The Big Questions In Life

Monday is the Dog Club’s Annual Christmas Meal, held as ever at the incredibly slow serving Chinese in Hilton. Who don’t seem to be quite so slow this year, so it's probably a bit unfair of me to hold them up due to the A50 being briefly closed, to remove a vehicle, while I was on it.

On Tuesday evening , L visits her folks while I take the boys dog training. She is impressed when I show her how to link her ipod up to the car with Bluetooth and therefore relieved to be saved from yet another episode of the Archers. She rewards me by leaving me some of her killer soup, nice and spicy, for post dog training recovery.

I’m out in Derby on Wednesday, where my mate and I have a couple pints in the Brunswick. As it’s Christmas I offer to pay for a curry purely to keep us out of Wetherspoons but I didn’t expect the Shalimar to charge up £65 for two. He does contribute but I’m not sure we’ll be going there again as it seems to go up in price every time we go. L meanwhile is being indulgent at home, home alone with a pork chop and a bottle of red.

One of the big questions in life is why do most Advent calendars have the days in a totally random order? What purpose does this actually serve? It takes an age every morning to find the right window to open, particularly when you’re feeling under pressure with two dogs glaring at you waiting for their daily treat.

L is struggling on with her aching hip. Not running but still swimming, and managing to climb out of the pool unaided, as well as gym-ing. On Thursday, she bites the bullet and runs home from Pilates.

I can tell she is worrying about her lack of running fitness because she’s asking how she can find out what the last runner's time was at the Brighton Marathon last year. It’s not easy to find out because the results are grouped by age category. Someone in the 60—65 category took 07:43:48 but I bet she wasn’t last. I imagine someone much younger was last. Basically though, L will be fine. It’s months away anyway.

On Thursday, Daughter is off ‘skydiving’ and, in her words, ‘bricking it’. She's also skipped breakfast. Probably wise, just in case. This is indoor skydiving which is basically a wind tunnel tipped on its side. It looks great fun.

I run from work, doing a convoluted 10k route to Borrowash before getting the bus. 

(Thursday 19^th December)

Puppyhood

After my improbably quick time on Sunday the old legs are a bit stiff the next day but I’m winning the battle against the stairs at work so all’s good. L continues her recover in the gym.

By Tuesday the legs are good to go for a bike ride into work. L is in the pool with her new festive swim hat. She’ll be getting the Christmas socks out next. She reckons she’s a bit like MD, returning to her puppyhood as she gets older.

Whereas L is possibly getting more festive with every year, I’m getting less so. Although she does point out that I put the tree up last night and its only 2nd December.

This is true and I’ve just picked up a couple of advent calendars for the boys, which I got cheap because Advent has already started. I’m sure the boys won’t notice.

I’m already thinking I’ve peaked too soon festively and I’m wondering when can I take the tree down again.

The main reason I put the tree up so damn early is that I wanted to try to get a photo of the boys in front of it with their antlers on for our Christmas card. I like to think that our Christmas card is anticipated as much as the John Lewis TV Advert but I know I'm deluding myself and unfortunately I couldn’t get a decent photo anyway.

L runs 4k later and seems surprised she did it. That’s on top of doing double gym.

(Tuesday 3^rd December)

the food of champions

The weather is absolutely foul this morning yet some awesome souls were out running in it. Yes, L runs before she even walks the boys, adhering to her training plan even in the rain.

She describes her training plan as a bit like an advent calendar, an analogy I don’t quite understand. She says Jess Ennis probably has something similar on her kitchen wall. Maybe... although it’s not working for Jess at the moment, she's put on a lot of weight. She’s been opening the wrong windows I think.

The rain does not abate and dog training is cancelled. So I go for a swim instead and do 71 lengths again. Why is it always 71? My watch really is having a laugh.

L is out tonight painting the streets of Borrowash, well going for a curry there anyway. She offers me a takeaway which sadly is not the food of champions and wouldn't be good for my training at all.

Chicken Jalfrezi and an Keema naan for the boys please.

Order placed, the boys and I head over to cruise the streets of Borrowash to see if we can pick up any young women and relieve them of their naan bread. The operation is a success.

(Monday 7^th April)