Flat Hunting Or Not

We do the 6am morning swim again, which goes well although oddly they only initially open two lanes rather than the usual three and they are rammed. Eventually, when most people have already given up and gone, they open the third.

Last night Derby County sacked Steve McClaren again. Frankly, I’m speechless and it seems utterly ridiculous to me. Although I haven’t yet gotten my head around why they reappointed him in the first place. Actually I’ve still not gotten my head around exactly why they sacked Paul Clement, which was only last February but is now four managers ago. Next up apparently is Gary Rowett.Good luck Gary.

We were all keyed up for a flat viewing with Daughter tonight but that has now been put back to Wednesday. Luckily, this time I made sure to bring my gym kit just in case... I didn’t when the other one was cancelled last week.

So I do a session on the Watt Bike and then get home in time for another viewing which is scheduled for 7:30. However it appears that no one has told the tenant that they need to be there to let us in because they don't show up. Therefore, it’s a wasted journey. This flat hunting business isn’t going well so far.

(Monday 13^th March)

In Some Style

L absconded to Rosliston Parkrun without me a few weeks ago but this week I finally get chance to tick that one off.

In some style as well. MD and I come in in 12th place. That’s not bad for an old git and his dog. MD is three seconds off his PB. That’s what a night of debauchery and Orkney Porter can do for you.

At the match Derby actually turn in a half decent performance and defeat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0. Apparently it's the McClaren effect but I think we'll hold off judgement on that for now.

Perhaps another night of debauchery will yield another 12^th place tomorrow at the Sheffield 10k, although somehow I doubt it. 

(Saturday 29^th October)

All Grown Up

I stay home this morning so that I can deal with British Gas who arrive to have a look at our recently broken thermostat while L heads off to the parkrun at far flung Rosliston on her own. She says making it there on her own, even without the help of that nicely irritating woman on my iphone, makes her feel all grown up.

British Gas aren't terribly impressed with our electrician’s hot wiring of the old thermostat. Tell me about it. We’re not terribly impressed with our electrician full stop but the BG man doesn’t want to hear my sob story and quickly fits a new one just to shut me up.

The jobs soon a good’un as they say and I take the dogs on park. Then I meet L at John Carroll where she has headed post-parkrun for Pilates. I’ve just come for a hot shower because obviously we don’t have one at home any more. Turns out she’s in the shower as well, so we could have saved water and shared. Instead I share with a couple of families who appear to have just turned up at the leisure centre purely to shower their offspring.

Then it’s Derby v Leeds, a tasty reintroduction for Steve McClaren’s first game back. McClaren has been apologising profusely for the last few days about pretty much anything he can think of that might have been his fault. Yep, probably even Brexit, Donald Trump and the making of the new Bridget Jones film are all down to Steve.

So a contrite McClaren doesn’t quite get the hostile reception he probably deserved just an indifferent one. The indifference is then eased by a rare Derby goal and an even rarer 1-0 win.

(Saturday 15^th October)

Flailing Fins

Having turned down my running overtures, L announces that she wants to start some... speed work. I’m always available.

I go to the pool, as a late-ish training session for Sunday’s half ironman. Naturally it’s packed and I have to share a lane with a couple of girlies (not too painful) and flipper man (which is painful if he catches you with a flailing fin). I swim 70 lengths without getting too much cramp and only one flipper bruise, which is a result.

Steve McClaren is gone from Derby. I’m not particularly happy about another managerial change as I think we can now right off next season as the new chap beds in but the philandering McClaren has no one to blame but himself for flirting embarrassingly with Newcastle United. That’ll end in tears. Anything involving Newcastle always does.

(Tuesday 26^th May)