The weather's been lovely Chester way and I've spent a lot of time outside. My little list of jobs completed includes:
Bonfire - we had a hedge removed back in October which measured 8' high x 7' wide x 40m long. It was all piled up and after the dry spell I decide it was time to get rid. 5L of diesel and off it went. There were a few small trees in the ehde that I wanted to get the wood out of for logs so it was chainsaw time. Took most of yesterday morning to tend the fire but it's now just a pile of smouldering ashes.
Cut the lawn - in addition to a lawn by the house we are lucky enough to have some paddocks a couple of which we use as extended lawns. To deal with the grass cutting I have a tractor and 8' finishing mower which I dusted off to get the job done. Looks fab now.
Cleaned out the hen house
Changed the gearbox oil in the trials bike
Rode trials bike around the fields in vain attempt to wear dog out
Strimming - put the three bladed brush cutter on the strimmer and took out some brambles around the boundary
Repaired wendy house - my girls have a wendy house in the garden with has a small 'veranda' which had rotten somewhat so I removed it and made some supports for the overhanging roof.
Changed the halyard lock in the mast of of my boat
Pulled the BBQ out of winter storage, cleaned it and had cajun chicken wraps for lunch
Repainted a window frame where the bloody crows have been pecking the sealand out from around the glass
That's about it. I love these light nights and feel guilty if I go inside before 6:30!
So how about you lot - get much done?
Tidied house and slept a lot on Saturday (insomnia all week)
Today I rode 50 miles quite quickly and then finished a drawing of Edward norton.
Now I'm drinking wine
Hosted my sons 4th birthday party yesterday and today been swimming and gym and making cakes with son number 2.
No house work or diy at the weekends here 😆
30 odd miles off-road yesterday, followed by some gardening and bike fettling. Then baking rolls and a carrot cake for Sunday.
Trail-building today, followed by a snooze on the sofa.
Been lovely and warm all WE in Cambridge, been doing DIY, mainly gardening to take advantage of the sun. Broke up some concrete to make space for a new flower bed at the end of the patio and planted an English Lavender Hedge. Burnt the angle grinder out cutting the concrete (was only a cheap Ferm rubbish thing).
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8406/8629028868_57c64806d8.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/8629028868/ ]Lavender Hedge[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
Just need to add some edging for the lawn...
Painted windows, sledged halfway up a Munro, fitted new rear mech and handlebars, pedalled a couple of miles with the kids, and felt ill.
Saturday: 3 hour walk around Judy Woods nr Halifax. Beautiful day. Ate a lot of food, drank a little.
Today: Out on bike for 7 hours. Sore & sleepy now. I may fall asleep before the schizophrenic washing machine finishes.
Weather yesterday was cracking here in the Ribble Valley.
Was out for a 10k jog first thing (was fairly happy with 45mins), then went for a wedding suit fitting with my farther in law to be and brother in law to be, washed down with a good couple of pints!
This morning was a ride up Longridge Fell. The best conditions up there's in about a year so had a fantastic ride. More wedding jobs and a little walk this afternoon, then some champagne sampling this evening. A pint and watching Argo should round the weekend off nicely!
7.30 yesterday Rode 110km and took my first trip up the cairn o mount for the season and a scone for brunch at the clattrinbrig before coming back via my old house in drumtochty glen.
Had bacon roll
Cracked on with my hall plastering and painting ( its taking for ever as i lose interest quickly in plastering and painting )
All in glorious sun
Today was on bike at 8 am and did 70k in snow and blizzards
Came home watched paris roubaix with the sun beating in the front window
Stripped my su carbs down and found the choke was stuck im the bearing meaning no fuel coming out of one carb.
Thatll be whyit only runs on choke as one carbs been feeding all 8 banks goes lean on throttle and backfires through the inlet manifold
You can't beat a big bonfire. When my brother got married here, we pruned back all the trees on the drive and had a huge tidy up. We stacked all the burnable stuff in a huge pile in the middle of the field with a view to having a slightly pagan bonfire at midnight. Fearful at the appointed hour that it may not light, I got a 25 litre Jerry can of red diesel and doused the lot. What we expected to be a slow burn turned into an epic if short lived blaze, the sort of thing only Red Adair is called to extinguish.
Before the guests had left the marquee it was all but gone. The glow from the flames lit up the tent until it looked like the view from centre of the sun.
My weekend was mostly spent varnishing the studio floor and log splitting while I waited for it to dry.
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Lost the final match of the season 4-0 yesterday, so we are relegated.
Today we came to Scouseland to looks at the Graces and museums.
But the sun has been shining so all is well with the world.
My one year old has a savage case of chickenpox so looked after him Saturday morning while big one and mrs gd went to a birthday party. Spent Saturday afternoon in the garden as a family weeded a couple of beds then planted meadow seeds and changed out a busted tyre on the 456.
Last night we did shifts trying to get spots to go to and stay asleep. Finally get him settled at 5am.
Today we have been to the seasidet for a walk and picnic on the beach. The spotty one has slept most of the day in his pushchair although still managed a bit of the walk. When we got home my four year old helped cut a leg for the bed i am making under extremely close supervision.
Spent Saturday playing in and around Rowberrow Warren on the Mendips and today was building a small wall. Finished the day with a home cooked lamb shank and a glass of full bodies red.
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grain bill
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hops (fuggles, 60g & 20g)
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mash temp 67degC
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hops in
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chiller in
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wort out
and finally:
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OG 1050
Mcmoonter, looks fab. 😀
1st family bike trip with the latest kimbers
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and an ice cream on the way home
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Got totally lashed celebrating my birthday. Stuffed loads of cakes and expensive chocolates, too.
