Annual Sportswear Exchange

It’s Christmas Day so L and I exchange sports gear as is the custom. Running shoes and cycling shorts for him, cycling trousers and swimming goggles for her. I suppose the incredibly sexy ankle boots that I also got her were a bit of a departure as that relates to a physical sport of a different nature.

The customary Christmas Lunchtime pint takes place, as last year, in the Horse and Jockey at Stapleford, which is packed. Sadly also overrun with Christmas jumpers.

Then it’s back home for tapas and roast lamb with Daughter and the boys. Some folk are having Zebra apparently, so by comparison we are almost traditional.

(Friday 25^th December)

Annual Pocket Empting

The car is in for its annual MOT and service today. Presumably this will accompanied by the usual annual pocket empting by the garage.

Actually, when a couple of things reappear on the service, things that I didn’t have done last year, the garage honours the prices they quoted me a year ago. Wow. Then they also decide to honour the promised discount from three weeks ago when I had my tyres done. Wow. Business must be really good.

Something called the Monster Swim is happening in Loch Ness at about the same time as we’re in Scotland during August. No further comment.

Squash is back, although only temporarily as I’m crying off for the next few weeks to watch L in the Nottingham Grand Prix runs. It was not a good performance. No further comment.

(Thursday 20^th June)

Not Bad For His Age

I’m in the car today because Doggo is at the vets later for his annual MOT. All that clutch work in the again horrendously bad traffic doesn't help my knee, which was almost fine until I got in the car. I’d hate to have to start looking at automatics.

We get a rare male vet tonight. Doggo and I feel a bit cheated by that, something is clearly amiss on the veterinarian production line. Nice chap though and he doesn’t hide behind the table, when Doggo utters his trademark low growl, like the others did. The vet describes Doggo as 'not bad for his age'. Personally I’d have bitten him for saying that.

Dog training for MD tonight, his first for ages. He’s consequently totally hyper, which means we destroy a few courses, in between soon rather good bits.

While at training, we get some sad news. Doggo’s older brother has died. He was roughly 18 months older than Doggo, so he was 12 maybe almost 13. We will have a drink to his memory later. Good job you’re 'not bad' for your age mate.

(Wednesday 3rd October)