above the tracks for platforms 3 and 4. On the distance the sun is setting with a lovely red-orange-yellow glow. The sunset reflection can be seen in some office windows on the right. There are people on the platforms below which are lit.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 31/12/2024

Staying up to midnight as the kids are keen to. Got them watching Home Alone, and got baking some scones thanks to #OctopusEnergy Agile tariff and some cheap and negative price electricity thanks to the storm.

Scones in an oven at the start of the baking process

Electricity prices each half hour from 22:30 until 06:30, ranging from -4p to 4p with most being negative or zero cost.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 27/12/2024

Today I took the kids out to Bowling and then cycled along the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Glasgow basin before watching Paddington in Puru at the cinema. Now on the train home.

View from footbridge at Bowling Station. Electrified train tracks in the foreground, river Clyde in the background, with the Erskine Road Suspension bridge in view. Thick grey clouds over the hills on the left.

Canal lock. Blue sign saying "welcome to lock 40 Bowling Basin". Thick grey clouds on the hill in the background.

Large sculpture with grinning teeth. A bicycle in front of the sculpture.

Cycle track in Glasgow with buildings including shops. Road and losing bay in the other side of the cycle track from the slope.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

Filled up my water bottle at the refill point in Stirling. Done a bit more #OpenStreetMap mapping on whilst changing. Found a cafe turning into a take away and added the opening hours for a few places, and a few road surfaces and number of lanes. I've mostly […] [Original post on mastodon.green]

Christmas decorations spanning the buildings in Stirling. Night scene.

Blue Scottish water refill point for water bottles. In the centre of Stirling.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

Taking the Ember coach south which will be a bit quicker to avoid me getting home too late. Also smoother with the electric traction.

Ember coach turning into the park and ride. Recycling bin in the middle of the bus turning area.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

I've walked along the promenade up to the Bridge of Don Park & Ride to stretch my legs and get a blast of fresh air. Wind from the west so not sure I can call it sea air. Photos from the walk.

View of Aberdeen harbour. Road with railings in the foreground. Several ships and buildings. Clear blue sky.

Photo of Aberdeen seafront. North sea on the left. Promenade in the foreground. Sky light on the right and darker on the left as seeing and looking south.

Seating shelter with a painting of a yellow submarine. Circular window has been incorporated to be the view out the top.

Sunset over Aberdeen from the sea front wall. Very dark in the foreground. On the horizon dark buildings with white/yellow lights. Lower white. Mid sky light blue. Top sky dark blue to black.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

Passing through Arbroath. Been mapping a bit on the way. Handy to have a front seat with the nice view.

View out the front of the bus whilst on a bridge. 2 lane road as entering the town of Arbroath. Low winter evening sun shining in the buildings, blue sky.

View from the bus to the left. Couple of seats at the front of the bus above the driver. Can see a real bridge across a river.

View from the bus on a bridge over some water to a harbour by Arbroath with various industrial ships in the harbour. 2 have yellow and black stripes.

Odd, sometimes the Mastodon app gets into a weird state where after ensuring the alt text of an image it gives the dialog in this screenshot saying "discard draft". So I end up having to rewire it.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

Next bus from Dundee takes me to the northern edge of the East Scotland Day rider. It's a coach that feels like a double decker bus but only a couple of seats downstairs. I've got the seat above the driver. Done done OpenStreetMap mapping whilst waiting for […] [Original post on mastodon.green]

Bus in bus stand. Written in the side is Stagecoach express Aberdeen Stonehaven Montrose Arbroath Dundee X7 Coastliner. It's a coach with only a few seats downstairs most of the seats are upstairs. Luggage door downstairs.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

Next bus is the Stagecoach X54 via Glenrothes to Dundee.

Yellow coach by Stagecoach at bus bay with door open and people getting off, someone waiting to get on. Blue bus shelter in foreground as standing under the shelter to take the photo.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

Found some cycle parking to add to OpenStreetMap plus a few other updates whilst waiting for my next bus.

20 stands for 40 bikes at Halbeath P&R. Bus station building in the background to the left and car park to the right

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

Next stop Halbeath Park & Ride. Small indoor area and toilets available.