Today, for the most part, was spent making various batches of triple cooked and super thin and crispy chips. The recipe's perfected for both now but I'm totally sick of the sight of them...
After asking for snow/trail conditions up on the Howgills on here we decided to go round Kentmere taking in Garburn pass instead. Glad we did, had a fantastic ride! Very little snow with dry, dusty trails. Going over green quarter/staveley head fell was the driest I've seen.
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Today I was back up the lakes walking with the family. Another cracking day weather wise finishing off with a great meal in the watermill at Ings, nr staveley
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been at an ace wedding deep in the heart of the Devonshire countryside for most of the weekend..
If you want to go to a good wedding, make it the marriage between folk who amongst other things own and run an event hire business and an award winning catering company..
top flipping nommage all weekend and an impeccably stocked free bar..
Helped with the SiP events Newcastleton sportive, weather was glorious.
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8541/8629501794_c78b1f3fde_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/leecollis/8629501794/ ]Untitled[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/leecollis/ ]Lee Collis[/url], on Flickr
it was a tad nippy yesterday morning though.
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Just bummed around Torridon but the weather was carp......
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8249/8628427569_22ca2f2c8e_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmygrainger/8628427569/ ]Torridon 2013 004[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/jimmygrainger/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8240/8628432687_0a17d06e51_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmygrainger/8628432687/ ]Torridon 2013 009[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/jimmygrainger/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8250/8628436647_bf94663405_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmygrainger/8628436647/ ]Torridon 2013 014[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/jimmygrainger/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8242/8629547522_012141a1c1_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmygrainger/8629547522/ ]Torridon 2013 023[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/jimmygrainger/ ]jimmyg352[/url], on Flickr
Well it was ok I suppose.
Looks cracking Andy. I was up Garburn last Monday and was still a bit of snow.....
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Built up a cheap little hardtail;
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And then did some jumps;
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Ace weekend 😀
had a load of gigs with [url=en-gb.facebook.com/pages/The-Lucky-Strikes/18592996508]this lot[/url] who are on a short tour of the north. 3 cracking gigs so far, and another 3 to come. rock and roll!
Went to visit some friends for lunch yesterday, and also de-tiled their kitchen in the process, but it was ok, they did ask me to.
Today, a collection of failed DIY projects, some gardening and not too much else. Not the best day, but also, far from the worst.
Trip to Sideways Cycles to spec a new toy.
Nice meal with the wife (without my three children for a change)
Way too many real ales.
Gardening.
Ride on the CX bike over the dusty trails of Cannock Chase.
MotoGP was good too.
Friday night - went to watch Hells Bells (Supeb AC/DC tribute band). Saturday stayed in bed til 1.00pm I was that hungover.
Went looking at bathroom stuff for new extension currently being built Saturday afternoon..
Saturday night went to Sister and brother in law's 40th wedding anniversary. I drove as still a tad tender, wife hammered the red wine like there's no tomorrow, which was entertaining.
Today did family stuff this morning, then too out my Triumph Street Triple R for a blast over to Abergavenny, then ate curry and drank wine while watching Rossi return to form in the MotoGP.
HONC next weekend so less booze!!
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This today , six and a half hours of pain .
Bugger !
Hen do in leeds, ended up dancing till 4 in a gay bar. Good fun but missed my bike this weekend
Sat: Family trip to British Museum.
Sun: Surrey League race at Longcross followed by Swinley thrash with the kids followed by Paris-Roubaix.
Balanced 😉
Hurt my legs a bit.
🙂
New trails at Swinley yesterday
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90km loop around Henley and Windsor today
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Cracking weekend
I made a spice rack & I am quite pleased with myself.
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try again.
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Nice rack spacecadett. What joints did you use?
I didn't use any special joints, it's screwed together. This is my first attempt at any sort of woodwork.
I spent the weekend camping in the Cairngorms doing a Leave No Trace trainers workshop, so I can now run the awareness courses or as they are usually known "how to s**t in the woods" courses. It is was an interesting couple of days but my god it was a.little.on the chilly side.
Drove to Afan Friday pm for a weekend's riding, had dinner & a few beers. Woke @ 4am with a hideous burnimg sensation in my eye & soon discovered a recurring bout of keratitis. Too dangereous to ride like that so drove home leaving mates to enjoy the clear blue skies & dusty trails 🙁
Yesterday, watched Jr play footie then wandered into the 'farmers market' next door where I found a man selling
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Took a few home & settled down to watch Paris-Roubaix. 🙂
😕Too dangereous to ride like that so drove home
Sorry to hear about your aborted trip though.
Saturday: I walked the dogs and got them filthy and tired, went into town, had a very nice coffee with my wife, did a bit of shopping, then came home and played Battlefield 3 for a bit. I am proud to say that I won, so that made me happy.
Sunday: Another long dog walk with my wife, followed by several hours up at the allotments. We now have green manure planted in one bed, another bed dug over and resting, one more larger bed dug over with spuds planted, the soft fruit cage fixed (again) and the remaining raspberry canes and strawberry plants planted out. After all this fun, I went home and hit a freecycled bike trailer with a hammer until it was vaguely fixed, then constructed a universal joint out of some garden hose.
All in all, quite a successful weekend.
Saturday was all day drinking in Cardiff for my mates birthday, awesome day/night out! Sunday I spent mainly sleeping, eating a lot of crap and sitting in a car. Did a 10 mile road ride when I got home to make the most of the little dry spell we've had.
Saturday was preparation for Sunday. Sunday I rode the Shakespeare 100 to raise money for MacMillan. 63 miles in under 4 hours with a proper climb of Saintbury coppice.
Feel tired this morning, but glad I did it, now.
