Fun decorating

Soo, not much to report on the exercise front. However, i have managed to strip, prepare and wallpaper our dining room over the course of last week. My evening job turned into stipping* and then at the weekend i was wallpapering and putting it all back together again.

Still have some boxes to unpack, but it's pretty much there. Although i do have a few odds and sods that came up from doing it, which i'll be trying to get to this weekend.

Ho hum, the gorgeous wintery forecast and my mate running round the Kentmere Horseshoe will have to wait for some other time. Hopefully i'll get out for something else this weekend.

* clean up that thought.

Birthday!

last friday that was.. So taking a single day of holiday i had a long list of things that i wanted to get done. Some involved ferrying wifey around to a few appointments. Being at home for delivery of a parcel, getting some tyres fitted and also going to the gym. Followed by a swim which was a very nice way to spend the day. The evening was a bit quieter and involved a nice meal out just the two of us.

Over the weekend was spending some time in Warwick meeting up with an old friend over from NZ and eating some wonderful lasagne prepared by Tara. Then an onward trip to Brum slightly inebriated to meet up and stay with some other friends Jon+BB. During which a plan was hatched to bike from their home, along some canals (of which Brum has many) and then end up at a Cafe to meet up with our lovey ladies.

It was a brilliant days riding, if blooming hard work in some of the sludge, mud and ice that we came across. Jon particularly suffered as he hasn't been doing a lot of late. However, we arrived, slightly late, and consumed much cake and flapjack whilst having a hot choccie. Before putting the bikes back onto his car and heading 'home' for some slow cooked stew that had been on the go!!!

Brilliant,,, another point to point session with some amazing service courtesey of our respective ladies.

Hmmm, re-reading this it seems a lot of food was consumed!

Lakeland snow

Apologies for an interim silence. However, we were up in the lakes for our summer hols. It's a long story as to why it's our summer hols, involving a lack of concurrent free weekends and a non-existent jury service in the middle of August!

So with our normal cottage booked for northern lakes, a lovely retreat hand crafted by the owner who's a carpenter, we spent a little time wandering round Keswick on market day picking up the bits we needed and then a week of relaxing fun ensued.

Highlights were a nice walk to Grange from Seatoller and back (stopping in at the bridge cafe and watching the 10mile road race run by). A day out to Brantwood house, home of John Ruskin. An walk up and around Loweswater Lake, stopping in for lunch at the Kirkstile inn. Several Yoga sessions in front of the woodburner plus a bit of relaxation.


Clough Head first thing - it's a long slog

However, there was a small run that i did.. On a very clear, still, and snowy ridge. I had planned to drive myself and then bus back to the start, but Wifey was very agreeable in dropping me off and collecting me whilst i ran Leg2 of the Bob Graham round. The route is here and some photos of the run below. It was such a good day out, if hard work. Apart from a small delay getting lost in the only bit of cloud on Great Dodd (must remember to believe the compass) the entire run was in glorious skies and i was mostly following some old XC skiers tracks! There was the odd bit of trail bashing which made for a slower time than aniticipated. This did mean that i had to miss out Fairfield at the end otherwise i'd be much later than expected back at Dunmail Raise. This would have freaked Wifey out unduly, so i skipped that and went straight to Grisedale hause then up Seat Sandal.



Following tracks

Food was perfect, i took too much kit (waterproofs, warm layer and emergency shelter/bag) but was worried about being out in the fells alone.. in the end once i got to Raise i was with the 'relative' hoards (for a monday) going to Helvellyn (and on the ski tow!). The added bonus of having wifey pick me up was hot choclate in a flask, and a home cooked stew for when i woke from a crafty nap!



A gorgeous looking Striding Edge up Helvellyn

All in all, a better holiday could not have been had.



Panorama of the day, Fairfield on the right, Grisedale tarn (Grisedale Hause is bottom right) and Dollywaggon Pike on the left.

Intervening weeks

Had a christening last weekend for my Nephew which was pretty cool. But with a long drive over and a busy week the opportunity i had for a long run was squandered by having an afternoon nap instead.. We did had a mooch round Hay on wye at the bookshops and bought a few books*.

