Old Man Bike Trouble

Winter seems to be over or a least on hold because Spring seems has to have arrived. It’s really warm today on the bike and I am wearing far too much.

I have old man bike trouble on the way home. That’s the old man on the other bike that slipstreams me before returning the favour. When I again take my turn at the front, he only puts up with my laughable pace for a short while before overtaking me again and disappearing into the distance, laughing manically as he goes.

It's dogging tonight and then a pint with L in Masons where the guest beer is now Harvest Pale. What happened to the Ghost Ship after only one week? Ugh, Bass please.

(Tuesday 15^th November)

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)

That Weekend Really Didn’t Seem Very Long Did It

On the bike and today the temperature dips below zero. It’s not quite chipping your fingers off the handlebars cold but I did wish I’d put my thermal booties on to keep my toes warm.

Despite the chill, it was a glorious morning. I hope it stays this way for the rest of the winter, much better than that rubbish they call summer.

As its Monday it must be squash, that weekend really didn’t seem very long did it, or perhaps they’ve actually booked us in on the right day this time.

Despite a bad knee (again), I give it a go. Amazingly I almost win and have five match points to win 3-2, all of which he saves and finally beats me. For once, I'm actually disappointed.

(Thursday 6^th November)

The Cloak Of Darkness

Such is the speed with which winter is approaching and the cloak of darkness in an evening is arriving earlier each day that we barely get chance to get much dog training in tonight. Lights are due to be erected in the near future but they’re not up yet. We finish at 8pm in almost total darkness but MD is near paw perfect in the hour leading up to that or perhaps I just couldn’t see him properly in the gloom.

Meanwhile, shorn of her sparring partner (Daughter), L has to do her boxing alone and after a centre change Aquafit.

(Monday 15^th September)