Well, there we go, another weekend over and done with and not a great deal to report! After last weekends efforts and not having had a full weekend at home since some time in August it's been a quiet one. Or to be more truthful, it's been pissing it down all weekend and I couldn't be arsed to do anything good! So what have I done with myself all weekend? Well, I've ruined another pair of new shoes, I've eaten the best apple I've ever had, I've done a bit of cooking, I've cleaned the heating magnetic particle filter, bled the radiators and checked out the heating ready for the winter, I've cut a bit more off the back gate, I've done a bit of walking and I've got wet at least 4 times! Not bad going I suppose. After a week of hobbling around like and old man, having ruined my legs last weekend, I finally felt good enough for a run! I managed a few weights etc Thursday and Friday but my legs were in tatters for the first half of the week and there was no way any running was happening before Saturday, I could barely walk Monday let alone do anything else. Any how, I've had a new pair of shiny white Trail Shoes sat in the van for a couple of weeks, just teasing me, so thought it was about time I give them a go. Unfortunately it started raining about 07:00 and never stopped, so it was a case of man up and get out there. Luckily my skins still waterproof and it's not that cold, so it was a pleasant, if a bit muddy and wet 10 miles on one of my local off road loops. Surprisingly my legs felt pretty good once I got going and I had a great time splashing through the puddles like a five year old. We spend half our adult lives telling our children not to get muddy and wet, but by Jove it's good fun and I for one think we should be encouraging them, get out there, jump in a few puddles and kick some leaves and see what I mean. Brilliant fun! Back home and on one of my never ending quests for stuff to eat I spied the apples dangling temptingly from the apple trees in my orchard (or Paul's sticks as "The Emma" insists on calling it). There are 3 different apple trees out there, 2 red ones and a yellow type, so one of each for starters, that should keep the tummy monsters at bay for a bit. A red one first, and a nice apple it was too. Mind you, anythings better than a cardboard supermarket substitute, nice and juicy, crisp and tangy, you can't go wrong with apples like that. Onto the yellow one then and Oh My God, if I never eat another apple again I'll die a happy man, it was the sweetest, juiciest, ripest apple I've ever had. Just thinking about it now, sat here typing this it's bringing a smile to my face. Apple heaven, It's just a shame there's only a couple on the tree. Maybe next year once it's a bit more established it will fruit better, but until then, I'm going to remember that apple for ever! And the other red ones, there still 100 times better than a shop bought job, but not as good as the yellow ones! I had hoped to get out on my bike Sunday, but, having woken up yet again to the ongoing monsoon I chickened out. It's not that I'm a fair weather cyclist, far from it, but I've got wet enough this week and there are a couple of issues with cycling in the rain. Firstly, at this time of year it's still too hot to be wearing waterproofs, but at the same time it's too cold to get wet. You sweat your bits off with them on, but, if you just man up and get wet the wind chill soon makes it unpleasant. Secondly, being out in the rain can be a bit of a lottery. The state of the roads is bad enough without filling them full of water and the standard of driving gets even worse with a bit of rain. "Sorry mate I didn't see you on your bike whilst I was doing 90 down this little country lane in my Suburban Main Battle Tank because; It was raining / I'm in a rush because the shops are open / I'm drinking a coffee / I'm on your side of the road in my 4x4 because of the little puddle on my side / I'm just an entitled idiot driving around I'm my penis extension and I couldn't give a toss about you on your bike" (delete as necessary). As such, sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor, and your better off doing something else. So something else I did, I went and scoped out a new off road running route down a few quiet little footpaths that I've been eyeing up for a while. The rain's not so off putting when your walking and your waterproofs seem to actually work. So, waterproofs on, flask of tea and sandwiches for lunch, hood up and 13 miles of soggy fun to be had. Too be fair, I was out for about 4 hours in total and it only rained for 3 1/2 of them so it could have been worse and my feet stayed dry for most of the time so that's a small mercy. Rain or not, it was still good to get out, far better than sitting at home watching TV and eating biscuits. Coming home too a big pot of Chili bubbling away in the slow cooker, filling the house in delicious aromas made it even better! Young Spidey below seemed about as chuffed with having his web filled with planer shavings as I was with having to take the back gate down again to cut more off it so it would shut. That's the 5th time since I made it in the summer and I would guess that I've cut at least 15mm off so far, I can't believe it can possibly swell up any more!
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Paul PerrattOld enough to know better, young enough to still feel invincible, stupid enough to keep on trying the same thing again and again. Cyclist, Gardener, Runner, Hiker, Cook, Woodworker, Engineer, Jack of all trades and master of none, Anti social old git and all round miserable bugger. Archives
March 2024
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