Kicking Against The Establishment

It’s a bit cold today. Frosty, almost icy, almost winter. I wimp out of cycling and get the bus again.

Day 24... Ironically now that we have a posh new shower and almost a new bathroom we are being prevented from using said new shower for longer than a few seconds at a time due to a blocked drain. Our builder says he’ll have a go at unblocking it for us.

I have been looking for a race for Sunday 20^th November but I feel this day is trying to tell me something. The Tatton Park Half is full, so is the Clowne Half. The Heanor Ch****mas Pudding run is also full and the Loughborough 10k has been cancelled. What’s the world coming to?

L is googling and suggesting races, clearly enthused. There are spaces in the Mo Run on Wollaton Park but they are limits, I think. Am I that desperate yet?

Pub lunch today and I clock up dark beer 101.

Sadly the evening’s post-dogging pint in the Masons is still Wainwrights. So I kick against the establishment (sort of) and risk a Pedigree. I regret it. Marston's Pedigree used to be distinctive once now it just tastes like Doom Bar.

Back at home we now have a working bathroom sink for the first time in nearly four weeks. Dare I whisper it quietly that it's looking almost finished. Perhaps just another week then.

(Wednesday 2^nd November)

Imogen

The car has been losing water for some time which has caused the heater not work. Luckily it hasn’t been that cold so far this year... Now though the water is out of the system by the time I’ve got to work. Time for a repair I think.

The garage, which at first I think has completely shut down due to them now operating out of a battered old porta-cabin, say it’s the pipe that passes through the heater that’s broken. It will be easy to fix they say, yet they still add a couple of noughts to the price.

Meanwhile it’s posh storm time again as Imogen rages, meanwhile at Derby County Storm Mel Morris (the Chairman) rages and inexplicably sacks Paul Clement.

After collecting the car I head to the pool for a swim, do my 50 lengths and then afterwards I cast my eye over the talent in the gym. I think I’ll take the one in the smart a**e t-shirt home with me.

(Monday 8^th February)

Gait Analysis

I'm on the bus today on a posh new Red Arrow. The new buses are absolutely massive, the kind someone like U2 would take on a World Tour rather than just for a 15 mile trip down the A52. Clearly somebody is making far too much money. Can we please halve the fares and have something smaller?

I have had some gait analysis. Apparently my left knee and my left leg are pointing in opposite directions or something. So says L, who has been watching me hobble. Personally I think my whole body just points where it likes.

Not only is it Friday, it’s a Lakeland Friday. L is already looking forward to an exciting night of a new audiobook in the car, camping in the rain, OP in the ODG, drunken passion in the tent and cake. Cake? She can't imagine why everyone thinks we're mad. I thought everybody was dead jealous, is that not the case?

The audiobook is Sleep Tight by Rachel Abbott and amazingly just like my current book is a detective story set in Manchester. None of which is painting that fair city in a very good light.

The book is good and keeps us entertained. We pause it briefly to find out that Derby are losing the East Midlands derby 1-0 at half time when we go out of reception. 

When we arrive we have a minor disaster as I flatten the car battery using the headlights to help put the tent up. So we’re going to need a jump start before we can parkrun tomorrow. 

(Friday 6^th November)

More Casualty Than Christmas

I was going to bike to work today but it’s just too windy. I take the car instead and my swimming kit.

I receive an email from the duck, he’s just left home in Burnley and is on his way to us.

L has her work's Christmas lunch, which is always somewhere posh. This year it’s at Harts. Then she heads off to a double exercise class session to wear it off.

In the pool, it's pretty much just me and my Russian. I do my 50 lengths before returning home to a street full of flashing blue lights. No there hasn’t been a siege or a major medical emergency. This blue fantasia is purely ‘festive’. What is it with blue? And flashing? It’s certainly more Casualty than Christmas.

(Monday 22^nd December)