Ambivalent To The Occasion

With L still sidelined, MD and I again run parkrun with Daughter. Today we’re up at Brierley Forest Parkrun at Huthwaite, the reason being this is where Doggo’s brother now lives and it means we can get the old men together again.

The runs goes well but it is a bit narrow for running with a dog and after MD’s usual shenanigans at the start it takes us an age to catch up Daughter or perhaps she’s just getting speedier.

I also get to try out my new trainers which seem ok but then it was only 5k.

It’s been about five years since Doggo and his brother met up as they have been living down in Suffolk where we have only visited the once. Both dogs seem a little bit ambivalent to the occasion. Doggo is particularly wary as his brother has also been a tad too boisterous for him in the past and can frankly be a bit of a bully.

Age, however, seems to have mellowed him, either that or he’s no long capable of boisterousness. Both the boys are now sixteen.

(Saturday 7^th October)

Confessional

L has been to confession this morning. Yes, she has admitted all her running shenanigans to her physio. Well probably not all of them but she's clearly reeled out more than enough rope to hang herself. Her penance appears to be being sent to a running gait workshop to see how she runs. I think with her wayward ankle the prognosis will be badly. She has though been given permission to carry on with her parkrunning. 

I have tennis tonight, although using that term is a huge injustice to the game itself. The weather is a bit windy so both of us have to quickly reassess our vastly overused lob shots to the back of the court. Not that it seems to improve the overall quality one bit. The game again goes to three sets and I lose narrowly 2-1. 

The dogs have accompanied me and we all head down to the Victoria afterwards. They do like a trip to the pub and a bag of crisps.

L is at home sorting out the spare bedroom. I have already moved all my junk, so it’s just the dog hair and the dust to sort out as well as a few spiders to be humanely disposed of. This is in readiness for Daughter's arrival which will be on the half past midnight train. Obviously I’m still up but we all go together to pick her up. 

(Thursday 11^th August)

Water-Based Shenanigans

I continue with my hastily thrown together training plan for the Leeds Triathlon with another crack of dawn swim at Harvey Hadden. As I leave home at silly o’clock there are emergency services everywhere. There has been a fire in one of the bungalows near us and sadly a chap has died. We must check our own smoke alarms.

The pool was at least a bit quieter this week and I do 28 lengths, which is just 2 short of race distance.

My calf is soon rebelling after this morning’s water-based shenanigans but I go and have a pootle around in the gym anyway. My training plan may be hastily thrown together but what is thrown together stays together, so its an immovable one.

Meanwhile L is complaining of physiotherapist induced pain in her leg. What she needs is a foam roller...We can have fun later comparing dodgy bits and put to use any bits that are still working properly.

(Friday 27^th May)

The Art Of Lane Sharing

I take the car to work so that I can go for my weekly swim afterwards with fresh legs. I promptly forget my swimming kit and have to go back which freaked the dogs out who were just settling down for a mega kip.

Amazingly at the pool later I get a lane to myself which saves me from the problem L was highlighting this morning. She says that men are a bit all over the place when it comes to lane sharing as they cannot swim in a straight line, meaning she often comes home black and blue after having shared a lane with one. I do agree but I think women are rubbish at swimming straight as well, it’s just don’t hurt as much when you collide with them. Personally I always get tangled up in the line ropes which maims no one but myself and gives everyone a good laugh at the same time.

Back home we opt for a naughty take away although our favoured online service ‘Fill My Belly’ appears to be no more. They have been taken over by ‘Just Eat’ who add a £1 delivery charge and then a 50p credit card charge. So I shop around and use ‘Hungry Horse’ instead who are cheaper because they don’t have the credit card charge. Still I can see the old fashioned traditional ring them up way could be making a comeback.

Then we settle down for some more ‘White Queen’ shenanigans. 

(Friday 29^th November)