Before we get into this weeks excitement, or lack there of, I just need to share this picture with you. I had a bit of a late start at work on Friday, so thought that I'd make good use of the extra hour by getting out for an early run. I was out of the house a few minutes before 7, just as it was starting to get light. As far as I'm concerned this is the best bit of the day, the roads are still quite, most people are just getting up and the worlds still peaceful. Anyhow, I'd plodded along for an hour or so and was just heading back for home with the sun slowly coming up behind me, making my way back down from Cliddesden towards the M3 and home. There's always a good view to the East from here, but today, with the sun just creeping over the hill and the low lying mist it was an absolute treat. I couldn't help but stop and stare for a few minutes, and a couple of minutes is all the time I had. Between my stopping and getting the camera out it can't have been more than 2 or 3 minutes before the sun came over the hill and totally changed the view. Those couple of minutes more than made up for the early start, the cold fingers and the days work ahead though. I'll let the picture below do the rest of the talking! Sometimes I wonder why I'm so tired. I often get to the end of the day and think, this isn't right, I've not done much today, surely I shouldn't be this worn out? Today (Saturday) was one of those days. I'm sat here now and can feel my eye lids drooping. So lets have a look at what I've been up to and see if we can figure it out; 06:30 – Woken up by the heating coming on, (yes I know, it's only October). I'm surprised I'm still in bed to be honest, I'm normally up by 06:00. Still, I obviously needed that extra half hour. 06:35 – As Homer Simpson once said, "I'm up, I'm on my way". Well I'm downstairs, waiting for the kettle to boil, at least that's a start. 07:45 – 2 brews and breakfast done, time to go and play bikes. It's a bit grey and chilly out, but there's no wind and it's not raining. Nothing an extra pair of gloves and a jumper wont keep at bay. 11:55 – Back home with another 60 miles in the bag. It's been a good morning out. The trees have got some lovely Autumn colours on them, the fields have been replanted ready for spring and the fallen leaves are crisp under my tyres. Another few weeks and they will be a slippery mess, fallen leaves churned up by the cars and rain, but at the moment it's still got that lovely Autumn smell to the air and the light is beautiful. 12:00 – The lovely Emma's made me a brew as I came in, just time for a bit of a stretch before lunch. 12:30 – Lunch. Home made Corgette and Tomato soup (from the freezer) with a bit of bread that needs eating up. Lovely, and just what the doctor ordered after the mornings exertions. 13:00 – Wander up the allotment for a couple of hours pottering around. I've set out the edges for a new path down the middle of the fruit cage to save stomping on the mud. Done a bit of gentle digging, sown the overwintering Broad beans and 150 onion sets, picked chili's and veg for next week before wandering back home. 15:20 – Spend 30 minutes adding more anti pigeon spikes to the satellite dish. The Emma's got a lot to answer for with her pesky pigeons! 16:00 – Finish off digging the foundations for Project Patio that I started last week (it's not got any easier) followed by an hour of smashing up and levelling hardcore ready for concreting tomorrow. 17:50 – For F***s sake it's nearly 6 O'clock. 18:00 – Wash and put away the veg that I bought home earlier before heading up for a shower whilst the lovely Emma makes tea (Bacon Sarnies with fresh bread, Oh baby!) 18:30 – Wash up. 18:50 – 20 Minutes stretching and rolling my tired legs! 19:20 – It's a nice night and I want to get a decent run in tomorrow, so grab some clothes and head out to the van. 20:00 – It's only a short drive up to one of my favorite overnight spots and I've stopped at the supermarket for some milk and a beer on the way. 20:15 – Now I'm all set for the night and it's lovely and quiet, I might as well have a beer and an hour working on this spiel! 21:15 – Enough, I can't keep my eyes open any longer! H'mmmmm, maybe that explains it? Having sung the praises of early mornings and sunrises at the start of this weeks installment, I got lucky again Sunday morning. After my lay in Saturday morning, I was up bright and early Sunday after a cosy night in the van, ready and raring to go. With the forecast looking good I'd elected to head up to Kingsclere for a few miles along the Wayfarers way, it can be pretty grim along the high spots if the winds blowing hard so this ones a route to save for a reasonable day. Leaving the van just as it started to get light I'd plodded up the long climb to the high point and just dropped down the other side as the sun started creeping over the hills. I'm not sure if there's much more I can add. So I'll let you make up your own minds if getting up early was worthwhile. I certainly got the best bit of the day too, as within 30 minutes the clouds had thickened and the temperature dropped by a good couple of degrees. In this case the early bird definitely caught the worm. Not to be outdone by "The Emma's" cakes last week, I've been in on the game too. Granted I've squeezed my efforts in between concreting, planting out Foxgloves, Hollyhocks and Lupins grown from seed in the front garden and the plethora of other little jobs I did Sunday afternoon. But at least I've tried.
I've got to admit though that Emma does a better job. I suspect my inability to measure anything properly and propensity to change the recipes by throwing in whatever takes my fancy doesn't help!
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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
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