Covid And Rice

Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor and the only member of the Government that anyone likes, announces that the state will paying for 50% of our food bill if we eat out mid-week during August. Err, Ok, I think we can handle a bit of Covid and rice to get the economy going.

He is also going to pay your boss £1000 if he brings you back from Furlough. This all will, of course, further enhance his likeability until he, inevitably, asks for this money back at some point.

I bike to work on Friday and tackle the new ‘improved’ roundabout on the Wyvern that now seems to be complete. The roundabout now has traffic lights on it, it didn’t before, and unfortunately they are not bike friendly. It proves impossible to cycle between the sets of lights before they change. I guess I’m supposed to get back on the cycle path\pavement where I belong.

In other news we now have a water cooler at work, L has been for that novelty knows a haircut, Daughter’s been for a drug test (for her new job) and Friday nights at home are back. Oh and my Brother’s puppy has eaten a sock, ending up at the vets to have it removed. How we remember those days, although we usually didn't know something has been eaten until it emerged from the other end.

On Saturday Derby lose again, at home to Brentford, and on Sunday we have a pleasant night out at the Borlase, enjoying their table service.

(Sunday 12^th July)

An Integral Part Of Training

L takes a day off and the dogs take on the task of entertaining her. Although this will mean sitting with the door open and chucking balls all day but at least she won’t get bored.

She takes to the task like the professional she is and soon proclaims that ‘if that dog (MD) can still walk tonight I'll eat my trainers’.

I cycle for the fourth time this week, which is very satisfying even if everything aches now especially my legs. Sadly legs are such an integral part of my training.

I saw the girl racer again and had her on the hill out of Borrowash. It was over so quickly she probably didn’t know what had hit her. I did sort of apologise, with a polite nod, when she caught me up as I stopped at the lights before I (attempted to) speeded away again.

L has been looking into ‘good quality carbs’ and has come to the conclusion we ought to have brown rice or bulgur wheat more often and drop the processed pasta.

I get home and MD is still in the garden waiting for his ball to be chucked. So trainers for tea then, with brown rice or bulgur wheat?

(Friday 2^nd May)

The Long Way Round

I cycle in this morning and tail a chap for four or five miles until he disappears onto the A52, the main dual carriageway between Nottingham and Derby. He’s probably heading to Pride Park that way. I’ve often been tempted to dice with the (mostly static) traffic that way but never have. Hmmm. I ponder, then go the long way round instead.

If that cyclist’s behaviour seemed daring, the one who passed me on the way home was positively crazy. When I say he passed me, he cheated obviously. I had just passed him in fact and I was sat waiting at the lights, as you do when they’re on red. Particularly when traffic is passing non-stop in both directions in front of you. Not him though, he pedals out into it, causing it to stop to let him through! No wonder cyclists have a bad name. Several car drivers swear at him, one blows his horn but he can’t hear them because he’s got his headphones on. Luckily, for him, no one tried to turn right because if they had I’m sure they wouldn’t have seen him until they hit him.

I get home, hot and sweaty, because it’s turned quite warm today. 20 degrees or so. About ten minutes later L pants in through the front door, also hot and sweaty, having been out for a run. Mmmm. Very endearing. Unfortunately I’m on my way out, MD is booked in for more tunnel aversion therapy tonight. Although I do get to take the sweaty one with me and drop her at her parents for the evening.

(Wednesday 6th April)