View out the side of the bus showing Halbeath P&R

A departure board screen showing:
Network Error: The host name could not be resolved.

Status code 105.
Page requested url

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

Been loads of blue sky through Fife, however the thick dark clouds from the west are likely to over take me. At Dunfermline bus station now. Seem to be a tad early.

View looking west out of the coach. Can see the back of a few rows of coach seats. Outside is thick dark grey clouds.

View looking west out of the coach/bus and can see three last of the blue sky as the clouds are coming over.

Bus station stands and shelters in the foreground.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

The Kincardine Bridge south pier repairs are complete and they are taking down the temporary bridge to the side that allowed traffic to continue whilst the repairs were ongoing.

View out the side of a moving bus. Temporary Bridge support lying on it's side plus other machinery. Clackmannanshire Bridge on the background.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

A rainbow at Forth Valley Hospital. This group of stops is a useful bus interchange point with bus shelters. The clouds are fast moving.

Rainbow with dark grey clouds behind. The ground is wet due to the rain in the foreground.

On the left background is Forth Valley Hospital. In the foreground there are 3 buses at bus stands with shelters. 2 are double decker and the third is a single decker.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 21/12/2024

First bus of the day and the best seat in the house above the driver. 38 to Forth Valley Hospital. I had originally planned to do a cycle ride however with the wind and rain thought I'd instead do an adventure I've been wanting to for a while since finding […] [Original post on mastodon.green]

View out the front window of the upstairs of the bus. Window misted up with condensation. Can see a row of parked cars and houses in the street.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 11/12/2024

I didn't expect to see the solar so high on the shed office. Though makes sense with the way the shading is as the bike shed is so low down and the sun being so low in the sky at this time of year. The shed office gets shading from the care home behind us in the afternoon in the winter.

Graph showing solar generation of 5 solar panels over time for yesterday (10th December)

The 4 panels on the bike shed (enpahse) have similar output and a peak about 1pm of 40W.
The shed office via a river 2 max has a peak of 80W between 1030 and 1230 when it dropped due to shading

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 05/12/2024

Public police phone box out of use. Sign says to use nearby public phone box yet that is our of use, but preserved.

Blue police phone box with river Thames in background

View showing blue police phone box and behind a red public phone box. To the left is the river Thames and to the right is the pavement with a line of trees between the pavement and the road

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 05/12/2024

The big screen on the #Euston concourse is off this morning

View of the Euston station waiting area. In the foreground many morning commuters and passengers off the Caledonian sleeper. In the background a huge screen is off and on the right there are the smaller departure boards showing departures.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 05/12/2024

Taking @GarethDennis 's #HowTheRailwaysWillFixTheFuture on the Caledonian sleeper now. Falkirk Grahamston so I really should get to sleep quickly so that I get a reasonable amount of sleep before morning.

The book called how the railways will fix the future held up in a pose in the foreground on a rail station platform with the Caledonian sleeper train carriage in the background including the name of the train company being visible.

It's dark so the scene is lit by the station lighting.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 26/11/2024

The paper book has arrived. @GarethDennis's how the railways will fix the future. I've already started reading the ebook version.

Photo of the front cover of the book "how the railways will fix the future" by Gareth Dennis sitting on a black worktop. There is a subtext of "rediscovering the essential brilliance of the iron road". The cover is only in two colours red and white.

In the background is a white mug that has the text "this machine fights climate change"with an arrow pointing down to a bicycle.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 17/11/2024

I'm back home after a lovely moonlit evening cycle ride from Falkirk to Edinburgh.

Moonlit view of the Firth of Forth. Forth bridges in the distance and on the foreground the moonlight and reflections are showing on the seawater.

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Shaun McDonald @smsm1.mastodon.green.ap.brid.gy · 13/11/2024

Just back home from a nice evening cycle ride past the Falkirk Wheel, along the Union canal to Linlithgow and then train home. Nice bright full moon. Falkirk Wheel is lit up red.

End on view of the Falkirk Wheel lit up red. Reflection of the Falkirk Wheel in the foreground on the Forth and Clyde canal. To the left is the Scottish canals offices

Night view of the Falkirk Wheel from the side up the hill. It's lit up red.

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