During last week there was a spot of lunchtime running again, yoga and a gym session first for a fair few weeks! This was dammed good, but i certainly felt that i'd done the workout afterwards. Wifey was at a henna/Mendi night hence having the evening free. Which then lead into the weekends acitivty of an indian wedding.

We'd never been to one before so it was a bit of an eye opener. However, it was really good to see our friend get married and celebrate with her. We had our friends Stig and Tara stay after this and after they'd had the worst journey down involving a broken spring on the motorway and much transportation issues after this. We had a fairly lazy sunday with lunch out, dropped them off at the station for their train home and then had a Bond-Skyfall cinema excusion on sunday night. Fantastic film, i'll not reveal anything but it was bloody great and certainly the best he's starred in.

This week hopefully more of the same, then a few long runs next if all goes to plan.

*wifey bought some more..

3 weeks...

since my last confession, erm post.

Sorry about that all i've been rather busy!

Since the 19th i've had a ton of rehearsals, had the contest in Cheltenham (13/24 which was respectable). We're now technically a 3rd section band!

After this some recovery was had and there was a rare weekend at home. We did try to get away for a B&B, but in the end decided to save the cash (and our fav place was booked up!). I didn't get out for any exercise as i've been suffering from a cold so rested.

Last week was a short one as we had friday off to go to Norfolk and help with a friends wedding set up in a local viallge hall. Also stayed with the In-laws for the weekend so it was nice to finally see them, since i've not been up there for a while. During this i washed my car.. and discovered a crack in the windscreen and slightly out of kilter wheels.

So this week is getting the tracking sorted (relatively cheap) and the windscreen replaced (massively expensive). Plus suit dry cleaned, band rehearsal, yoga and then off at the weekend for Nephew's Christening in Clyro, plus seeing the family.

Exercise has still been lacking as i'm struggling with tiredness and apathy..

I always knew Oct would be a busy one, but this is just mad.

Busy banding

Got national finals coming up, so had a weekend at home rehearsing, doing chores and squeezing a bike ride in whilst wifey was visiting family up in Norfolk. I've found a better finish which avoids nettle alley, but does involve a BIG push uphill and then has an annoying finish. So i'm just hopeful that someone will deal with the nettles instead!


it looked a bit like this*


Much rehearsals and mini-concert this week before off to the finals in Cheltenham with the Amersham Brass Band on Saturday. Would hope for a nice Sunday for a bit of chiltern based fun, or cake, or even both!

*it looked very similar to this, but both camera and phone are currently suffering from drinking too much water.. yikes!

Stag!

Or should I say beaver... It was one of my best mates stag do's at the weekend and spot of canoeing was had on the river wye. About 13 miles on the Saturday and 12 miles on the Sunday.

I helped friday to collect canoes from one the attendees (who works at an outdoor centre) then arrived to much beer driknking and merriment. Had a wonderful bivy out on the friday night. It's been agees since i've had a bivy, but it was really good - if not quite the dewy/foggy morning that we woke to.

Much faffage with cars, canoes and people transport ensued. We were eventually on the water by 1pm starting at Whitney toll bridge. After a slow start the guys realised some paddling was required, but with some faffage for stories and water based fun we got back to our campsite eventually (bycross farm again). BBQ and fire breathing, plus more beer before passing out under a clear sky. It was my first try at fire breathing and i'm sure it didn't look impressive, but it was good fun to give it a try nonetheless.

Sunday dawned to blue, blue skies, and midly foggy heads. We were a bit more organised today so were on the water by 10:30 and had a lovely day getting wet again going down to Hereford rowing club. They were having some sort of event on, so it was a bit of a hectic arrival. However, it did mean some of lads grabbed tea and cake. I was involved with car shuffling and helped tidy up back at the campsite, before getting back on the road and delivering a canoe back to the outdoor centre before heading home for food, shower and sleep.

All in all a cracking weekend! Cannie wait for the blessing really.*


*he's getting married in Canada first - hence the beaver reference!