Always A Pleasant Surprise

There is a girl sat in my car when I get to it after work on Monday, always a pleasant surprise, and a studious one with a book too. Not that we’re on snogging terms because she says she’s ill.

After giving L a lift home the boys and I go training, which has been moved from Tuesday this week.

L doesn’t improve on Tuesday and cancels her PT but we do manage a family walk on the park. If the opportunity presents itself, we can all chase the deer together.

With my lovely Iphone SE refusing to charge I take it into the O2 shop who are incredibly unsympathetic and accuse me of deliberately breaking it. They offer to send it away for analysis for a fee and depending on the findings will then fix it for an even bigger fee. To show they are not totally unsympathetic they offer to see if they have an old Nokia at the bottom of a drawer somewhere to lend me. Alternatively they can sell me a new phone.

Forced over a barrel, I buy an Iphone 6s, the most pocket friendly model that Apple still do. It’s flimsy and cheap looking unlike my SE.

On Wednesday I’m out with my old school chums. We have a few beers in the Alexandra and the Brunswick as usual but the Brunswick turn us down for food. Their one chef can’t cope with the number of orders. They have been pedalling this excuse for about five years now and it’s why we stopped going for lunch there. You’d think they’d get them a helper; they’d certainly make the money back. We have a very average meal at Antibos instead.

Afterwards I miss the Red Arrow and have to slow bus it back on the i4.

On Thursday, I manage to cycle while L’s health is described as ‘alright’ which means, of course, that things are pretty bad although she does still manage her tennis.

(Thursday 18^th April)

Is It Too Early To Put The Central Heating On?

The BBC asks if it’s too early to put the central heating on? Of course. November is good for me. I don’t wish to give those pesky energy companies a penny more than necessary. The problem arrives though when you have a female with a faulty thermostat in the house or, as is the situation at work, a resident cold person who likes the heating on at 100 degrees. Not that the bills at work affect me but I have to have my window open or else I’d have passed out . It's not his fault really but the fault of silly open plan offices.

I have taken my running kit to work even though I won’t get chance to run tonight as I’m out on the ale. Instead I consider a lunchtime run but it's still very damp and cold outside. Obviously not ‘put the heating on’ sort of cold but the type of cold my calves wouldn't thank me for exposing them to without a hot bath waiting for them afterwards. So running is out.

As I head off for a few beers with my old school chums L rings with the shocking news that somebody has pinched her bike out of her work’s car park. What can you say? B******s.

(Tuesday 17^th September)

A Valiant Attempt

I had penciled in another run but I did do eleven miles yesterday and the calves are feeling a bit tight. So I take the bus instead, listening to another murderous book. The second of two Mark Billingham books, having listened to ‘Sleepy Head’



I’m now on to ‘Scaredy Cat’.



Gruesome but good.

It’s National Christmas Shopping Day today of course, or something like that. A lot of people are off anyway and the roads are lovely and quiet. L reports that the leisure centre and the park are both closed. Which is a bit inconvenient, although this randomly happens from time to time anyway but perhaps it’s not a coincidence this time. The leisure centre staff are a bit daft not turning in, everyone is fighting hard to stop the council closing the leisure centres for good and another day of lost income won’t help their cause. A good pension is all very well but having a job is surely more important.

My turn to break the house rule today. A Christmas celebration before the 1st of December, albeit on the last day of November. I meet up with the old school chums for a few pints in the Alexandra and the Royal Standard. We order food in the Standard and are then offered a load of leftover sandwiches and snacks from a meeting that’s been held there. We make a valiant attempt at both our meals and the leftovers.

(Wednesday 30th November)